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”, and for issues of the Newsletter and monthly Update.
News and Forthcoming Events
End of February 2021 e-update now available
The e-
Previous Newsletters, and monthly updates, and other ALHA publications over the past 44 years, are all available for download in the Archive section of the website.
Diary of Events
Some groups have started making arrangements for meetings after the end of the pandemic, and these can be found on the Events page.
If your group is a member of ALHA and you would like to see your events listed, please send them to the webmaster.
Forthcoming Online History Events which are Publicly Available
Click on the link below for more detail and registration instructions. The website of the organisation may also have details of talks later in the year.
1 -
Discover the history and archaeology of early prehistoric art in the British Isles in 4 online sessions with Dr George Nash. Tickets cost £30/£35
4 March 2021 Romans in the southwest
Stephen Rippon, Professor of Landscape Archaeology, Exeter University
Somerset Archives and Local Studies
8 March 2021 Bristol Medico-
Charlatan -
Dr Charles Langworthy of Bath and his curing Metallic Tractors Dr Peter Carpenter
Contact bristolmedhist@gmail.com for further details
10 March 2021 Bristol’s First Slave Traders 1662-
Dr Richard Stone
Bristol Historical Association
10 March 2021 BALH Digital Webinar : How to grow your local history social media presence
Daniella Gonzalez
British Association for Local History
11 March 2021 Colston Road and other questions: a virtual roundtable discussion with the We Are Bristol History Commission and local residents. Using Colston Road in BS5 as starting point, the panel will explore some of the broad questions being looked at by the We Are Bristol History Commission. They will discuss how Bristol’s past has been reflected in the city’s public spaces; why some histories have been remembered whilst others are forgotten (and if, and why, that matters); and much more.
Dr Edson Burton
We are Bristol History Commission
18 March 2021 A Time Traveller's Guide to Regency Britain
Dr Ian Mortimer
Somerset Archives and Local Studies
24 March 2021 South Gloucestershire Heritage Partnership digital talks featuring
Dyrham Park Reworked Tim Cambourne
William Champion’s Brassworks Garden Kay Ross
Best Practice in Metal-
South Gloucestershire Heritage Partnership
30 March 2021 The Agricultural Revolution, the Working Classes, and the Landless Labourer
Rosemary Caldicott
15 April 2021 Reading the ‘book of skin’: The life and death of John Horwood
Dr Rose Wallis
UWE Regional History Centre and “M” Shed
Podcasts -
A series of local oral history podcasts made by Marcus Smith with BCfm, in partnership with Bristol24/7, Bristol Museums, Bristol Archives, UWE Bristol and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Available on Bristol 24/7 and elsewhere
New Publication from ALHA
Surgery in Eighteenth-
by Michael Whitfield.
This study sets sketches of half a dozen Bristol surgeons against the background of medical profession of the time. Technically surgeons ranked below physicians in status, but these men might enjoy great reputation as their apprentice lists and fees demonstrate. Nor was their work limited to surgical intervention; and the detailed and well-
To order a copy of this title, or any other ALHA publication, please go to Publications.
Publications from Member Societies
Keynsham & Saltford Local History Society
The Society has recently published Keynsham & Saltford 1945 -
Further details of this book, which is 176 pages and costs £15, can be found on the Society website.
Ian Bishop Books
Many people will know of the range of books written and published by local author Ian Bishop, particularly the volumes of old photographs of various Bristol suburbs, some of the villages on the fringes of the City and further out in South Glos., North Somerset and Bath & North-
Bristol & Avon Family History Society has sold these books for many years and following contact with his family about the remaining stock, are delighted to continue to be the main outlet for his many titles, some of which are now in short supply.
The picture books cover Pucklechurch; Marshfield; Warmley; Mangotsfield; Bitton; Saltford; Keynsham; Kingswood; Oldland; Staple Hill; Downend; Frenchay; Hambrook; Hanham; Harptree; Pensford; Yate & the Sodburys; Nailsea; Yatton; Winterbourne; Iron Acton; Frampton Cotterell; Timsbury; High Littleton; Hallatrow; Farrington Gurney; Clandown, Radstock & Kilmersdon; most include nearby settlements as well. There is also a volume on Trains -
His narrative books are more detailed, the histories of Longwell Green and Oldland Common with their surrounding parishes and ‘Stories from St Philip’s’. Finally there is the story of the Cock Road Gang (Caines family of Bitton and Oldland).
More details of these and how to buy copies – while limited stocks last – can be found in the shop section at www.bafhs.org.uk.
Bristol Record Society - digitisation programme
Since 2015, Bristol Record Society has been working on a programme of digitisation, in line with its core mission to make available materials needed for studying the history of our extraordinary city. While the Society began this initiative with the electronic publication of its own volumes, it has now moved on to other primary sources and scholarly works.
In association with the Bristol Branch of the Historical Association, the BRS digitised and e-
In the last year, the Society has also e-
Details of the items recently digitised are in the Archive section of the ALHA website, together with information about other digitisation initiative concerned with the history of our area.
The Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society
The future BGAS programme can be found at www.bgas.org.uk. All meetings have now been postponed until further notice.
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.
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.
The ALHA Summer Walk at Thornbury, August 2019
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 the summer walk is by Jan Packer.
Avon Local History and Archaeology is a Registered Charity. No. 270930
This website was last updated on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. If you spot any errors or omissions, please advise the webmaster.
