LOCAL HISTORY
Gloucestershire Local History Association
The Local History Committee was a committee of the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council for more than 60 years.The committee included representatives from many local history societies in the county, the county record office and local studies centres, and met quarterly to discuss matters relating to local history in Gloucestershire. It encouraged the study of local history in the county by local history societies and individuals within Gloucestershire, by organisation of meetings and by publications.
The new association’s website provides a very useful list of local history organisations at http://www.gloshistory.org.uk/organisations.php.
The British Association for Local History
The BALH is a national charity which promotes local history and serves local historians. It publishes both The Local Historian, a quarterly journal, and Local History News, a topical magazine, as well as books and pamphlets on local history. It organises regular guided visits to major repositories, libraries and museums, and arranges regular conferences in London and the regions, plus an annual lecture. Benefits to society members include access to events at the members’ rate.
Another useful local history website.
FAMILY HISTORY
Gloucestershire Family History Society
To quote the Society’s website, ‘If your ancestors came from any part of Gloucestershire (shown red on the map), whether the Cotswolds, the Severn Vale, or the Forest of Dean, then we are the society for you. If you live in the county, but your ancestors came from elsewhere, the society is also for you. Our members receive a quarterly journal containing articles on Gloucestershire family history. We hold monthly meetings in Gloucester, Stroud, Cirencester, and the Forest of Dean where you can learn more about methods of tracing your ancestry, and perhaps meet unknown distant cousins.
We offer a huge range of research facilities, and knowledgable staff, at our Family History Centre in Gloucester. These cover not just this county, but every part of the UK. In addition we have many products for sale, and offer search services in our indexes.’
SCHOOL HISTORY
Gloucestershire Schoolsnet
Go to https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schoolsnet/, and search for ‘history’.Links to National Curriculum information for Key Stages 1-3, as well as information on other resources for Gloucestershire history teachers.
Historical Association material for schools
http://www.history.org.uk/resources/primary.html (for primary school teachers)
http://www.history.org.uk/resources/secondary.html (for secondary school teachers)
http://www.history.org.uk/resources/student.html (for students)
OTHER HISTORY ORGANISATIONS
Royal Historical Society (RHS)
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868 and remains the foremost society in Great Britain promoting and defending the scholarly study of the past.
To quote the website, ‘British History Online is a digital library of key printed primary and secondary sources for the history of Britain and Ireland, with a primary focus on the period between 1300 and 1800. We aim to support the learning, teaching and research of our users from around the world. BHO was founded by the Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust in 2003. Our collection currently contains over 1,200 volumes and is always growing.’ The published volumes of VCH Gloucestershire are included.
MUSEUMS AND OTHER PLACES TO VISIT
National Trust properties in Gloucestershire
English Heritage properties in Gloucestershire
Historic churches in Gloucestershire
A wider list of places of historic interest in Gloucestershire