THE Leyton and Leytonstone Historical Society had more than 250 visitors at a history fair to mark its fifth birthday.
At St John's Church, in Church Lane, Leytonstone, on Saturday afternoon, hundreds of people visited to look at stalls run by several local history groups with old pictures and memorabilia from the Waltham Forest and Essex area.
The society was founded by Leytonstone and Leyton residents with the help of the Reverend Raymond Draper from St John's Church, who all recognised a gap in the local history societies.
One of the founder members and chairman, Bill Measure, said: “In areas like ours, it is important to establish the history of groups that make up our area because all the groups blend together to give us a total view of our history and how we all arrived in this area.
“We were conscious of the fact there were societies for a long while covering the area, except Leyton and Leytonstone. I'm glad it has taken off and we retained our membership and interest in the society.”
The group, which has 120 members currently, ha s published several booklets about local history, including, How the Railways Came to Leytonstone, Leyton Town Hall and When Leyton Was A Village.
It also held a successful exhibition on the history of the abolishment of the slave trade for the anniversary in 2008.
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