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
November Update is now available
With reports and news on a variety of topics, the November update can be downloaded here.
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
Our diary of events is growing with the easing of restrictions, and can be found on the Events page. Both actual and virtual events are included.
If your group is a member of ALHA and you would like to see your events listed, please send them to the webmaster.
Forthcoming Public Online History Events
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.
2 December Connected Heritage webinar: sharing cultural heritage online
Leah Emary and Dr. Lucy Hinnie
2 December Secrets from the stores: Highlights from the costume collection
Catherine Littlejohns
4 December Women, health and wellbeing: work in progress study morning and AGM
West of England & South Wales Women's History Network
Contact katherineunaholden@gmail.com for further details and to register
9 December BALH Winter Lecture: The Human Costs of the British Civil Wars
Professor Andrew Hopper
British Association for Local History
15 December BALH Digital Webinar : Getting the Best from the Victoria County History
Dr Adam Chapman
British Association for Local History
16 December ‘She is capable but sullen and troublesome’: Analysis of the Muller Orphan Homes’ Dismissal Books, 1850 – 1900
Kate Brooks
16 December Oral histories -
Bristol Archives
Go to Bristol Museums website for details
New publication from ALHA
The Trade of Bristol in the later Seventeenth Century
by Jonathan Harlow
After the Civil War, Bristol really began to trade with he Americas as well as expanding its
traditional trade with Europe. As trade grew, so the merchant community and the city prospered. This booklet looks at the nature of the trade, at the port and shipping, at customs and smuggling, at seamen and, in some detail, at the merchants and their dealings.
Jonathan Harlow is a retired teacher still working on the history of the Bristol region. This booklet draws on his PhD thesis The life and times of Thomas Speed (University of the West of England, 2008) and The Ledger of Thomas Speed 1681-
ALHA Books are sold at Bristol Record Office and other outlets depending on local interest This book costs £3.95. It can also be ordered by post but please add 65p per title for postage. Click for an order form and full list of publication, or go to the Publications page for full details.
New ALHA Website
ALHA is to have a new website. This will be designed and set up by CommunitySites , who have a lot of experience in working with organisations like ours. We also have a new Web Manager. She is Tina Lane, who has joined the existing team and will be involved in the design of the new site.
Winterbourne Medieval Barn
Winterbourne Medieval Barn has an extensive programme of events for Autumn 2021. These are listed in the ALHA calendar, but fuller details can be found on the Barn’s own website
Free Downloads of ALHA publications
As ALHA publications go out of print, we are making them available as pdf files which can be downloaded free of charge. The first two titles are The Bristol Dock Company 1803-
BALH Photo Competition
Could you be the BALH Local History Photographer of the Year?
Submissions are open from the start of January 2022, so there's plenty of time to take images through the changing seasons, of your favourite local history views and places. The competition is open to all. You do not need to be a member of BALH to take part. The winners will be part of Local History Day in June 2022, and awarded the prestigious title Local History Photographer of the Year 2022.
Further details can be found on their website
Helping with ALHA
Avon Local History & Archaeology is always looking for volunteers to help with its activities and decision making. If you would like to become a Trustee and join the executive committee, please contact the secretary.
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.
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.
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-
Avon Local History and Archaeology is a Registered Charity. No. 270930
This website was last updated on Monday, November 29, 2021. If you spot any errors or omissions, please advise the webmaster.
