Lancashire Local History Federation

 

 

Welcome to the Web Site of the Lancashire Local History Federation.

 

Formed in 1973, we are the official co-ordinating body for local history in the County Palatine of Lancaster.  We have members as far apart as Dalton-in-Furness to the north and Denton to the south, Fleetwood to the west and Farnworth to the east.  Whether you are interested in Local History, Family History, Archaeology or Industrial Archaeology, if there is a bearing on Lancashire in your field of research, one or more of our member societies will be able to help.

 

Through this web site, we hope that you will be able to find out more about the Federation and maybe even consider joining us either as a society or an individual.  We have linked our pages to those who we believe can offer more information on specialist areas of Lancashire research. Check them out, they may have further information that you are looking for!

 

Finally, take a look at our forthcoming events and bulletin board, or check out our latest newsletter, available on line from the Publications & Notices section.

 

 

Contents

 

 

About The Federation

 

Since the early 1970s there has been a remarkable growth in popular interest in the local and family history of Lancashire.  All over the County and beyond its borders, individuals have become actively involved in research and writing, in local history groups and societies. Today there is scarcely a town in the County Palatine that does not have a local history society and there are several major family history organisations to cater for those who are tracing their Lancashire ancestors.

 

Across the pre-1974 County and taking in parts of what are now Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cumbria, the LLHF helps to co-ordinate the activities of the numerous local and family history societies and organisations that are its members.  We act as a clearing house for the exchange of information and the promotion of the varied activities that local societies undertake.

 

The Federation was founded in 1973 so that individuals and societies could work together and could share their ideas and knowledge.  These aims have remained central to its work ever since.  Today the Federation has alarge membership of eighty societies and many more individuals and is one of the biggest such organisations in Britain.

 

The Federation holds several meetings each year, with a varied and interesting programme.

 

Spring Day Schools. .In the Spring we hold our annual day school on Lancashire themes.  Recent subjects haveincluded lost trades, customs and Manchester & Liverpool histories and we try and find a suitable venue in Lancashire that has links with the theme of the day, or as of late, we try to use the Civic Centre at Lowton, near Leigh, which has proved to be a popular venue with delegates.

 

At Home With.  In October each year, a member society is ÒAt HomeÓ for the day and they organise a combination of talks and visits to reflect their own locality or sphere of influence. In recent years we have been at home to Halliwell, Liverpool, Longridge, Ramsbottom, Lancaster, St.Helens, Birkdale & Ainsdale, Blackburn, Ewecross and Littleborough societies.

 

Annual General Meetings.  The business of the AGM is transacted in less than an hour but this does not stop us from making a day of it!  Usually held in the Preston area, topics for the day are varied but always include an open forum where members can air their views and share their successes with their fellow historians.

 

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Federation Activities & Participatory Events 2007/8

 

 

Date

 

Details

 

Booking Information

Saturday 1st March 2008

 

 

Spring Day School @ Lowton

 

 

Click this link for full details and Booking Form

 

Saturday 26th April 2008

 

 

Annual General Meeting & Day School at the Gujarat Hindu Society Preston

 

 

Click here for booking form and details 

 

October 2008

 

 

At Home 2008

 

 

To be advised

 

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Federation Journal - The Lancashire Local Historian

 

The Federation publishes an annual journal which presents short articles on an extremely varied range of Lancashire history subjects.

 

A special edition of The Lancashire Local Historian has just been published and is entitled ÒAspects of Lancashire History: Essays in Memory of Mary HighamÓ Click here for full details and order form.

 

The previous edition -Volume 19 (2006) is available - priced at £2.75 including postage and packing within the UK, it is available from the membership secretary.  Click here for an order form.

 

Back issues of certain volumes are available. Click on the links for further information on availability and price or an index of subjects covered in past issues.

 

The very first edition The Lancashire Local Historian Ð Volume 1 is now available as a free download Ð click here to access

 

If you would like to read our latest newsletter, which contains more information about our member societiesÕ activities, please click on this link.  The newsletter is published here in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

 

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Lancashire County Council Ð On Line Reference Library

 

Lancashire Library Service has developed an On Line Reference Library which provides access to a wealth of information.

In addition, Lancashire Lantern provides access to a vast number of historical pictures of events. Places and people in Lancashire.

 

Click here for more details for accessing these facilities.

 

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Speaker Directory

In 2003 the Federation published a Directory of Speakers who give talks on topics of local interest throughout the original Lancashire County boundary. This is available as a download PDF file by clicking on this link. See the Bulletin Board for details of other and new speakers.

