Things you didn't know about... Walthamstow

Walthamstow's genial heritage
Walthamstow is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Wilcumstou", which translates literally as "The Place of Welcome".

Walthamstow's wallpaper superstar
Writer, poet, designer and socialist William Morris was born in Walthamstow in 1834. A pioneer of both the British Arts and Crafts and socialist movements, he is also known as a designer of wallpaper and patterned fabrics. His impressive Georgian mansion is preserved as a local museum.

Top Gear's debt to Walthamstow
Walthamstow engineer Frederick Bremer built the first motor car in 1892. Twenty years later, Motor Magazine recognised the Bremer Car as the first British-built petrol driven car.

Walthamstow was no "place of welcome" for Winnie
Walthamstow saw lively involvement in the General Strike of 1926 when then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill's coach was reportedly overturned on Walthamstow High Street. He didn't fare better 20 years later during the General Election campaign of 1945 when he was given a hostile reception at Walthamstow Stadium!

Town and country in Walthamstow
Walthamstow Village is a peaceful and attractive district to the east of the town. It has a small selection of specialist shops, pubs and restaurants and was voted Best Urban Village in London by Time Out magazine in 2004.

Walthamstow's time on the buses
The London General Omnibus Company or LGOC was the principal bus operator in London between 1855 and 1933 and began manufacturing the world's first mass-produced buses in 1908 at Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow.

Walthamstow just loves going to the dogs
Walthamstow Stadium's greyhound racing track, opened in 1933, boasts a larger attendance and income from gambling than any other dog track in the UK, with a capacity for over 5,000 punters.

Up, up and nearly away in Walthamstow
Walthamstow Marsh was the location of British aircraft pioneer Alliot Verdon Roe's many attempts to build and fly his early aeroplanes in 1908. Despite many failures, he was finally airborne in 1909—but this time it was in neighbouring Hackney Marshes!

Walthamstow—a chart-topping town
1990's boy band East 17 hailed from, and named themselves after the postcode for, Walthamstow. As if that weren't tribute enough, the title of their chart topping 1992 debut album was... Walthamstow!

Walthamstow's star turns
Legendary Blockheads frontman Ian Dury studied at Walthamstow Art College. The town has also been home to Iron Maiden lead singer Paul Di'Anno, rapper Lethal Bizzle, TV presenter June Sarpong and EastEnders' actor Adam Woodyatt, who plays the perennially obnoxious Ian Beale.