kids encyclopedia robot

Beckton facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Docklands Light Railway, Beckton - geograph.org.uk - 1660823
A Docklands Light Railway train at Beckton station.

Beckton is a lively area in East London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham. You can find it about 8 miles (13 km) east of Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London. Beckton has changed a lot over the years, growing from empty marshland into a busy community.

Beckton's Early Days

For a long time, Beckton was mostly just marshland. Not many people lived there. But as London grew bigger in the 1800s, more homes were needed. People started moving to Beckton to work at large factories. These included important gas and sewage works. These places helped London's growing population.

Why Beckton Grew

The gasworks in Beckton were huge. They made gas for lighting and heating homes across London. This brought many workers and their families to the area. New houses were built to create a community for them. This was the start of Beckton as we know it today.

Modern Beckton Takes Shape

A big change happened in Beckton between 1981 and 1995. During this time, it was part of the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) project. This project aimed to bring new life to old dockland areas.

New Homes and Transport

The LDDC helped build many new homes in Beckton. This made the population grow a lot. One of the most exciting developments was the building of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). The DLR is a special train system. It connects Beckton to other parts of London. Beckton even has its own station on the DLR line. This made it much easier for people to travel to and from Beckton.

Life in Beckton Today

Today, Beckton is a modern area with many homes and facilities. It has parks, schools, and shopping areas. The DLR makes it easy to explore the rest of London. Beckton is a great example of how an area can transform over time. It shows how new transport and housing can help a community grow.

Images for kids

  • Prefabfront

    Prefabricated post-war home at Chiltern Open Air Museum: Universal House, steel frame clad with corrugated asbestos cement

  • Beckton bus station - geograph.org.uk - 1672357

    The bus station in 2010

  • 1832 S.D.U.K. Map of London and Environs, England - Geographicus - LondonEnvirons-SDUK-1832

    1832

  • 1855 Colton Map or Plan of London, England - Geographicus - London-c-55

    1855

  • 1899 Bartholomew Fire Brigade Map of London, England - Geographicus - London-bartholomew-1899

    1899

  • 1920 Bacon Pocket Map of London, England and Environs - Geographicus - London-bacon-1920

    1920

  • Beckton - Henry Addlington Close

    Henry Addlington Close in Beckton

  • Gallions Hotel, Beckton

    Gallions Hotel

  • Beckton Alps

    Beckton Alps and Gasworks 1973, from the A13

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Beckton Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.