Local History News Number 87 Spring 2008

ENCRYPTED

Driving down to Leicester in February, on a wonderful crisp golden morning of sharp frost and blue skies, I turned off the noisy A50 Derby bypass and headed through Willington and over the long causeway-cum-bridge across the Trent. This was built in 1839 and is thus much more recent than the famous and remarkable medieval Swarkestone Bridge a few miles downstream, but it is very impressive nonetheless. On the south bank I came to my destination, Repton, for I had come to visit the Anglo-Saxon crypt, a place I'd known about for many years but never actually seen. Beneath the chancel of the fine partly medieval and partly pre-Conquest church of St Wystan is the royal burial place of Mercia, a site hallowed by time and with a powerful and evocative character. Repton has a quite extraordinary history, a miniature town which could, in other circumstances, have become one of the great cities of England and which functioned as one of the several capitals of Mercia. As its website notes, the church 'was constructed in the first half of the 8th century, during the reign of King Ethelbald (reigned 716-757), perhaps originally as a baptistery, sunk 1.2 m into the ground over a spring and drained to the east by a deep stone-built channel. It was later converted into a mausoleum, perhaps to receive the body of King Ethelbald himself, and became the final resting place of Mercian kings. King Ethelbald (died 757) and King Wiglaf (died 840) were both interred there, as well as Wiglaf's grandson Wystan, murdered in 849'. Repton also has more of those glorious Anglo-Saxon names than most places … they have an alliterative poetry of their own to savour. It was bitterly cold in the gloomy chamber, which is dimly lit by a couple of small windows high on the wall and also by that unfortunate necessity, electric light, which I find detracts from the atmosphere of such places. The thick stone walls and four central pillars support a simply-vaulted roof, the pillars being carved in an odd yet effective way—a stone 'cord' or fillet winds from top to bottom in a spiral, and the stone band in between is given a slight rounding, so it looks as though soft flesh bulges out between constricting ropes. Nikolaus Pevsner, who knew a thing or two we must admit, considered that 'the chancel [and'>more... the crypt form one of the most precious survivals of Anglo-Saxon architecture in England', while Betjeman, also no mean observer of ecclesiastical architecture, described the crypt itself as 'holy air encased in stone'. The church above has substantial traces of pre-Conquest architecture, and the little town is delightful, off the beaten track though only ten miles from Derby and six from Burton upon Trent. Its public school is better known than its church, but even that isn't saying a lot. It's one of those many places in the 'other parts of England' which, if it were in the Cotswolds or Devon, would have two dozen teashops, sixteen craft boutiques, and a park and ride scheme, but because it's in an unglamorous area it is more or less unscathed by heritage and mass tourism. There are other delights locally—the superb late Norman parish church at nearby Melbourne, the lovely landscape of Staunton Harold just over the Leicestershire border, Calke Abbey down the road, Tutbury Castle higher up along the River Dove. Should I be extolling its charms therefore, or will a legion of Local History News readers descend upon Repton and turn it into the Castle Combe or Clovelly of South Derbyshire. Surely not, for any LHN reader will of course be a serious student of pre-Conquest architecture and failed medieval market towns, not a 'tourist', certainly not a 'tripper'. No candy floss and I WAS ENCRYPTED AT REPTON T-shirts for us! I think I am in safe in offering this oh-so-discreet promotion.

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PATRICIA: RETIREMENT

How will BALH, especially the Events Committee and the programme of guided visits, manage without Patricia Knowlden? After a substantial number of years, she has decided to take well-deserved retirement from the journeys and meetings involved. For many people, including the editor, Patricia was the first BALH person they encountered, as a guided visit was their introduction to the Association. Involvement in her own local patch also kept us well-informed on developments in London and Kent. She will be hugely missed. In appreciation of her work for BALH, Norman Alvey and Joanna Mattingly have contributed the following personal reminiscences: NA I first met Patricia on a BALH visit to the docklands - before the days of Canary Wharf - and was struck by her charming voice and the respect she received. She attended such visits regularly and actively, posing pertinent questions or requesting documents. She had a vast knowledge of London's archives but her interests stretched wider afield and I soon learned it was inadvisable to disparage the great county of Kent where she had many contacts, not necessarily historical. Her guest on a visit to Brighton was a member of the police force. She was the obvious choice to become Chairman of the Programme Committee where her experienced enthusiasm led to some fascinating visits and she was always ready to encourage and advise those she persuaded to lead them. There was a meeting at Aberystwyth which lasted several days and the Knowldens and ourselves stayed in university accommodation. It was an excellent meeting with well presented, clearly enunciated lectures - if you want to be a public speaker learn Welsh - and we spent interesting evenings discussing them and our other activities. Geoffrey was a keen 'bowls' player, I remember. Conversation always flowed when Patricia was present and I shall miss talking to her at meetings and shall no longer have an official excuse to phone her for advice. BALH – she pronounced it BALHA – is lucky to have such a knowledgeable member who has done so much for the Association. JM We first met when I was lecturing for London Extra-Mural Department, perhaps 30 years ago. I think we were based at Wye College in Kent on a Summer School. The setting was magnificent – an open hall at the core of a complex of buildings including a medieval 'Latin school' near the church. Patricia was assisting Bill Liddell who was teaching a history summer school, and I was teaching a course on vernacular architecture. We may well have coincided at other summer schools – perhaps Bishop Otter the year before, and later at Bangor. Our next meeting was on the BALH Programme Committee, and we both attended a BALH organised day at Dorchester Museum. This was arranged by a former committee member June Palmer, who invited us to stay overnight in Poole. I have memories of visiting Wareham, and seeing Saxon churches in their company. Patricia has ably organised BALH visits for many years and has succeeded in prizing open the most resistant of doors. I would also say she is someone who can to put on a cheerful face whatever the circumstance – a useful attribute for a local historian!

