Stratford's people

Dynamic, diverse, distinctive

Located in the London Borough of Newham, Stratford’s community is multi-cultural, multi-lingual, youthful and growing quickly. Between them, they speak over one hundred different languages. Nearly seventy per cent of them are under the age of thirty five. And between now and 2020, the population is expected to grow by 166% as new developments and neighbourhoods spring up across the town centre and the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

It’s the contemporary continuation of a Stratford tradition. As in years gone by, the community is young, ambitious, inventive and entrepreneurial. It draws inspiration and influences from all over the globe. The diverse population of Stratford offer a natural home for the world-class architecture, design and developments which are now integral to the area’s identity.

Sons, daughters and residents of Stratford include famous names and unsung heroes in the fields of social reform (anti-slavery campaigner Samuel Gurney), architecture (Edward Blore, designer of St. John’s church), literature (poet George Meredith), the arts (Joan Littlewood, the great theatrical innovator), and of course our own Olympic gold medal winner, Christine Ohoroughu MBE, born just one mile from the new Olympic Stadium here in Stratford. 

And one nearby resident whose name might mean nothing to you, but who can hardly be called unsung.

It’s John Curwen. The man who invented tonic sol-fa musical notation. 

(That’s “doh ray me” to you and me).