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Archives and Libraries
East Riding Archives are moving to the New Treasure House building on Champney Road in Beverley during Autumn 2006. This means that access to some collections will be restricted as part of the preparations prior to the move. The Archives will be providing their normal service until Friday 28 July. Original sources will be unavailable after that date although microform sources, such as parish registers, will be available 9.30 am to 4.45 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week by appointment until 28 September. The East Riding Register of Deeds will also be available on these days for legal searches. They intend to re-open with a combined archives and local studies service in the Treasure House early in the new year. Please phone the Archives on 01482 392790 or check their website at www.eastriding.gov.uk for more information.

Between the covers
In praise of… Local Historians was the heading in the Editorial column of The Guardian on 25 May 2006. It was prompted by the death of local historian Marie Hartley, 'The meticulous chronicler of the Yorkshire dales, (who) was an exemplar of modern local historians, whose work increasingly gives the mute, inglorious Miltons and village Hampdens of Grey's Elegy their due'. The editorial went on to say 'There is not a village in the United Kingdom without a story to tell, an invention to its credit or a child who went on to make a famous name. But reams of myth have been woven about them, often by professional historians with a story to tell, or statesmen cherry-picking facts to support a policy… The local historian is seldom distracted by the itch for a world view or an eye-catching insight into human nature. Such benefits come from their patient grubbing in church and courthouse archives, interviews with the older disappearing generation and collections of materials. There is no better souvenir of a village or urban community than the slim, self-published local history. Everywhere should have a Hartley and, in tune with the times, a website to share their work with the rest of the world'.

We live to fight another day! is the banner headline on the front page of the latest Barnes & Mortlake History Society Newsletter. At the Society's March Annual General Meeting, members voted 63-8 to keep going. With 85 out of 302 members present, it was 'one of the best AGM turnouts on record'. Former Chairman Mike Smith voted against closure and told the meeting 'I believe we have not tackled the Society's problems fully over the years (and) I believe I have a better idea now of what can be done'. He was elected as the Chairman, together with a new committee. In April a previous news story, 'Local history heading for meltdown?', included an account of the Society's problems, so it's good news that they are continuing (Barnes & Mortlake History Society Newsletter No.177, June 2006, Chairman, Mike Smith, 2 Observatory Road, East Sheen, London SW14 7QD, tel: 020 8876 5879.

A pioneer aviator and a high street website are just two of the topics covered by articles in the latest edition of Brentford & Chiswick Local History Journal. There are plenty of other cracking articles one could mention, but these two are by non-residents of the area. Colin Manton from mid-Sussex has written about 'Harold Pifford of Bedford Park, artist and aviator extraordinaire', who started to build model aeroplanes in about 1907, at the age of 40, for which he won an award in 1909. At about the same time he decided to build a plane he could fly. As Colin's tale explains, he didn't have much success and seems to have crashed quite a few times before giving in 1911, although Pifford did manage to fly for ½ mile in 1910 at Shoreham in Sussex, where the present-day Shoreham Airport Historical Association have a full-size replica of Pifford's Hummingbird plane on display. He was one of the first men to fly in England and inspired others to follow in his footsteps. Somewhere in this story there is a great film waiting to get out.
    Celia Cotton from Leicester launched a website in August 2005 with the aim of listing every building and resident along Brentford High Street from 1840-1940 initially. Celia explains that her reason for setting up the website 'was because I wanted to find out more about my paternal grandparents' families, all of whom lived in Brentford, some on the High Street'. As is increasingly the case, it is a family historian who is doing great things for local history in a place she has never lived and all because she wants to know more about her roots and to help other family historians with ancestors who lived in 'invisible properties… that made it into local history books'. She created her website, www.bhsproject.co.uk, after doing Open University web design modules. It's very good. (Brentford & Chiswick Local History Journal, No.15, 2006, £5 plus 60p p&p from B&CHLS, c/o 25 Hartington Road, London W4 3TL.