 

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Joining the Federation

 

Membership of the Lancashire Local History Federation is open to all societies with an interest in local and/or family history within the County Palatine of Lancaster (that is, Lancashire within its pre-1974 borders).  Individual local historians, whether resident or not within Lancashire,are equally welcome.

 

Membership includes the quarterly newsletter but excludes copies of the Lancashire Local Historian. The subscription year commences January 1st.

 

If you would like to apply for membership,  please click on this link if you are a society or this link for individual membership, and post it to the Membership Secretary.

 

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Member SocietiesÕ and Member Bulletin Board

 

Centre for North West Regional Studies

 

 

CNWRS have a regular programme of events. Information and booking forms can be found through this link:

www.lancs.ac.uk/users/cnwrs  and clicking on ÒEventsÓ on left of screen.

 

Current programme includes:

 

Saturday 17th May Ð Landscapes and Life in Maps. Ð Dr Paul Hindle

 

Wednesday 11th June Ð Bools,Bean Poles and Bobbins. A guided excursion with Edward Mills, Director of Cumbria Woodlands and Chatered Forester.

 

Further information about the Centre and becoming a Friend of CNWRS can be obtained from the CNWRS web site or by email, following these links: www.lancs.ac.uk/users/cnwrs/ & christine.wilkinson@lancaster.ac.uk

 

Crosby & District Historical Society

 

Click here for CrosbyÕs 2007/8 programme.

 

Crosby & District Historical Society have published a book entitled:

Birth of an Elephant: Audubon in Liverpool 1826

By their chairman Hugh Hollinghurst

Price £7.50 + Postage

Enquiries to Andrea Louis email andrea.louis@blueyonder.co.uk

 

David Hindle

New Book

From a Gin Palace to a KingÕs Palace: Provincial Music Hall in Preston.

By David Hindle, Tempus Publishing (September, 2007) £12.99p. ISBN 978-0-7524-4453-6

 

Click here for full details of DavidÕs book

 

Darwen Local History Society

Invite you to a presentation on the Mills of Darwen Click here for details.

Earby & District Local History Society

Recently published books available :

 

Glen Mills Ð a Century of Change (a History of a Colne Textile Mill) Ð price £8 inc  P & P

 

Henry Richardson 1710 Ð 1788 Ð Life & Legacy of a Thornton Rector Ð price £6.50 inc P & P

 

Copies available from Bob @

 

Earby & District Local History Society

22 Salterforth Road

Earby

Barnoldswick

Lancashire

BB18 6ND

 

Eccles & District Local History Society

EDLHS have celebrated their Golden Jubilee.  A new publication has been produced to mark the occasion.  For details of this and images of the celebrations, together with general society information, please take a look at their web site at www.edhs.colsal.org.uk

 

Eccles current Newsletter can be read  by clicking here

 

Edenfield Local History Society

ELHS have announced the launch of their new publication, A History of Edenfield and District.  Click here for further details and availability.

 

Formby Civic Society Ð Local History Group

 

FCS-LHG have announced commencement of their programme of cataloguing their now extensive archive of local history material.  Click here for further information.

 

FormbyÕs Winter Programme 2007/8 can seen by clicking this link

 

 

Horwich Heritage Society

HHS have asked us to publicise their web site and particularly their programme of meetings.

Their website, which contains their programme details, together with further information about the society can be found at www.horwichheritage.co.uk

 

Lancs. Archaeological Journal -

Back numbers FOC

Member Bob Dobson offers some back numbers free to our members. Vol 1 to Vol 9 (1975 to 1984). Not all issues are present. Originally published by Lancs. County Council covering their administrative area.

 

Contact Bob on 01253 895678 (tel/fax) or email Peggie@peggiedobson.wanadoo.co.uk

 

Lancashire Record Office

A user consultation meeting will be held at the Record Office on 11th March 2008 click here for details.

 

The LRO are actively participating in the national Access to Archives project, co-ordinated by the Public Record Office (www.a2a.org.uk).

 

The LRO have published details of their programme of opening on Saturdays  They have confirmed that the LRO will be open from 10am to 4pm on the second Saturday of each month.

 

Wills On Line

 

The index to the Archdeaconry of Ricmond wills is now on LANCAT. Click here for more details.

 

Lancashire Place Names Survey

 Click on this link for information to participate in this survey.