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WALKING WITH WILBERFORCE

Hull Old Town has hidden histories, some connected with famous people and events of the past, others telling the stories of women and men whose lives have been an inspiration to others. The walk starts at Wilberforce House and takes a route along the streets, past staiths on the River Hull, to docks which William Wilberforce knew. It ends at his Monument, funded by Hull's citizens who were proud of his campaigns to abolish the British slave trades. They sent numerous petitions to Parliament to support abolition, reflecting the radical political, religious and social traditions of the city. Hull was not involved in the slave trade, but did have industries processing sugar, tobacco and cotton. It was a port, mainly involved in whaling, fishing and trade into the Baltic and Europe. Later indeed, migrants from the Baltic region arrived by the million in search of a new life, and many remained in Hull to contribute to its growth and cultural wealth; but the majority continued on to North America. Trinity House and Holy Trinity church were influential institutions in the city, and the Old White Hart pub was, reputedly, associated with the start of the English Civil War. In contrast, along the Trail, at Hull University's Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation (WISE) is a new wall with names to commemorate worldwide activists for human rights and justice. This is set in an attractive garden near the Streetlife Museum. Much has changed in the Old Town, but by 'discovering' some of the people, places and events recorded in this heritage area, we can learn how other people's lives have influenced our present city and given people world-wide inspiration. The Trail sites are marked by twelve ceramic plaques, each designed to illustrate the histories specific to its location. They were created by three community or art groups; from Hull's Africa Forum, Hull College ceramics students and two primary schools, working with two local artists. From the Africa Forum came the inspiration of 'Sankofa' – the Ghanaian mythical bird which, like a hunter, looks backwards before going forward. The spirit of this idea grew as we realised how this affects our understanding of heritage. Each ceramic has a bird, inspired by Sankofa, which has become the motif for the Trail itself. The experience of the Trail is enhanced, en route, by the impressive Wilberforce House Museum and the 'Hands on History' at the Old Grammar School. Maister House, a hidden gem from the 18th century is accessible during office hours. Despite intensive bomb damage to the city during World War 2, Hull's Old Town survived remarkably well. This Trail enables us to explore the histories of this overlooked city. The Trail guide can be downloaded from the website and it is available free in Hull's museums and Tourist Information Centre. Guided walks with refreshment breaks en route are available by arrangement. The Trail project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, Hull City Council and Yorkshire Forward; hosted by the Development Education Centre (Hull); and enabled by a dedicated group of local volunteers. Its completion in 2007 coincided with the bicentenary of the act to abolish the British slave trade. Its future is as a resource for all to explore and to learn from an important aspect of Hull – and to enjoy history. Contacts & information: www.wilberforcetrail.co.uk, www.realyorkshire.co.uk/10best/10-greatwalks.aspx, Group visits: Lewis@lew.karoo.co.uk

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2007 AWARD WINNER

'Everyone knows Stan' 2007 saw the fortieth anniversary of The Black Country Society so it was particularly appropriate that Stan Hill was one of the recipients of a BALH award for personal achievement in local history last year. He has been involved with the society for over thirty years, and has held the offices of Chairman, President, and Editor of The Blackcountryman; he is still responsible for 'advertisements, distribution and publication', and remains a driving force behind the society. After a career in education that culminated as headmaster of a secondary school, Stan Hill became warden of Dudley Teachers' Centre. His interest in local history had begun much earlier, when he developed an innovative Local Studies course for pupils resenting their extra year in the classroom after the raising of the school leaving age to 15. Using the 'history' and 'geography' slots in the timetable, Stan exploited the rich resources in the surrounding area – from first century Romans to the industrial revolution via Norman castles, the Civil War, and much more. It was through his work at the Teachers' Centre that Stan's enthusiasm and commitment reached an even wider audience. His responsibility for building up the local history resources on all the districts in the Dudley Borough allowed 'every school to benefit from local material and virtually every pupil to benefit from his belief in local history', as a referee has put it. Stan's annual programme for study groups attracted dedicated teachers, and spread his enthusiasm. One of today's branches of The Black Country Society started as a local studies teachers' group who wished to continue meeting after Stan had retired in 1988. 'What retirement?' is a question often asked of the energetic and devoted local historians we feature in these profiles, and Stan Hill is no exception. His involvement with the society resulted in both greatly increased membership and expanded circulation of their magazine. The aim of the society's founders was 'to foster interest in the past, present and future of the Black Country' and Stan has contributed to this in many ways. Greater recognition for the Black Country has been achieved through links with schools, organising local history fairs, giving talks, working with the Black Country Living Museum, and the local newspaper the Express & Star. More unusually his influence on the society saw them award funding for a scholarship at Wolverhampton University at higher degree level. Another initiative saw British Rail name a diesel locomotive 'The Blackcountryman'. Stan Hill's expertise has encouraged many local authors to participate in the society's publication programme. In particular Stan developed a link with Sutton Publishing in their 'Britain in Old Photographs' series. With a group of local historians he initiated a sub series entitled 'The Black Country in Old Photographs' which now runs to more than 80 titles, containing some 16,000 images. Over 100,000 copies have been sold, each carrying the society's information panel. Promoting interest in local history has also come from Stan's own publications, including 57 Black County People. As a result of this work both the local history of the area, and the society itself, have received wider public recognition. The Mary Stevens Hospice, Stourbridge, has benefited from Stan's generous donations of royalties and profits. Amongst his other activities, Stan Hill is involved with The Francis Brett Young Society (another famous Black Country person), The Hawbush Community Association, and The Friends of Broadfield House Glass Museum. Retirement? What retirement? With thanks to Judith Watkin, Angus Dunphy and Stan Hill.