Football Rules! No sooner had I finished typing in The Guardian's rose-tinted take on local history when I came across the following in the Sheffield History Reporter: 'Melvyn Bragg recently chose the First Rule Book of the Football Association, written in 1863, as one of his twelve most influential books, for changing "a game that had been more like Saturday night vandalism than a sport, into a global phenomenon". While the national rules may have found a wider audience, Sheffield Football Club, founded in 1857 and celebrated as the first football club in the world, was well ahead of the game, having agreed the first "Laws" of football in 1858'. If you type 'oldest football club' into Google on the web, Sheffield FC's website comes out top of the list, followed by a listing in the on-line Wikipedia headed 'Oldest football club'. As with so many things in life, you pays your money and takes your choice. Sheffield FC is credited with being the oldest 'non-university' football club in the world. Notts County FC, founded in 1862, is 'the oldest football league club in the world' and so it goes on. Almost everywhere can claim a first in something when it comes to football (Sheffield History Reporter, No.106, June/July 2006, 6pa, £2 incl p&p [cheques payable to Sheffield City Council], from Mike Spick, Development Officer, Local Studies Library, Sheffield Central Library, Surrey Street, Sheffield S1 1XZ, tel: 0114 2734753, email: localstudies.library@sheffield.gov.uk).

The Swinging Sixties in Chester is the title of a planned exhibition at Chester History & Heritage from 1 August until 29 September 2006 and the organisers are still looking for photographs and reminiscences for inclusion in the exhibition. The latest issue of CHH News includes 'two tales of Chester' from the sixties — 'Elaine's Story' and 'Neville's Story' — as tasters and to encourage others to take part. Reading Neville's memories of the sixties, despite their being specific to Chester, they are typical of what was happening in towns and cities across the country: 'Many terraced houses were deemed unfit and replaced by modern 2 and 3 storied blocks and high rise flats. These new homes had larger kitchens with the latest Formica topped fitted units and all houses had bathrooms, but much of the character of the city was lost' (CHH News, Summer 2006, Chester History & Heritage, St Michael's Church, Bridge Street Row East, Chester CH1 1NW, tel: 01244 402110, email: chh@chester.gov.uk, web: www.chester.gov.uk).

Leighton Buzzard Fire Service is the subject of a potted history in History in Bedfordshire. 'In 1683, 12 fire buckets were bequeathed by Thomas Meriden, to be hung in the Bell Loft "near his seat" in All Saints (Leighton Buzzard) Church. This is the first record of provision for a fire fighting service in the town'. The first insurance companies only protected the properties they insured, but eventually realised that fighting fires in neighbouring, uninsured, properties might also reduce the risks to their customers. 'Membership of fire brigades conferred some immunity from press gangs by an Act of 1708. This, together with "magnificent" uniforms, provided incentives to join'.
    The story ends with a punch. The town's fire service is faced with change as politicians talk about creating more efficient cross-county services. All Saints parish church, where the history started, was almost destroyed by a fire in 1985 and Thomas Meriden's buckets have long since vanished. Maurice Blackman's history may be short, but it is a great example of what good writing can pack into 1½ pages (History in Bedfordshire, Vol.4, No.2, Spring 2006, Bedfordshire Local History Association, contact Editor, Brain D Lazelle, Springfield, 63 Ampthill Road, Maulden, Bedford MK45 2DH, tel: 01525 402264).

Prehistoric track ways and Roman roads on the North Lincolnshire Wolds are the subject of a fascinating six page article in the latest issue Lincolnshire Past & Present which, with the help of five maps, explains how the course of 'now lost roads' in the Wolds can be identified though parish boundaries, footpaths and bridleways. The article also explores the less well known Roman 'High Road' which runs to the east of Ermine Street and for most of its length forms part of the Viking Way. A fascinating account of what you can discover when you combine archival research, looking at old maps and walking.
Lincolnshire Past & Present No.63, Spring 2006, £1.60 plus p&p from Society for Lincolnshire History & Archaeology, Jews' Court, steep Hill, Lincoln LN2 1LS, tel: 01522 521337.

