Until the mid 19th Century, Leyton was a rural parish in south-west Essex, but the expansion of London and industrial revolution transformed it into a London suburb.
Before the First World War, the current Great Hall in particular which was the former Leyton Town Hall was used for showings of the early silent moving pictures and reputedly seated an audience of approximately 300 people.
The Leyton Town Hall was opened by Mr James Gallaher, Chairman of the Board in August 1894 and the building was opened in 1896. It was designed in a rich Victorian eclectic classical manner, and built using a combination of red brick and Portland stone. The main body of the old Town Hall is surmounted by a decorative timber and lead flèche, which still dominates the local skyline.
The official opening of the building was on the 18th March 1896 by the Duke Duchess of York at a grand civic ceremony presided over by Councillor Edward Bare LP Chairman of the Leyton Urban District Council.
The Town Hall became known as Leyton Municipal Offices in 2006 and in recognition of its special architectural and historic interest it was Grade ll Listed in 1986.
Michael Polledri, Chairman of Lee Valley Estates had long been interested in what has been constantly described as the most beautiful building within the Borough. When the opportunity to purchase the site came about in 2006, Michael and his team put together a successful bid, and secured the property from Waltham Forest Council with a primary focus on protecting and enhancing the Grade II site.
A recent addition made by Michael Polledri, is a gallery of framed photographs and programmes in the entrance charting the building's history, so that visitors can be reminded of its significant place in local government history.
Town hall. Dated 1895. By John Johnson. Red brick, white stone. Slate pitched roofs to parapet. A complex of 3 adjoining buildings fronting High Road Leyton, Adelaide Road and Ruckholt Road. Main block with council chamber to corner of High Road Leyton and Adelaide Road. 3 bays, 2 storeys to High Road Leyton with lower 3 storey, 9 bay wing to left. Rich Victorian Eclectic classical manner. Horizontal stone banding to ground floor. Central Ionic porch to taller block, pedimented with elaborate finial over. Square-headed sashed windows to ground floor; plate glass. Upper storey with 3 blind arcades with inset stone-lined niches and panelled pilasters between rich frieze cornice and decorative gable above and pinnacles to octagonal corner buttresses. Central timber and lead flêche to roof. Lower left hand wing with round-headed windows in continuous arcade to upper storey and 3 storey bay window to left with pediment and pavilion roof. Return to Adelaide Street with similar rich treatment carried into lower rear block, of 2 storeys, the upper blind, and with projecting Ionic entrance. Ruckholt Road front Baroque, 2 storeys, the upper blind, 3 main bays, the central bay with giant rusticated niche rising to become segmental open pediment; entrance below. Interiors not inspected.