Local History Matters: Recent Episodes
British Association For Local History (BALH)
Local History Matters from the British Association For Local History (BALH). Each episode highlights key people and projects from the local history world.
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing with researchers how they got into their field of study, and what their topic can tell us about local history more generally.
In this episode, Laura Yeoman shares the ways in which archives and libraries can enhance your local history research.
Laura Yeoman is a qualified archivist currently working as Access and Digital Engagement Archivist for the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, where she is also their medieval specialist. She is a member of a number of societies and associations, and is a Trustee of the BALH.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing with researchers how they got into their field of study, and what their topic can tell us about local history more generally.
In this special guest episode, to coincide with the conclusion of the BBC's The Mirror and the Light, Graham Palmer takes us back to the time of Thomas Cromwell.
In 1537 a spy is stopped in Royston, just a day's ride from London on the Old North Road. 'But what is he doing there?' the townsfolk fret. Thomas Cromwell has his own ideas. This podcast reveals the ripples spreading from the dissolution of a small market town's priory and the consequences of Robert Dalyvell's 'cunning craft and prophecy'.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing with researchers how they got into their field of study, and what their topic can tell us about local history more generally.
In this episode, Dr Simon Briercliffe shares some of the stories he has uncovered through his work with the Black Country Living History Museum.
Dr Simon Briercliffe is a historian specialising in engaging communities with his history. He currently works as a researcher at the Black Country Living History Museum, and has led on a number of research projects to uncover the stories of migrant communities in the region.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing with researchers how they got into their field of study, and what their topic can tell us about local history more generally.
In this episode, Dr Mary Fraser considers the role of the British police and Home Front food production in the Great War.
Dr Mary Fraser is a social researcher who, for the last 15 years, has been working on the history of police work in Britain. Her current interest is the extended social role of the police, particularly during the First World War.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In this episode, our Digital Strategy Coordinator Megan Kelleher chats with our Digital Manager, Paul Carter, all about websites. This includes a discussion about the ways in which you can utilise websites to share your research with a broader audience, as well as things to consider when choosing the platform you use to share this research.
Paul Carter is a professional software developer, genealogist and local historian who also runs a number of successful businesses, including Name & Place. He also works as our Digital Manager, ensuring that our digital assets are maintained and our webinars and other online events can run smoothly.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In this episode, our Social Media Fellow for 2021/22 Megan Kelleher chats with our previous Social Media Fellow for 2020/21, Dr Daniela Gonzalez, all about social media. This includes a discussion about the ways in which you can utilise social media to share your research with a broader audience, as well as things to consider when choosing the social media you use to share this research.
Dr Daniela Gonzalez is a medieval historian and Archivist at the UK’s Parliamentary Archives. She is also this year’s Social Media Fellow for the Hampshire Archives Trust.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In this episode, our Social Media Fellow for 2021/22 Megan Kelleher chats with our Outreach Coordinator, Stephen Miller, our joint Vice-Chair Jane Golding, all about engaging your local community in the local history research you are undertaking. This includes a discussion about the different types of engagement you can consider, as well as the types of community-based research you can do.
Stephen Miller is a heritage professional with a wealth of experience in working with museums, libraries and archives. He is currently the Transformation Officer for Barnsley community libraries.
Jane Golding is a heritage professional currently working with Historic England (previously English Heritage) as their Heritage Information Partnerships Manager.
Please note that this episode includes information about the work of Historic England; the views expressed are the interviewees’ own, and do not represent those of their employer.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In this episode, our Social Media Fellow for 2021/22 Megan Kelleher chats with our Vice-Chair and member of the Outreach Team, Joe Saunders, all about Local History Hour and how to get involved. This includes a discussion about what makes a good local history hour talk, and how you can share your research in a slightly longer talk format.
Joe Saunders is a part-time PhD student and professional genealogist and local historian. He runs a number of local history social media channels, and is the project lead for the BALH’s hugely popular Local History Hours. He also is a Trustee of BALH, and works with a number of local history groups to run courses to encourage others to get involved.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media@BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In this episode, our Social Media Fellow for 2021/22 Megan Kelleher chats with Claire Dimond-Mills all about educating the next generation about local history. This includes a discussion about how local history can be connected to the National Curriculum, and the ways in which your local history research can be shared with the next generation in order to inspire them to become interested in local history.
