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London Fields Hackney In 1275 the area of London Fields was common pastureland but the name of London Field is not found until the 1540s. It was one of several areas in Hackney with Lammas Rights. It is thought to have been called London Field because the paths with the most
direct routes to the City ran alongside it. Some surrounding roads have names connected with sheep and this might indicated sheep grazing or being driven across here. By the mid 19th the area was being dug for brick earth and developers were eying it up and local people began
to object. Under the Metropolitan Commons Act, 1866, the Hackney District Board petitioned for the inclosure of a group of local commons of which London Fields was one. The manorial rights were purchased by the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1881. Once it had become a park lines
of plane trees were planted. A bandstand built which was later demolished and replaced by one to the southeast, which itself was removed after the Second World War – three oaks remain of the eight which originally surrounded it. The area was heavily bombed in 1940 and as a
result the park was increased to cover the areas of demolished buildings. The lines of London plane trees surrounding the cricket pitch to the north and east mark the old park boundary. The war left many people without homes and 18 prefabs were built in 2 rows on the west side of
the field. Another 21 were built on what had been the south end of Eleanor Road. These were removed by 1951 but the west side ones lasted into the 1960’s. After the war the netball pitches were removed and the hard tennis courts were moved the site of demolished houses in
Richmond Road. The grass tennis courts were removed in the 1970’s.
Facilities include The park keepers’ service yard, with manager’s office, storage and rest room which have been nextto the Lido since the 1960s.
Lido. The outdoor pool was built in 1930 by agreement between the
Facilities include The park keepers’ service yard, with manager’s office, storage and rest room which have been nextto the Lido since the 1960s.
Lido. The outdoor pool was built in 1930 by agreement between the
London County Council and the Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, The original pool was different from what had gone before. It was the earliest to have an advanced filtration plant, a tiered fountain, a large sunbathing area, a refreshment kiosk and a first aid room. It was
designed in house by the London County Council probably by Rowbotham & Smithson. The Lido opened in 1932 and remained open until 1939 to reopen 1951 and then close in 1988 following cut backs in council funding and the abolition of the Greater London Council. After many
years of local campaigning by local people it re-opened in 2006 and is now managed by Greenwich Leisure Ld. Edithsstreets
