Housing and Young Families in East London

Anthea Holme's book explores how housing has changed in Bethnal Green in East London and Wanstead and Woodford in outer East London since the publication of Michael Young and Peter Willmott's classic studies. It compares the present housing and housing history of families who have just had their first child, highlighting the contrasts in tenure, dwelling type, condition, surroundings, and opportunity to acquire a home. Holme concludes that this division can only grow wider unless housing is regarded as the vitally important component it is in inner-city life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 09 August 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Originally published in 1985, Anthea Holme delves into the transformation of Bethnal Green in East London and Wanstead and Woodford in outer East London, areas extensively explored by Michael Young and Peter Willmott in their renowned books "Family and Kinship in East London" and "Family and Class in a London Suburb." With a focus on the intervening twenty-five years, Holme aims to uncover the shifts that have occurred in these neighborhoods. She conducts a four-way comparison, examining the differences between then and now, as well as contrasting two contemporary areas: a relatively prosperous outer London suburb and a London East End district grappling with its share of inner-city challenges.

The book begins by centering on a pivotal moment in a family's history—the birth of the first child. Housing plays a significant role in shaping the family's experience during this period. The author delves into the current housing conditions and the housing histories of families who have recently welcomed their first child. Through her analysis, she highlights the disparities in housing tenure, dwelling types, conditions, surroundings, and the ability to secure a home in the first place, which were already evident twenty-five years ago. She also demonstrates how, while change has brought these two places together in certain aspects, such as patterns of consumption, housing has further divided them. In Woodford, owner occupation dominates, symbolizing affluence, while council tenancy prevails in Bethnal Green, representing socio-economic inequality.

Holme concludes that in the current political, economic, and social climate, this division in housing can only widen unless housing is recognized as the vital component it is in inner-city life. She advocates for policies that prioritize affordable housing, equal access to resources, and community development to address the housing crisis and promote social cohesion.

Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032542379