The British Association for Local History (BALH) is a membership organisation that exists to promote the advancement of public education through the study of

local history Local history is the study of history in a geographically local context, often concentrating on a relatively small local community. It incorporates cultural and social aspects of history. Local history is not merely national history writ small bu ...

and to encourage and assist the study of local history throughout

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

as an academic discipline and as a leisure activity.British Association for Local History
accessed 8 May 2012

Foundation

BALH was founded and registered as a

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...

in England and Wales on 30 September 1982 through an initiative by the National Council of Social Services (now the

National Council for Voluntary Organisations The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England. It is a registered charity (no 225922). NCVO works to support the voluntary and community sector and to create an ...

) to bring together the work of previously separate organisations in the field.British Association for Local History
History Today, accessed 8 May 2012 It aims to be the national umbrella organisation for the subject and many local history societies and groups are members of BALH, though others remain outside. People with an interest in local history can also join BALH as individual members.

Activities

BALH's activities include the publication of the quarterly journal ''The Local Historian'' (first published in 1952), a quarterly magazine ''Local History News'', a quarterly e-newsletter, as well as a number of books and pamphlets on the topic.About BALH
accessed 6 September 2016 It also organises an annual lecture, national and regional conferences and guided visits to libraries, museums and institutions such as

The National Archives National archives are central archives maintained by countries. This article contains a list of national archives. Among its more important tasks are to ensure the accessibility and preservation of the information produced by governments, both ...

and the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...

. The Association also coordinates an annual Local History Day. The British Association for Local History also has an education committee that has been active in lobbying the

National Curriculum Council The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) was a charity, and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department for Education. In England and Northern Ireland, the QCDA maintained and developed the National Cu ...

to increase the teaching of local history in schools, as well as in preparing courses and publications for teachers.

Officers

The Association's president is Professor

Caroline Barron Caroline Mary Barron (''née'' Hogarth; born 1940) is a British retired medieval historian. She is professor emerita in the department of history at Royal Holloway, University of London. Barron's research relates to "late medieval British hist ...

Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departm ...

. The announcement of her appointment was made at the Association's Local History Day in June 2016.New President Announced , BALH News
accessed 6 June 2016 She succeeded

David Hey David G. Hey (18 July 1938 – 14 February 2016) was an English historian, and was an authority on surnames and the local history of Yorkshire. Hey was the president of the British Association for Local History, and was a published author of seve ...

as President, who died in February 2016.

References

External links

British Association for Local History website
{{DEFAULTSORT:British Association For Local History History organisations based in the United Kingdom Non-profit organisations based in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1982 1982 establishments in the United Kingdom British local history

Foundation

Activities

Officers

See also

References

External links