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June 2012

Latest News > Chairman's Notes

BARKING AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
www.barkinghistory.co.uk

JUNE 2012 NOTICES

SOCIETY NEWS

John Porter is unable to be with us this evening, but Tahlia Coombs (Barking and Dagenham Heritage Service) has kindly volunteered to be our guest speaker – her talk is  entitled Barking and Dagenham’s Hidden Heroes of Olympic Sports.

The Summer 2012 Newsletter will be available at this meeting – as usual it is packed with interesting articles and photographs ( I hope seeing the younger versions of me gives you a good laugh!). Bill George, our President, puts a great  deal of effort into producing the newsletter for us, and I know from the feedback I receive it is widely appreciated by our members and further afield.

The day at Bletchley Park last month was a great success and the one complaint everyone had was that there was insufficient time to visit all the fascinating areas of this former wartime decoding station. Our visit coincided with a 1940s day,  which provided even more to take in and enjoy. Thanks again to Richard Chapman for all his hard work in organizing this trip.

We still have a few tickets available for the trip to Dickens World at Chatham Maritime on Sunday 16 th September 2012, but Bury St, Edmunds Christmas Fayre on Sunday 25  th November 2012 is now full.

We had a lovely day at the Valentine’s May Fair. It is the first time we have taken part in this popular event and we shared a room at Valentine’s Mansion, Ilford with the Chadwell Heath and Ilford historical societies. There  was a great deal of interest in our stall and many people mentioned the close historical ties between Barking and Ilford. Pat Manley and Richard Chapman kindly attended and fielded many of the enquiries.

The Society had a stall at Eastbury Manor House on Diamond Jubilee Saturday, but with so many other events going on, the visitor numbers were not great. However it was a very enjoyable day and my thanks go to Pat Manley, Richard Chapman and  new committee member Irene Flitcroft for helping to welcome guests.

Many thanks to all those who suggested people to be commemorated in local street names – I was able to forward a sizable list to the council. They are happy for us to forward ideas at any time so let me know if you have any further suggestions.

At the invitation of Pat Manley (Vice-Chairman) I recently attended the annual visit of the Poulters Company to St. Margaret’s Church to distribute the Nepton charity funds to needy local people. Each person nominated received £20. The first  distribution was made in 1770 and it is the second oldest such ceremony after the Maundy Service. The Poulters and members of the Barking clergy held a short service at the tomb of Anne and Thomas Nepton in the churchyard.

I was also at St Margaret’s on Sunday 20 th May for the Civic Service for the new mayor, Councillor Tony Ramsay.

There are no meetings in July and August and we are back in September with an illustrated talk by Bill George on Images of Old Barking.

EVENTS

Chadwell Heath Historical Society's next meeting is its AGM on Wednesday 20 th  June. Wangey Chapel, Wangey Road, Chadwell Heath. 7.30pm. Further details 0208 590 4659.

The next meeting of the Barking Branch of the East of London Family History Society is on Saturday 14 th July when Georgina Green be giving a talk Taking the Waters . St.Elizabeth’s Church, Wood Lane, Dagenham at 2pm. Further details 0208 592 9540.

Fingerprints and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) is the title of a talk by David Smith to be given to the Friends of Valence House at the Valence House Visitors Centre at 2pm on Tuesday 10 th  July. Visitors welcome £1.50.  Telephone 01708 769946 for further details.

The next Friends of Valence House book sale takes place on Saturday 30 th June in the Valence House Visitors’ Centre. From 10am.

Newham History Society’s next talk is on Tuesday 12 th June with Mark Galloway on Royalty and Newham. Didsbury Centre, Didsbury Close, East Ham,  E6 2RX. 7.45pm. Visitors £2.00.

John Blake – Chairman
             0208 597 7210

 
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