Life in a Forest Gate week

A recent post featured a rather special seven day period in Newham - the borough's first Heritage Week.  This one features a rather more ordinary week, in the life of Forest Gate. 

Our listings column (right) tries to focus on one-off events, or music within Forest Gate.  We are always pleased to add YOUR event, free of charge, of course; just drop a line to info@E7-NowAndThen.org.

The listings section, however, omits details of  those dozens of activities that run as regularly as clockwork within the area. Many of them have emerged as initiatives initiated by recent "gators", or in-coming gentrifiers.
  
But, an equal number, are long-standing sessions that have helped make the area what it is, for years.  Many of these are provided by or with Aston-Mansfield, at Durning Hall on Earlham Grove, or at The Gate, by Newham Council.

Below we offer a list of regular weekly activities in Forest Gate. We have deliberately omitted education/training courses and religious-related activities - these would take a lengthy post in their own right.

Some of the events listed are free of charge and others incur a cost. If in doubt, call before attending.  We provide a list of providers/venues and their contact details at the end of the blog.

If any of the details in this list are wrong, or change, please let us know and we will amend the listings.  If new regular events are started up, we will be happy to add them to the list.

The aim is to keep the details up-to-date, so that the blog can be an ongoing and accurate listing of Forest Gate regular events. We will notify updates via Twitter (@E_7nowandthen).

We will follow this blog in a couple of blogs time with a week's eating and drinking in Forest Gate - and pretty mouth-watering it should be , too!

Monday

9.00am - 3.00pm Woodgrage Baptist church. Baby/Toddler group.

9.30am - 12.30pm Durning Hall. Tender cubs (pre-school).

10.15am Corner Kitchen. Toddler music, for the under 5's. This and other classes listed below are put on by local mums; they are drop in £5 charge.

11.00am - 12 noon. The Gate. Tai Chi in the park. Forest Lane Park, meet Magpie Lodge.

11.00am - 4.00pm The Gate. Table Tennis

4.00pm- 6.00pm Durning Hall. East London School of Dance: ballet, modern and tap (3yrs - 18).

4.00pm - 7.30pm The Gate. Table Tennis Meet new p[eople and try your hand (children).

6.00pm - 8.00pm. Durning Hall. Shpresa Programme (mentoring and dancing workshops).

6.30pm - 7.30pm The Space East. Beginners Pilates (other times available during the week, contact Space East for details and prices).

7.00pm - 10.00pm Forest Tavern. Swing Dancin' Get dancing with Swing Patrol - swing dancing; no partner required. £10.

Forest Tavern - Swing Dance on a Monday night

8.00pm - 9.30pm Durning Hall. Kick boxing.

Tuesday

9.15 - 10.30am Space East. Beginners Yoga (other times available during week, contact Space East for details and prices).

9.30am - 12.30pm Durning Hall. Tender cubs (pre-school).

10.00am Forest Tavern. Gate Yoga: Traditional Hatha Yoga (suitable for all levels).

10.30am - 11.30am The Gate. Story telling; story and rhyme session for children upto 5 years old.

11.30am - 12.30pm The Gate. Buggy Fit: Free guided walk to the local park with your buggy. Meet at the library.

1.00pm - 2.00pm The Gate. Adult Chess Club

4.30pm- 7.00pm Durning Hall. East London School of Dance: ballet, modern and tap (3yrs - 18).

Durning Hall, for the East London School of Dance

5.00pm - 6.00pm Space East. Teen Yoga (contact Space East for details).

5.30pm - 7.30pm The Gate. Chess club : play, learn or get help to improve your game. All ages and abilities irrelevant.

6.00pm - 7.00 pm The Gate. Backsercise

6.00pm - 7.15pm Durning Hall. Beavers (boys 6-8).

6.00pm - 7.00pm Durning Hall Swing TrimFit. Scott Cupit's Swing Patrol branches out with a weekly swing dance inspired hour long work out. £5.

6.00pm - 7.00pm Forest Gate Community school. Female only Zumba

7.00pm Forest Gate Methodist Church, Woodgrange Road.  Gate Yoga: Traditional Hatha Yoga (suitable for all levels).

