About Hackney Historic Buildings Trust 

HHBT has been responsible for the protection and conservation of a wide range of buildings in the London Borough of Hackney. Working with English Heritage, Hackney Council and other local and national organizations the Trust has assured the maintenance and continued use of buildings such as Hackney's Oldest Building St Augustine's Tower, St. Bartholomew's Vicarage in Dalston and perhaps it's most important building; the Round Chapel which HHBT owns and runs as a community and arts space. 

HHBT has acted on behalf of English Heritage and London Borough of Hackney as project managers for feasibility studies for the repair and conservation of Maberly Chapel, Balls Pond Road, N1; the Portico, Linscott Road, E5: the New Lansdowne Club, Mare Street, E8 and Pond House, Lower Clapton Road, E5.

In recent years, HHBT has been active at St Augustine’s Tower, with the restoration of the Worship Street Drinking Fountain and with the refurbishment and sale of two houses at nos. 27-9, New North Road, N1. 

Current projects include the restoration of St Augustine’s Tower where a Heritage Lottery Fund grant has allowed a major refurbishment during 2005-6 and on-going fundraising for further works to the Round Chapel. The Trust continues to seek new projects to work on and is currently exploring options to preserve a 19th century Grade II mission school in Lea Bridge Road, E5. 

The Trust opens the doors to all its buildings during Open House London, as well as for organized tours, walks and to student groups. It also provides information and advice to the general public about historic buildings and conservation in Hackney. 

Meet the Team

Volunteer trustees meet every quarter to oversee the management of the Trust. They are assisted by a multiskilled team of 4 staff who are responsible for running the organisation as well as maintaining and restoring the buildings managed by HHBT and running events at the Grade ii* listed Round Chapel and Grade i listed St. Augustine’s Tower - Hackney’s Oldest Building.

Current Staff of HHBT

Philip Lloyd (General Manager)

John Welstand-Keryk (Head of Maintenance)

Janet Cantrill (Technician & Duty Manager)

Current Trustees of HHBT

  • Patrick Hammill

    CHAIR

    Patrick lives in Hackney and was an architect and a consultant for urban regeneration. Until retiring, he was Divisional Director for Urban Regeneration at architects Levitt Bernstein. Over many years he has developed considerable experience of managing charities serving communities in London. Previously as Chair of the Hackney Society he helped found the HHBT, and has also been a board member of other environmental charities in Hackney and London.

  • Derrick Turner

    TREASURER

    Originally from Edinburgh, Derrick Turner has lived in North East London (London Fields, Bethnal Green, Clerkenwell, Bow) since 2013, and has served as Treasurer of HHBT since the start of 2015. He is a Chartered Management Accountant with over 18 years experience in the Real Estate sector, currently with the Relentless Group in Manchester. He also serves as Treasurer of Co-op Homes, based in Teddington, and sits on the Audit and Investment Committees of Richmond Housing Partnership.

  • Susan Beeby

    Sue moved to London in 1975, has been a Hackney resident since 1985 and a trustee since 2000. Coming from Leicester, she loves living in an ethnically diverse community. She has arranged exhibitions and set up data management structures at the British Museum, has lectured at City and Islington College and the University of Westminster and is currently working with new legislation at the Houses of Parliament.

    Sue is involved with several Hackney charities and is currently a board member of the Workers Equality Network for staff with disability at the Palace of Westminster.

  • Hannah Parham

    Hannah Parham is a project manager who specialises in the regeneration of historic buildings. She works for the Churches Conservation Trust where she manages projects to revitalise and sustain redundant historic church buildings at risk, including major projects funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in the Midlands and by the Architectural Heritage Fund in the North of England. 

    Before joining CCT in 2020, Hannah led the Historic Buildings Consultancy team at Donald Insall Associates, an architectural practice which specialises in the conservation and renewal of historic buildings and places. Here she worked with owners and managers of listed buildings – including the Parliamentary Estate, the Crown Estate, private developers, universities and cultural and heritage organisations – to develop sensitive proposals for change. Hannah’s career began at English Heritage (now Historic England) where she was an advisor to the Government on the listing of buildings in London and the South East.

    Hannah is on the National Trust's Historic Environment Advisory Group and the Southern Buildings Committee of the Victorian Society. She has degrees in history and architectural history, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

  • Robert Davies

    Robert moved to East London in 2013 and has been a resident of Hackney since 2020. An experienced property management professional, mobilising and managing prestigious mixed-use estates and trophy commercial buildings in central London. He is passionate about sustainable developments and studies History and American Studies at university.