The great French Impressionist painter, Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), spent his final visit to England at 62 Bath Road, Bedford Park - the last house in Bath Road before the railway crossing and Stamford Brook. His son, Lucien (later to move to the Brook Cottage), had just moved there from Essex, having suffered a severe stroke.
The timing was 7 May to 19 July 1897 when the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated. There were cricket matches on the cricket field, ‘Puffing Jinny’ was steaming back and forth on the North & Southwestern Junction line (see 'The Train Comes & Goes''The Train Comes & Goes') and the brick field had been cleared for house building. During these two months, Pissarro painted seven views, all from the front and back of the house, where he set up his easel on the flat roof (which can still be seen from Welstead Way). They were all entitled ‘Bedford Park’ but six of the paintings are of Stamford Brook. Pissarro was unaware that although he was in Bedford Park, he was looking towards Stamford Brook.