27.02.2025 – Stoke Newington History Talks 24

The first Stoke Newington History Talks event of 2025 sold out in nine and a half hours, which I think is a new record. As always, it was a packed event at St. Matthias Hall. My talk was about the long saga of renaming Wiesbaden Road, which ultimately became Belgrade Road. We also had brilliant talks from Tom Hilverkus on South Hornsey—an independent local authority in the 19th century covering parts of Stoke Newington—and Tom Walker, Chair of Abney Park Trust, who spoke about the Abney Park restoration project completed last year.

The event raised £659 through ticket sales for Abney Park Trust, a small volunteer-run charity working in partnership with Hackney Council to bring Abney Park to life through events and walks. Their aim is to help people benefit from and learn about the park’s history, unique wildlife, biodiversity, and rich cultural heritage. A huge thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket and supported the cause. This brings the total raised for local charities and humanitarian appeals from the previous 17 events to £10,738.