Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives

The facility is located in a building which was formerly the Mile End Old Town Vestry Hall built in 1861.

The building was converted into a library in 1902, then adapted with an extension in 1906 with money from Andrew Carnegie.

[1][2] The lending library vacated the building in 2005 with the opening of the first Idea Store in Whitechapel.

A community campaign was started to save the library with a meeting held on 27 September 2008 to urge Councillors not to proceed with the plans.

This was addressed by Stan Newens (local historian and former MEP), Bernard Kops and Jerry White.