Barking and Dagenham

An intriguing compilation of 200 old photos from Barking and Dagenham archives. Since the Saxon era, Barking and Dagenham have been sister settlements on the Thames. In the beginning, the only way they could communicate with other regions was by boat, as the area inland was a marshy wilderness that could only be navigated very difficultly. Presumably, these early inhabitants selected these locations because they offered a strong defence against assault. Barking and Dagenham as we know them now are a result of the entrepreneurial success of individuals like Samuel Williams, who transformed these Thameside neighbourhoods to such an extent that they could be advertised as suitable locations for future industrial expansion. The village of Dagenham was quickly overrun by housing complexes like the massive Becontree estate, which housed the new workers, once the Ford Motor Company arrived and began to grow quickly. This is how the contemporary town that we know today started to take shape. Many of these changes are illustrated in this book, which will be of interest to all those who work or live in this well-known Thameside neighbourhood. It is filled with vintage photos and memorabilia from Barking and Dagenham.