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End of July update now available.

The end of July update is now available, and is packed with good and interesting reading. It can be downloaded here.

Previous Newsletters, and monthly updates, are all available for download in the Archive section of the website.

Reopening of Museums, Libraries and Archives

Some museums, libraries and archives are beginning to reopen, but with limitations. Details are in the end of July update, which can be downloaded here.

ALHA subscriptions now due

ALHA’s year starts 1 April. The government has not postponed it. We hope you will renew your membership. Subscription rates are as before; £3 for individuals by e-mail; £5 for individuals by post and for groups by e-mail; £7 for groups by post. Subscriptions forms can be downloaded here -

Subscription form for individuals

Subscription form for groups

If you can pay online to the bank, that saves you postage; saves the treasurer some work, as well as depriving him of the pleasure of queueing in (or outside) a bank; and may also help reduce virus contact. If you can pay by standing order – saves time, saves memory, saves work – that is even better: the treasurer can supply a form.

Diary of Events

In view of the current covid-19 crisis and consequent lockdown, all group meetings until the end of August have now been removed from the events diary. Meetings after August are still listed, but that may change as the situation develops further. Please check the website of individual groups for the latest information.

Events arranged by date

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. Please also contact if you have events before the end of August that are still taking place.

Recent Publications from ALHA

As you sit in isolation with time hanging heavily, why not order some of the titles from ALHA and keep your interest in local history alive?

Resident Hospital Apothecaries in Georgian Bristol

Michael Whitfield

For the first 120 years of Bristol’s hospitals, an Apothecary was their only full-time medical practitioner. Although Apothecary rated low in the medical hierarchy, many went on to become MD or to run very lucrative private practices. This is about the work they did, and the men who did it.

The Butlers and the Coal-Tar Distillery at Crew’s Hole

Brian Vincent and Raymond Holland

The Crew’s Hole coal-tar distillery was set up by Brunel in 1843 with young William Butler as manager. It became a family firm and remained so to 1970, while the Butlers became an important Bristol family. Here is their story.

The Surgeons and the Bristol School of Artists

Michael Whitfield

The cover pictures show portraits of John King as Surgeon with a skull, and as artist with sketch pad and brush. For he, like several other surgeons, was also a prolific artist, one of what has been called the Bristol School as it flourished in the period 1800 – 1840. Here Michael Whitfield (author of many other ALHA booklets) tells their story.

Taking the pledge: the Temperance Movement in Bristol, 1830 – 1914

Alan Clarke

Alan Clarke gives a fully documented account of the movement and the opposition to it – not only from the drinks industry. Although never quite achieving its aims, at the level of individual conviction or of national legislation, it spread temperance hotels and coffee houses all over the townscape – and remnants are still to be seen today.

Each title costs £3.50 (plus 65p for p & p). Click for an order form.  You can also order and pay online from GENfair.  Further information about each title can be found at Publications.

Out of Print 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. Others which were formerly unavailable have recently been reprinted. 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.

Archaeoscan Online Presentation

Connectivity or Control? A story of Medieval England told in Lead.

Lead tokens are rarely given a passing glance in excavation records - they’re often poorly made, unattractive and very rarely datable and so they have largely been ignored. In 2016, a large volume of lead tokens was recovered in the chapter house area of a Cistercian monastery on the Scottish Borders. When studied, it became apparent that these tokens were unusual and could be compared to others found in similar Cistercian houses in the north of England. Furthermore, they could potentially be dated and all of a sudden, these ugly, seemingly inconsequential items were telling a story about a way of life in medieval England that is nowhere else described. This is a talk that reminds us that in archaeology, sometimes it is the smallest things that can lead us on the most interesting of journeys.

 

Kate Rennicks will be talking to us about the lead token story seen through the lead token found at Holme Cultram Abbey.

The presentation will start at 1930 BST on Wednesday 12th August.  Cost £6. It will be streamed live via the Zoom platform and will last one hour.

 

To book a place for the presentation please contact Archeoscan on archeoscan@hotmail.co.uk.  You will be sent instructions on how to pay and to receive your log on details for the presentation.

The archaeoscan website is at www.archeoscan.com

Coal Mining in Pensford (Broadoak) and Bromley Collieries

Following the recent success of the Pensford Local History Group’s (PLHG) flood book “We Remember It Well: Stories of the Great Flood of 1968 from Pensford, Publow and Woollard” which captured stories and memories of those impacted by the 1968 flood of Pensford and the surrounding areas, members of the same project group are now looking at producing a mining book, on similar lines, on Pensford (Broadoak) & Bromley Collieries.

 

To assist the project group in bringing this together, they need stories and memories from people who worked at the collieries, or even handed down stories from family or friends.  Together with these, any photographic images or written documents would be of assistance in the production of this book.  All material will be returned following its compilation.

 

If you have anything to contribute, this can be done via the email address at the end of this communication but, if you do not have email access, then you can post it or they can potentially come to you to capture your stories.  Though, in the short-term with the virus in our communities, this will not be possible at this time.  You can contact them on the telephone number below and they will log your details.

 

The project group needs your stories to make production of the book viable.  If you know anyone who you think would also be able to contribute, please pass on this communication.

 

Email: ppw.publishing@gmail.com

Telephone: 01761 490418

 

The flood book is available to purchase via the PLHG or at Pensford Post Office

 

Oldbury Village History Group

The History Group for Oldbury on Severn has now reformed, and contact details are available here.

Festival of Archaeology 2020

The theme of this year’s Festival of Archaeology is Climate and Environment. The Festival of Archaeology will run in two parts - a digital Festival from 11-19 July and the main Festival activities from 24 October - 1 November. Details are available here, and you can also go here to register an event that you are organising.

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.

Bristol Historical Association

Publications now available online

The local branch of the Historical Association was reformed in 2017, and has now joined ALHA. It offers an interesting and varied programme of talks and events. Details are in our Events calendar, and for more information you can access their website here. In its original formation, BHA published 120 pamphlets between 1960 and 2007 on various aspects of Bristol history. These have now been scanned and are available as downloads from the BHA 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.

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-screen image.

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 Friday, August 7, 2020. If you spot any errors or omissions, please advise the webmaster.