The life and times of Bill Miller, a Black Labour Party Activist in Plymouth is the subject of a biographical sketch by Jonathan Wood, which has just been published by History & Social Action Publications for Labour Heritage. Bill Miller was born in Stonehouse, Plymouth, in 1890 and was first elected to Plymouth City Council in 1925. He retired as a councillor in May 1970 and died in December the same year, aged 80. He served the Labour Party and people of Plymouth in many capacities, most notably as an election agent and Chairman of the city's post-war Housing Committee. As Jonathan Wood says 'Bill saw his task as being more than building housing as quickly as possible and was inspired by a desire to create communities' based on the neighbourhood principle with, in his own words, 'nothing more than ten minutes walk from the farthest house on the estate'. He was awarded the BEM in 1946, OBE in 1947 and CBE in 1948.
    His son, Claude Miller, followed in his father's footsteps and was elected to Devon County Council in 1981. When Plymouth became a unitary council in 1997, Claude was elected to the city council and in 2004, at the age of 89, he became Lord Mayor of Plymouth. Any local history which reminds us of the contribution made by people of all colours and faiths to improving life in local communities across the country deserves to be celebrated and recognised.
Bill Miller, a Black Labour Party Activist in Plymouth by Jonathan Wood, published by History & Social Action Publications for Labour Heritage, 2006, pb, 24pp, illus, ISBN 0 9548943 2 4, £3.00 plus 50p p&p from History & Social Action Publications, 18 Ridge Road, Mitcham, London CR4 2ET, web: www.seancreighton.co.uk.

For the record
A poster promoting England in Particular, a new book by Sue Clifford and Angela King about 'the common place, the local, the vernacular and the distinctive', can be bought from Common Ground. The A2 poster costs £5 folded, £6 rolled. Common Ground, Gold Hill House, 21 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JE, email: info@commonground.org.uk, web: england-in-particular.info (the website is well worth a visit).

Family History on the Web is subtitled An Internet Directory for England and Wales and is an essential reference guide for local historians as well as family historians. The book has 135 pages and is divided into 11 sections. This is the 4th edition and compiler Stuart Raymond says that since the 3rd edition in 2003, over 700 new web-sites have been added and over 10% have changed their locations. Cost £6.95 plus p&p from S A and M J Raymond, PO Box 35, Exeter EX1 3YZ,
email: samjraymond@btopenworld.com,
web: samjraymond.btinternet.co.uk/igb.htm.

Plans for a 'Museum of Somerset' have resulted in a £4.75 million bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund by Somerset County Council. The proposed museum 'will tell the whole history of Somerset for the first time, from prehistoric times to the present day' and will be located in Taunton Castle, where the existing Somerset County Museum is located. The bid is part of a larger plan to rejuvenate Taunton, including the creation of 'a new cultural quarter' with the castle and museum at its heart. The Museum of Somerset published a newsletter in February 2006 which gives more information on the HLF bid and how the decision was reached. To download a copy as a pdf file visit www.somerset.gov.uk/museums. The Museum is located at Castle Green, Taunton TA1 4AA, tel: 01823 320200, and is open Tue-Sat & bank holiday Mondays 10am-5pm.

The Museum of London is creating 25% more exhibition space as part of an £18 million re-development which is being part funded by a £11.5 million HLF grant. The expanded galleries 'will double the number of objects on display' when work on the new look museum is completed in 2009. Between 1995 and 2005 the number of visitors to the Museum increased from 269,000 to 450,000. There will be a new glass fronted gallery overlooking London Wall to provide a spectacular setting for the Lord Mayor's Coach, one of the Museum's most popular exhibits.

