Editing London Borough of Waltham Forest

{{Redirect|Waltham Forest|the historic royal forest|Waltham Forest (legal forest)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = London Borough of Waltham Forest
| other_name                      = 
| settlement_type                 = [[London boroughs|London borough]]
<!-- images, nickname, motto --->
| image_skyline                   = 
| imagesize                       = 270px
| image_alt                       = 
| image_caption                   = 
| image_shield                    = Coat of arms of the London Borough of Waltham Forest.svg
| shield_size                     = 100px
| shield_alt                      = 
| shield_link                     = 
| image_blank_emblem              = Lb_waltham_forest_logo.svg
| blank_emblem_type               = Council logo
| blank_emblem_size               = 150px
| blank_emblem_alt                = 
| blank_emblem_link               = 
| motto                           = Fellowship is Life
<!-- maps and coordinates ------>
| image_map                       = Waltham Forest in Greater London.svg
| map_alt                         = 
| map_caption                     = Waltham Forest shown within [[Greater London]]
| coor_pinpoint                   = <!-- to specify exact location of coordinates (was coor_type) -->
| coordinates                     = 
| coordinates_footnotes           = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location ------------------>
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name                = [[United Kingdom]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[Country of the United Kingdom|Constituent country]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[England]]
| subdivision_type3               = [[Regions of England|Region]]
| subdivision_name3               = [[Greater London|London]]
| subdivision_type4               = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
| subdivision_name4               = [[Greater London]]
| established_title               = Created
| established_date                = 1 April 1965
| established_title1              = 
| established_date1               = 
| named_for                       = 
<!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| seat_type                       = Admin HQ
| seat                            = [[Walthamstow]]
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| government_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| government_type                 = [[London borough council]]
| governing_body                  = [[Waltham Forest London Borough Council]]
| leader_title2                   = London&nbsp;Assembly
| leader_name2                    = [[Sem Moema]] (Labour) AM for [[North East (London Assembly constituency)|North East]]
| leader_title3                   = [[List of MPs elected in the 2010 United Kingdom general election|MPs]]
| leader_name3                    = [[Calvin Bailey]] (Labour)<br />[[Stella Creasy]] (Labour)<br />[[Iain Duncan Smith]] (Con)
| leader_title4                   = 
| leader_name4                    = 
<!-- area ---------------------->
| area_footnotes                  = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_magnitude                  = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_total_km2                  = 38.82
| area_total_sq_mi                = <!-- see table @ Template:Infobox settlement for details -->
| area_total_dunam                = <!-- used in Middle East articles only -->
| area_land_km2                   = 
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 
| area_water_km2                  = 
| area_water_sq_mi                = 
| area_water_percent              = 
| area_urban_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_urban_km2                  = 
| area_urban_sq_mi                = 
| area_rural_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_rural_km2                  = 
| area_rural_sq_mi                = 
| area_metro_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_metro_km2                  = 
| area_metro_sq_mi                = 
| area_rank                       = {{English district area rank|ONS=00BH|GSS=E09000031}} [[List of English districts by area|(of {{English district total}})]]
| area_blank2_sq_mi               = 
<!-- population ---------------->
| population_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| population_total                = {{English district population|ONS=00BH|GSS=E09000031}}
| population_as_of                = {{United Kingdom statistics year}}
| population_rank                 = {{English district rank|ONS=00BH|GSS=E09000031}} [[List of English districts by population|(of {{English district total}})]]
| population_density_km2          = auto
| population_density_sq_mi        = 
| population_blank2_title         = 
| population_blank2               = 
| population_demonym              = 
<!-- time zone(s) -------------->
| timezone                        = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset                      = ±00:00{{!}}UTC
| timezone_DST                    = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = +1
<!-- postal codes, area code --->
| postal_code_type                = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcodes]]
| postal_code                     = {{postcode|E}}, {{postcode|IG}}
| area_code_type                  = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code                       = [[020]]
| geocode                         = 
| iso_code                        = GB-WFT
| registration_plate              = <!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| blank1_name                     = [[ONS coding system|ONS code]]
| blank1_info                     = 00BH
| blank2_name                     = [[GSS coding system|GSS code]]
| blank2_info                     = E09000031
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
| blank_name_sec2                 = [[List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom|Police]]
| blank_info_sec2                 = [[Metropolitan Police]]
<!-- website, footnotes -------->
| website                         = https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/
| footnotes                       = 
| name                            = 
}}

The '''London Borough of Waltham Forest''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɔː|l|θ|ə|m|,_|ˈ|w|ɒ|l|-}})<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/waltham-forest|title=Waltham Forest definition and meaning {{!}} Collins English Dictionary|website=www.collinsdictionary.com|language=en|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seas.elte.hu/cube/index.pl?s=Waltham&gimson=on&t=&syllcount=&maxout=&wfreq=0-9&grammar=|title=CUBE: Waltham|website=CUBE pronunciation dictionary|access-date=29 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite Routledge|Waltham}}</ref> is an [[Outer London|outer]]  [[London boroughs|London borough]] formed in 1965 from the merger of the [[municipal borough]]s of [[Municipal Borough of Leyton|Leyton]], [[Municipal Borough of Walthamstow|Walthamstow]] and [[Municipal Borough of Chingford|Chingford]].

