Common History
People have lived in this area for millennia.
Being designated as ‘common land’ gave local people the right to graze their livestock on the Common. A right that persists to today.
In the past the Common was significantly bigger. While the roads developed along earlier, well-worn, paths and byways, most of the local housing and railway were built during the Victorian period.
Many notable people are connected to the Common, including Florence DuVergier, the first female mayor of Hackney, Marc Bolan and Karl Marx’s son.
Find out more about this areas’ rich history:
- Early history: stone age, Roman & Anglo-Saxon (PDF)
- Name and reshaping the common including housing development (PDF)
- The area during WW1 and WW2 (PDF)
- Florence du Vergier (PDF)
Further information and links (external links open in a new window/tab)
- The Hackney Archives hold many photographs, maps and other records, which you can search by area or theme, online or in person.
- For many years, local history enthusiasts have catalogued Stoke Newington's history and are very generous in sharing. You can watch many of their presentations for free
- Enjoy some fascinating photographs from the 1970's and 80's by local photographer Alan Denny and others from the Rio cinema project:
- Visit the Hackney Society for details and publication about interesting people, places and buildings
- The Layers of London website allows you to search different themes by area