Wanstead property prices, 1971-style

The final installment of Wansteadium’s dissection of an old newspaper which was found in a skip. (For 1971-style news, click here, and for 1971-style Wanstead ads, click here.)

According to the historic inflation calculator at This is Money, inflation since 1971-2010 has amounted to a terrifying-sounding 1038%. Applied to the £15,000 asked for this six-flat house on Hermon Hill, with five garages, makes a total asking price in today’s prices of £170,700. By comparison, a one-bedroom flat sold on Hermon Hill in November for £230,000.

Three-bed semi with garage for £8,250 – that’s £93,885 in today’s prices.

Another of the grand big houses which may well have become a bad flat conversion – same price as the first one mentioned above.

This house might well be identifiable – let us know at wansteadium[at]gmail.com if you know it – and was for sale at an asking price of £23,950 – £272,551 in 2010 prices. A four-bedroom house on Grove Park sold in 2004 for £880,000, and a current estimated valuation is £1.1m

A semi-detached three-bedroom house in Wellington Road sold in October this year for £550,000. The 1971 price, above, is £8,250, or £93,885. Reassuring somehow to see a familiar name of estate agent.

A three-bed semi in the Nightingale Estate sold in September for £410,000. The £10,750 price in 1971 would be £122,335.

• So that’s the end of our 1971 roundup. It’s been fun – if you come across an old Wanstead newspaper under your carpet or in the loft, do drop Wansteadium a line for a repeat performance.

Wansteadium Blitz project, 3 Dec 1940; Nelson Road, Wellington Road

After 10 days in which Wanstead suffered no direct hits from German planes, on this night in 1940, high explosives were dropped on

  • Nelson Road, setting a gas main alight, at 2130
  • Woodford Road and Eagle Lane, damaging the road, at 2142
  • Elmcroft Avenue at 2155,  and
  • 72 Wellington Road, badly damaging the house, at 2215