The borough's administrative headquarters are at [[Waltham Forest Town Hall]], which before the merger of the boroughs, was called Walthamstow Town Hall. The population was 278,428 at the 2021 census. Waltham Forest borders five other London boroughs: [[London Borough of Enfield|Enfield]] to the north-west, [[London Borough of Haringey|Haringey]] to the west, [[London Borough of Hackney|Hackney]] to the south-west, [[London Borough of Newham|Newham]] to the south-east and [[London Borough of Redbridge|Redbridge]] to the east, as well as the non-metropolitan county of [[Essex]] to the north.

The borough takes its name from the former [[Waltham Forest (Legal Forest)|Waltham Forest]] – an institution which managed deer in south-west [[Essex]]. [[Epping Forest]] is a remainder of the former Waltham Forest and forms the eastern and northern fringe of the borough. The [[River Lea]] lies to the west where its associated marshes and parkland form a green corridor which, along the [[Lee Valley Reservoir Chain|reservoir-lined reaches]], separates [[north London|north]] and [[east London]], and is the historic border between Middlesex and Essex.

Waltham Forest was one of the host boroughs of the [[2012 Summer Olympics|London Olympics in 2012]], with the [[Eton Manor|Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre]] and part of the [[Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park]] providing an ongoing legacy in the UK and London.

==History==
===Name===
The borough took its name from the former [[Waltham Forest (legal forest)|Waltham Forest]], an institution that managed deer in an area of south-west Essex that stretched eastwards from the [[River Lea]] and included large areas of agricultural land as well as the wooded areas subsequently known as [[Epping Forest]] and [[Hainault Forest]]. The name Waltham Forest was used in parallel with local woodland names, some of which have persisted.{{Citation needed|reason=Such as?|date=July 2024}}

The first known use of the name Waltham Forest is 1205 (in [[Latin#Medieval latin|Medieval Latin]]) as ''foresta nostra prope Waltham'', and the use of the name persisted, until the end of the seventeenth century.<ref>The Place Names of Essex, PH Reaney, English Place Name Society, Volume XII, Cambridge University Press, Reissued 1969</ref>

===Early history===
The area was in the territory of the [[Trinovantes]] tribe during the [[Iron Age]] and through the Roman period, when the tribal area was a unit of local government. It subsequently became part of the Kingdom of the [[Kingdom of Essex|East Saxons]] a unit which is likely to have its roots in the territory of the Trinovantes.<ref>Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England, p46. Barbara Yorke. Yorke makes reference to research by Rodwell and Rodwell (1986) and Bassett (1989)</ref> After the Kingdom of Essex lost its independence, it evolved into the county of [[Essex]].

The Domesday book of 1086 records four manors in the area, [[Chingford]], [[Walthamstow]], [[Highams Park|Higham]] and [[Leyton]]. At some point, before or after the [[Domesday Book|Domesday survey]] these also became [[Civil Parish#Ancient Parishes|parishes]], with [[Highams Park|Higham]] becoming part of the parish of Walthamstow. These parishes had largely stable borders from which those of the later Municipal Boroughs were derived, and these are the basis of our understanding of the extent of these local areas today.

===Preservation of Epping Forest===
The southern part of Epping Forest still extends into the north of the borough, 90% of it having been preserved by the Epping Forest Act of 1878. This not only assisted in preserving the forest, the attraction value also helped stimulate urbanisation of nearby areas.

===Urbanisation===
Until the late Victorian era, the area that became the modern borough was rural in nature with a small dispersed population and a primarily agricultural landscape. Leyton, in particular, grew quite rapidly between 1870 and 1910.<ref>{{cite web|title='Leyton: Introduction', in A History of the County of Essex|volume=6|first=W R |last=Powell |location=London|year=1973|pages=174–184|publisher=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol6/pp174-184 |access-date= 11 May 2020}}</ref>

