Historic road signs in Stoke Newington dating back to the 1930s could be restored thanks to a local resident’s project.
Amir Dotan, local historian and heritage advocate, is restoring nine street signs, some of which are up to 90 years old.
When Hackney Council started removing the “camouflaged” and “discoloured” signs a few years ago, Mr Dotan urged it to stop due to their historical significance, ending its policy to destroy any signs not fit for purpose.
He said: “It’s a daily reminder of the area’s history. For example, the signs that have ‘Borough of Stoke Newington’ on them […] a lot of people don’t even realise that up until 60 years ago, Stoke Newington was its own local authority.”
Mr. Dotan has applied to the Hackney Community Fund to fund the restorations. He has received support from the public and from his local councillors. He said: “Richard Lufkin, my local councillor has been almost as passionate about this as I have.”
Hackney Council also carried out a pilot project last summer, restoring four signs to confirm the project was possible.
Mr Dotan has lived in Stoke Newington since 2002. For the past 13 years, he has held public talks to raise awareness about pieces of history found in the area.
His social media presence has also raised awareness of his work. With thousands of followers across Facebook, Instagram and X, @StokeNewingtonHistory has helped Mr Dotan publicise his project, receiving “positive, enthusiastic comments”.
Referring to the online community he has built, Mr Dotan said: “it’s a very effective way to create a network of people who are nerdy in specific topics, and when you come together then something quite special happens.”
Edie Holt is an MA Newspaper Journalism student at City St George's. She has previously written for The Daily Mail, The New World, and The Student (University of Edinburgh) on Culture, Sport, News, and Opinion.