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2007 AWARD WINNER

In the year 2000 we thought of all the individuals working diligently and enthusiastically in their own parts of the country, appreciated by the members of local societies, by visitors to local museums and other group activities, and by those who consulted their knowledge of the history of their particular area, and decided that they deserved some form of national recognition. So the BALH awards for personal achievement were born. 2007 was the first year an award was made to a couple, when Don and Hilda Bayliss from Altrincham were presented with their award last summer. Their nominator asked if this was possible, explaining that the Bayliss's were a team, and could not, at least for this purpose, be separated. Dr and Mrs Bayliss founded Altrincham Local History Society twenty years ago, Don has been Chairman since the beginning, and Hilda was Secretary for 15 years. They feel very strongly that the whole business involved with such a society depends on teamwork, and giving recognition to all those involved. Someone (or two) may have an initial idea but it cannot come to fruition without many others. The hon. sec who arranges a diverse programme of lectures and visits, the hon. treasurer who looks after the funds, those who take the chair, who give votes of thanks, make tea, put up posters, are all vital. But so are those who simply renew their subscriptions year after year, 'ordinary members' are essential too. In the citation, Don and Hilda were also credited with 'setting an example' and 'motivating others'. They were initiators of the society's journal, and are amongst the society's members who have had books published as a result of their research, setting standards of analysis and presentation, and encouraging others to follow suit. The journal welcomes articles of both academic and general interest, giving an outlet for members' work on a wide variety of topics. In some cases these are individuals pursuing their own researches into subjects of personal interest, while others take part in group projects. Serious projects lasting six months or more are clearly not for everyone, but Dr and Mrs Bayliss are currently involved with some dozen other members of the society providing material on a number of local farms from manorial records to a nationally commissioned study at their local university. Here is an excellent example of 'local volunteers' making a real contribution to the subject (often a matter of interest to this magazine and the Association) which could not be achieved without them. Altrincham's historic buildings are one of the specific topics that have benefited from Bayliss enthusiasm and energy. As well as writing about them, Don and Hilda have recorded buildings in the area that have been demolished, and Don was President of the Friends of Altrincham Town Hall Group when historical elements of the town hall were saved during redevelopment of the site. In all their activities, Don and Hilda Bayliss stress that they would not have achieved anything without the support from local Altrinchamians. From the contributions of their nominator and referees we understand that Altrincham, and certainly its history society, would be the poorer without them. With thanks to Don and Hilda Bayliss, David Miller, Colin Graham and Michael Nevell.

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MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES COUNCIL

Significant changes are taking place in the structure and organisation of the Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Council and its agencies in each of the regions. These are in response to the recent Comprehensive Spending Review in central government and a separate review by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport of the organisations with which it works across the country. The objective is greater operational efficiency. Because reductions in MLA's budget have already been made under the Gershon efficiencies programme, this means the only option now is a major cut to core funding. The outcome of the DCMS review is awaited, but it is clear that one priority will be reduced infrastructure costs (accommodation, staffing, etc). Decisions about regional agencies and their future will vary from area to area. All are now working to clarify what is termed 'the legacy environment' from April 2009. The process of re-alignment is under way and plans to manage the transition are being implemented. MLA is re-focussing on strategic, rather than operational, issues. These include • Strengthening communities • Enhancing learning and skills • Promoting excellence across the sector The means to achieve these objectives include the 'Living Places' programme, cultural improvement partnerships and the single improvement tool for local authorities. MLA is also promoting the potential of using initiatives such as the Cultural Offer and the Cultural Olympiad to reinforce the place of museums, libraries and archives at the centre of the cultural landscape. The aim is to ensure sustainability of these and similar programmes beyond the next Comprehensive Spending Review.

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ALEXANDRA PALACE AS A CONCENTRATION CAMP