Claire Dimond-Mills is a school governor and a historian and genealogist with a wealth of experience in working with local schools and youth groups in order to encourage them to learn more about their own local history.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In this episode, our Social Media Fellow for 2021/22 Megan Kelleher chats with our previous Social Media Fellow for 2020/21, Dr Daniela Gonzalez, all about blogs. This includes a discussion about how you can use blogs to share your local history research, as well as things to consider when setting up a blog.
Dr Daniela Gonzalez is a medieval historian and Archivist at the UK’s Parliamentary Archives. She is also this year’s Social Media Fellow for the Hampshire Archives Trust.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to this episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In this episode, our Social Media Fellow for 2021/22 Megan Kelleher chats with local historian Pam Smith about how you can get started in local history research. This includes a discussion about free resources to use to begin your research, as well as different avenue to explore as part of local history research.
Pam Smith is a local and family historian, retired professional genealogist, and a Co-Founder of Name & Place https://www.nameandplace.com. She specialises in the history of Rillington, Yorkshire and has professional qualifications in Genealogy.
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Welcome to the second episode in the new series of Local History Matters, the podcast run by the British Association for Local History (BALH) to highlight hidden local histories. In this series, we will be discussing the different ways that you can engage with and share your local history research, whether you are a beginner or an experienced local historian.
In our second episode, our Social Media Fellow for 2021/22 Megan Kelleher provides an overview of what to expect from this series and explores the question “why is local history important?”
You can follow along with the conversation about this podcast by using the hashtag #LocalHistoryMatters, and keep up to date with the work the BALH does by visiting our website https://www.balh.org.uk/ or following us on social media @BALHNews.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
Megan Kelleher and Catherine Warr kick off the new series of Local History Matters, as they discuss the Local History Photographer of the Year competition.
Music credits: Trendsetter, Mood Maze, Uppbeat.io
In this episode of Local History Matters Professor David Green and Natasha Preger from the Wellcome-funded ‘Addressing Health’ project discuss morbidity, mortality and occupational health in the Victorian and Edwardian Post Office with plenty of opportunities for local history studies. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
Addressing Health website: https://addressinghealth.org.uk
Addressing Health Twitter: https://twitter.com/postalhealth
Postal Museum website: https://www.postalmuseum.org
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Amy Hitchings and George Stokes from the Broken Futures project and Timothy Allsop from the Queer Rural Connections project discuss these two fantastic initiatives are recovering the histories of queer rural people. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
Support U website: https://www.supportu.org.uk/
Broken Futures Project: https://www.brokenfutures.co.uk/
Broken Futures Toolkit: https://www.brokenfutures.co.uk/toolkit/
Broken Futures on Twitter: @FuturesBroken
Queer Rural Connections: https://torch.ox.ac.uk/queer-rural-connections
Timothy Allsop’s website: https://medium.com/@timothyallsop
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
This episode of Local History Matters explores the National Heritage Lottery Fund project Layers of London with Professor Matthew Davies, Executive Dean for the School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy and a Professor of Urban History at Birkbeck, University of London. Layers of London hosts a wealth of digitised historic maps, photos and crowd-sourced histories provided by the public and key partners from across London. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
Layers of London website: https://www.layersoflondon.org/
Layers of London YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKSICy8FIDCKV0uVifb0sqw/videos
Layers of London on Twitter: @LayersofLondon
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Dr Will Butler, Head of Military Records at The National Archives explores the huge range of military records held by The National Archives and some of the local history engagement opportunities afforded by the centenary of the First World War. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
TNA Help with Research (including research guides): https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/
TNA Blog: https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust (for Isle of Sheppey oral history project): Will’s blog "The Arrival of the Belgians at Folkestone": https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/gateways/2014/08/18/the-arrival-of-the-belgians-at-folkestone/
The Disparity of Sacrifice; Irish Recruitment to the British Armed Forces, 1914-1918: https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/books/isbn/9781789621853/