===Industrial firsts===
In 1892, a private citizen named [[Frederick Bremer]] built the first British motorcar in a workshop in his garden, at Connaught Road, Walthamstow. The vehicle is on display at the [[Vestry House Museum]] in Walthamstow.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britainbycar.co.uk/walthamstow/171-bremer |title=Bremer |publisher=Britainbycar.co.uk |date=14 April 2015 |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
In 1909, the aviation pioneer [[Alliot Verdon Roe|A V Roe]] successfully tested the first all-British aeroplane, the [[Roe I Triplane]], on land at [[Walthamstow Marshes]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/alliott-verdon-roe-e17-1 |title=Alliott Verdon Roe - E17 (1) : London Remembers, Aiming to capture all memorials in London |publisher=Londonremembers.com |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>

===Air Raids in World War One===
The area now known as Waltham Forest experienced at least two [[Zeppelin]] raids during [[World War I]]. On 17/18 August 1915, Airship L10 took a route roughly following the Gospel Oak to Barking railway line, dropping incendiary and high-explosive bombs. The first bomb, an incendiary, fell on Hoe St, Walthamstow, at the junction of Orford and Queens Road; the last was dropped in Aldersbrook area. Ten people were killed in Leyton and another 48 injured across the wider area. On 23/24 September 1916 the German Navy [[Zeppelin R Class|airship L 31]] dropped around ten bombs along the line of Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, killing eight there. On both occasions the Germans believed they were bombing the [[City of London|City]], and it is thought they mistook the [[Lee Valley Reservoir Chain]] for the [[River Thames|Thames]].<ref>London 1914-17 The Zeppelin Menace, Ian Castle. Osprey Publishing 2008</ref>

===Blitz - World War Two===
During the most intense period of the [[The Blitz|Blitz]] (October 1940 to June 1941), the area was hit<ref>{{cite web|author=University of Portsmouth, in collaboration with the National Archives and funded by JISC. |url=http://bombsight.org/explore/greater-london/waltham-forest/ |title=Bombs dropped in Waltham Forest - Bomb Sight - Mapping the World War 2 London Blitz Bomb Census |publisher=Bomb Sight |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref> by around 728 high explosive bombs, 17 [[parachute mine]]s and an unknown, but much greater number of [[incendiary device|small incendiary bombs]]. Subsequent raids were lighter and less frequent,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/military-history/world-war-two/art28780 |title=Bomb Census London: An East End Raid Over Walthamstow And Leyton |publisher=Culture24 |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref> but 1944 saw a number of [[V-1 flying bomb|V-1]] 'flying bombs' and [[V-2 rocket|V-2]] long-range ballistic missiles hit the area, including a V-1 which landed on central Walthamstow killing 22<ref>{{cite web|url=https://londonist.com/2009/01/london_v2_rocket_sitesmapped |title=London V2 Rocket Sites...Mapped |publisher=Londonist |date=2 August 2018 |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/v1-bomb-damage-walthamstow |title=V1 Bomb Damage Walthamstow - British Pathé |publisher=Britishpathe.com |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref> and a [[V-2 rocket|V-2]] which landed on Chingford Road, Walthamstow killing 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-v2-rocket-incident-at-chingford-road-walthamstow-remains-of-a-surface-81006133.html |title=V2 Rocket incident at Chingford Road, Walthamstow. Remains of a Stock Photo: 81006133 |publisher=Alamy |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>

===Creation of the modern borough===
The London Borough of Waltham Forest was created in 1965 under the [[London Government Act 1963]], covering the combined area of the former [[municipal borough]]s of [[Municipal Borough of Chingford|Chingford]], [[Municipal Borough of Leyton|Leyton]] and [[Municipal Borough of Walthamstow|Walthamstow]]. The area was transferred from [[Essex]] to Greater London to become one of the 32 London Boroughs.<ref>{{cite book | first=Frederic |last=Youngs | title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England | volume=I: Southern England | year=1979 | publisher=[[Royal Historical Society]] | location=London | isbn=0-901050-67-9}}</ref>

A petition opposed calling the new borough "Walthamstow", so perhaps for that reason the new borough took its name from the former [[Waltham Forest (Legal Forest)|Waltham Forest]].

==Governance==
{{main|Waltham Forest London Borough Council}}
[[File:Download2018 338.jpg|thumb|[[Waltham Forest Town Hall]]]]
The local authority is Waltham Forest Council, based at [[Waltham Forest Town Hall]] (formerly Walthamstow Town Hall).

===Greater London representation===
Since 2000, for elections to the [[London Assembly]], the borough forms part of the [[North East (London Assembly constituency)|North East]] constituency.

==Settlement==
[[File:Waltham Forest population pyramid.svg|thumb|Population pyramid of Waltham Forest in 2021]]
The main centres of population in the borough are [[Chingford]] in the north, [[Walthamstow]] in the centre (the administrative hub including the council offices) and [[Leyton]] and [[Leytonstone]] to the South. Waltham Forest has the fifth largest Muslim population in England and the third largest in London (coming after its neighbouring boroughs, [[London Borough of Newham|Newham]] and [[London Borough of Tower Hamlets|Tower Hamlets]]).

