Barking and District Historical Society

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History of Society

The Society

Barking and District Historical Society


The organisation was established in 1934 as the Barking and District Archaeological Society three years after Barking achieved charter status. Most of the founders were involved with the Historical Pageant and Industrial Exhibition, which formed part of the charter celebrations.

The first president was the Marquess of Salisbury, a local landowner, and four bishops, one peer and four knights were appointed as vice-presidents!

There were 47 members in the first year including Dagenham’s Borough Librarian J.G.O’Leary and the legendary Colonel Loftus, Headmaster of Barking Abbey School.

To mark the society’s Diamond Jubilee in 1994, Bert Lockwood, a distinguished local historian published his excellent booklet “A Happy thought: the story of Barking and District Historical Society 1934-1994”.

Membership today stands at around 60 and the society organises talks, slideshows and outings. We also work with other local organisations to promote the study of local history in the borough.


John Blake

Chairman


Barking and District Historical Society
Golden Jubilee Exhibition
'The Materials of Barking History'
1984

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