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Dr Ellie Pridgeon, consultant archivist, talks about a range of community archiving projects and the ways in which born digital records are changing how we archive material for future generations. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
Consultant Archivist: www.consultantarchivist.co.uk
Milton Keynes Heritage Association project website: http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/
Archives and Records Association Community Archives & Heritage Group: https://www.communityarchives.org.uk/
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Paul Carter and Pam Smith discuss Name and Place, an exciting new data management and mapping app for local history research. This episode delves into everything from collecting data on life expectancy in a single town to a mystery shotgun death in the manor house, along with Paul and Pam’s top tips for starting a one-place study. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
Name and Place website: www.nameandplace.com
Name and Place Twitter: @nameandplace
Name and Place Instagram: @nameandplaceapp
Society for One-Place Studies: www.one-place-studies.org
One-Place Study Register: www.oneplacestudy.org
Guild of One-Name Studies: one-name.org
Rillington One-Place Study: www.rillingtonops.org.uk
BALH website: www.balh.org.uk
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Elizabeth Wells introduces the fascinating objects and collections held at the Westminster School Archives. From the oldest known donkey bone to the digital records exploring life in the 21st century created by pupils today, this episode reflects on the ways that school archives can be used to enhance all kinds of local history research. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
Westminster School collections
Twitter @WSchoolArchives
Archive Blog
Schools and Archives Records Association
The Town Boy Ledger
Journal of a Westminster School Boy
The School Gateway: The Story behind Burlington’s Arch (Year 9 student project)
Legacies of British Slave Ownership Project at UCL
The National Archives Discovery Search
The Old Shirburnian Society
BALH website: www.balh.org.uk
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Dr Amy Blakeway from the University of St Andrews describes what life was like in Scotland during the 1540s. This episode explores the role of women, the impact of war and fears of spying in Scottish towns during this period, along with some top tips for people wishing to explore Scottish archives for local history research. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
ScotlandsPeople | Connecting Generations - a good initial foray into Scottish materials, especially genealogy, and basic palaeographical guidance.
Scottish History Through Handwriting - Online Course - FutureLearn - a great course offered by the University of Glasgow for those who want to take their Scottish Palaeography further.
Aberdeen registers - Aberdeen's city records are unique and this is recognised by UNESCO. This amazing project, led by Dr Jackson Armstrong of the University of Aberdeen, is making them more accessible.
Digital gallery - National Library of Scotland (https://www.nls.uk/) - the National Library of Scotland has some fantastic materials digitised - from early printed books to modern collections. Some of the main Scottish materials are here: 1Scottish history & people - National Library of Scotland (nls.uk) The Publications By Scottish Clubs section has some real gems - this contains scans of nineteenth and twentieth century transcriptions of manuscripts. Check out the Scottish History Society Volumes, for example, for loads of rare and interesting sources.
Statistical Accounts of Scotland (edina.ac.uk) - gathered broadly during the nineteenth century the Statistical Accounts of Scotland provide a real snapshot into parish life throughout the country. As well as this project exploring and digitising them, they are also digitised via the NLS above.
BALH website: www.balh.org.uk
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Emma Warren shares some fascinating objects and collections held at Chertsey Museum. This episode explores what it’s like to work in a local museum and how they can help local history researchers. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below:
Chertsey Museum website: https://chertseymuseum.org/
3D model of Chertsey Abbey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcU8MkRWsdg
Details of the Olive Matthews collection: https://www.chertseymuseum.org/Fashion
Chertsey Museum’s fashion blog: https://www.chertseymuseum.org/fashion_blog
Chertsey Museum Instagram account: @chertseymuseum
BALH website: www.balh.org.uk
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.
In this episode of Local History Matters Jessamy Carlson from The National Archives describes how to use national records to research local history and the 1921 census. For all of the links mentioned in the podcast please see below: The National Archives website: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
The National Archives Research Guides: https://www.balh.org.uk/WPM119
Census records available online already (1841-1911) from The National Archives: https://www.balh.org.uk/YVU118/
Information on the 1921 Census from Find My Past: https://www.balh.org.uk/XQY117
UK Data Archive (HistPop): www.histpop.org
BALH website: www.balh.org.uk
Music credits: ID: 483875 - In a Heartbeat, Standard Licence.