West Ham Online

Wolves had the Billy Wright and one of the Beverley Sisters (can't remember which one) a prominent news item at the time. Plus they were a decent team in Billy Wright's time.

You might be right. I got GPT to do a deep dive for me and this is what it responded with;

Identity in West Ham, Leyton, and Stratford Before 1965
Before the 1965 London boundary changes (establishment of Greater London), areas like West Ham, Leyton, and Stratford sat just outside the old County of London. They were officially part of Essex, yet closely tied to London’s East End in culture and daily life. Residents navigated a dual identity: administratively Essex, but socially and economically very much East Londoners. Below we explore how local government status, everyday language, football culture, and working-class community life influenced their sense of identity, and how this shifted around 1965.

Administrative Boundaries: Essex Roots, London Fringe
For centuries these districts belonged to Essex. West Ham (including Stratford and surrounding districts) was an Essexparish and later a County Borough within Essex. Leyton similarly was part of the ancient County of Essex and became a municipal borough in 1926. The River Lea marked the historic boundary between London and Essex – “between 1889 and 1965, the lower Lea was the eastern boundary of the County of London with Essex.”Despite being outside the County of London, these areas were urbanized and contiguous with the London metropolis. By the late 19th century, West Ham’s population boomed as it became part of London’s continuous built-up area. A 1920s description even counted Canning Town and Silvertown (in West Ham) as part of “Greater London,” acknowledging that these Essex districts were considered part of London’s East End. In short, administratively they were Essex, but functionally they were “metropolitan Essex,” integrated with London’s growth.

Local Terminology in Addresses and Newspapers
In everyday usage and the media, identity could tilt either way depending on context. Official documents and local newspapers often used the Essex designation. For example, a 1917 report on the Silvertown explosion located it in "Silvertown in West Ham, Essex (now part of Newham)."At the same time, postal addresses and public services treated these districts as part of London. West Ham and Leyton were included in the “London” postal districts (the E postcodes) well before 1965. Similarly, double-decker London buses served these areas. Victorians and Edwardians commonly appended "London" to addresses across the whole built-up area, even beyond the official county line.

Football Culture: East London Pride vs Essex Heritage
Local football clubs played a big role in shaping popular identity. West Ham United, founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC in the Essex county borough of West Ham, has long billed itself as an East London club. The club’s history notes its Essex origins but emphasizes that “since 1965 the area has been part of [the] London Borough of Newham.” Fans and the press often call West Ham “the East London club,” highlighting its East End roots and Cockney supporter base.Leyton Orient provides a similar example. The club’s very name Orient was reportedly chosen to give it an East identity(“orient” meaning east) when it was based in Clapton. Orient started in Clapton (just inside the London boundary) but moved to Leyton (Essex) in 1937. Fans and local media have long seen Orient as an East London team, participating in East London derbies with West Ham.

Working-Class East End Culture and Community
The populations of West Ham, Stratford, Canning Town, Leyton, and surrounding districts were overwhelmingly working-class, with many employed in docks, railways, factories, and other industries of London’s East End. They shared in the Cockney culture – accents, slang, and a proud, tight-knit community ethos associated with the East End of London. Sociologically, these folks were often viewed (and viewed themselves) as “East Enders,” indistinguishable from those just across the Lea in places like Bow or Poplar.Even though a purist might say the “East End” traditionally stopped at the county line (the River Lea), in practice the East End’s spirit spilled over.

Identity Shifts Around the 1965 Boundary Changes
By the early 1960s, it was clear that the old boundaries no longer matched reality. The London Government Act 1963merged West Ham and East Ham to form the London Borough of Newham (from 1965) and merged Leyton with Walthamstow and Chingford to form London Borough of Waltham Forest. In the lead-up, local opinions did surface. Some in outer Essex (e.g. in Romford or Ilford) were hesitant to become “Londoners” and lose their Essex status. In West Ham and Stratford, however, incorporation into Greater London likely validated an identity people already felt.After 1965, administrative and postal identities aligned with cultural ones. Addresses changed from, say, “Stratford, Essex” to “Stratford, London E15”. The use of “Essex” for these areas faded over time. Today, a West Ham supporter from Stratford might only recall their Essex heritage as a historical footnote, if at all, while proudly calling themselves an East Londoner.

Summary
Before 1965, people in West Ham, Leyton, Stratford, and similar districts balanced Essex roots with East London identity. On paper they were Essex residents, governed by Essex institutions, and proudly supporting county endeavors like the Essex regiment or Essex county cricket. In daily life they were also East Londoners/East Enders, part of London’s urban tapestry in accent, work, and play. Local government labels and newspaper datelines said "Essex," but the buses, postal addresses, and football rivalries said "London."As the boundary changes approached, the identity tilt was already toward London. The reforms of 1965 simply acknowledged what residents felt: that they were Londoners by community and lifestyle.

Much like Spurs and Brentford being a Middlesex clubs pre-1965, and Palace being Surrey.

All were always considered to be London clubs.

You're being too kind! 

In serious, we get our support throughout the south-east mostly, largely Essex. 

The fact we do have the support base we do for a club that's fairly unsuccessful and shares a city with other big clubs, it shows we are a big club. I assume the origins of the strong local support comes is because of where we're situated and the local people having a team to cheer. 

As much as it pains me as an East Ender, West Ham are an Essex club both historically (pre-1965 London boundary move) and in support. 

Percentage of Northumberland citizens that follow Newcastle is probably 90%. Percentage of Newham citizens that follow West Ham is probably 10%

You still haven't addressed the issue, you bellend!

I would have preferred it if you challenged my point rather than getting personal!