Local History Day Report

Between the Wars:  Life in Gloucestershire 1919 – 1939

A very successful Local History Day was held at Churchdown Community Centre on Saturday, 28th April, organised by the Gloucestershire Local History Association. This year’s topic was ‘Between the Wars: Life in Gloucestershire 1919 – 1939’, and 15 local history groups and other organisations brought along displays and stalls to the event.

150 visitors attended during the day to view the displays and hear the speakers. Dr Alan Crosby, the Editor of the British Association for Local History’s Journal, The Local Historian, began the programme with an informative overview of the period in his presentation ‘The local history of inter-war England: themes and challenges’. Dr Crosby also acted as one of the judges for the Best Display.

Later in the morning, Dr Toby Thacker of the University of Cardiff gave an interesting insight into the way local doctors and politicians dealt with an outbreak of smallpox in Gloucester in 1923. Whether to vaccinate or not had been a contentious issue.

In the afternoon, David Eveleigh, who until recently was Director of Collections & Learning at the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, gave a talk on ‘Suburban Vernacular: housing and domestic style 1919-1939’. A fascinating range of building styles and interior decorations was illustrated.

Speakers Toby Thacker, David Eveleigh and Alan Crosby

A very enjoyable aspect of the day was the chance for people to catch up with friends from other local societies and to look at the colourful and interesting displays.

The prize for Best Display was won by Nailsworth Society Local History Research Group with their display which concentrated on how local, national and world events shaped the lives of the Harvey family, with five children born between 1924 and 1937. The display illustrated aspects of their working lives, for example – making munitions at Newman Hender & Co. Ltd., their family life in one of Nailsworth’s first council houses, and social life at the Comrades of the Great War Association. Second and third were Stonehouse and Painswick.

The Best Display

 

 L to R – Jane Butler (Nailsworth SLHRG), Chris Sullivan, Kate Maisey, Alan Crosby (judges), Paul Butler (Nailsworth SLHRG)

The Bryan Jerrard Award for the best article in a local history Journal published during the previous year was presented to Carol Maxwell for her article on ‘Painswick’s Criminal Past’ published in the Painswick Chronicle, with the runner-up prize going to Mary Atkins for her article ‘Clanna House: c.1856 – c.1952’ featured in The New Regard - the journal of the Forest of Dean Local History Society. Thanks to The History Press for sponsoring the prizes and to Bryan Jerrard for presenting them.

The Local History Day was generously sponsored by The Notgrove Trust.

More information about GLHA events may be found on the Association’s website, www.gloshistory.org.uk