GENTRIFIED FULHAM: Then and Now

British Journal Of Photography

Alan Bodill, Age 75, Here seen 18y, Grew up in Working class Fulham (Breer Street), Terrace family home with his Mum | Dad | Aunt | Cousins, He now rents the house.

Gentrification: Wandsworth bridge 1965 vs 2022

Londons suburbian towns like South London, specifically South West London such as Fulham or Wandsworth has experienced gentrification for decades, and are still going through the process now. Wandsworth experienced some of the most gentrification out of any London borough between 2010 and 2016, according to research. Not many small businesses remain that have been there over the last couple of decades due to rapid rise in rents to cater to the new residents with higher disposable income. This untold story covers both the positives and negatives this gentrification.

of this London borough has brought to those who have watched their home change over the last few decades. Gentrification is a process in which wealthier new-comers move into a working-class neighbourhood. This then follows with new businesses and amenities popping up to cater to these new residents. These changes attract more affluent people, and property values go up. This process can displace low-income families or prevent low income families from moving into a previously affordable neighbourhood. However, it can lead to commerical development and improved economies.

1. Lombard Road

2. Wandsworth bridge

‘‘Since the Second World War, Fulham has changed yet again. The expansion of Central London pushed the middle classes out to what had become a largely working class area and gentrification has been widespread.’’ - fulhamsociety.org

“Its gentrification since this time has been so widespread thoughout the district that it is hard to believe that Fulham had a poor reputation 60 years ago”Hidden-London.com

Interviewing Alan Bodill

Do you know any places that used to be around but now shutdown from the gentrification? When I was growing up there was an area near the thames hurlingham club that had several small businesses: It had a woodworking timber yard, someone who used to make railings and fireplaces, all little stuff like that. That all got sold on probably about 20 years ago and flattened out to build a block of apartments.

When you were growing up was there quite a large sense of community, when you’d go around town you would know people? Well yeah it was a working class area. Where Chelsea harbor now is, around that area were lots of different factories: a power station, quite iconic. And across the river next to the ship was a gasworks and a gin factory on the Wandsworth side of the Thames opposite Fulham. And along the Fulham side there was a cement company - which all the families in our area worked for, so we knew everyone.

Would you say that the gentrification of Fulham has impacted you, did it make you upset that these old places were being replaced with new modern flats? No, it made me more happy because it made 28 Breer st (my house) more desirable and valuable, on a purely selfish basis. There are still places that are around from when I was a kid like the scrap metal dealers.

So with that, all those factories basically demolished now, do you think the sense of community went with it in a way? Yes, obviously because it’s a different social dynamic that has changed with the new people that have moved into the area. They tend to commute into the central city, whereas when I was a child everyone knew each other up and down the road. They were all whole families, most of my aunts and uncles lived within a mile of one another on my mum’s side, with my dad’s side living nearer Chelsea.

Did your family live in the area their whole lives or did they eventually move out? No, they all gradually moved out, certainly the children, but the aunts and uncles stayed around Fulham, Putney and Wandsworth.

But did the children move away just for independence or was it because things started getting too pricey? A bit of both really, a lot of the children moved out to around Worcester park, Wimbledon, Merton more suburbian, because you could get a slightly larger house, which potentially was more modern being built in the 30s, rather than pre first world war, so that was a driver probably.

Could you tell me what the future of the Fulham area could look like, would there be anything old left, would Breer Street be able to hold itself? I think the Victorian terraces are fairly well built, whether they will be turned into more and more apartments within the decade I don’t know. Just by looking around Fulham today, I saw so much construction going on. There is a lot of change going on, without a doubt.

1. Gentrified Fulham now; shoot