Several London cemeteries feature strikingly cheap-looking memorials erected by the local authorities above the mass graves of civilian victims – mainly air raid casualties – of the twentieth-century World wars, but perhaps the most economical-looking monument of all, in the Great Northern London Cemetery in the London Borough of Barnet, is one erected by the British central government and has an inscription in German: Hier ruhen die genannten 51 deutschen Maenner die waehrend des Weltkrieges in Zivilgefangenschaft gestorben sind. (Here rest in God the named 51 German men who died during the World War in civil imprisonment.) It is the principal surviving relic of the time when, during the 1914-1918 War, Alexandra Palace was a concentration camp for male enemy aliens of military age. In the first months of the war more than 50,000 German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish nationals resident in Britain were arrested and by the time of the Armistice in November 1918, after selective repatriations and releases, there were still 24,500 men in internment. They included, allegedly, a former colonel in the British Army, and a Church of England clergyman, as well as novelist John Galsworthy's nephew Rudolf Sauter. Some of them were men (or the sons of men) who had come to England to avoid military service in Germany. Internment was a totally unlooked-for and horribly traumatizing experience – conditions were nothing like as bad as the notorious concentration camps in South Africa during the Boer War, let alone Belsen and Dachau during the Second World War, but it was still imprisonment for an indeterminate term at the hands of people whom the internees had regarded as neighbours and colleagues, and more than four-fifths of them opted to be repatriated after the war; in addition more than four hundred of the 4,300 who asked to remain in Britain were expelled. 1. Alexandra Palace, north London's famous festival and entertainment complex in which up to 3,000 internees slept in rows of plank beds in the Great Hall and two other large halls, was reportedly 'considered as the best non-paying camp in England.' 2. There were of course armed military guards, but by the end of 1917 they had been reduced in number and patrolled only outside the barbed wire perimeter. Each internee had a pillow and three blankets and could have a fourth blanket if he asked: in fact there was more of a problem with the huge sleeping rooms being too warm, owing to lack of ventilation, rather than too cold.3. The German camp leader told U.S. Embassy officials in November 1916 that 'he and his fellow interned were satisfied with the treatment, food and accommodation, and he knew of no complaint in connection with them.' 4. This was not the view of an internee repatriated some months earlier, who told the authorities in Germany that for 'civilized men the toilet arrangements were outrageous', the washing facilities 'unappetizing' (unappetitlich) and the frozen imported meat they were provided with uneatable. 5. There were protests when the camp administration introduced horse meat as a substitute for beef, and in the final year or so of the war, when the whole country suffered from food shortages (though not as severely as Germany in the same period) hunger and physical depletion put an end to the formerly flourishing camp football club. (By this stage daily calory intake was calculated to be 1489.) Eighty, and later four hundred gardening plots were allocated, and there was an active Concert Society, but an Amateur Theatrical Society was found to suffer from 'a lack of talent. . . . Most of the productions were very commonplace', and it soon faded out. 6. Unlike the Prisoner of War camps of the 1939-45 period celebrated in so many stiff-upper-lip British movies, where the prisoners were predominately under twenty-five years of age and drawn from the officer class, Alexandra Palace housed large numbers of middle-aged men torn unexpectedly from the bosoms of their (mainly English-speaking) families, and forced to live in conditions of over-crowding and lack of privacy which nothing in their previous lives had prepared them for. In a volume of verse entitled Songs in Captivity published after the war, Galsworthy's nephew Rudolf Sauter evoked the sleeping conditions in the Great Hall: A monster morgue – a dismal vault, this, framed in dusk! . . . . And ranks on ranks of living corpses on their planks, still dripping cold and miserable with thoughts that never halt . . . . And by day of course there was that constant reminder of imprisonment: Wire, barbed wire! – A dour and monstrous serpent round our lives. And we're like creatures mesmerised; it glares at us, all day, malignant, sour. As on the Western Front, the ugliness could occasionally be seen as having a strange beauty: Wire – In Winter-time the snow comes writhing down to perch on it in great festoons. White-tented, now, the distance marches in a bit. 7. But of course the mortality rate – less than one per cent counting all the internees who passed through the camp – was nothing like that on the Western Front, and in general they were not too much disturbed by the air raids on the inner London suburbs a couple of miles to the south: The Zeppelins – they are attacking us; Kingsland Road is alight, Stoke Newington is burning. Did you not hear the guns? 8. 1. J.C. Bird, Control of Enemy Alien Civilians in Great Britain 1914-18 (New York 1986) p.197. See also Panikos Panay, 'An Intolerant Act by an Intolerant Society: the Internment of Germans in Britain during the First World War', in David Cesarini and Tony Kushner eds. The Internment of Aliens in Twentieth Century Britain (London, 1993) at p.53-75 and Anna Braithwaite Thomas et al. St Stephen's House: Friends' Emergency Work in England 1914 to 1920 (London, 1933) p.43-65 by W.R. Hughes. 2. The National Archives, Kew, FO 383/469/28772 report by a Swedish official 7 Jan 1918. Whereas in the Second World War Switzerland assumed the responsibility for protecting the interests of civilian and military prisoners in belligerent countries, in the First World War much of this was also undertaken by the U.S.A. (previous to American entry into the War in 1917) and Sweden. 3. The National Archives, Kew, FO 383/33/67335 US Embassy report 26 May 1915; ibid. FO 383/237/55152 French official report 17 March 1916. 4. The National Archives, FO 383/164/226983, US Embassy report 10 Nov. 1916. 5. The National Archives, FO 383/164/181944, official complaint by Max Cogho 6 July 1916, forwarded by US Embassy. 6. Rudolf Rocker, Alexandra Palace Internment Camp in the First World War, 1914 -1918 (private: reproduced from typescript c.1918) p.22-3 7. R.H. Sauter, Songs in Captivity (London, 1922) p.42, 'Night in the Big Hall', and p.26-7, 'Barbed Wire'. 8. F.S. Flint, Other Worlds: Cadences (London, 1920) p.54 'Zeppelins'. In this period, with no pharmaceutical remedies for septicaemia or infectious fevers, mortality from sudden illness was much higher than it is today; on the other hand internees suffering from incurable long-term disorders such as cancer or T.B. were often repatriated via the Netherlands and did not therefore spend their last days alive behind barbed wire.

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WOODSETTS LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES

