World War II

Hackney suffered as did most of the East End from the bombing raids of the Luftwaffe in the years 1940 – 45. Hackney was home to many industrial sites that were targets in themselves. Being close to the industrial areas all along the river Lea and east in Stratford, bombs aimed at Stratford frequently fell in Hackney: a V2 flying bomb in 1945 destroyed a large area of Albion Road in Stoke Newington, in the west of the area. Hackney Wick to the east of the Cass estates was also extensively damaged.