The upgrade and extension of the East London line and its incorporation into the London Overground network provided an opportunity to examine life in London's inner city and suburban districts between the 19th and 21st centuries and the impact that the railways had on life for Londoners. An extensive programme of built heritage recording was carried out, from Dalston in the north to Surrey Quays in the south, and in this volume, is integrated with the data from excavations at the site of Bishopsgate goods station and Lea Street in Haggerston, shedding light on life in these areas before the arrival of the railways and the resulting tumult for the occupants of the East End. This publication aims to go beyond understanding and interpreting the intended uses of buildings and structures, acknowledging the messy biographies and multiple lives of the historic built environment, by looking at both the intended uses and the 'afterlives' of the buildings around us.