In 2005 London was awarded the right to host the Olympic Games, and the central location of this extravaganza was to be Stratford. Overnight, this largely unnoticed part of the metropolis was thrust into the global spotlight. But prior to the arrival of the Olympics, Stratford was far from being an obscure outpost on the fringe of the city. It had played a key role at the heart of the 'new' East London, an area of huge significance in London's recent history. This isn't the much-documented East End of the Krays, Jack the Ripper and the Bow Bells. This is London 'over the border', East of the River Lea, and it is arguably far more important than its much-mythologised neighbour. For here was London's industrial heartland: the railways, docks and factories that altered the landscape, both physically and mentally. Over the Border: The Other East End tells the story of Stratford and its surrounding areas from the 11th century to the present day. It is the story of how the dreams of the few affected the lives of the many dreams of wealth and industry, of technological advance and artistic inspiration. It is the story of the dreamers and the people caught up in those dreams: of triumphs large and small, of great achievement and greater toil, of poverty, disease and murder. In looking at the twists and turns of this part of East London's history, we can see that a new narrative is being written for the post-industrial era: one set to remould this landscape yet again, and perhaps provide it with a new identity
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About the Author
Neil Fraser was born in 1966 and grew up mostly in the North of England. He has lived in East London for twenty-one years, in West Ham, Barking, Stratford, and now in Leytonstone with his family. He has worked in a betting shop, a mail-order book club and is currently a teacher. Over the Border is his first book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By S Wood
This thoughtful book tells the story of 'the other East End', areas such as Stratford, Plaistow, Silvertown and West Ham which are often overlooked in the history books. The author manages to present in a lively and conversational style a wealth of interesting historical facts and little known details about the hardships faced by people in industrial times. The book also explores the future of the area post Olympics and the impact change will have on local people. This is not a straightforward history book, but that makes it but all the more enjoyable a read, especially for the uninitiated. Loved 'Angry Bob'!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
History books of localised areas tend to bog the reader down in excessive minutae and I suspect are are rarely read from cover to cover.This writers approach is refreshing and the narrative bounds along like a page turning adventure story.
Interspersed with fascinating industrial background he provides potraits of notable characters of this part of the east end of London.
This book is of particular relevance to those Londoners who live south of the border and those who lived there but have moved on to other parts of the country and indeed other countries in the world.
At the same time the authors style has resulted in a book that will be thoroughly enjoyed by the wider British public
wherever they live.
Interspersed with fascinating industrial background he provides potraits of notable characters of this part of the east end of London.
This book is of particular relevance to those Londoners who live south of the border and those who lived there but have moved on to other parts of the country and indeed other countries in the world.
At the same time the authors style has resulted in a book that will be thoroughly enjoyed by the wider British public
wherever they live.
Amazon Verified Purchase
I chose this book hoping to learn more about Stratford in the early part of the twentieth century, an area my ancestors came from. I did not find what I was looking for, but was left with the impression of poverty and colourful characters. Parts were very interesting, especially the first and last chapters and the part on Joan Littlewood. Neil Fraser has a chatty style of writing and good on description. My lasting impression was historical Stratford has been lost to the Olympic Stadium.
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