Research grants of up to £500 are being offered by the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society to help cover the out-of-pocket expenses, such as travel and photography, of individuals undertaking research. Anyone receiving a grant has to agree to offer the results of their research for publication in the Society's Transactions. Recent awards have included funding to help make a photographic record of the Badminton mosaic and research into Gloucester City in the 19th century. For an application form, contact the Society's Secretary, John Loosley, Stonehatch, Oakridge Lynch, Stroud, Glos GL6 7NR, web: www.bgas.org.uk.

The Save Dreamland Campaign in Margate continues to take on Thanet District Council which, together with the site's owner, wants to see the historic Dreamland Pleasure Park site redeveloped as shops and housing, despite a recommendation from a government inspector that Margate's biggest visitor attraction should be protected. The Park is home to Britain's oldest roller coaster, the 86 year old listed Scenic Railway. The campaign group says it has the support of some 13,000 residents and businesses. For more information about the campaign and the history of Dreamlands, contact: Sarah Vickery, Campaign Co-ordinator, Save Dreamland Campaign, The Shell Grotto, Grotto Hill, Margate, Kent CT9 2BU, tel: 01843 220008, email: campaign@savedreamland.co.uk, web: www.savedreamland.co.uk.

Write an original biography of an ancestor born pre-1890 and you could win £350, with £150 going to the family history society of your choice. The competition has been organised by The Institute of Heraldic & Genealogical Studies to mark their 50th anniversary. Entries have to be 'around 8,000 to 10,000 words in length' and must be submitted by 1 February 2007. The winner and runner-up (who will receive a prize of £200) will be announced two months later on 1 April. For more details contact IHGS, 79-82 Northgate, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1BA, tel: 01127 768664, web: www.ihgs.ac.uk.

The Centre for Urban History is planning a one-day 'Graduate Conference' (no date) on 'Urban development through history' exploring any aspect of the following topics: Environment & Health; Urban Pollution and Controls & Health. Proposals for papers, including title, author's name and institution, together with a c300 word abstract need to be sent to the organisers by 30 July 2006. The finalised papers should be no more than twenty minutes in length when presented. Papers from established academics will not be accepted. Contact Stephanie Makismovic, Centre for Urban History, 3-5 Salisbury Road, Leicester LE1 7QR, tel: 0116 2522378, email: ssm4@le.ac.uk, web: www.le.ac.uk/urbanhist.

Yesterday Belongs to You: Local & Family History Day No.8 is to be held at County Hall, Durham in May 2007 and is in the process of being planned. The organisers would like to hear from anyone interested in taking part. Commercial partners will be charged £60 for a 12x3' table. The last event in 2005 had almost 100 participants. Booking forms will be distributed later this year. Contact: Durham Record Office, County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL, tel: 0191 3833575.

The Local Heritage Initiative programme is coming to an end after 6½ years, during which time the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded £15 million in grants and the Nationwide building society another £1 million. LHI officially closes on 30 September 2006, with the 30 June being the last date for grant applications. LHF will probably continue to award small grants. Once we have more details we will let you know what's happening.

Natural England is a new government quango bringing together English Nature, the Countryside Agency (who have been running the LHI awards scheme) and the Rural Development Service. They have been working together since April 2005 and will become one organisation as from October 2006, assuming the appropriate legislation is passed by parliament. Natural England will have 'three clusters': rural, seas & coasts and cities & towns, plus a national 'enabling group'. Local history and heritage will almost certainly be part of their brief and a consideration when developing future policies and strategies. We will keep you posted as and when we receive more information. In meantime, simply type 'Natural England' into your search engine (e.g. Google) if you have access to a computer.

Out and About

Ayscoughfee Hall Museum in Spalding re-opens it doors on 30 June after being closed since late-2003 for a major programme of restoration work. This beautiful Grade II* listed building stands in a delightful park on the banks of the River Welland within sight of the town centre. The original Hall was built in 1451 and has been altered at various times in the past, most notably during the 18th and 19th centuries. For example, its Tudor style front, which is how the Hall looks today, was added in the 1840s. The first weekend in July will see the re-opened museum at the centre of a series of events in the Hall and adjoining park. At the time of going to press, we do not have opening times.

