It’s a busy time at Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies in the next few months with foyer displays such as “Letters Home: Voices from the Great War”, “Conscientious Objection in Hertfordshire” and a celebration of Graham Greene’s life and works (“Our Man in Berkhamsted”). Talks, workshops, family history surgeries and taster sessions. Join the conversation at Herts Memories or browse round the Heritage Shop. Don’t forget “Threads of Time” touring exhibition in the Upstairs Gallery in Berkhamsted – on until 2 Apr 2016.

Details of full programme here

Take a look at the link below for more details about current events at Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies. Spaces are limited on workshops, talks and tours so please make sure you book in advance, even if it’s free… HALS events

Just  a reminder about the first Workshop of the New Year at Hertfordshire Archives. Join one of the senior Local Studies Librarians for the first in this series of local and family history workshops for beginners. Discover the range of resources available at HALS and find out how to access your past through them. Book this event here

Members of the Society are researching various aspects of Berkhamsted during World War One in preparation for a book to depict the effect of the war on the people of Berkhamsted. This will be linked to work being undertaken on the Inns of Court Officers’ Training Corps, stationed in Berkhamsted throughout the war. There will be short biographies of all the boys and men whose names appear on the town’s war memorials. The plan is to publish the book in time for the centenary of Armistice Day. Please feel free to contact us with anecdotes, memories or scanned photographs.

Christmas cards have been produced to raise funds for the maintenance of the unique wall paintings at Piccotts End, and the purchase of a new glass partition for the balcony, which will enable more school access and provide a safer upstairs viewing facility for all visitors.

The Christmas cards, packs of 6 (2 of each design) £3 per pack; £5 for 2 packs; additional packs at £2.50. P&P £1.00 per pack; larger quantities please enquire. To order, please contact here.

Our season reopens at the beginning of May 2016 with our popular Open Wednesdays taking place from 1030-1530 each week until the end of September.

However there is plenty to keep us busy during the winter months we have illustrated talks available for groups in the comfort of a venue of your own choice topics covering a history of the garden, Hoo’s Farms, Hoo’s Who – 100 and 150 years ago and in WW1, and Lord Bute who built the Walled Garden in the 1760’s with landscape designed by Capability Brown.

2016 is the latter’s 300^th anniversary and a Study Day is being planned on Wednesday April 6^th which will reveal how our research has discovered details about the unusual design of the garden and the botanical collection which it contained.

Details of both talks and the study day can be found on our website here or by phoning 01582 721443.

Tours for the 2016 season can also be found on the website including a new one of the Victorian Farm Buildings.

A workshop has been arranged by Civic Voice in collaboration with the War Memorials Trust and is supported by a number of local history groups.  It forms part of a wider national initiative to train volunteers to undertake surveys of the many thousands of war memorials across the country.  The overarching aim is to produce a national database of the condition of these important monuments and heritage assets and, where required, highlight the need for restoration and repair.

Saturday 28 Nov 2015 from 9:45 to 15:00 at High Wycombe

More details here

Calling all Local History Researchers!  HALS is planning a lively event which will take you through the steps to publishing your research.

HALS news & events

The University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) is inviting applications for the 2015/16 programme of part-time Local History courses. There are three courses in particular that may be of especial interest to people connected to Berkhamsted Local History and Museum Society.

The courses are designed for professionals, researchers, volunteers, those working with their communities, and anyone with an interest in the field. All are taught part-time and lead to full University of Cambridge qualifications. Teaching takes place at Madingley Hall, a 16th-century country house near Cambridge set in 8 acres of landscaped grounds.

Undergraduate Certificate in Local History
Oct 2015 – Jun 2016, 12 Sunday day schools. Course fee: £1,800.
This course introduces students to the approaches historians take to local history, including landscape and architectural history, oral history, church history, and qualitative history (such as diaries), plus transcribing original documents. These approaches are further explored through the themes of the history of material goods and consumer culture and the history of crime and the social order. Students will be introduced to a wide range of primary and secondary evidence and will be given instruction in document evaluation and essay writing skills.

Undergraduate Diploma in Local History
Oct 2015 – Jun 2016, 12 Saturday day schools. Course fee: £1,800.
This course is designed for students who have some experience of studying history or a related discipline, or who have appropriate knowledge and enthusiasm in this field. It offers a combination of theoretical and practical approaches to local and regional history, covering the topics such as parish life in the 16th and 17th centuries and religious change from 1700 to 1900.

Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in Local History
Nov 2015 – May 2017, 8 supervisions + 1 induction day. Course fee: £3,600.
This two-year course gives you the opportunity to pursue your own research project under the guidance of a Cambridge supervisor. It provides an excellent foundation in research methods for anyone wishing to pursue further study.

How to apply
You can find out more about the above courses and apply online here
The deadline for applications is 7 Sep 2015.

With redevelopment of the BLH&MS website comes the opportunity to keep in touch with our latest news and events. Watch this space!