Julia Tubman

Julia Tubman

An archaeology graduate, I began my heritage career as an objects conservator, with posts at the University of Arizona, British Museum and the National Museum of Iceland. Returning to the UK I took up what was at the time a 6-month project assistant role at Gunnersbury Park Museum, the local history museum serving the London Boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. Ten years on I've risen to Senior Curator and fallen in love with local history and the immediacy of working in a smaller organisation with residents to explore their heritage. I've maintained old interests and found new in the collections I'm so lucky to manage; archives, lithics and deep-history, aviation and modern industrial heritage. With a great sense of grief but of course some excitement I will be moving to the Museum of Croydon in June, as the Heritage, Museum and Collections Manager - more 'my patch' having grown up in nearby Mitcham. BALH is my first trustee role, and I hope to bring a lot of passion for the subject and the potential of grassroots history, which is so often overlooked.

Why BALH?

Nick Barratt Historian and Author

Supporting your academic research

There is an increasing interest in local history as a key element of academic studies – not just the content that has been published by local historians over the decades as a key research resource, but also in co-produced projects. Grant-awarding bodies such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) have placed an increasing emphasis on collaborations and partnerships when considering the award of research funding, and BALH provides the perfect platform for academic researchers to locate key groups and ongoing activity.

Nick Barratt, Historian and Author

Meet the team

David Killingray Trustee

David Killingray

David, honoured to serve as a BALH Trustee, has a diverse academic background spanning economics, education, and history. After studying at LSE, he taught in Britain and Tanzania before earning a PhD in African history at SOAS and becoming a university lecturer. His research covers Africa, the Caribbean, the Black diaspora, and local history, fields that inform each other. A lifelong Kent resident, he has authored several works on the county’s history, including studies on church and Christian missions. Now in active retirement, he continues to research, write, and promote historical integrity and engagement.

David Killingray, Trustee