Fragments of HOME: Newham’s Stories in Photos, Street Art, and Community Pages

Especially those who arrive from elsewhere, carrying fragments of their cultures, languages, and memories, and stitching them into the fabric of this borough. I was born in the Philippines and lived in Kent from five to twelve years old, and moving to Newham was the first time I was surrounded by so many new cultures, new communities, and new parts of the world that opened my worldview even further.

The project grew out of the Canning Town Old Library, the future home of the Newham Heritage Centre. The stories captured through this project, stemming from the library and expanding beyond it, will one day return to the new centre as the spine of Newham with its own stories as its pages. Hearing the memories shared by my fellow Community Researchers, many of whom grew up with this library as a familiar part of their lives, helped me understand how deeply tied it is to people’s sense of belonging.

Canning Town Old Library has always been more than a building. It’s been a refuge from the busy East End streets, a place of warmth, reprieve, learning, and community, just like many libraries across Newham. For generations of working-class and immigrant families, libraries weren’t only places to borrow books. They were where you went to study, sort documents, use a computer, find support, meet people, and sometimes feel at home when you didn’t feel that anywhere else.

My goal in this project was to reflect the character of Newham that always brought me wonder but was also the reality of the borough. Newham is not Newham without the migrated communities and the generations of families whose roots may have begun elsewhere but have grown deep into this borough, weaving their heritage into the fabric of Newham. Being in a room with my fellow Community Researchers, from different backgrounds, jobs, lives and generations, most with stories that stretched wider than Newham or London, I saw how we all gravitated back to the memory of a library.

From that, I understood how important community spaces are, and how tapping into Newham’s spaces of sanctuaries helps tell the story of migration, and multicultural identities. These spaces absorb the different languages spoken within them and the traditions passed down that have spanned different generations and parts of the world. They are often the first places where new arrivals begin to weave their lives into the borough, creating their own local identity and culture. These spaces hold the past to serve the present, and help shape the future of the local area.

Canning Town Library is a clear example of this. It offers digital skills and basic computer courses, free internet access, parent and toddler reading groups, support for new arrivals, refugees and residents without stable housing, access to local history and archives, and a wide range of creative community events [1,2,3]  Libraries like this are true community anchors.

Naturally my journey started at the archives in Stratford Newham Archives and Local Studies Library, a 9-minute bus journey from where I live in Forest Gate. Finding any records of Newham libraries, I instead uncovered pages of photography documenting street art, murals and graffiti from the decades those shelves stored. Notably what captured me was a photography collection from images taken in 1985 of a mural of Central Library in East Ham. It was fascinating to see how artists have long used the streets of Newham as their canvas, turning walls into messages, even political statements, and reflections of the community’s voices. Where street art screams the voices less often heard.

Newham takes street art seriously. Under its cultural strategy, the council actively supports high-quality public art across the borough. They’re part of an ongoing, official effort to highlight the borough’s diversity, history and collective identity.[4] Now living in Forest Gate, just five minutes from my home, I pass a Jimi Hendrix mural stretching across the side of a building every day. The artwork commemorates the Upper Cut Club, a culturally significant music venue on Woodgrange Road, where local history says Hendrix wrote the lyrics to ‘Purple Haze’ on Boxing Day 1966 [5].

In my research, I see this commitment to public art as an extension of what libraries like Canning Town Old Library have long done: a visual archive of memory, urban changes and community resilience and resistance. I realised there’s a pocket of people in Newham that are using the surfaces of the borough to make it their home, claiming their streets and buildings. Dating back to cave paintings and tree carvings, it has always been human nature to leave a trace or legacy to signify that “I was here”. Whether it is murals, street art and even graffiti, it is the same impulse to write yourself into the changing landscape.

