I thoroughly enjoyed giving a talk at the second Hackney History Festival, to a packed Round Chapel on a gorgeous sunny day. Last year, my festival talk focused on Stoke Newington in the 1930s. This year, in Look Up, Look Down: Spotting Local History Everywhere, I explored the area’s history through a variety of antiquated artefacts—some found underfoot, like coalhole covers, and others high above, such as boundary markers on buildings. The 40-minute talk allowed me to touch on a wide range of topics, including trams, Victorian schools, the lost local authority of South Hornsey, and much more.

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