15/10/2026
🏡 80 YEARS OF MEMORIES AT WANSTEAD HOUSE ❤️
As part of our 80 Years of Memories celebrations, we are delighted to share this lovely contribution from Dawn Lye, whose family has a special connection with Wanstead House spanning several generations.
Dawn’s mother, Marie Foweraker, was a playgroup supervisor at Wanstead House. Sadly, Marie passed away last week at the wonderful age of 93, and Dawn has shared some treasured memories of her mother and the important role she played in the local community.
Dawn remembers attending the playgroup herself as a child, and later seeing her own three children enjoy the same experience. Now aged 60, Dawn’s children, aged 32, 29 and 27, also attended the playgroup, creating a beautiful connection across three generations.
Among her fondest memories are the themed summer and Christmas fundraising fêtes held in the hall, which brought people together and helped create the community spirit that Wanstead House continues to celebrate today.
Dawn also has a photograph of herself maypole dancing in the garden, which she hopes to find and share with us. She has even kept the names of most of the ladies pictured alongside her mother in the photograph, helping us piece together another part of Wanstead House’s history.
These are the stories that bring our history to life. They remind us that Wanstead House is more than a building. It is a place where childhood memories are made, families grow, friendships flourish and generations come together.
We are incredibly grateful to Dawn for sharing these precious memories and helping us preserve the story of Wanstead House as we celebrate 80th anniversary.
Do you have a memory, photograph or story connected to Wanstead House? We would love to hear from you as we continue to celebrate the people and moments that have shaped our community over the decades.
Wanstead House: 80 years of memories, friendship, creativity and community. ❤️
