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BALH GUIDED VISITS Visits are arranged to places of interest to local historians, often not easily accessible to individuals. See EVENTS page for current programme. MEMBERSHIP Click Here to become a member of the BALH ACCESSIBILITY How to make this site easier to use. Search The Site advanced search		The Local Historian Volume 37, Number 1 - February 2007
		Contents	[ Close all Abstracts ]		Current issue
		The British Association for Local History 1982 - 2007 By: Michael Cowan [ Read Abstract ] In 2007 the British Association for Local History, publisher of The Local Historian and the leading local history organisation in Britain celebrated its 25th anniversary. In this retrospective article Michael Cowan, the former administrator of BALH, reflects upon the precursors of the organisation (dating back to the first issue of the journal The Amateur Historian, in 1952); its creation in 1982; and its subsequent development to the present day. He notes, in particular, the changing context and circumstances of local history in Britain, and identifies the way that this national organisation has adapted to new pressures and requirements. This article, though focused on BALH, highlights the ways in which the subject itself has altered, and will have a lasting value as an observation of the state of British local history in the early 21st century. Agrarian change and its impact 1650 - 1850: the experience of a farming family in central Essex By: Ronald Ram [ Read Abstract ] Family history research led the author of this important article to investigate and assess the experience of yeoman farming families in Essex during the two centuries from 1650. In this paper he presents the evidence for the changing circumstances of such families, as a range of economic, social and cultural influences altered the nature of farming itself. These ranged from the varying levels of rent and farm profitability, via the dynastic and inheritance aspects of passing on a farming estate, to the changing social status of the family itself. The Ram family came from Great Waltham, near Chelmsford, and the article charts their progress and the geographical dispersal of the family towards the end of the study period. The findings are placed in the context of more general perspectives on agricultural change and profitability, informed by the extensive secondary literature on the subject. It is illustrated with extracts from contemporary primary sources, and throughout the work the question of ‘how did wider changes impact upon individuals and families’ remains at the forefront of the analysis. This paper provides an instructive and innovative example of how family history can both be set in a wider context, and can illuminate the work of local and regional historians on key themes such as agriculture. Investigating the history of local volunteer regiments: the Stockton Volunteers and the French invasion threat 1798 - 1808 By: Winifred Stokes [ Read Abstract ] This short article draws attention to the local military history of the Napoleonic War period, making use of some unpublished correspondence in the Durham Record Office. It begins with a review of the historiography, looking at published accounts of the period in local town histories, and then moves on to consider the sequence of events during the middle period of the war which gave to the volunteers and militia such an important role in national defence. The specific local response to the dire national emergency is considered, with emphasis upon the relationship between individual commanding officers, their reception of orders and directives from London, and the attitude of the populace. Congregationalism and society in Leicester 1872 - 1914 By: Gerald Rimmington [ Read Abstract ] In earlier issues of The Local Historian Gerald Rimmington has investigated a variety of dimensions to the religious experience of later nineteenth and early twentieth century Leicester and Leicestershire, looking at an English county which in many ways presents a cross-section of the social, economic and demographic changes of the period. In the present article he considers the fortunes of Congregationalism, which like all other denominations was faced with the twin challenges of urban and industrial growth on the one hand, and growing agricultural difficulties on the other. He shows how the influence of individual ministers was crucial in determining the effectiveness of particular chapels and congregations, and that their attitude to evangelism, urban missions, possible outside threats, and intellectual debates within Congregationalism was especially significant. The article uses attendance figures to show the longer-term trends in adherence to the movement, and the variation in rates of change between the sizes of inner city and suburban congregations. Detailed notes and references provide a very valuable bibliography and the article exemplifies the way in which case studies of other areas could be constructed. Virgin territory? Researching the local history of interwar Britain By: Roger Ottewill [ Read Abstract ] In this article Roger Ottewill argues that local political history is a theme which has been little exploited by local historians, and that coverage of the interwar period is especially weak even though those two decades saw much that was of major importance in the evolution of local government. This contrasts with a considerable interest in Victorian urban politics during the 1970s and 1980s. He suggests that four approaches to the historiography of local political history can be identified: first, the ‘Phillimoresque’, in which coverage of conflict, disharmony and political controversy is marginalised or ignored in favour of a focus on civic dignity and symbolism; second, the ‘microcosmic’, in which local politics are simply seen as a miniaturised version of national politics; third, the ‘microscopic’, where the political history of a community is studied in detail for its own sake; and fourth, the ‘localist’, which uses a local and detailed analysis but with overarching theoretical or philosophical contexts. Reasons for the apparent neglect of the subject are explored, and the challenges which face researchers are highlighted. It is proposed that local history has an important role to play in providing evidence of the complexity and diversity of the twentieth century political experience. Books about Wales - places and perspectives By: Mike Benbough-Jackson [ Read Abstract ] In this short article thirteen recently-published books and booklets on different aspects of Welsh history are assessed. The themes covered range from industry and craft trades, via churches, crime and punishment and place-names, to histories of different areas and places. The review suggests some of the limitations and weaknesses of the works, but conveys the positive message that there is much to applaud in what has been produced, and that others who are embarking upon such work could follow the examples of these works. Review article: local history in the London area By: Christopher French [ Read Abstract ] This is a review of recent publications relating particularly to the development of suburban areas in the London area, with examples from Woking in the west to Twickenham and Paddington, and to Hale End in north London. French identifies some of the strengths and weaknesses of work on suburban development, and draws attention to the ways in which future researchers and authors could approach the subject. Recent publications in local history Reviews [ Read Abstract ] Rural East Yorkshire (Harris) JOHN S LEE A working-class community in 19th century Ipswich (Grace) JACQUELINE COOPER Tracing your ancestors in The National Archives (Bevan) The National Archives: a practical guide for family historians (Colwell) Tracing the history of your house (Barrett) PHILLIP ARNOLD Two thousand five hundred Cumberland and Westmorland folk (Wilkins) MARGARET SHEPHERD The archaeology of rabbit warrens (Williamson) JOHN SHEAIL Nonconformity in Hertfordshire (Ruston ) JANE TUNESI Essays in Hanseatic history (ed Friedland and Richards) The story of the Birtley Belgians (Bygate)EVELYN LORD Taking the pulse of Basingstoke (ed Applin) MARGARET ASHBY Brewers in Hertfordshire (Whitaker) PETER BYSOUTH Charters of Malmesbury Abbey (ed Kelly) DEBBY BANHAM Medieval genealogy (Chambers) JAMES DAVIS Historic Sandwich and its region 1500 - 1900 (Richardson) A history of Deal (Nunns) CHRISTOPHER CHALKIN
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