The special guest-speaker for the day is Dr Janina Ramirez talking about her upcoming book Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It. This ground-breaking reappraisal of medieval history reveals why women were struck from our historical narrative, restoring them to their rightful positions as the power-players who shaped the world we live in today. Dr Janina Ramirez is an Oxford lecturer, BBC broadcaster, researcher and author. She has presented and written over 30 hours of BBC history documentaries and series on TV and radio and written five books for children and adults.

The morning talk, ‘Using post medieval manorial documents for local history research’, will be delivered by Mark Forrest, author of the newest BALH guidebook on manors and manorial documents. This talk explores both rural and urban records, the types of records available, functions of the courts and some unexpected ways in which they can be used to contribute to local histories. Mark Forrest has researched for Cambridge and London Universities and after more than a decade as an archivist at the Dorset History Centre he now works as a freelance archival consultant and collections manager.

The day will also include the results and winners of the inaugural BALH Local History Photographer of the Year, the BALH Awards for Local Historians and BALH AGM. Our digital audience will be able to engage with our team at Conway Hall and have a choice of alternative content during the day.

Programme

Registration and coffee/tea : 10.30am

Welcome : 11.00am

Mark Forrest, Using post medieval manorial documents for local history research : 11.10am

Break : 12.10pm

BALH Annual General Meeting : 12.15pm
(Virtual audience have the option to see a live Q&A with Mark Forrest)

Local History Photographer of the Year : 12.45pm

Lunch break : 1.00pm

Presentation of Local History Awards : 1.45pm
(Virtual audience have the option to join a live Q&A with Janina Ramirez)

Break : 2.30pm

Janina Ramirez, Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It : 2.45pm

Close : 4.00pm

Come join us at the beautiful and historic Conway Hall

Conway Hall is owned by the charity Conway Hall Ethical Society and was first opened in 1929. The name was chosen in honour of Moncure Daniel Conway (1832 – 1907), anti-slavery advocate, out-spoken supporter of free thought and biographer of Thomas Paine.

Their Library holds the Ethical Society’s collection, which is the largest and most comprehensive Humanist Research resource of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Book your place in London

This is the page for booking a virtual ticket to join us online. Please use the booking button below.

If you wish to book an in-person ticket for Conway Hall in London, please see our in-person event details.