Stoke Newington: The Story of a Dissenting Village

Stoke Newington has long been one of London’s most intriguing and radical areas. Boasting famous residents from Mary Wollstonecraft to Marc Bolan, it has always attracted creative types. In the 1960s and 1970s ‘Stokey’ was becoming a somewhat disreputable neighbourhood, but in recent years its appeal has led to its gentrification and the arrival of a wealthy middle class. The area’s history is a fascinating one. This book reveals, through a combination of anecdote, historical fact and cultural insight, how this often argumentative yet tolerant ‘village’ has become the increasingly fashionable and sought after Stoke Newington of today. AUTHOR: Rab MacWilliam is well known locally as a prolific author, editor and publisher of numerous books and magazines. An impressive career has seen him working for Penguin, Hutchinson Publishing Group (now Random House) and Hamlyn Books. Rab founded and then edited N16 magazine for over 12 years, the fabric of Stoke Newington life. Having lived in the area for 30 years he is knowledgeable and passionate about its history, and has identified an emerging market for a full history of Stoke Newington. 2 b/w illustrations