At the archives, Cas, Newham Heritage Officer at the library, helped me uncover several boxes filled with folders of photos taken from the 1970s to the 2010s by Edward Hawke, who taught Art & Design at Eastlea Community School in Canning Town c.1976–85. The collection offered an uncompromising perspective of Newham streets, photographs exposing its gritty reality and stark beauty. The series traced homelessness to discarded toys on the street, and to graffiti, street defacement and decay that painted the true texture of the borough. His work felt like a way of reframing Newham, through the eyes of someone who understood it from the inside.

Many of the photographs were created in response to newspaper clippings he carefully cut and slotted between the photographs, including an Independent article from 24 April 2012 titled “Security guards abuse law to clamp down on photography at venue.” The article exposed how private security guards were overstepping their authority, surveilling public spaces, and restricting photography, limiting people’s ability to document everyday life in the changing built environment.[6] In this context, Hawke’s images read like a quiet resistance, asserting the right to capture the public spaces and everyday moments that make Newham what it is. I was grateful to have gone through his photographs and to be able to visualise Stratford before the developments and a side of Newham that might otherwise have been forgotten.

The 2012 Olympics transformed Stratford, but that transformation had a complicated impact on those who already lived there. For many locals, the Games were less a celebration and more a catalyst for disruption. A Guardian article clipping that Edward Hawke cut out, spoke of “winners and losers”: while some benefited from rising property prices, long-time residents faced the very real threat of displacement as rents increased. With a strong history of migration, cultural diversity, and working-class roots, it felt as though a new landscape was emerging, one where more affluent people were moving in.[7] The regeneration felt as if it wasn’t designed with the existing community in mind, and many residents were uprooted or struggled to remain in an evolving Stratford. The article quoted local resident Sunchin Yooyai, owner of the Pie Crust Café, who said redevelopment was “ripping his community apart,” a sentiment echoed by many who watched their neighbourhood shift around them. Edward Hawke’s photography was his carving into local history to prove he was here and so where the people, the places, the stories he knew before things inevitably change – in all its beauty and also all its flaws. [7]

My research led me to explore stories that traced the changing landscape of Newham. I wanted to gather intergenerational narratives, ideally capturing different generations within the same family to highlight their varied experiences of the borough. Alongside these perspectives, I aimed to record the voices of today’s Newham, cultural pioneers and community leaders taking authorship of local stories through their creative and community work, pouring back into a community that has poured in to them. Many of these individuals straddle a mix of cultures while shaping a new one in Newham’s identity. Their experiences reflect the evolving demographic and cultural landscape, while also ensuring that the histories and experiences of long-term residents remain visible, even as new developments bring in a new uncertain demographic.

I spoke with Shai, 25 years old, of Thai-Irish-Caribbean heritage, who grew up in Plaistow and attended St. Luke’s Primary School in Canning Town. She works on the side of her Masters at UCL East studying Global Urbanism, at Aston Mansfield, a community organisation based in Newham with a main community centre in Manor Park. She helped facilitate youth programmes like the New Voices for Old Stories, Aston-Mansfield’s 2 year National Lottery Heritage Fund funded youth heritage programme.[8] Shai spoke about her involvement in the V&A East Youth Collective, a consultation and co-creation programme aimed at re-engaging young people across Newham.[9] She reflected on the impact of the Olympics on her family, explaining that rising property costs ultimately led them to move out of Newham to Essex. At the same time, she acknowledged the opportunities the Olympic legacy brought: “Olympic legacy brought opportunities targeted at young people like me. Programs and initiatives gave me access to things I might not have had otherwise, like scholarships, museum curation, and creative engagement projects. It’s a complicated relationship—I’ve benefited, but I also understand the disruption it caused for long-term residents.”

I also spoke with Shai’s mother, Pearl, 44 years old, of mixed Thai-Irish heritage. They both reflected on how food was a way to connect with their mix of cultures at home, and how the streets just a stone’s throw away could transport you to different countries with the grocers, butchers and markets, “each shelf a different country”, complimenting their their Thai, Caribbean, and Irish household. For Shai, growing up amid Newham’s diversity felt entirely normal, while Pearl described how, in her childhood, different cultures often struggled to mix.

