ALHA is the umbrella group for local history and archaeology societies in Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
We help member societies by compiling an annual list of recommended speakers, and by publicising societies’ activities through our newsletter and website. We organise a local history study day each year, and our AGM is accompanied by a lecture with a distinguished speaker.
Each year we publish 3-
We have strong links with the Regional History Centre at the University of the West of England, and with the libraries, archives, museums and other organisations in our area.
We offer both Society and individual membership, and further details can be found here..
Click on About Us for how to contact ALHA
Click on Publications for information about our publishing programme, and how you can contribute to the written history of our area.
Click on Events for details of the meetings, walks and other activities organised by our member societies.
Click on Groups for links to our member societies, and details of what they do and how you can contact them.
Click on Archive for back copies of ALHA publications “Quest” and “Avon Past”.
News and Forthcoming Events
November Update now available
The end of November Update is now available and can be downloaded here.
Previous Newsletters, and monthly updates, are all available for download in the Archive section of the website.
Diary of Events
The ALHA Diary of Events now appears in a different format. The three website pages showing the diary by date, society and speaker have been replaced by three downloadable pdf files. The files can be easily downloaded and printed, but unfortunately no longer include a clickable hyperlink to the website of the organising society. The three new files are:
Events arranged by name of society
Events arranged by name of speaker
Click on the file you want.
If your group is a member of ALHA and you would like to see events listed, please send them to the webmaster.
ALHA Local History Day 27 April 2019
Getting About
The 2019 ALHA Local History Day will be held on Saturday 27 April in the Severnside Suite at Thornbury Leisure Centre. The theme is Getting About, and deals with various aspects of the history of transport in our area, including Roman Roads, the Port of Bristol in the Seventeenth Century, the Dramway, travel in the Victorian era, and the Clifton Rocks Railway.
Full details and a booking form will be available soon.
Thornbury Leisure Centre is a new venue for ALHA, but it has ample free parking, an on-
Schools, Readers and Writers in Medieval Bristol 
by Nicholas Orme
Bristol was one of England’s leading centres of education and literary culture by the end of the Middle Ages, with schools at several levels. Books were owned and used by clergy, laymen and women, and the city had its own authors, producing works on topics as various as history, topography, civic affairs, alchemy, and poetry.
Nicholas Orme is emeritus professor of history at Exeter University, and the author of numerous studies of religious, social and cultural history in medieval and early modern England, including Medieval Children (2001), Medieval Schools (2006) and ALHA No. 23 The Kalendars.
The full price of this latest ALHA publication will be £3.50 (plus 65p for p & p).
Click on the picture for an order form.
ALHA Publications
Because our print runs are short, ALHA publications can become unavailable quite quickly. Some of our publications are already out of print, while stocks of others are very limited. If you wish to order copies, please bear this in mind. Full details of availability can be seen on our Publications page and on the order form.
Know Your Place wins Historic England Angel Award
The Historic England Angel Awards celebrate the efforts of people taking action to champion their local heritage. The awards were founded by Andrew Lloyd Webber and are co-
We are pleased to announce that the Know Your Place project has been awarded th prize in the Best Heritage Research, Interpretation or Recording category. The project is the brainchild of Bristol City Council’s Principal Historic Environment Officer, Pete Insole. Know Your Place invites people to participate in managing heritage by sharing their stories. Community contributions enrich the historical archive and uncover history that would otherwise have stayed hidden.
Congratulations to Pete Insole on this award, and our thanks for his initiative and hard work, and that of all those involved. Details of the award, and the winners of the other categories, can be found at https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-
Know Your Place - West of England
- now includes Devon
-Know Your Place has now been extended to include Devon in addition to the whole of Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bath & North-
ALHA Local History Day, 21 April 2018
RELIGION AND COMMUNITY, CONFLICT AND CHANGE
For the first time, we are making available the texts of the papers given by the six speakers. They can be downloaded here.
UWE Regional History Centre Seminars at “M” Shed
The UWE Regional History Centre have again arranged a programme of seminars at “M” Shed from September 2018 to June 2019. All are listed in our events diary, but for more information use this link. The Regional Historian is a journal published by the Regional History and the latest issue is reviewed in ALHA Newsletter 156. You can subscribe by joining the Regional History Centre as an Associate Member.
Pensford and the Great Flood of 1968
A new book published by Pensford Local History Society is called "We remember it well: stories of the Great Flood of 1968 from Pensford, Publow and Woollard". The title says it all, and the contents are structured around the 30 or so stories of people who were affected and/or involved in the devastating flood. Alongside these stories are photographs, letters and poems. The editors have tried to honour the memories of the contributors, and this has influenced the whole publishing process.
The A4 book, priced £5.00, was launched at Pensford Christmas Fair. It can be bought at at Pensford Post Office and at the Miners' Coffee Shop. Anyone who would like to make an enquiry or might be interested in buying a copy but is unable to get to Pensford please email: ppw.publishing@gmail.com
Coach Trip to National Archives, Kew - Thursday 7 March 2019
Bristol & Avon Family History Society have organised a coach trip to The National Archives. Details on the flyer. Note there is a discount if you book before 1 January 2019.
Family Tree Live - Saturday 27 April 2019
Bristol & Avon Family History Society have organised a coach trip to this event, which takes place at Alexandra Palace, London. Details on the flyer.
Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust
A project to help secure the future of Winterbourne’s Medieval Barn has taken a major step forward thanks to a £936,600 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), made possible by money raised by National Lottery players.
South Gloucestershire Council has been working with the Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust (WMBT) to develop a £1.76 million project that will conserve and refurbish the historic barn and its adjacent buildings.
Once the total is reached, the funding will be used to restore, refurbish and find new uses for the 14th Century Court Farm Barn and associated outbuildings, ensuring its long-
The restoration and refurbishment will enable the Trust to offer many more events and activities throughout the year, including heritage and craft-
Further details on the Winterbourne Medieval Barn website.
Grants
ALHA offers grants to assist local history research, publications, events, conservation and other projects which accord with its charitable objectives. The Committee has wide discretion over the kind of work to be assisted and the terms of the assistance. Recent grants include one to support the publication of volumes of the Victoria County History to cover parts of Gloucestershire.
Details of the conditions and how to apply can be had from the Treasurer.
Bristol Archives
This is the new name for Bristol Record Office, and it now has a new logo. Click the logo for the Bristol Archives website. Congratulations to Bristol Archives for meeting national standards on maintenance and access and receiving accreditation from the Archives Services Accreditation panel. Congratulations too to Allie Dillon on her appointment as City Archivist.
What’s On at Bristol Museums & Archives
Click for details of the exhibitions, tours, walks and other activities taking place in Bristol in future weeks and months.
Heritage events in Bath
Click for details of the exhibitions, tours, and talks taking place in Bath.
Kingsweston House, Summer 2018
Follow ALHA on Facebook
Photos
The photo of Chipping Sodbury market was found on the Facebook page entitled Chipping Sodbury Photographs. The photo of Stanton Drew Stone Circle is by Michael Day and is taken from flickr. The photo of the Netham Lock in Bristol was taken by the webmaster. Click on each photo to see a full-
The photo of Kingsweston House is by the webmaster.
Avon Local History and Archaeology is a Registered Charity. No. 270930
This website was last updated on Sunday, December 9, 2018. If you spot any errors or omissions, please advise the webmaster.