{{Historical populations
| title= Population census
| percentages = 
| 1801 |6500
| 1811 |8165
| 1821 |9239
| 1831 |9505
| 1841 |9806
| 1851 |10759
| 1861 |22635
| 1871 |34512
| 1881 |46388
| 1891 |92948
| 1901 |154146
| 1911 |255661
| 1921 |267592
| 1931 |280094
| 1941 |274172
| 1951 |268383
| 1961 |251205
| 1971 |235145
| 1981 |214595
| 1991 |217625
| 2001 |218277
| 2011 |258249
| 2021 |278428
|footnote=Note:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10056720/cube/TOT_POP|title=Waltham Forest: Total Population |access-date=3 February 2020 |work=A Vision of Britain Through Time |publisher=Great Britain Historical GIS Project }}</ref>
}}

===Ethnicity===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="12" |Year
|-
! colspan="2" |1971 estimations<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tim Butler |first=Chris Hamnett |title=Ethnicity, class and aspiration |url=https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/ethnicity-class-and-aspiration |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Policy Press |page=66}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref>{{Cite journal |last= |first= |date=1985 |title=Ethnic minorities in Britain: statistical information on the pattern of settlement |url=https://jstor.org/stable/community.28327806 |journal=Commission for Racial Equality |language=English |pages=Table 2.2}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref>{{cite web |title=1991 census – theme tables |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/asv2htm.aspx |access-date=20 January 2017 |publisher=NOMIS}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/submit.asp?forward=yes&menuopt=201&subcomp= |title=KS006 - Ethnic group  |publisher=NOMIS |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011 census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/QS201EW/view/1946157259?cols=measures |title=Ethnic Group by measures |publisher=NOMIS |access-date=8 January 2016}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!–
!92.2%
!175,276
!82.5%
!157,824
!74.4%
!140,803
!64.5%
!134,799
!52.1%
!147,024
!52.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 121,694 || 55.7% || 92,999 || 36.0%
|94,766
|34.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 5,112 || 2.4% || 3,959 || 1.5%
|4,230
|1.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||  –||  –|| 369 || <1%
|198
|0.1%
|-
|White: Roma
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,397
|0.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[Other White|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 13,997 || 6.4% || 37,472 || 14.5%
|46,433
|16.7%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!26,940
!12.7%!! 33,659 !! 15.4% !! 54,389 !! 20.8%
!55,545
!19.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|7,042
| || 7,671 || 3.5% || 9,134 || 3.5%
|9,134
|3.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|13,298
| 6.3%|| 17,295 || 7.9% || 26,347 || 10.2%
|28,740
|10.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,875
| || 2,166 || <1% || 4,632 || 1.7%
|5,166
|1.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,233
| || 1,443 || <1% || 2,579 || <1%
|2,626
|0.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: Other Asian 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,492
| || 5,084 || 2.3% || 11,697 || 4.5%
|9,879
|3.5%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total  
!–
!–
!–
!–
!23,921
!11.3%!! 33,673 !! 15.4% !! 44,791 !! 17.3%
!41,647
!14.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|African]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|5,967
| || 12,630 || 5.8% || 18,815 || 7.3%
|18,759
|6.7%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|14,421
| 6.8%|| 17,797 || 8.2% || 18,841 || 7.3%
|17,587
|6.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|Other Black]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,533
| || 3,246 || 1.5% || 7,135 || 2.7%
|5,301
|1.9%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed or British Mixed]]: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–!! 7,749 !! 3.6% !! 13,776 !! 5.2%
!17,983
!6.4%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Black Caribbean 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 3,007 || 1.4% || 4,568 || 1.7%
|5,135
|1.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Black African 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 1,195 || <1% || 2,403 || <1%
|2,777
|1.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Asian 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 1,580 || <1% || 2,602 || 1.0%
|3,875
|1.4%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: Other Mixed 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 1,967 || <1% || 4,193 || 1.6%
|6,196
|2.2%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Other: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!3,348
!1.6%!! 2,457 !! 1.1% !! 10,504 !! 4.0%
!16,229
!5.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: Arab 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||  –||  –|| 3,776 || 1.4%
|2,884
|1.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: Any other ethnic group 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,348
|1.6%|| 2,457 || 1.1% || 6,728 || 2.6%
|13,345
|4.8%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Non-White: Total 
!–
!7.8%
!37,122
!17.5%
!54,209
!25.6%!! 77,538 !! 35.5% !! 123,450 !! 47.9%
!131,404
!47.2%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Total 
!–
!100%
!212,398 
!100%
!212,033
!100%!! 218,341 !! 100.00% !! 258,249 !! 100.00%
!278,428
!100%
|}