7.30pm - 9.30pm Durning Hall. Wing Chun school of martial arts.

8.00pm - 11.00pm Forest Tavern. Pub quiz. Winner £50, second bottle of wine.

Wednesday

9.00am - 12.noon Woodgrange Baptist church, Women's Health Club

9.30am - 12.30pm Durning Hall. Tender cubs (pre-school).

9.30am Corner Kitchen. Toddler French, for the under 5's. £5 charge.

10.00am CoffeE7, 10 Sebert Road.  Gate Yoga: Traditional Hatha Yoga (suitable for all levels).

CoffeE7 for Yoga on
 a Wednesday morning

3.30pm - 5.00pm The Gate. Games club: Sony, PS3, XBox 360, Nintendo Wii, board games and much more. Free activities for the 7's - 16's.

4.30pm- 6.30pm Durning Hall. East London School of Dance: ballet, modern and tap (3yrs - 18).

4.30pm - 5.30pm. MBox. Try an under 16's boxing class with Mickey (other times available - check website for details, phone for prices - see below).

Boxing, with Mickey from Mbox

8.00pm - 9p.00m Durning Hall. Wing Chien school of martial arts.

8.00pm 11.00pm Red House, Upton Lane. Jazz@St Ants. New performers each week. Reasonable priced drinks. £3.

Thursday

9.30am - 12.30pm Durning Hall. Baby massage music for the under 5's. £5 charge.

9.30am - 12 noon. Woodgrage Baptist church. Baby/Toddler Group.

1.00pm - 3.00 Woodgrange Baptist church. Foodbank

3.00pm  Corner Kitchen. Toddler music, for the under 5's. £5 charge.

4.00pm - 6.00pm Durning Hall. Kick boxing.

4.00pm - 6.00pm The Gate. Science Club Join the club, carry out interactive experiments, watch demos and record results.

4.00pm - 6.00pm The Gate. Children's movie club. Free screenings for children aged 7 - 16 (under 8's must be accompanied by an adult). Advanced notification of films given. Advanced bookings essential.

Children's movie club at The Gate

6.15pm - 7.45 The Gate. Yoga; exercise for physical and mental well-being.

Friday

9.30am - 12.30pm Durning Hall. Tender cubs (pre-school).

10.00am - 4.00pm Community Garden, 138 Earlham Grove. Open for assisting or viewing: with a children's and a quiet area, for reading. You will be encouraged to sign up as a member.

10.00am Corner Kitchen. Toddler drama, for the under 5's. £5 charge.

10.30am - 11.30am Space East. Mums Yoga with babies, level 1 (contact Space East for full details).

Space East for mums and babies
 yoga on a Friday morning

11.00am - 1.00pm The Gate. ICT drop-in session. Learn how to create your own email account and set up a My Newham profile.

11 am. - 12.30pm The Gate. Tai Chi in the park. Low impact class, combining deep breathing and relaxation with slow and gentle movement to improve muscle strength. Forest Lane Park. Meet Magpie Lodge.

11.00am - 2.00pm Durning Hall. House of Love. Over 50's club.

12. noon - 4.00pm Woodgrage Baptist church. Lunch club and drop-in.

12.30pm - 2.30pm Durning Hall. East African Muslim cultural group.

12.30pm - 2.30pm Durning Hall. Newham Gambian Association.

1.00pm - 4.00pm. Forest Gate Community Garden, Earlham Grove, open for volunteering, or just a stroll.

1.30pm - 3.30pm The Gate. Bumps and babies - free activities for the under 5's.

4.30pm - 5.30pm Durning Hall. Think Big (drama class).

5.00pm  - 6.30pm Durning Hall. Folk in Motion (wheelchair dancing for the over 50's).

6.30pm - 8.15pm Durning Hall. Cubs (boys 8 -10).

8.00pm - 9.30 Durning Hall. Scouts (boys 11 - 15).

Saturday

9.30am -3,30pm Durning Hall. East London School of Dance (ballet, modern and tap; 3years - 18).