Woodsetts is a South Yorkshire village of some 2000 people. The area has been the site of settlements since the end of the Ice Age and today it stands on the edge of Lindrick Golf Course – scene of the famous 1957 Ryder Cup victory – just outside Worksop. Woodsetts Local History Society was founded in September 1999 as part of the Millennium celebrations with 32 members. It has grown rapidly and now has a registered membership of 184. It holds monthly meetings at which speakers are engaged to talk on a variety of topics, publishes a quarterly magazine, has a website (www.woodsetts.com) and is a registered charity. From its inception the Society began to accumulate photographs, books, maps, census records, publications and other documents which were housed at our Chairman's home where they could be viewed by appointment. It was recognised, however, that more accessible and spacious premises would be needed to enable them to be appreciated and utilised fully. In October 2001 the Committee discussed the possibility of acquiring a small building next to the Butchers Arms Public House in Woodsetts and converting it into a centre which would house the Society's collection and equipment. It had been used as a Wesleyan chapel for some years between 1823 and 1896 when the 'new' Methodist Chapel was built, subsequently serving a variety of purposes – including housing a horse-drawn fire engine – before becoming storage space for the Butcher's Arms. Following a tentative approach to the owners – including an offer to provide alternative storage accommodation – a sub-committee was set up in late 2001 to look into the feasibility of the project. With the unanimous agreement of members an offer to purchase was made and after further negotiations, in March 2002 the Estates Manager agreed to recommend to his Board that they sell the property to the Society. Whilst awaiting a decision the sub-committee approached an architect who had experience of dealing with the renovation of old buildings and chose a firm of solicitors to carry out the conveyancing. Following an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) – and with supporting letters from several significant groups and individuals – the Society was informed by the HLF in May 2003 that it had been awarded a grant of up to £50,000.00 which was to be paid in instalments, but it was not until September 2003 that the Society received written Board Approval from the owners. Just when it looked as if things were gathering pace at last, problems arose because of different expectations following a change of landlord. The project was in danger of not going ahead and the owners informed the Society in March 2004 that they were unable to progress the sale. Following this devastating blow – after two years of hard work by the Society – members, sponsors and speakers were requested to write to the owners expressing their views and disappointment and asking them to reconsider their decision. The magnificent response led to a change of heart by the owners, but it was not until November 2005 that ownership of the building finally changed hands, four years after the first approach had been made. The Library and Archives is now held in Trust for the Society. The Society had not been idle throughout these frustrating years. Donations of furniture were accepted and fundraising continued in order to provide running costs. The 'progress' reports submitted to the HLF contained often disheartening comments for much of the time and, owing to the difficulties, the HLF generously extended the date for completion. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as we thought our troubles were over but they were just beginning! Because of the time lapse since costing out the work the estimates were higher than budgeted for and some unexpected costs also arose. However work finally began in November 2005. It advanced slowly with many setbacks having to be overcome but the Centre was completed in early 2006. It now comprises one room (incorporating a kitchen area and storage space) and a toilet. The project has to thank several local businessmen and Rotherham Museum for their donations and support. A refectory table was made locally from three pews purchased from Woodsetts Church. Furniture and equipment were provided through a grant from the Rural Target Fund for South Yorkshire with many individuals donating other items. A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the Heritage Lottery Fund whose forbearance made everything possible. Then came the task of equipping the building and we realised how much the Society had accumulated. The Centre opened its doors to the public in September 2006 and welcomes visitors free of charge. It is for reference only although there is a children's lending library. People continue to donate or loan items and the Society has links with Woodsetts School and the Monday Club for seven to eleven year olds, through which it is encouraging the younger members of the community to remember the past. The Centre is run by a dedicated group of volunteers. It is open on Mondays from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m., Saturdays from 10.00 a.m. to 12 noon, at other times by request and is also used for committee meetings. It took five years for the project to come to fruition. Many trials and tribulations were encountered and there were bleak and discouraging periods when nothing seemed to go right, but the enthusiasm and determination displayed by Society members shows what can be achieved. With patience and perseverance we now have a Library and Archives of which we are justly proud and prudent management ensures that running costs are kept to an acceptable level. This huge and ambitious undertaking has accomplished our primary objective of providing a home for the Society's growing collection. Visitors are delighted by the amount of information available and we are gratified that we can preserve our local history and heritage for everyone.

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ENGLAND PAST FOR EVERYONE

I don't suppose we are the only local history society that had has some difficulty working with our local school: it is not ill will or even lack of enthusiasm but the sheer pressure of work for the teachers and – until quite recently – the constraints of the curriculum, that makes it difficult for schools to always respond as enthusiastically as we would like. A couple of years ago we did a village trail for children and getting it completed was frankly a hard haul. But our more recent experience in working with England's Past for Everyone (EPE) and our local primary school has been a great success. “We" are Bemerton Local History Society (BLHS), a very small group, less than 5 years old, situated on the outskirts of Salisbury and with a strong commitment to oral history and reminiscence. Last year we attended the launch of the very first new style Victoria County History, Wool and War in Codford produced in collaboration between VCH Wiltshire and the local history society in Codford, just up the Wylye valley from Salisbury. It was an exciting occasion, with lots of organisations represented, among them a stall from EPE, the unit of the Victoria County History, based at the Institute of Historical Research that is Heritage Lottery Funded. Under the project, to quote the website , “Authors and researchers are working alongside volunteers in ten counties to produce 15 paperback publications, an interactive website and schools and learning resources." And the key EPE message: “History is not just about the dim and distant past, it's happening right now. This is your chance to get involved in the life story of your community" was music to our ears in Bemerton. BLHS already had a project in mind that fitted brilliantly with the EPE idea. A year earlier we had received a small grant from our local Lifelong Learning Partnership to help children explore the history of farming in our area, but we somehow had not got it off the ground. But it beautifully dovetailed with a piece of work done by children in Codford in the Wylye valley looking at farming in their area – Aretha George, Manager of the EPE programme, was very enthusiastic about rolling out work done in one part of the County to another school. What made it such a success for us in Bemerton was that it allowed us to work in partnership with a whole range of people. The prospect of an “important visitor from London" helped open the door to a meeting with the Head Teacher at the school, Cherie Taylor, who rapidly became enthused, developed the project into a deliverable format and led it personally. Under her guidance it became a piece of work for 12 'talented, gifted and able; children, a targeted group. It was to take place in school hours but be supported by artwork during the after school club. In devising the programme we drew on a range of resources. The work began with a visit to the Salisbury Museum where they were able to dress up in shepherd's smocks and think about the life of children in those times. Then the children interviewed 3 local farmers, including one pioneering lady organic farmer who had grown up in the village: the interviews were recorded using sophisticated mini-recorders loaned by the EPE office: the interviews are now being transcribed to add to our BLHS archive. Other sessions explored resources on the Internet. Each of the “school hours" sessions was followed by an art session led by a professional artist. A wickerwork screen, with pollarded twigs from the local water meadows, was created on which the children's work was displayed. For the final exhibition a collection of antique farming implements and a scale model borroweed from local residents who are members of the history society. Another member, Brigid Griffith, a retired teacher acted as support to the group throughout. The six weeks work ended with a presentation by the children of what they had learnt to an enthusiastic audience of local residents, mums, dads and grandparents and some bigwigs, including the Chairman of the local District Council complete with chain of office. There are still plans for us to link a further presentation with a larger piece of work with the new Wiltshire Heritage Centre and the VCH in Wiltshire The value our local history society got from the local work was the enthusiasm of the children and the collaboration between us all: already we are working with the Museum on another project for example. Brigid, who supported the children throughout, reported one revealing insight: asked what they had enjoyed most – the outing, the artwork, the internet research, the technology, the children unfailingly reported it was the interviews with the farmers they liked best. One lad said seriously “I think oral history is very important." As BLHS Chairman I got one extra benefit: an invitation to the EPE Annual Conference at Senate House last November. It was a fascinating and stimulating day spent listening to reports on the many great projects up and down the country, bringing together professional historians and volunteers there was just one discordant note. Some, just some, of the professionals allowed a note of wonder, if not disbelief, at the possibility of volunteers doing serious historical research to creep into their presentations. We in Bemerton don't agree: we think England's past is for everyone.

