BBC News is reporting that pesticides widely used by food producers to kill unwanted insects, fungus and weeds have been identified as the cause of the deaths of birds at Alexandra Lake at Wanstead Flats in March.
Author: Wansteadium
Choice tweet about Wanstead, IV
What do Wanstead’s new ‘village’ signs mean?
Wanstead’s ‘village’ signs, erected this week, are now in place at either end of Wanstead High Street. For the curious, here is a guide to the symbols on the signs:
1. The coat of arms was previously that of Wanstead and Woodford Borough Council, which was incorporated into Redbridge in 1965, and dates from 1937.
2. The Latin inscription means “By wisdom and courage”
3. The birds (martlets) and lions on the shield refer to Westminster Abbey and Waltham Abbey, which oversaw Wanstead and Woodford.
4. The trees are a reference to Epping Forest
5. The herons are from the logo of the former Wanstead Urban District Council
6. St Mary The Virgin, Wanstead
7. Christchurch, Wanstead – rather confusingly pictured here as red rather than the actual grey.
8. Wanstead drinking fountain, outside Wanstead Underground station.
9. The horse chestnut leaves refer to Redbridge Borough Council.
(Sources: Civic Heraldry, Ordnance Survey)
Wanstead’s new ‘village’ signs
Wanstead candidates out in force
In what will probably become a fixture of Wanstead High Street in coming weeks, both Labour and Conservative prospective parliamentary candidates spent their Saturday mornings with trestle tables and volunteers within feet of each other handing out leaflets. Below are the leaflets they were distributing. 
Devon House successor?
As Wansteadium noted last week, the “Opening Soon” posters completely covering the windows of the former Devon House Interiors on Hermon Hill are pretty successful at building a sense of anticipation: it’s a large shop, great setting, lots of people passing… what could it be? A restaurant, perhaps? A new cafe? A bookshop even?
Underwhelming as it might seem, Wansteadium has reason to believe it’s going to be a kitchen and bathroom showroom. (Sound of hopes being dashed.)