West Ham Park 150th Anniversary

West Ham Park

150 years of nature, diversity, and community

West Ham Park has been a vibrant and beautiful place for the community to use and enjoy since 1874. Managed by the City of London Corporation since then, West Ham Park offers recreation, play, learning opportunities, places to socialise, beautiful gardens for quiet reflection and amazing plants and trees which are stunning all year round.

History

Documents relating to the Park date back to 1566 and show that the site was originally part of the Upton House estate (later known as Ham House), before being acquired in 1762 by philanthropist, Dr John Fothergill. Fothergill was a collector of plants and created a botanic garden in the site that is now West Ham Park.  Some of the trees he planted can still be seen in West Ham Park including a Ginkgo Biloba, planted by Fothergill in 1763 which is one of the oldest of the species in the UK.

The Gurney Family purchased the estate after Fothergill's death in 1780 and members of their family lived there for nearly 100 years. Ham House was demolished in 1872. In 1874, the philanthropic Gurney family organised a transfer of the land to the City of London Corporation so it could become West Ham Park - a public green space and the largest park in Newham. 

Celebrating the anniversary

Thanks you to everyone who joined us on 20 and 21 July to celebrate the anniversary. 

Watch this You Tube video for highlights of the two amazing days.