==== Religion ====
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:right"
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Religion
! colspan="2" |1995 estimates<ref>{{Cite web |title=A PROFILE OF BRITISH JEWRY - 1995 |url=https://www.bjpa.org/content/upload/bjpa/a_pr/A%20PROFILE%20OF%20BRITISH%20JEWRY.pdf |page=12}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#E0E0FF;" |[[History of Christianity in Britain|Christian]]
|–
|–
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#F5F5F5;" |[[Irreligion in the United Kingdom|No religion]]
|–
|–
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#E0FFD0;" |[[Islam in the United Kingdom|Muslim]]
|–
|–
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#DCDCDC;" |Religion not stated
|–
|–
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#FFE0C0;" |[[Hinduism in the United Kingdom|Hindu]]
|–
|–
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#E0F0FF;" |[[History of the Jews in the United Kingdom|Jewish]]
|2,700
|1.3%
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#F0F0C0;" |[[Sikhism in the United Kingdom|Sikh]]
|–
|–
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#F0E0F0;" |Other religion
|–
|–
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-bgimage="" data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background:#FFFFC0;" |[[Buddhism in the United Kingdom|Buddhist]]
|–
|–
|-
! scope="row" |'''Total'''
!–
!100%
|}

==Open spaces==
[[Epping Forest]] and the green corridor along the [[River Lea]] provide some of the borough's many open spaces, which include:
* Epping Forest (part)
* [[Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park]] (part)
* [[Lee Valley Reservoir Chain]] (part)
* [[Walthamstow Marshes]]
* The [[Walthamstow Wetlands]] Reserve, opened in 2017, provides {{convert|211|ha|acre sqkm|abbr=on}} of open space.
* Leyton Jubilee Park
* [[Lloyd Park (Walthamstow)|Lloyd Park]]
* Ridgeway Park
* Chingford Mount Cemetery
* Mansfield Park
* Highams Park Field

==Arts, culture and leisure==
Historically known as the seat of the [[Arts and Crafts Movement]] under the stewardship of [[William Morris]], Waltham Forest has continued to succour many contemporary artists & art groups. These include the North East London Independent Artists (NELIA) group, based at the Changing Room Gallery in Lloyd Park, the [[491 Gallery]] in Leytonstone, and a number of independent artists, also mainly in the Leytonstone area. The biennial E17 Art Trail, which includes open studios, exhibitions and events, is the biggest art event in the borough, and there is now a similar event in Leytonstone. [[Eamon Everall]], founder member of the [[Stuckism]] art movement is a long-time resident in the borough where he also maintains a studio.<ref>[http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/exhibitions/stuckists/eamoneverall.aspx "'The Gift', Eamon Everall"], [[Walker Art Gallery]], [[National Museums Liverpool]]. Retrieved 16 October 2008.</ref>

Waltham Forest was the first ever London Borough of Culture in 2019.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-46825340 BBC: "Events mark Waltham Forest becoming Borough of Culture"]</ref>

Waltham Forest is home to a number of musicians that have found success in the UK, including [[East 17]], [[Blazin' Squad]], and [[Indie rock|indie]] band [[Hefner (band)|Hefner]], who formed in Walthamstow. The borough is also a centre of the [[Grime (music)|grime]] musical genre; grime acts hailing from the borough include [[More Fire Crew]], [[Lethal Bizzle]], and [[Jammer (rapper)|Jammer]], amongst others.

The borough had a key role in the history of [[rave music]] culture, whether it be clubs, artists, and DJs. Widely regarded as one of the seminal tracks of [[jungle music]], the creator of "[[We Are I.E.]]", [[Lennie De Ice]] grew up and lived in Walthamstow. [[Walthamstow]] was also home to [[DJ Rap]] and MC Navigator.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rendezvousprojects.org.uk/sound-systems-house-parties/|title=Sound systems & House parties – Rendezvous Projects|work=Rendezvous CIC|date=18 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://walthamforestecho.co.uk/thank-you-for-the-music|title=Thank you for the music|work=Waltham Echo|author=Victoria Munro|date=6 November 2021}}</ref> The venue Dungeons was located on [[Lea Bridge Road]] in [[Leyton]], and a number of [[UK pirate radio|pirate radio]] stations including Friends FM, Dance FM, and [[Eruption Radio|Eruption FM]] broadcast from tower blocks such as the [[Cathall|Cathall Estate]] in [[Leytonstone]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://walthamforestecho.co.uk/crest-of-a-rave/|title=Crest of a rave|date=9 November 2019|author=Alice Clapperton|work=Waltham Echo}}</ref>

The only theatre in the borough, The Waltham Forest Theatre, was situated in Lloyd Park. Though a local campaign was launched to save it in 2008,<ref>Sarah Cosgrove, "Teenage twins in bid to take over theatre", ''The Waltham Forest Guardian'' {{When|date=April 2012}}</ref> the theatre was demolished in 2011.