Scottish Archaeology Month in September 2006 sees some 200 events taking place across all parts of Scotland, from easy and hard walks to talks and excavation sites you can visit. There are also special exhibitions and family activities. This is not only a great opportunity for local residents to learn more about what is happening, but for visitors who live further afield as well. In early-July, the Council for Scottish Archaeology will be publishing a substantial free guide to what's happening where and when during September. There will also be an online version. For more details, including a copy of the Events Guide contact Andrew Tibbs, Communications Officer, Council for Scottish Archaeology, c/o National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, tel: 0131 247 4124, email: a.tibbs@scottisharchaeology.org.uk, web: www. scottisharchaeology.org.uk.

England has a National Archaeology Week during 15-23 July, when hundreds of events will be taking place across the country, with a few in other parts of Britain as well. A 72-page guide has been published and lists events by county, which range from walks and excavations to exhibitions and talks including:
Hastings, 16 July. You can walk to the Dutch shipwreck 'Amsterdam' at low tide at 10am, providing you go along wearing 'suitable footwear and warm clothing'. For more details contact Yasmin Ornsby at the Shipwreck & Coastal Heritage Centre (tel: 01424 437452).
Weoley Castle, Birmingham, 16 July. A rare opportunity to visit the ruins of a medieval manor house on the Weoley Castle estate not normally open to the public, plus lots of other activities for all ages, 1-4pm, free. Contact Weoley Castle, Alwold Road, Weoley, Birmingham, tel: 0121 464 0402, email: laura_r_cox@birmingham.gov.uk.
Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, 16 July. A 2-3 mile archaeology walk at 2pm, lasting two hours. Meet outside Hob Inn, Station Road, Bamber Bridge. Contact South Ribble Museum & Exhibition Centre, tel: 01722 4220421.
Richborough Roman Fort, Kent, 22-23 July. A two-day festival of 'everyday Roman life', including food and re-enactments by foot soldiers and cavalry, 10am-5pm, £6.90 adult, £5.20 concessions, £3.50 child or £17.30 family ticket (pre-booking advisable say the Guide). Contact English Heritage, tel: 0870 3331183.
Sedgeford, West Norfolk, 23 July. Visit a mid-Saxon cemetery in the process of being excavated (nearly 300 skeletons already lifted) with displays and activities for adults and children to take part in, 10am-4pm, free, but small charge for parking. Contact Sedgeford Historical & Archaeological Research Project, tel: 01485 570452.
Brinkburn Priory, Northumberland, 23 July. Have a go at making your own floor tile in the setting of a medieval priory (4½ miles south-east of Rothbury), 11am-4pm, free if a member of English Heritage, otherwise £2.70 adult, £2 concessions and £1.40 child. Contact English Heritage, tel: 01904 601971.
For more information and a copy of the National Archaeology Week National Events Guide, contact Council for British Archaeology, St Mary's House, 66 Bootham, York YO30 7BS, tel: 01904 671417, email: info@britarch.ac.uk, web: www.britarch.ac.uk/naw.

DIG Live! is billed as 'combining hands-on archaeological techniques with the latest 3D audiovisual experiences to create an interactive exploration through York's past'. Visitors to the site of the dig in St Saviourgate, York, will 'witness history in the making' as they watch archaeologist excavate a site next to St Saviour's Church. The site is open 10am-5pm daily until 9 September 2006, cost £5.50 adults, £5 concessions. For an extra £1 you can get in among the diggers and to work with the finds as they are unearthed, washed and cleaned. The project is part of the York Archaeological Trust. Contact DIG, St Saviour's Church, St Saviourgate, York YO1 8NN, tel: 01904 543403, email: info@digyork.co.uk, web: www.digyork.co.uk.