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Ilford Historical Society

@ilfordhistory.bsky.social

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The Bluesky account for the Ilford Historical Society. Posts by @ColinRuneckles Website: https://ilfordhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · Aug 10

And here we are!

The full programme for the Ilford Historical Society 2025/26 season which begins next month.

The other piece of good news is that we're back in the Gloucester Room in the Central Library in Ilford.

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Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

British Association for Local History @balhnews.bsky.social · 6d

Do you have a #LocalHistory you'd like to tell? Why not share it through the BALH's website! Whether it's a podcast, blog piece, 10-minute talk or other format, we have a range of ways of sharing your stories.

Find out more, here: www.balh.org.uk/blog-ways-to...

#WeAreLocalHistory

A man in a turtle neck jumper sits in front of a laptop in a library. "Get involved" is written over the image

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 7d

I wrote an article about an early theatre plan for the Ley Street / Balfour Road site - think C&A and Wilko.

Of course only now - by accident - do I find the plans for the public library that was in the running for that site a couple of years later.

Sigh.

Plans for a public library at the junction of Ley Street & Balfour Road, Ilford. 1904

Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre @redbridgemuseum.bsky.social · 10d

A great action shot of Woodford Rugby Club players in 1983! 🏉

The Club was formed in 1924 and used a pitch next to the Woodford Wells Cricket Club in Monkhams Lane, Woodford. They later moved to a ground in Highams Park, where they still play today.

#NSHD2025 @sportingheritage.bsky.social

Black and white photo of three players of the Woodford Rugby Club team in action

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 11d

Our next talk will be given by our president Jef Page and commemorates the 250th anniversary of the birth of J.M.W. Turner.

13th September in the Gloucester Room, Redbridge Central Library after the AGM.

Ilford HS talk on J.M.W. Turner - 13th September 2025

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Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Andrew Beaven @andrewbeaven.bsky.social · 13d

Just the other week I visited the Fuelling the Railway Revolution exhibition at the rather wonderful #AucklandProject #MiningArtGallery (Bishop Auckland, County Durham).
Amazing how quickly steam-driven railways spread across the country.

Fuelling the Railway Revolution

Learn how coal mining powered the Industrial Revolution. Visit The Auckland Project's exhibition on the pivotal role of coal in transforming industries.

aucklandproject.org

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 13d

200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway today!

So what you want to do is to read how the railway came to Ilford, right?

Of course you do...pp 15-19 in our April '22 Newsletter.

ilfordhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/...

ilfordhistoricalsociety.weebly.com

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Waltham Forest Archives @lbwfarchives.bsky.social · 13d

Chingford station c.1900. Built in 1878 to replace the station near Chingford Green, it was soon a popular destination for tourists visiting Epping Forest. In 1882 Queen Victoria travelled by train to Chingford station for the ceremony at High Beach dedicating the Forest to the people. #Railway200

Chingford station c.1900. The station buildings fill the middle distance. A horse drawn passenger cart is just right of centre. At front left is a policeman, his back to the viewer. At front right a group of women, two with cycles, enter the station forecourt. In front of this group is a woman carrying a large handbag, accompanying two girls wearing large white hats

Postcard image from VHM collection, available in our Searchroom.

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Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Institute of Historical Research @ihr.bsky.social · 15d

It's here! Sign up for History Day 4 Nov 2025. #HistDay25 Together with @senatehouselib.bsky.social we are celebrating all things history with collections from galleries, libraries, archives, museums & more. Find out what it's all about and book your free spot. www.history.ac.uk/library-digi...

History Day

History Day and the History Day: Discover Collections website bring together researchers and collections in-person and online

www.history.ac.uk

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 17d

And if anyone is interested in what @vch-home.bsky.social has to say about our area, the links to the text can be found on our website.

ilfordhistoricalsociety.weebly.com/articles--re...

Articles & Reviews

New Book by Georgina Green “ Sir Charles Raymond of Valentines and the East India Company” Published 4 th August 2015

ilfordhistoricalsociety.weebly.com

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Victoria County History @vch-home.bsky.social · 18d

Our Co-General Editor, @adamchapman.bsky.social, joined us in 2013.

Since then, we have published just over 40 books and Adam has edited or co-edited 37 of them.

The most recent is our 250th #BigRedBook, Westmorland volume 1.

Join us on Wednesday to learn more.

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 17d

Kelly's Directory always had photographs of local buildings.

Here's some of the ones for Ilford that Kelly's Directory for 1899-1900 had in it.

