West Ham

The area was originally an ancient parish formed to serve parts of the older Manor of Ham, and it later became a County Borough. The parish and borough of West Ham, situated east of the River Lea and north of the River Thames, was an administrative unit, with largely consistent boundaries, from the 12th century to 1965, when it merged with neighbouring areas to become the western part of the new London Borough. Before 1965, the area was part of the historic county of Essex.

West Ham's long established boundaries take in the sub-districts of Stratford, Canning Town, Plaistow, Custom House, Silvertown, Forest Gate and the western parts of Upton Park, which is shared with East Ham.

The district was historically dependent on its docks and other maritime trades, while the inland industrial concentrations led to its byname as the Factory centre of the south of England. These sources of employment have largely been lost. In the 21st century, there has been some revival, in part associated with development for the 2012 Olympic Games.