Starch Green, in London’s Shepherd’s Bush, started life as a small hamlet. The area’s now known as Askew Road.

In the late nineteenth century Askew Road became a busy and thriving shopping street. It was developing to meet the needs of West London’s expanding population, supported by increased levels of housing and improved transport links.

In 2024 Harriet Challis located historical photos of the area at the Hammersmith & Fulham Local Studies & Archives. She then took contemporary photos to match the archival photos as closely as possible. These images were first displayed in an exhibition at the Askew Gallery in 2024. 

For this book, Harriet has added more photos. Joanna Oyediran, local historian and walking tour guide, has added a fascinating, detailed text about the history of the area.