Thousands of houses were built here in Victorian times, transforming the whole area into part of Greater London. The suburbs grew as transport improved and it became easier to travel to the city to work. Many types of homes were built, from large detached houses surrounded by gardens, to one-storey terraced cottages for railway workers. Building firms employed large numbers of men, many of whom had come to London from the countryside, or from Ireland, in search of work.

Plan of the Shaftesbury Park Estate
This estate was built in the 1870s by a philanthropic organisation - The Artizans', Labourers' and General Dwellings Company - to provide good quality houses for workers.