 

The LRO newsletter is now available on line.  This can be accessed through their web site Ð www.archives.lancashire.gov.uk

 

Contacting the LRO is easy.  By post to Lancashire Record Office, Bow Lane, Preston, PR1 2RE, by telephone +44 (0)1772 533039 or by email -  record.office@lancscc.gov.uk.

 

 

Lancashire UniversityÕs History Dept

 

Victoria County History (VCH)

 

Are you interested in helping with this project?

click here to find out more.

 

Leyland Historical Society

 

The latest copy of the LHS newsletter is now available to read on line.  Click here for a copy.

 

LHS have also announced the publication of two CDs containing digitised copies of all fifty of the Lailand Chronicle so far published.  Priced at £6 each, or both for £10, they are available from the LHS at their monthly meetings.  Click here to email the Chairman for details & cost of purchasing them by post.

 

Longridge & District Local History Society

 

For details of Longridge winter programme please click here

 

A heritage trail / publication has been launched by the Longridge Heritage Committee (fully supported by L&DLHS), called ÒLongridge Ð All of Lancashire in a square mileÓ.  The 26 page booklet containing heritage trails, map extracts, census information and local history snippets is available at £5 inc postage.  Contact Derek@tootleheights.fsnet.co.uk for further information.

 

Mere Brow Local History Society

 

MBLHS have recently made available on the Internet, transcripts of World War 2 newsletters from Tarleton and Hesketh Bank.    You can access these at www.heskethbank.com/history.html

 

Middleton Civic Association

 

Have several publications to their name.  They have also an extensive programme of meetings, open to non members.  Click here to view the contents of their latest publication, "Middleton Matters 2".

 

Mona Duggan

New Book

History of Ormskirk

By Dr Mona Duggan

£15.99 from the Publishers Ð Phillimore

 

Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society

 

MBBCS offer illustrated talks about the canal

 

Click this link for details or visit their website www.mbbcs.org.uk

 

North West Catholic History Society

 

Have recently published Ancient Crosses and Holy Wells Volume IV - Salford Hundred, which lists, describes and illustrates the crosses and wells in the area.  The book is priced at £4 (post free).

Additional volumes recently publishes are also available :

Volume V, West Derby Hundred (£5) and

Volume VI, Leyland Hundred (£6)

Orders can be sent to their Treasurer, 11 Tower Hill, Ormskirk, L39 2EE.  Cheques should be made payable to N.W. Catholic History Society

 

Preston Historical Society

 

Preston Historical Society are appealing for photographs of Preston, especially those of buildings, streets or features that have now disappeared.

 

 Click on this link for further information about Preston Historical SocietyÕs programme for 2007/8.

 

For details of Preston next meeting click here.

 

Ramsbottom Heritage Society

 

 

RHS have launched a DVD and Video, chronicling RamsbottomÕs industrial, commercial and domestic past.  Their press release gives further information.  Click on this link for a copy.

 

St Helens Historical Society

Click here for St Helens 2007/8 programme.

 

 

 

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Other Non Member Society Events & Information

 

British Broadcasting Corporation

 

Esther Coleman-Hawkins is a producer at the BBC and has asked us to publicise a new initiative available through the BBC Interactive service (web site) - UK Legacies, which hopes to link local history through various BBC programmes and events.  Take a look at their web site by visiting www.bbc.co.uk/legacies 

 

BBC & Lion TV

Lion TV are urgently looking for contributors to share memorabilia. Can you help?

 

Click here to find out more

 

Collections Link

Practical advice for managing your collection.

Take a look at this introduction Ð it could help you.

 

Click here to find out more.

 

English Heritage

Information on two English Heritage websites where photographs can be found.

 

Click here for more info.

 

Family History Monthly Magazine

 

Opportunity for societies to buy at advantageous rates.

 

Click link for details

 

Find a Rolls Royce!

Scott Frankenberger is looking for pictures of a specific Rolls Royce. Click here for full details.

 

Haigh and Aspull

 

We have been asked to publicise the fact that all local data from 15no. Haigh & Aspull Parish Magazines between 1901 and 1959 is freely available from www.gerrypalliser.co.uk - go to the web site and follow the links to GHD Database and search by name or place.

 

Jenner Trust

 

Professor R A Shooter, Smallpox Archivist of the Jenner Trust, is eager to receive any references to smallpox or vaccinations in local archives. He points out that although it was only too common, many records seem to have been lost.  Smallpox is also unique in being the only infectious disease eradicated by deliberate action.  He can be contacted at The Edward Jenner Museum, Church Lane, Berkeley, Gloucestershire GL1 9BH; tel: 01453 810631 or e-mail: manager@jennermuseum.com

 

Liverpool JMU

 

Liverpool John Moores University have asked us to publicise a new initiative to set up a radio archive devoted to local and regional radio in the northwest of England.  Please take a look at the press release for further information by clicking on this link.