Cranbrook Castle
Kelly's Directory for Ilford, Manor Park and East Ham 1899-1900

Cranbrook College, Cranbrook Road
Kelly's Directory for Ilford, Manor Park and East Ham 1899-1900

Ilford Hospital Chapel
Kelly's Directory for Ilford, Manor Park and East Ham 1899-1900

Ilford Station
Kelly's Directory for Ilford, Manor Park and East Ham 1899-1900

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Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre @redbridgemuseum.bsky.social · 18d

Today is the Autumn Equinox, marking the arrival of a new season.

This photo from our collection shows the lengthening shadows and falling leaves in Valentines Park, Ilford, in 1987 🍂

Photo of trees with golden leaves casting shadows on the grass in a park

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 23d

The 1960s OS map shows that the space left by the demolition of the old Kinema was taken over and used by Ilford Limited but I'm not sure what those buildings were exactly.

The site is now part of the Sainsbury's building.

Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre @redbridgemuseum.bsky.social · 23d

The Empire Kinema (later Cinema) opened on Ilford Lane in April 1913. It was destroyed by a fire started by wartime incendiary bombing on 17 September 1940. The building was later demolished and the site lay disused for many years.

🔗 Find out more in our upcoming exhibition: vrcl.uk/museum-ww2

Black and white photo of a fire-damaged building with a peeling billboard and posters and barriers in front of the doors

Poster for Redbridge Museum’s ‘Redbridge and the Second World War’ exhibition featuring a black and white photograph of two Air Raid Precaution wardens wearing gas masks

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Wanstead Village Directory @wanstead.bsky.social · 26d

Joshua Abbott is preparing to publish Modernism Beyond Metro-land, a book documenting 20th-century architecture in London’s suburbs. In the third of a series of extracts, the spotlight is on Snaresbrook’s Hermitage Court. Photo by Geoff Wilkinson
wansteadvillagedirectory.com/?p=14112

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Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Susan Major @suemajor.bsky.social · Sep 9

I've written a blogpost for the British Association for Local History (BALH), about our scoria bricks research, www.balh.org.uk/blog-scoria-...

Scoria bricks in the back alleys of York

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 28d

Incidentally, we know from Rate Books of the Ilford Burial Board that Vicarage Cottages - two terraces of four cottages each - were owned by Rev. J.M. Proctor, vicar of Aldborough Hatch between 1865-79.

Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · 28d

In local history research here are always things that make you wonder what was going on...like this.

In the 1860s Little Newbury is on the west side of Ley Street.

In the 1890s it has now moved to the east side of Ley Street!

Nope, no idea at the moment...and Nut Cottage?

Ley Street & Little Newbury OS map 1893-5

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Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre @redbridgemuseum.bsky.social · Sep 10

In 1979, Gearies School in Gants Hill, Ilford, celebrated their 50th birthday by producing a school magazine about the school’s history, with contributions from present and former pupils. Here are three 'Poems Dedicated to Teacher' from the magazine 🍎

#EYAEducation @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social

Scan from the Gearies School 50th birthday magazine showing three short poems

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 9

Great talk by Dr Neil Houghton last night on the Jeffries Murder in 1751 to get our year off to a flying start.

Today...is all about admin. Lots of subs to account for and bank, and membership lists to update!

Reposted by Ilford Historical Society

Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre @redbridgemuseum.bsky.social · Sep 7

On this day in 1940, the Blitz began – a fierce bombing campaign by German aeroplanes flying over Britain from September 1940 to May 1941.

📸 Bomb damage at South Woodford Station, 14 October 1940

🔗 Find out more in our upcoming exhibition about Redbridge & the Second World War: vrcl.uk/museum-ww2

Black and white photo showing bricks and rubble covering train tracks. Workmen stand to one side looking at the damage, with bomb-damaged buildings missing windows and walls in the background.

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 7

The new season of meetings of the Woodford HS gets underway this coming Thursday 11th up at All Saints Church in Inmans Row at 2:30pm, with a talk about Walthamstow.

Woodford HS meeting on Thursday 11th Sep @ 2:30pm at All Saints Inmans Row, Woodford Wells.

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Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 4

Fast approaching - next Monday!

Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · Aug 26

Our first talk of the new season is on Monday 8th September when Dr Neil Houghton will be speaking on the subject of The Jeffries Murder in Walthamstow.

And we're back in the Gloucester Room in Redbridge Central Library - 7 for 7:30pm.

Ilford Historical Society @ilfordhistory.bsky.social · Aug 31

The libel action brought by one Ilford man against another in late 1904 made the national press.

I have to say I love the language - "You dirty dog. You ought to be chucked into the Roding!"

The case ended with one farthing being awarded to the plaintiff - costs being paid by both men.

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