In 1919, housing became a national responsibility and the government promised returning soldiers "homes fit for heroes". The Becontree estate provided new "healthier" homes for people previously living in London's East End slums.

Built between 1921 and 1935, Becontree was the largest social housing estate in the UK; its 27,000 homes cover 3,000 acres (1,214ha) of Barking, Dagenham and Ilford in Essex, housing 120,000 people.

Peter Fisher moved to Becontree when he was four in 1926 and lived there for over 92 years. In an interview with the BBC, he said Becontree filled his family with "hope of a new world" and they delighted in having multiple rooms, a big kitchen, indoor bathrooms, fresh air to breathe and a large garden like this one.

Rare vintage photographs that capture British home life through the ages