Haggerston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haggerston |
|
|---|---|
 Houses in Queenbridge Road |
|
 Haggerston
|
|
| Population | 10,376 |
| OS grid reference | TQ340835 |
| • Charing Cross | 3.1 mi (5.0 km) SW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | E2, E8 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
|
| London Assembly |
|
Haggerston is a lively area in London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Hackney in East London, often called the East End. Haggerston also has its own electoral ward, which is like a local voting area.
Haggerston used to be part of the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch. But in 1965, Shoreditch joined with other areas to form the new London Borough of Hackney. In the 1990s, many older homes were updated. Some old public buildings were even turned into private housing areas. In 2010, the Haggerston railway station was reopened, making it easier for people to travel.
Contents
What's in a Name? Haggerston's Origin
Haggerston was first written down in a very old book called the Domesday Book in 1086. Back then, it was called Hergotestane. This name might have come from a Saxon farmer named Hærgod. He either had a farm (a 'ton') here, or there was a special stone that marked the edge of his land.
Haggerston's Past: A Look Back
Haggerston started as a small village outside of Shoreditch. On an old map from 1745, it was called Agostone. But by the 1800s, its name had changed to Haggerstone.
Famous Births and Discoveries
A very important scientist, Edmond Halley, was born in Haggerston on November 8, 1656. He was the first person to figure out the path of a comet. This comet was later named Halley's Comet after him!
At the end of the 1700s, Haggerston was still mostly countryside. Farmers here provided milk, cheese, and food for horses to nearby London.
Local Landmarks and Changes
The Cat & Mutton Bridge crosses the Regents Canal. It's named after an old pub that used to be there. The current pub nearby, now called La Vie en Rose, was built in 1909.
Nichols Square was a housing area built in 1841. It had unique Tudor gothic style homes. Later, St Chad's church was added there. In 1963, Nichols Square was taken down to build the Fellows Court Estate.
Haggerston railway station first opened in 1867. This was two years after the train line to Broad Street was finished. It was almost called De Beauvoir Town but the name was changed before it opened.
The architect George Finch designed the Suffolk Estate in the 1950s. This was an early example of building many homes close together, including both flats and houses.
Haggerston Park was created in two stages. The northern part, which used to be factories, became a public park in the late 1950s. The southern part was finished in the 1980s. Before that, the whole area was used by a gas company.
The Haggerston Baths are very old public swimming baths. They were designed by Alfred Cross and opened in 1904. They closed in 2000. In 2009, after a long campaign by the community, money was given to fix them up and reopen the pool. The building is also planned to have community spaces and a doctor's office.
Haggerston Today: A Hub for Creativity
By 2015, Haggerston became very popular with students and people working in creative jobs. This is because nearby areas like Shoreditch had become more expensive. Many art galleries have moved to East London, including Haggerston. The area has also attracted new technology companies, especially those near Silicon Roundabout in Old Street. Some people even call the area "Hackerston" because of this!
Who Represents Haggerston?
The Haggerston electoral ward is part of the Hackney South and Shoreditch voting area. This ward chooses three local councillors for Hackney Council every four years. In the election on May 6, 2010, Ann Munn, Jonathan McShane, and Barry Buitekant were chosen. They were all from the Labour Party. The current councillors for Haggerston ward (as of 2020) are Ajay Chauhan, Humaira Garasia, and Patrick Spence.
Where is Haggerston?
 |
De Beauvoir Town | Dalston | Hackney Central | |
| Hoxton |  |
Cambridge Heath | ||
 Haggerston  |
||||
 |
||||
| Shoreditch | Bethnal Green | Bethnal Green |
Haggerston stretches from Hoxton railway station in the south to the northern edge of Stonebridge Garden. It reaches London Fields to the east and runs along Kingsland Road. The area is mainly centered around Queensbridge Road.
Learning in Haggerston
Haggerston School is a special building. It was designed by the famous architect Ernő Goldfinger and built in 1964–65. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it's historically important.
The Bridge Academy opened in 2007. It's located along the banks of Regent's Canal. The school added a sixth form (for older students) in 2012. A financial company called UBS supports the school, and it specializes in mathematics and music.
Haggerston's Culture
The Grade II listed Haggerston Baths, designed by Alfred Cross and opened in 1904, were closed in 2000. After a long community effort, a grant was announced in 2009 to fix and reopen the pool. The building will also have community rooms and a doctor's office.
Haggerston has a long connection with clowns! Holy Trinity Church, Dalston still holds a special service each year for clowns to remember Joseph Grimaldi, a famous clown. The All Saints Centre used to have a Clowns Gallery and Museum. It had props and a unique collection of painted eggs, which were used to "register" clowns' special make-up. Much of this collection is now at Wookey Hole.
Faith in Haggerston
The Little Sisters of Jesus are a Roman Catholic group of religious sisters. They were inspired by the life of Charles de Foucauld and started in Algeria in 1939. They have had a community of Sisters living in a council flat in the Fellows Court Tower Block in Haggerston since 1989.
Haggerston used to have many different church areas, including All Saints, St Chad, St Columba, St Mary, St Paul, St Augustine, and St Stephen.
Getting Around Haggerston
Train Stations
- Haggerston station is served by the London Overground train line.
Walking and Cycling
The path next to the Regents Canal is great for walking and cycling. You can follow it to Victoria Park in the east or to Islington in the west.
Art and Public Works
The Haggerston and Kingsland Estate was set to be taken down in the 1990s, but it took about 20 more years for the process to start. In 2009, artists Andrea Luka Zimmerman and Lasse Johansson, who lived on the estate, created the I AM HERE project. They put large photos of the people living there on the buildings. These photos faced the Regent's Canal and were very popular with people passing by. The project was taken down in April 2014.
A film called Estate, a Reverie (83 minutes, by Zimmerman) was made in 2015 about the Haggerston estate. Filmed over seven years, it shows the strength of the residents who are often not noticed by media. The film was nominated for several awards.
On the Kingsland Estate, the Egyptian painter Nazir Tanbouli created the "King's Land" project. In just four months, he painted murals all over the buildings of the estate before they were taken down.
Famous People from Haggerston
- Frank Buttle (1878–1953), was a vicar at St Chad's and started the National Adoption Society and Buttle UK.
- Randal Cremer (1828–1908), was a Liberal MP for Haggerston. He won the 1903 Nobel Peace Prize.
- Edmund Halley (1656–1742), a famous astronomer.
- Iain Sinclair FRSL (born 1943), a well-known writer and filmmaker.
- Nazir Tanbouli (born 1971), an artist born in Egypt.
- Rachel Whiteread DBE (born 1963), an artist known for making sculptures by casting objects.
- Andrea Luka Zimmerman (born 1969), and Lasse Johansson; artists, filmmakers, and activists who transformed the Haggerston estate with large public art.
See also
In Spanish: Haggerston para niños