[[Leyton Orient F.C.]] is the local professional [[Association football|football]] team, based at Brisbane Road, Leyton. In the 1962–63 season, the club played in the top tier of English football, the [[Football League First Division]], but currently are in [[EFL League One|League One]], the third tier of the [[English football league system]].

==Housing==
Waltham Forest was one of six local authorities to set up a [[Housing Action Trust]] under the Housing Act 1988. The Waltham Forest HAT covered various estates in need of [[urban renewal|regeneration]]: [[Cathall Road]] in [[Leytonstone]], [[Oliver Close]] in [[Leyton]], Boundary Road in [[Walthamstow]] and Chingford Hall in [[Chingford]]. The HAT transferred its redeveloped estates to [[Community-based Housing Association]] and shut down in April 2002. English Partnerships then demolished four empty tower blocks.<ref name=ep>{{cite web|url=http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/hats.htm |title=English Partnerships: A residuary body for Housing Action Trusts |access-date=3 March 2007 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105145656/http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/hats.htm |archive-date=5 January 2008 }}</ref>

The remaining [[Council housing]] in the borough is now managed by an [[arms-length management organisation]], Waltham Forest Housing (formerly Ascham Homes).<ref>{{cite news|title=Ascham Homes performance worsens|url=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/wfnews/8182163.WALTHAM_FOREST__Ascham_Homes_performance_worsens/|access-date=1 May 2012|newspaper=Waltham Forest Guardian|date=24 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526213646/http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/wfnews/8182163.WALTHAM_FOREST__Ascham_Homes_performance_worsens/|archive-date=26 May 2010}}</ref>

==Olympics==
Waltham Forest was one of four host boroughs in [[east London]] for the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 Olympics]]. The northern part of the [[Olympic Park, London|Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park]] is located in [[Eton Manor]]. The borough hosted events in its three Olympic-size swimming pools, one synchronised swimming pool and one water polo pool. These pools were used for athlete training.

During the Paralympic Games, Eton Manor hosted the Wheelchair Tennis events, with temporary seating for 10,500 spectators.

In April 2012, the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] identified the roof of Fred Wigg Tower as a potential location for [[surface-to-air missile]] defences during the Games.<ref>{{cite news|title=Missiles could be deployed at six sites during Olympics, MOD confirm |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9236079/Missiles-could-be-deployed-at-six-sites-during-Olympics-MOD-confirm.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9236079/Missiles-could-be-deployed-at-six-sites-during-Olympics-MOD-confirm.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=1 May 2012|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=1 May 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Education==
{{Main|List of schools in Waltham Forest}}
Waltham Forest has a number of institutes, including 3 colleges of further education. [[Leyton Sixth Form College]] was the second [[sixth form college]] in [[Southern England]] to get a licence,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.londoncolleges.com/en/College_news/index.cfm/id/7DBC44E7-C8FD-4A07-9D86D9FB90B43525|title=News - Leyton Sixth Form achieves Investors in People Gold Award|first=Kasia|last=Koscielak|website=www.londoncolleges.com|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826121022/http://www.londoncolleges.com/en/College_news/index.cfm/id/7DBC44E7-C8FD-4A07-9D86D9FB90B43525|archive-date=26 August 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was awarded the title of best college in London for sport in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/10375233.College_named_best_in_London_for_sport/|title=College named best in London for sport|website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series}}</ref> Others include [[Waltham Forest College]] and [[Sir George Monoux College]]. Waltham Forest has a sixth form college reorganised system which it adopted in 1985.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1991/jun/06/further-education|title=Further Education (Hansard, 6 June 1991)}}</ref>

==Neighbouring authorities==
Neighbouring authorities are [[Epping Forest District|Epping Forest]] ([[Essex]]) in the north, [[London Borough of Redbridge|Redbridge]] in the east, with [[London Borough of Newham|Newham]] and [[London Borough of Hackney|Hackney]] to the south. [[London Borough of Haringey|Haringey]] and [[London Borough of Enfield|Enfield]] lie to the west.