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ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON ARCHIVES

On Tuesday 1 April a group of MPs and Peers approved the creation of an All Party Group (APG) on Archives. In a well-attended and well-informed meeting, Parliamentarians from all parties expressed their concerns for the importance of archives and how this is not mirrored in the position of archives on the political agenda, despite the popularity of family and local history and a widespread public desire to research sources for a sense of place and identity. Many spoke from personal experience and several speakers made positive references to their local authority archive services. Tim Boswell MP (Con, Daventry) chaired the meeting with great enthusiasm. Also attending were former Arts Ministers Mark Fisher MP (Lab, Stoke-on-Trent Central) and Lord Howarth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan MP (Con, Chesham & Amersham), Gordon Marsden MP (Lab, Blackpool South) (a former editor of History Today), Dr Hywel Francis MP (Lab, Aberavon) the Chairman of the Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, along with Lord Redesdale, Sir Patrick Cormack MP (Con, South Staffordshire), Ed Vaizey MP (Con, Wantage), Lord Luke, Lord Inglewood and Robert Key MP (Con, Salisbury). The meeting also appointed the APG's first officers with Tim Boswell MP confirmed as Chair, Lord Bew as Secretary, and Lord Howarth, Lord Redesdale and Dr Hywel Francis MP as Vice-Chairs. The meeting also approved the role of the National Council on Archives in providing the secretariat function for the APG, as well as agreeing to allow associate members from organisations external to Parliament, such as NCA and the British Association for Local History. It was concluded that these associate members could provide the APG with vital knowledge and expertise. An APG is an informal grouping of MPs and Peers, which enables Parliamentarians to gather to discuss a particular topic. Arising from this, the APG or individual members may then take action such as raising a debate, placing an Early Day Motion or approaching Government Ministers. There are about 600 APGs in Parliament. Now that the archives APG has been established it will probably meet two or three times a year, although NCA will also provide members with interim information as appropriate. The next important date is the 8 July when the APG will host a discussion with key guests such as Professor Lisa Jardine (historian and NCA Patron), Natalie Ceeney (CEO of the National Archives) and a senior representative of MLA. The APG also hopes to place an Early Day Motion to mark International Archives Day. . For information: Lord Bew before his elevation as a life peer was Professor Paul Bew, professor of Irish Politics at Queen's University, Belfast, since 1991

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WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE?

Building on the success of the TV show Who Do You Think You Are presented by Nick Barratt, a new initiative has been launched called Who Do We Think We Are? This helps young people and teachers to explore issues, often as emotive and controversial as the TV show, about citizenship, ethnic identity, migration and settlement. The initiative consists of an interactive website and a week of activities in schools from 23 to 27 June. A meeting to launch these was organised by the Department of Children, Schools and Families in collaboration with the Royal Geographical Society and The Historical Association. There were about 50 delegates from various organisations such as the British Library, The National Archives, the National Maritime Museum, The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, the Jewish Council for Racial Equality and the Maharajah Duleep Singh Centenary Trust. BALH was asked to send a delegate, and I attended at the request of the management committee. You can view the website, participate and comment on http://www.wdwtwa.org.uk/. The website gives a brief history of migration and settlement in this country which underpins the ways in which teachers and young people are encouraged to understand and articulate their experiences in their schools and communities in relation to 'Britishness', national identity or values, and the 2012 Olympic Games. It is hoped that the initiative will continue after it has been piloted in the following four areas in 2008: Barking and Dagenham, Bradford, Bristol and Cheshire. On the launch day Nick Barratt gave an introductory talk on 'personal heritage' about moving on from family to local history, and the use of new media to preserve and share histories of local communities. Representatives from pilot projects then spoke powerfully about their personal and community experiences of migration and settlement. There were opportunities in the breaks for delegates to make contacts with each other and share experiences and plan ways ahead. Patrice Lawrence from the National Children's Bureau and I talked together about how local history can be made relevant to people of African and Asian ancestry. Patrice mentioned his own experience of growing up in the 70s and 80s in mid-Sussex and his frequent feeling that he did not 'belong'. A couple of years ago Patrice found out that First World War soldiers from the British West Indies Regiment were posted in Seaford, Sussex, and that some are buried in the churchyard. He had never realised that Caribbean soldiers fought for Britain in that war, let alone been buried just down the road from where he was brought up. It was a powerful personal experience which altered his views of his upbringing in Sussex when on occasion he had been accused of being one of 'you lot' who had been taking all 'our jobs'. Patrice works in Race Equality, Early Years and Inclusion for the NCB and pointed to the work carried out through black or 'black' history to explore how different communities have contributed to British life. Initiatives such as WDWTWA, he argues, have a role in ensuring that the ways in which places are shaped and influenced by the people who pass through, or arrive and stay, should be integrated into the interpretation and teaching of local history. Here, perhaps, BALH has a role. Many of the individuals and groups represented at the launch of WDWTWA do not participate in traditional local history in this country. Yet the stories of first-generation migrants about their experiences in coming here and of the second-generation in both being, and not being British, hold great interest. They could well be captured in oral history projects, and this was discussed during the launch. 'We had the good Maharajah, who stayed till this morning. He looks so handsome and well – and is talkative and agreeable. Those eyes and those teeth are too beautiful', wrote Queen Victoria in 1858 about Duleep Singh, regarded as 'the lawful sovereign of the Sikh nation'. Duleep Singh lived in Britain for many years after being defeated in the Anglo-Sikh wars fought between 1840 and 1849, which resulted in the Punjab being occupied by the British. Duleep Singh is buried in Elveden parish churchyard in Suffolk. You can find more of his story by following the Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail, created by the Maharajah Duleep Singh Centenary Trust and English Heritage, a web-based trail for people to follow around the country. It draws together all the strands of Sikh history in the UK, from architecture and memorials to rare books, manuscripts and sumptuous treasures and artefacts. You can follow up the web-trail on your feet at, for example, The Royal Pavilion Brighton, which was used as a base to care for wounded Indian troops serving with the British army in World War One. It was believed that the Indian-influenced architecture would provide a suitable place for their convalescence. Those Indian soldiers that did not survive their injuries were cremated on the South Downs above the town and the Chattri War Memorial was erected there to commemorate their sacrifices. I have tried to give a flavour of the new initiative and the linked projects. I started by saying that WDWTWA raised controversial and emotive issues, and you may feel the WDWTWA website raises some. I would like to hear your views.

