About Us

Local history enriches our lives both as individuals and as whole communities. It is an area where amateur and professional can meet and work profitably together. We need your support in promoting this important educational cause. The more members we have, the more effectively we can represent the interest of local historians.

The British Association for Local History

• is the national charity which promotes local history and serves local historians
• publishes both The Local Historian, our quarterly journal, and Local History News, a topical magazine
• publishes books and pamphlets on local history
• organises regular guided visits to archives, libraries, museums and other places of interest
• arranges regular conferences in London and the regions
• commissions a prestigious annual lecture
• offers benefits to society members, including access to events at the members' rate, and an insurance scheme
• provides this web site for local history.

Local historians range from interested individuals and members of local societies to professionals in the field such as archivists and university lecturers. There are many thousands of people now actively involved in making a valuable contribution towards enriching and extending our understanding of the past.

Our history

BALH was formed in 1982 but can trace its origins back to the National Council For Social Service (NCSS) and its sub-committee the Standing Conference for Local History (SCLH), formed in 1948. In parallel, The Amateur Historian was launched as a commercial venture by Terrick FitzHugh in 1952, later renamed to the The Local Historian. A full history of BALH from 1982 - 2007 appeared in The Local Historian Vol 37, Number 1, February 2007.