Canning Town oral histories

Nadina Smith

Nadina Smith has lived in Canning Town since early childhood, attending local schools and later working extensively in education, community development, and at Community Links.

Her first memories of the Canning Town Library go back to primary school visits, where it felt magical and gave her a sense of independence. As a teenager, it became a social space as well as a study spot, with books like Judy Blume and Of Mice and Men leaving a lasting impression. The library also offered VHS rentals, which she and friends eagerly shared.

Beyond books, Nadina remembers children’s activities, reading clubs, and the valuable access to computers before most households had them. Later, she brought young people from Community Links to the library to support their learning and creativity.

She reflects on how much Canning Town has changed, through transport links, new businesses, and growing diversity and believes the library’s new role as a Heritage Centre is vital for preserving local history and identity.

For Nadina, the library symbolised independence, safety, and empowerment. She especially values the memory of her first library card, a tangible symbol of freedom and access to knowledge.

Claire Doherty

Claire Doherty grew up in Plaistow with close family connections to Canning Town, attending local schools, St. Margaret’s Church, and spending weekends shopping at Rathbone Market or visiting grandparents nearby. She remembers Canning Town as the center of family and community life, with the library playing a particularly important role. As a child, she attended storytelling sessions and workshops in the children’s section, while always being intrigued by the grand staircase leading to the adult library upstairs. In secondary school, she began using the library for homework and research, relying on encyclopedias and reference books before the age of Google. She recalls the contrast between the lively children’s area and the hushed, formal atmosphere upstairs, which gave her a sense of excitement and importance.

For Claire, the library was not just about books but a community hub, connected to the wider rhythms of Canning Town life, shopping for bread at Percy Ingles, enjoying ice cream at Murkoff’s, or having meals at Wimpy nearby. She has fond memories of playing “library” at home, stamping books for her sisters, and believes that watching storytellers at the library inspired her path into teaching. Although she struggled with reading as a child, she enjoyed reading aloud to her siblings, and later, as a teacher, made it a priority to pass on that same sense of wonder and enjoyment to her pupils.

Comparing past and present, Claire notes that the old library demanded silence and order, while today’s Canning Town Library is designed to be more interactive, bright, and child-friendly, with workshops, seating areas, and a stronger community feel. She also reflects on how children now face a different challenge: learning to assess the reliability of information in an age of Google, Wikipedia, TikTok, and AI, where misinformation can spread quickly. For her, this makes libraries and schools all the more important in guiding children to think critically about what they read and watch.

Looking back, Claire sees Canning Town as a vibrant, multicultural area that has always welcomed people from different backgrounds, from Irish families like her own to later waves of migration. She hopes the new Heritage Centre will celebrate this rich history, highlight the changes the community has been through, and give both long-time residents and newcomers a sense of pride and belonging. In her view, the library and the wider community have always been about more than buildings, they represent continuity, memory, and the importance of shared spaces for learning and connection.

Rebecca Fletcher

Rebecca Fletcher grew up in Canning Town, deeply rooted in a large family with generations living in the area. She attended Cumberland School and Star Lane Primary and described her upbringing as shaped by the close-knit community around her.

Her earliest memories of the old Canning Town Library are tied to her love of books. For Rebecca, the library was both an escape from a busy household and a place of discovery. She recalled the silence, the spaciousness, and especially the smell of books, which gave her comfort and inspired a lifelong habit of reading. Among her early reads were Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Princess Diaries, and travel and cultural books that connected with her involvement in community projects.

Rebecca was part of CBS (Confidence, Belief, and Self-Awareness), a youth initiative linked to Community Links next door to the library. Through this, she joined the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council and traveled abroad, using the library to research destinations such as South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, and Israel. She emphasized how vital the library was before widespread internet access, opening her world beyond Canning Town.

She reflected on the library as a community landmark and symbol of opportunity. While she did not recall many specific events, her use of the space was focused on study, exploration, and personal growth. For her, the library provided both a sense of solitude and the reassurance of shared community.

On Canning Town’s changes, Rebecca noted the effects of gentrification, acknowledging both new opportunities and the loss of some of the family-based essence of community. She expressed hope that young people today still have access to the same kinds of resources and opportunities that shaped her life.

Regarding the transformation of the library into the Newham Heritage Centre, Rebecca felt it was fitting, preserving the memory and importance of the building for future generations. She believes the library represents access, escape, and the possibility of a bigger world, particularly for communities often labeled as deprived.

Looking back, Rebecca reflected on how her desire to escape her environment in youth has transformed into gratitude. She credits Canning Town and its people for shaping her identity and resilience. Even today, she continues her love of reading and storytelling, seeing it as part of her East End heritage.

Pat Mahoney

Mr. Pat Mahoney reflects warmly on his life and memories growing up in Canning Town after moving there from Whitechapel in 1957. He recalls a strong sense of community, playing football with neighbours—including future celebrities Frank Lampard Sr. and David Essex—and working in Rathbone Market as a teenager. The Canning Town Old Library was a formative part of his childhood, sparking his lifelong love of reading. He fondly describes its tall ceilings, friendly staff, and the joy of discovering authors like John Wyndham, which later influenced his teaching career.

Mahoney became a teacher in Custom House in the early 1980s, eventually serving as headteacher for a decade. He recounts the area’s transformations, from the creation of London City Airport to redevelopment projects, and expresses support for preserving the old library as a heritage centre. Now active in community groups like “Any Old Irons,” he continues to promote connection and storytelling among older residents. His reflections capture both the nostalgia and resilience of a changing East London community.