I investigated the archives further to support their divergence. I uncovered community newspapers from the 1980s-90s, called the Canning Town and Custom House Community News also formerly called Eastlea Community News from the Eastlea Community School. It revealed just how deeply rooted Newham’s multicultural identity has always been. Pages were filled with stories of the Newham Caribbean Focus Coordinating Committee, which organised exhibitions with the Black Cultural Archives celebrating the contributions of African Caribbean people in Britain. Pages with Arabic translations of certain excerpts, some for job openings. I also came across mentions of Eastlea’s Asian Women’s Club and community Diwali celebrations in local schools. Classes ranged from learning Bengali and Urdu to ‘Asian Dressmaking,’ and ‘Indian Cookery’ alongside English lessons for ESOL, all offered in libraries, community centres, and schools that doubled as local hubs.[10] These weren’t just community events, they were evidence that long before I arrived in Newham, migrant and minority communities were shaping the borough from within, creating support networks, building cultural life, and claiming space in ways that made Newham what it is today.

Community spaces like Eastlea Community acted as epicenters for these activities. Turning the browning pages of these 40 year old newspapers revealed political stances, calls for action, community campaigns, and even cheeky stamps used as forms of protest, much like the street art I previously studied. Some stamps read: “DON’T BUY THE SUN NEWS OF THE WORLD, THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES” and bore slogans like “MURDOCH IS BAD NEWS” and “EASTENDERS SAY, We’re NOT SUN lovers!”.[9] Art has always been a way to assert minority voices and mark their presence. Just like graffiti and street art, these small acts of creativity were subtle rebellions, found in the everyday corners of Newham, on the streets, or sometimes on the corners of the pages.

It’s clear that the community has long worked to preserve its sense of belonging and have fought to keep Newham inclusive and vibrant. At the same time, they also documented harsh realities, including reports of the “Growing Threat” of racial attacks, prompting Eastlea to comment: “It is vitally important that [Eastlea Community School] attacks the problem of racism both inside the school and outside in the wider community. It is central that the school develops links with and works with community groups in fighting racism. It is important those people, teachers, pupils, and parents, who are opposed to racism help fight it.”[10] These stories underline why such community groups, networks, centres were safe havens vital in offering protection and solidarity amid the social and economic challenges of life in Newham. The borough has never been without its struggles or its reputation. Which is why local community newspapers, photography, street art are all ways the community takes back ownership of that story and narrative. We do not shy away from the truth but it propels the actions we take to look after our community. Larger newspapers often approach Newham with outsider scrutiny, trying to control how we are seen. This can distort how our past is retold, but I’m hopeful that moving forward we can take agency over our own contemporary stories, shaping the borough’s future on our own terms through places like the Newham Heritage Centre.

I continued my interviews with Newham locals like Jordan Abankwah, 30, of Ghanaian heritage, who grew up in Custom House. He recalled the reading challenges at Canning Town Old Library and praised its “multi-generational approach to its community’, noting its importance as a space where people often go to escape the cold weather outside. He expressed dislike for describing Newham as a “melting pot,” saying, “that’s like making everyone’s culture blend into a grey matter. I prefer to think of it more like a mosaic or a stained glass window… it’s an area of many different facets. Mostly, it’s very colourful in terms of the different people and the shapes of the community.” Jordan also spoke about a Newham Council flagship participatory budgeting programme, ‘People, Powered, Places’, which funded a project he worked on.[11] He creatively led a photography exhibition focused on Black hair. The project captured the stories of around eight to ten Black Plaistow residents, exploring their relationships with their hair. The work highlighted the importance of identity and self-expression, using photography to strip away preconceived notions.