 

Liverpool Ð Norris Green Suburbs

 

We have been asked to link to a web site dedicated to the Norris Green area of Liverpool, from its inter-war years creation though to the present day.  The web site can be found at

www.sw-norrisgreen.co.uk

 

 

The Monastery Manchester

 

 

Manchester Heritage Celebration Dinner

A special evening has been arranged to celebrate 50th anniversary of the Victorian Society and restoration of Gorton Monastery.

 

Click here for details and booking form.

 

National Archives

Poor Law Unions Ð help wanted

 

National Archives are looking for historians to help their local Poor Law Union.  Click here for more details.

 

Medieval Latin Ð on line tutorials

 

For details of on line free tutorials click here

 

Roads & Road Transport Association.

The R&RTA are company limited by guarantee No.5300873.  The Association was founded in 1992 as a clearinghouse for historical research in the subjects of our title.  One of our objectives is to bring together enthusiast, museum and academic bodies.  Their present enquiries are aimed at discovering items that may so far have had a very limited circulation in a particular locality, but which deserve greater connection with the strands of national transport history.

 

They have asked us to publicise their work and would be most interested to learn whether any of our members and readers have produced (or are currently working on) anything on the history of any bus, char-a-banc or coach operators, road haulage contractors, removals businesses or similar activities.  They believe that such details may form only part of a wider local history, or a small section of a museum, but they could prove to be vital pieces of a larger 'jig-saw' picture.

 

Any thoughts you may have on this topic would be greatly appreciated by them.  Their researcher is Anthony Newman and he is contactable by email to toekneenewman@hotmail.com

 

Victoria Baths, Manchester

 

Have started broadcasting on All FM (frequency 96.6 in the Manchester area) between 4pm and 5pm on the first Monday of each month.  Click on this link for further information - and be sure to tune in!

 

Working Class Movement Library

The WCML have asked us to place a link to their web site on our web pages, which we are pleased to do!  This link will move down to the links section when we next update the site.

 

The WCML can be found at www.wcml.org.uk

 

 

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Contacting the Federation

 

Research Enquiries

If you have a research query and would like assistance from one of our member societies, please contact them direct from the links on this site.  If the society that you wish to contact is noted as contactable via the Federation, please email us at website@lancashirehistory.org

 

Membership Enquiries / Lancashire Local Historian Orders

If you have a query about membership of the Federation, please contact Simon Martin, Membership Secretary, by email at members@lancashirehistory.org.  Please send membership applications to Simon at:

 

21 Petticoat Lane

Higher Ince

Wigan

Lancashire

WN2 2LH

 

All Other Enquiries

Alternatively, if you prefer to communicate by post, please write to the Federation c/o:

 

LLHF Secretary

25 Trinity Court

CleminsonStreet

Salford

M3 6DX

 

The Federation hopes that you have found our site a useful tool in your research and welcomes comment on further information sources or links that you have come across and would like to share. If you do have any comments, please email the web site co-ordinator at website@lancashirehistory.org

 

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Member Societies

 

Below we list the local history, family history, industrial archaeology and archaeological societies affiliated to the Federation. Where permission has been given, we also reproduce a contact address.  If they have given us details of their e:mail addresses or society web sites, links are also included.

 

The information given below has been supplied to us by the individual societies and we apologise if any of the links lead to a dead-end.

 

Society

Contact Address

E-mail Address

Web Site Address

Accrington Local Studies Library

Local Studies Librarian, Accrington Local Studies  Library, St James Street, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 1NQ

Tel: 01254 306911

 Accrington.local-studies@lcl.lancs.gov.uk

www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries/services/local/accrington.asp

  

Barnoldswick Local History Society

Juniper Cottage, 2 John Street, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5QD

 

 

Billinge History Society

29 Tracks Lane, Billinge, Lancashire, WN5 7BL

billingehistory@btopenworld.com

www.billinge-history.com

Birkdale & Ainsdale Historical Research Society

20 Blundell Drive, Birkdale, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 4RG

 

www.harrop.co.uk/bandahrs

Blackburn Local History Society

Lynesden, 1 Peter Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5HQ

albertbranscombe@aol.com

www.blackburnlhs.org.uk

Blackpool & Fylde Historical Society

Contactable via the Lancashire Local History Federation