Thamesmead, 1969

Let's have a tour of Thamesmead in 1969, thanks to those excellent folk at British Pathe. This is unused footage, silent and beautifully shot, exploring the estate when it first opened. We even get to see the 'Balency' system factory, where the concrete pieces used to construct the estate are formed and set.

The first residents moved in in 1968, so much of Thamesmead here is unoccupied, hence the ghost town feel of some of the areas, and the more peopled areas elsewhere.

This is well worth a watch, a glimpse at the kind of vast estate we can't imagine being built in London today.

See also two Thamesmead promo films: Thamesmead 1970 and Living at Thamesmead, 1973.