I spoke with Rica Go from Plaistow, Philippines born, 26, who has served as an altar server at her local church, St. Anthony in Forest Gate, since she was ten. Her parents, who immigrated from the Philippines, in an effort to establish a community in Newham brought the tradition of Santa Cruzan—a popular Philippine celebration honouring Mother Mary—to their local parish, hosting it annually for the neighbourhood. Years later, as an adult, Rica founded Filifest in 2019, a youth organisation and festival celebrating Filipino culture in the UK, led by dozens of young people from the Filipino diaspora.[12] In 2025, they held their 6th annual festival for the first time at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford drawing over 5,000 attendees, their largest yet, and bringing the community together in the spirit of Filipino-UK pride. She reflected on her time at St. Angela’s Ursuline School in Forest Gate, noting that she never felt any struggle to fit in within such a large Filipino community in Newham. “The Filipino diaspora in Newham is the biggest in the whole UK,” she said, highlighting the strength and presence of her community in the borough.

I realised that these stories are where my research would culminate. I wanted to capture these stories and bring them to life in a contemporary community newspaper. The beating heart of Newham is its current changemakers and cultural leaders, the people shaping and leaving their mark on Newham now the same way Newham has left a mark on them. I hope to create this alongside both established voices and young voices of Newham, who will carry the borough’s stories forward. By recording and sharing these experiences, the legacy of Newham’s communities, including all their struggles, creativity, and resilience is able to be passed down, connecting past and present, and preserving the living memory of the borough for generations to come.I hope to share this community newspaper’s first issue in the Newham Heritage Centre, and perhaps decades from now its pages will be rifled through, proudly showing the mosaic of Newham and reflecting on how we made it a HOME.

References

1. Newham Heritage Month. Canning Town Library. Available at: https://www.newhamheritagemonth.org/venues/canning-town-library/ [Accessed 17 Nov. 2025].
2. Newham Council Volunteers. Volunteer Opportunity: Canning Town Library. Available at: https://volunteers.newham.gov.uk/volunteers/opportunity/10242449 [Accessed 17 Nov. 2025].
3. Newham Council. Newham Library Service awarded the prestigious Library of Sanctuary Award. Available at: https://www.newham.gov.uk/news/article/1445/newham-library-service-awarded-the-prestigious-library-of-sanctuary-award-in-recognition-of-work-welcoming-refugees [Accessed 17 Nov. 2025].
4. Newham Council. 2025. Murals and Street Art. [online] Available at: https://www.newham.gov.uk/libraries-arts-culture/murals-street-art [Accessed 27 Nov. 2025]
5. Newham Council. Giant Jimi Hendrix mural marks launch of the Bold Colours of Newham Street Art series. Available at: https://www.newham.gov.uk/news/article/1314/giant-jimi-hendrix-mural-marks-launch-of-the-bold-colours-of-newham-street-art-series [Accessed 17 Nov. 2025]
6. The Independent. Put your camera away: security guards offer glimpse of Olympic enforcers. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/put-your-camera-away-security-guards-offer-glimpse-of-olympic-enforcers-7670707.html [Accessed 17 Nov. 2025].
7. The Guardian. Olympics and East London house price boom. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/oct/07/olympics-east-london-house-price-boom [Accessed 17 Nov. 2025].
8. Aston-Mansfield. New Voices for Old Stories. Available at: https://www.aston-mansfield.org.uk/new-voices-for-old-stories/ [Accessed 21 Nov. 2025].
9. Victoria and Albert Museum. East: Get Involved. Available at: https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/east-get-involved?srsltid=AfmBOopPwMhFP1_xe4OZGHIRZlNsdJgXFlrstwqXB00a1Glbd5d0X2GJ [Accessed 21 Nov. 2025].
10. Eastlea Community School, 1980s–1990s. Canning Town and Custom House Community News (formerly Eastlea Community News) [newspaper]. Stratford: Newham Archives and Local Studies Library.
11. Newham Co-Create. People Powered Places. Available at: https://newhamco-create.co.uk/en/pages/people-powered-places [Accessed 22 Nov. 2025].
12. Filifest. Available at: https://filifest.co.uk/ [Accessed 24 Nov. 2025].