The Local Historian Volume 15 Number 7 August 1983

By Adrian Henstock

It is argued that the course of events, the patterns of landholdings, the distribution of political power and many other aspects of communities in the past might be determined by the actions and attitudes of prominent individuals and particular groups, and that attempts to analyse by generalities the social, economic, geographical or demographic patterns of a community may mask this important factor. Throughout history, Henstock suggests, the power-holders can be identified - from feudal retinues, parish vestries, school boards and boards of guardians, to modern Rotary Clubs. He uses examples to illustrate his case that political groups and divisions (in a non-party sense) were of major importance, including: i) the way in which landholdings and economic well-being in the early 14th century Peak District were profoundly affected by the downfall of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, in 1322; ii) the local impact of baronial feuding in mid-15th century Staffordshire; iii) the exercise of patronage and protection by the late 16th century Earls of Shrewsbury; iv) the use of patronage in borough and parish affairs by Rev. Bernard Wilson, vicar of Newark, Nottinghamshire from 1719 to 1772; v) the internal strife in the small town of Bingham, Nottinghamshire in the late 18th century; vi) battles over religious issues in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, in the 1850s; and vii) sectarianism in the Trent valley in the mid-19th century. Finally, it is suggested that identification of the 'political' life of a small community may be difficult to identify but that court records, letters and diaries, newspaper reports, local government accounts and minutes, estate records and biographical material may all assist.

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By Alan Wilkinson

General description of the potential which aerial photographs offer for research on agricultural patterns, farmed landscapes, ridge and furrow, old hedgerow lines and other features of the rural landscape. There is a note on the availability of such photographs and some discussion of how to interpret them.

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By R. Paul Hastings

Parochial libraries originated in the post-Reformation period, providing 'teaching materials' to assist Anglican clergymen in developing more effective theological argument. The Parochial Libraries Act of 1709 encouraged the creation of new libraries, for which the money was usually raised by subscription, but in the later 18th century many dwindled away and their books were sold, stolen or given away. The idea was revived in the early 19th century to cater for the educational demands of an increasingly literate working class and many libraries were refounded or created. They fulfilled an important role in developing the leisure and 'improving' reading of the lower classes, especially in rural areas where access to other forms of library was very difficult. The article looks at two examples - those at Stokesley, North Riding of Yorkshire (1845) and Aylesford, Kent (1860), describing the moves towards establishing these libraries, the individuals who were the main instigators of the projects, and the buildings and regulations. Hastings then considers the types of material which the libraries held, including the relative importance of fiction and non-fiction, and for Aylesford, where the records are better, he analyses the borrowing patterns to see who in the parish benefited from the library. In conclusion, it is suggested that similar studies elsewhere would help to determine whether the two libraries studied were typical of their kind.

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By Robin Chaplin

Review editor's personal comment on local history publishing and the current developments in the field. Chaplin, in his broad-ranging and often critical review, covers the following major themes: i) the publication of county, town and parish histories, including the work of Phillimore & Co., ii) ventures by small groups and individuals, and the diversity of approaches to writing parish histories; iii) the work of local history societies and classes organised by the WEA and extra-mural departments; iv) people's history and working class history; v) personal reminiscence, autobiography and recollections, in the Edwardian period, the First World War, the 20s and 30s and the Second World War; vi) 'helps for local historians', reviewing guides, handbooks, surveys, and listings; and vii) published autobiographies, diaries, journals and books which are about these genres. All the publications are then detailed in a comprehensive bibliography.