{{Adjacent communities
 | NW       = [[London Borough of Enfield|Enfield]] 
 | N        = [[Epping Forest District|Epping Forest]] ([[Essex]])
 | NE       =
 | W        = [[London Borough of Haringey|Haringey]] 
 | Centre   = Waltham Forest
 | E        = [[London Borough of Redbridge|Redbridge]]
 | SW       = [[London Borough of Hackney|Hackney]]
 | S        = [[London Borough of Newham|Newham]], [[London Borough of Hackney|Hackney]]
 | SE       = [[London Borough of Newham|Newham]]
}}

==Constituent districts and wards==
[[File:Waltham Forest_London_UK_labelled_ward_map_2002.svg|thumb|A map showing the wards of Waltham Forest since 2002]]

===Districts===
{{div col}}
* [[Bakers Arms]]
* [[Cann Hall]]
* [[Chingford]]
* [[Chingford Hatch]]
* [[Friday Hill, London|Friday Hill]]
* [[Highams Park#Hale End|Hale End]]
* [[Highams Park]]
* [[Leyton]]
* [[Leytonstone]]
* [[Upper Walthamstow]]
* [[Walthamstow]]
* [[Whipps Cross]]
{{div col end}}

===Wards===
{{div col}}
*[[Cann Hall]]
*[[Cathall (ward)|Cathall]]
*[[Chapel End]]
*[[Chingford Green]]
*[[Endlebury]]
*[[Forest (ward)|Forest]]
*[[Grove Green, London|Grove Green]]
*[[Hale End and Highams Park South]]
*[[Hatch Lane and Highams Park North]]
*[[High Street (ward)|High Street]]
*[[Higham Hill]]
*[[Hoe Street]]
*[[Larkswood]]
*[[Lea Bridge]]
*[[Leyton (ward)|Leyton]]
*[[Leytonstone]]
*[[Markhouse]]
*[[St James (ward)|St James]]
*[[Upper Walthamstow]]
*[[Valley (ward)|Valley]]
*[[William Morris (ward)|William Morris]]
*[[Wood Street (ward)|Wood Street]]

{{div col end}}

== Transport ==
===Railway===
The area is served by the following [[London Underground]] lines:
* [[Central line (London Underground)|Central line]] serves the south of the borough, running alongside the [[A12 road (Great Britain)|A12 road]], with stations at [[Leyton tube station|Leyton]] and [[Leytonstone tube station|Leytonstone]].<ref>{{Cite web |work=Transport for London|title=Central line timetable |access-date=12 October 2024 |url= https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/timetable/central/ |quote=}}</ref>
* The [[Victoria line]] runs roughly through the middle of the borough, with stations at [[Walthamstow Central station|Walthamstow Central]] and [[Blackhorse Road station|Blackhorse Road]].<ref>{{Cite web |work=Transport for London|title=Victoria line timetable |access-date=12 October 2024 |url= https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/timetable/victoria/ |quote=}}</ref>

Both lines are both part of the [[Night Tube]], which provides overnight tube services on Friday and Saturday nights. 

[[London Overground]] runs through the borough on the following lines:<ref>{{Cite web |work=Transport for London|title=London Overground Timetables |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=12 October 2024 |url= https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-overground/london-overground-timetables |quote=}}</ref>
* The [[Gospel Oak to Barking line]] has stations at [[Walthamstow Queen's Road railway station|Walthamstow Queen's Road]], Blackhorse Road, [[Leyton Midland Road railway station|Leyton Midland Road]] and [[Leytonstone High Road railway station|Leytonstone High Road]].
* [[Lea Valley lines]] run from [[Liverpool Street station]] in the [[City of London]]; there are stations at [[St James Street railway station|St James Street]], Walthamstow Central, [[Wood Street railway station|Wood Street]], [[Highams Park railway station|Highams Park]] and [[Chingford railway station|Chingford]].

[[Greater Anglia]] serves the south-west of the borough with a station at [[Lea Bridge railway station|Lea Bridge]]; these services connect {{rws|Stratford}} and {{rws|Bishops Stortford}}.<ref>{{Cite web |work=Greater Anglia |title=Timetables |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=12 October 2024 |url= https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/timetables |quote=}}</ref>

===Buses===
A number of [[London Buses]] routes serve the borough, as well as six [[Night buses in London|night bus routes]]. Services are operated by [[Arriva London]] and [[Stagecoach London]].<ref>{{Cite web |work=Bustimes.org |title=Services in Waltham Forest |access-date=12 October 2024 |url= https://bustimes.org/districts/306 |quote=}}</ref>

===Cycling===
The pioneering [[Mini-Hollands|Mini Holland]] programme has begun to provide protected cycle lanes across the southern half of the borough, increasing the ability to use bicycles as a transport option.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Enjoy Waltham Forest {{!}} Enjoy Waltham Forest |url=https://enjoywalthamforest.co.uk/about-mini-holland/ |access-date=14 July 2020 |website=enjoywalthamforest.co.uk |date=16 January 2015}}</ref>

===Transport usage===
In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were:<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Census: QS701EW Method of travel to work, local authorities in England and Wales|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-and-quick-statistics-for-wards-and-output-areas-in-england-and-wales/rft-qs701ew.xls|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=23 November 2013}} Percentages are of all residents aged 16-74 including those not in employment. Respondents could only pick one mode, specified as the journey's longest part by distance.</ref>
* Underground, metro, light rail or tram: 21.0% of all residents aged 16–74
* Car or van: 7.0%
* Bus, minibus or coach: 7.0%
* Train: 6.5%
* On foot: 4.3%
* Work mainly at or from home: 2.1%
* Bicycle: 1.8%.

