We are pleased to announce that Lester Hillman has accepted the invitation to be Academic Adviser to the Society. The appointment was formally announced on the 20th October at the joint meeting held with the Islington Society.

Lester said " I am acutely aware that in accepting I follow in the footsteps of Christopher Elrington. It is therefore a very great honour and I will strive to be worthy of his legacy. I look forward enormously to supporting the Society". 

Lester attended Hargrave Park Primary School in Islington and completed his first degree at Cambridge (St Catharine's College).  He completed post-graduate studies in town planning (with distinction) at the Polytechnic of North London  and subsequently was a part time lecturer and examiner at Stapleton House on the Holloway Road which now houses the Business School of London Metropolitan University (LMBS).  In 2008 he was conferred a Visiting Professorship supporting the Business Analysis, Information Systems, Transport and Logistics Sector Group LMBS. He is an International Partner to the IESEG School of Management, (Catholic University of Lille - based in the Grande Arche Paris).

In 1978 he became a  Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and a Chartered Town Planner. He has worked in this country and abroad on infrastructure projects including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, now operating as High Speed 1 and carrying Eurostars and high speed domestic rail services through Islington. He recently organised an international gathering for the 60th Anniversary of World Town Planning Day. This was in association with the City of Buenos Aires, Canning House (the Latin American / Iberian Think Tank  and Portcullis House, Palace of Westminster. 

He lectures, writes and leads events including historic walks. In recent years initiatives have ranged over jesters, heraldic topics, rivers and canals, bells, medieval monastic foundations, memorials, art and military history.  Since the 1970s he has been an Associate of the Royal Historical Society. He is a member of the Camden History Society and has accepted invitations to speak to other sister organisations including Wandsworth Historical Society, Sidcup History Society along with several groups in the London Boroughs of Barnet and Camden.

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