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MEDIEVAL ART IN WOOD

Misericords of North West England: their nature and significance John Dickinson Centre for North-West Regional Studies University of Lancaster 2008 £12.95 ISBN 978 1 86220 204 7 Observant readers of Local History News might have noticed that this slot is usually occupied by a book of note for its illustrations, their quality, quantity, variety, and particularly their significance. The tradition was started by Peter Christie many years ago, and has continued under the new regime, so Dr Evelyn Lord selects an appropriate volume from the many which come to her attention as Reviews Editor. For this issue we have a book that not only contains striking photographs by Gwen Ainsworth, but also sets high standards in both its content and production. The introduction provides an excellent description of misericords, their practical purpose of 'providing solace for weary monks', and how they relate to other elements of church decoration and liturgical processes. Misericords are seen as medieval art, demonstrating high quality carving (certainly not the work of apprentices as thought by some), many involving considerable financial outlay on the part of wealthy patrons. As the author John Dickinson explains, deciding how to organise the material for a book such as this can be difficult. Here we are presented with the major buildings containing misericords in the region; key examples from each are described in detail within the context of that particular location, and of a dominant theme. In moving from place to place we discover the sources of ideas for these medieval artists and craftsmen, be they animals, birds and flowers, monsters and mythical creatures, fables with a moral, or events from everyday life. The photographs allow the reader to appreciate both the skill of the workman and the message portrayed. The extensive bibliography will be of great value to anyone interested in this topic, and the volume as a whole could usefully serve as a valuable example to others.

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BULLS

A while ago I was meandering through the internet and looking up 'bull-baiting'. This might seem a rather arcane, perhaps even slightly unsavoury, pastime, but the reason was pure historical research. Years earlier I had noted that the burial register for Rochdale St Chad in 1820 includes an entry for several people who had been killed by the collapse of a wall onto the crowd during a bull-baiting. Today Rochdale is a very civilised place, but clearly it wasn't entirely progressive in the reign of George IV, if that is to be taken as typical of the pursuits of the local populace. Now I wanted to find out more about bull-baiting, for I knew little of this 'sport', so I turned naturally enough to the internet. There were over 80,000 entries, some of them highly informative and leading to other byways of investigation. One such diversionary route took me to the Peak District, where in September 1998 Julie Bunting had published an interesting article on the subject in The Peak Advertiser, a local free newspaper. Her findings are not pleasant. Most towns and villages had their bull rings (strange how Birmingham's has changed … savagery in super-modern Selfridge's doesn't have quite the same resonance) and some were particularly well documented. At Longnor, on the Staffordshire side of the river Dove, there was a bull-baiting as late as 1831 (it was banned by national statute in 1835); at Chesterfield the authorities encouraged the practice and even insisted that butchers should bait bulls before slaughter because it tenderised the meat; at the villages of Eyam and Foolow the bull rings are still displayed; and at Bonsall the ring is kept in the church, but Julie points out that it might have been used for tethering the parish bull which was kept for more productive purposes. The cruelties were numerous and horrible—the bull might have pepper blown into its nostrils to enrage it; the dogs would be trained to attack its soft and sensitive muzzle; and it could not fight back, for its horns were tipped with rounded knobs to minimise the damage they could do. All in all, it made very uncomfortable reading. My eye was, however, particularly attracted by Julie's account of what happened at Bradwell, a lead-mining and farming village on the old high road between Castleton and Tideswell in the northern Peak. Here, she noted, the village 'invariably had baitings during Wakes Week'. She went on to recount an amusing story, clearly a local tale passed down the generations but one that I read for the first time a couple of weeks ago: 'Around 1820 one local character, old Frank Bagshaw of Hazlebadge, insisted on acting as the tether and had himself tied to the bull's tail. As soon as the dogs were brought on the scene the bull took flight and charged along Bradwell Brook, dragging a battered and soaked Bagshaw behind him'. Now in fact Frank Bagshaw was the nearest thing to a squire that Bradwell possessed in the reign of George IV. Hazlebadge Hall, where he lived, was (and indeed is) a lovely Elizabethan house set back from the main road—it's one of those houses which is either a grand farmhouse or a very modest manor house depending on your perspective and its current state of repair. Like almost all of Bradwell, it was owned ultimately by the Dukes of Rutland, but the Bagshaws had lived there as hereditary tenants since at least 1600. Old Frank was evidently a reprobate of the worst sort. He was a drunkard, and Julie's story suggested that he was also a public disgrace. When these events allegedly took place, he was sixty years old, the father of nine children, and the husband of a long-suffering and virtuous wife. He died (perhaps from the after-effects of being the tethering post for a bull, as well as from the evil consequences of drink) in 1828. And why do I know something more than usual about Francis Bagshaw of Hazlebadge, the human bull-tether? Easy! He was my great-great-great-great grandfather. I hope it's not hereditary!