==Law enforcement==
Policing is covered by the [[Metropolitan Police]]. There is one police station which is based in Chingford and a number of additional patrol centres throughout the borough. Waltham Forest comes under the Met's North-East Basic Command Unit (BCU) following a merger of Waltham Forest's and Newham's policing in 2018<ref>{{cite news |title=The Met to Merge Newham & Waltham Forest police forces |url=https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/crime-court/the-met-to-merge-newham-and-waltham-forest-police-forces-1-5391367}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
[[File:David Beckham.jpg|thumb|right|David Beckham]]
{{Main|List of people from Waltham Forest}}
Waltham Forest is the birthplace of [[William Morris]], best known as one of the principal founders of the British Arts and Crafts Movement. Morris was a designer of wallpaper and patterned fabrics, a writer of poetry and fiction, and a pioneer of the socialist movement in Britain.

Other notable people, such as footballer and former England Captain [[David Beckham]], rapper, songwriter and actor [[Redzz]], ''[[I, Claudius (TV series)|I, Claudius]]'' star [[Derek Jacobi]], former Essex and England cricket Captain [[Graham Gooch]], and the film director and producer [[Alfred Hitchcock]], were also born in the borough. The heavy metal band [[Iron Maiden]] was formed in Leyton, and Eastenders actress [[Rita Simons]] was born in Leytonstone. Notable Eastenders Actor [[Adam Woodyatt]] is from Walthamstow. The poet [[Pascale Petit (poet)|Pascale Petit]], shortlisted three times for the TS Eliot poetry prize, lives in Walthamstow. Notable rap/grime artist [[Lethal Bizzle]] is from Walthamstow, and [[Grayson Perry]], the 2003 [[Turner Prize]]-winning artist, has his studio in Walthamstow. X Factor finalist [[Fleur East]] is also from Walthamstow as well as British Taekwondo Athlete [[Lutalo Muhammad]], and musician [[Geordie Greep]].

==Sports teams==
* [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient Football Club]]
* [[Walthamstow F.C.]]
* [[West Essex F.C.]]
* [[Leyton F.C.|Leyton Football Club]]
* [[Lee Valley Lions]]

==Twinned cities==
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is [[Town twinning|twinned]]<ref name = "twinning">{{cite web | url = https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/content/town-twinning | title = Town twinning | publisher = Waltham Forest Council | access-date = 7 November 2017 | archive-date = 3 August 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200803064457/https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/content/town-twinning | url-status = dead }}</ref> with

*[[Saint-Mandé]], France,
*[[Wandsbek]], Germany,
*[[Antigua and Barbuda]], and
*[[Dominica]].

Friendship links have also been established with

*[[Mirpur, Pakistan|Mirpur]], [[Pakistan]].<ref name = "twinning"/>

==Gallery==

<gallery>
File:Walthamstow Town Hall 20 Apr 2006.jpg|[[Waltham Forest Town Hall]]
File:Hunting Lodge Chingford.JPG|[[Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge]]
File:Walthamstow Stadium 1.JPG|[[Walthamstow Stadium]]
File:Leytontownhall.jpg|[[Leyton Town Hall]]
File:Walthamstow Marshes.JPG|[[Walthamstow Marshes]]
File:LU Leytonstone sign.jpg|[[Leytonstone tube station|Leytonstone Station]]
File:Beaumont.jpg|All Saints and St Paul's Tower
File:Walthamstow, The Ancient House.jpg|The 'Ancient House' in Walthamstow Village
File:Former Chingford Town Hall (geograph 4814495).jpg|Chingford Town Hall (No longer in use)
File:Walthamstow Bus Station - geograph.org.uk - 1768510.jpg|Walthamstow Bus Station just off Selborne Walk
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|London}}
*[[Waltham Forest parks and open spaces]]
*[[Waltham Forest Guardian]]
*[[Whipps Cross Hospital]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|London Borough of Waltham Forest}}
* [https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/ Waltham Forest Council]
* [http://www.walthamforestguardian.co.uk/ Local newspaper]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071217230006/http://cms.met.police.uk/met/boroughs/waltham_forest/index Waltham Forest Police]

{{LB Waltham Forest}}
{{London}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|51|34|N|0|02|W|region:GB_type:adm1st|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:London Borough Of Waltham Forest}}
[[Category:London Borough of Waltham Forest| ]]
[[Category:London boroughs|Waltham Forest]]
[[Category:1965 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Pakistani-British culture in London]]