9.30am  Corner Kitchen. Toddler ballet, for the under 5's. £5 charge.

2 sessions of Toddler ballet
 at Corner Kitchen on Saturdays

10.00am - 11.30am Woodgrange Baptist church. Football academy.

10.00am - 1.00pm Woodgrange Market - corner of Woodgrange and Sebert Roads.

10.00am - 1.00pm Community Garden, 138 Earlham Grove. Open for assisting or viewing: with a children's and a quiet area, for reading. You will be encouraged to sign up as a member.

10.00am - 12. noon Durning Hall. Irish dancing academy (all ages).

10.15am  Corner Kitchen. Toddler ballet, for the under 5's. £5 charge.

10.30am - 12.30pm The Gate. Homework club: free study support during term time for children aged 7 - 14.

10.45am -1.30pm Durning Hall. Tender cubs (pre-school).

11.45am - 2.30pm Durning Hall. Alcoholics Anonymous.

2.30pm - 4.00pm The Gate.  Keep fit to Salsa.

3.00pm - 4.00pm Durning Hall. Wing Chun school of martial arts.

2.30pm - 4.30pm The Gate. Salsa. Dance yourself and keep fit while learning Latin and Salsa moves, without the need for a dance partner.

Sunday

10.30am - 12.30pm Durning Hall. Kick boxing.

10.00am - 11.30am MBox. Try and Open Gym/Boxing circuit with Edward at MBox (other times available, check their website for times, and phone for prices - see below).

Contacts

Community Garden: www.forestgate-community-garden.org.uk, @FGCommGarden

Corner Kitchen, 58 Woodgrange Road:  020 8555 8068, www.cornerkitchen.London, @cornerkitchenlondon

Durning Hall, Earlham Grove: 020 8536 3800, www.aston-mansfield.org.uk. @A_Mcomms

Forest Tavern,  173 Forest Lane: 020 8503 0868, www.foresttavern.com

The Gate, 2-6 Woodgrange Road:  020-3373-0856, www.Newham.gov.uk

Gate Yoga: Gate7yoga@gmail.com

MBox ,488 The Arches, Cranmer Road:  07952486062. www.mboxing.co.uk. @mboxlondon

Swing Patrol, 020 3151 1750. www.swingpatrol.co.uk

Space East, Arch 439, Cranmer Road: www.thespaceast.com. Swing Patrol

Woodgrange Baptist church, Woodgrange Road. Parish nurse 07947 029556, or minister 020 8555 9880

Boxing's memory lane: Walker vs. Mildenberger fight - March 1967

We have recently acquired a piece of boxing memorabilia with sturdy Forest Gate roots. It is a copy of the programme for what was probably local boxer Billy Walker's biggest fight, when he met Karl Mildenberger at Wembley for the Heavyweight Championship of Europe, in March 1967.

Programme cover

Walker, who was brought up in Ilford, was a member of the West Ham boxing club, fought regularly at Romford Road's West Ham baths (now the Atherton suites, being rebuilt), and lived for a while on Romford Road, owned the Upper Cut Club on Woodgrange Road at the time of the fight.

The images in this article are taken from the programme of that fight. The copy, although written in a rather showmanship style, gives a clear indication of the importance of the bout in the annals of British boxing history.

Card for the night

The promoter of the fight was the legendary Harry Levene. In his introduction he mentions the fact that the Wembley bill was such big box office that even then - almost 50 years ago - it was relayed in an early close circuit television to cinemas in London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham and Southend.  Levene went on to say:

I have promoted many major tournaments in my time, including many world championship fights, but never in all my experience have I known such a rush for tickets as I have for tonight's battle between Karl Mildenberger, the holder, and our own Billy Walker, for the Heavyweight Championship of Europe.  All tickets for this big arena (Wembley's Empire Pool) were sold before I had announced one single supporting bout. This is ample proof, if it were needed that Walker is the biggest box office attraction in British boxing history.

Boxing writer, Bill Martin, provided a profile of Billy for the programme.  He said:

Billy Walker - the whole spirit of boxing

"Take 14 stone of muscle, lace it with guts and determination, top the lot with a handsome blond head and you have Billy Walker, surely the biggest drawing card in British Sport today.