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NEWS FROM ARCHIVES

Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre is holding a historical exhibition to tell the fascinating story of London's original 'Little Italy, the Italian quarter of Holborn. It will cover the history of the community from its origins in the early 19th centry, through its height in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, to its decline in the post Second World War period, The exhibition will cover all aspects of the Italian quarter, the occupations, living conditions, leisure pursuits and institutions of Holborn's Italian people,. It is a story full of life and colour with organ grinders, ice cream sellers, colourful processions and dramatic incidents. CLS&AC, Holborn Library, 32-38 Theobalds Rd London WC1X 8PA After three years, theDocumenting the Workshop of the World project has come to an end. The partnership between four Black Country archives services has seen the cataloguing of over 60 collections of business records, and the digitisation of over 10,000 historical images documenting a range of local industries. These can be searched atwww.blackcountryhisory.org. Almost 2,000 people have been involved in activities organised by the Outreach Officer since April 007. Inspiring local people to explore the area's heritage has been a major achievement of the project, via primary and secondary schools, universities, historical societies and other organisations. 2008 is the 20th anniversary of the founding of theFriends of the National Archives, which held its inaugural meeting as Friends of the Public Record Office in August 1998. The latest issue of their magazine PROphile relates the history of their activities and achievements. Another article draws attention to the Government's review of the 30 year rule on release of documents, seewww.30yearrulereview.org.uk. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/friends Sheffield Archiveshave developed some new study guides to specific parts of their collection. 'Sources for the study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities' aims to open up a new area of study. It is only recently that archivists and librarians have begun highlighting suitable terminology in their catalogues to identify references in their collections. The authors would be interested in hearing from people who discover additional material not listed, or who know of relevant documents from either individuals or organisations. Secondly, there is a fully revised and extended 'Guide to Tracing the History of Your House' that can be downloaded free from the website. And 'It was on the Front Page' is a short guide to the types of information to be found in local newspapers over the past 250 years.www.sheffield.gov.uk/archives and click on publicationsNorth Yorkshire Record Office Conservation department has just completed conservation and restoration treatment of a collection of railway advertising posters, Produced in the 1920s and 30s by the London and North Eastern Railway the posters promote railway travel to places such as Harrogate, Scarborough, York and Whitby. They will be on display at the Record Office in Northallerton.www.northyorks.gov.uk/archives Friends of Cumbria Archives report a useful source of publicity for their area of interest – local radio. Radio Cumbria looked back at 'Cumbria's Christmas Past' and included a collection of Edwardian Christmas cards held at Whitehaven Record Office & Local Studies Library. A particularly intriguing image shows a zeppelin above a rural landscape – a curious choice for sending Christmas greetings!www.focas1991.co.uk Continuing interest in the slave trade and its abolition, with local connections (see above p?) can be found in Bedfordshire and Suffolk.Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records ServiceNewsletter examines evidence from their collections relating to the use of slaves on estates owned by Bedfordshire landowners, and the contribution Bedfordshire people made to abolition.www.bedscc.gov.uk/archive Friends of Shropshire Archives Autumn Lecture by Gareth Williams looked at the links between landlocked Shropshire's country houses and the transatlantic slave trade. www.shropshirearchives.org.uk

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NEWS FROM LIBRARIES

Local historians will benefit from a new guide to help them make use of the British Library's collections of topographical views. Felicity Myrone, Curator of Topography at the British Library, has produced a guide to secondary sources useful for researching this material. The bibliography covers secondary sources on topographical illustration in general, followed by views of the British Isles listed by area depicted. The PDF can be found on the Map Library's web pages about topographical prints and drawings athttp://www.bl.uk/collections/map_topographical_prints_drawings.htmlWorksop Library celebrated its 70th birthday in March with a cake made in the shape of the front of the library building, together with a talk by Mr Michael Jackson and many reminiscences by local people. Although Reading Societies existed there in the 19th century, further developments took place gradually in the following years. These included a rural library scheme begun in 1915 to reach outlying villages, with the books delivered by the librarian Mr Houghton with his motor bike and side car. In the 1930s it became clear that a new library and museum was needed; a competition was held, builders appointed, and in March 1938 a grand opening was held, including a pageant by the pupils of the Central School to display episodes in Worksop's long history from 800 BC to 1938. Woodsetts Local History Society Magazine XXXIIIwww.woodsetts.com Libraries in Winchester have changed. The Local Studies Library has moved to join the Record Office where users will find excellent new facilities.www3.hants.gov.uk/archives.htm And the public library has become Winchester Discovery Centre which not only has first-class library services but also an exhibition gallery, performance space, and café bar. www3.hants.gov.uk/wdc.htm