Almost from the moment he first put on a boxing glove, Walker has pulled in the crowds. His amateur career, climaxed by his sensational one round knock-out of the 17 stone American Cornelius Perry, in 1961, was a spectacular interlude relished by all but his opponents. His five years as a professional have been even more colourful. When it comes down to the fundamentals, boxing is a matter of hit and be hit, and we roll up in our thousands because Walker personifies the whole spirit of the business. He lays in with joyful abandon and if he stops one or two in return well, that's show business. In these circumstances anything can happen - and usually does.

That is why Walker is the sell-out King and why nearly 11,000 are here at Wembley tonight, plus a further 40,000 at the far ends of closed circuit T.V. land lines have cheerfully put their hands in their pockets for the privilege of being in on this fracas.

Action shot, accompanying
 the article

 The drawing power will not go unrewarded. Billy's share for this, his first title fight, will be 23.5% of the take and undoubtedly part of the purse will go towards consolidating the highly successful business empire over which he rules in partnership with Big Brother George.

Partners outside the ring as well as inside, the Walkers have invested shrewdly the cash garnered by junior's flying fists. They own garages, a fleet of taxis, a petrol company, a club and a couple of restaurants.

Success of this kind is not always easy to carry and having a name that is a household word can turn a man's head. But not Walker's. Certainly he enjoys the recognition, the T.V. appearances and the glad hand, but his hat size has not changed and his feet remain firmly on the ground. he is still Billy Walker, everybody's mate.

Advert in the programme, showing
 Walker's pull as a poster boy to
 promote products.  The "Cassius"
 referred to in it, is, of course
 Mohammed Ali, his pre-Islamic
 conversion name

Beneath it all, however, lies an iron determination, a high standard of bravery and an uncompromising attitude towards his work in the ring. "Anyone who wants to keep me down", he says, "will have to nail me to the floor".

It is an attitude which has already secured his place in the story of the British heavyweight division, and it could carry him a lot further up the rocky road to the top.

Programme caption: A faceful of fists
 for Jose Menno. Two of them belong
 to him, but the other is on the end
of that punishing right arm of Billy
Walker and, as Menno's puffy
 face shows, that right really hurts!

Programme caption: Billy Walker and
 Ray Patterson pose for the inevitable
 'dear old pals' photograph after their
 terrific fight at the Royal Albert
 Hall on 6th December last.

Alas, the fight did not go to plan, and Walker was badly beaten. He takes up the story in his ghosted autobiography When the Gloves Came off:

Mildenberger was by far the most formidable opponent I'd had to face in twenty-seven pro fights. ... In addition to the capacity Wembley crowd, the fight was shown in thirteen British cinemas and theatres and beamed to Germany, France, Italy and other European countries - a total audience of 75 million, apparently. ... George and I came out with £30,000, more than enough to buy and renovate the property of our second Baked Potato restaurant which George planned to open in Chancery Lane.

I wish I could say I gave the watching millions value for money, but I can't. I did my best, as usual, went at Mildenberger from the first bell, and kept going forward, trying to land the big one, but I took a hell of a beating and I'll admit that it was the first time in my career - amateur and pro - when I was grateful that the referee called a halt; when I wanted a fight over and was content to lose.

The referee stopped the contest in the 8th round and it was the beginning of the end of Billy Walker's boxing career.  He had one more big title fight, against Henry Cooper, for the British and Commonwealth title in November that year, which he also lost, a single low key fight the following year, before bowing out after losing to British heavyweight Jack Bodell, almost two years to the day after the Mildenberger defeat.

We have written at length about Billy Walker on this site before (see here, in particular) and his Upper Cut Club on Woodgrange Road. The evening of his biggest fight, to Mildenberger came just three days after the Upper Cut's biggest billing: the Atlantic/Stax tour, featuring Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, Sam and Dave, Booker T and the MG's, Eddie Floyd etc.  See here for detail.,

Otis and co at the Upper Cut, just
 three nights before the big fight