Lamas Local History: Origin, Development and Conferences
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LAMAS LOCAL HISTORY: ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT AND CONFERENCES John Hinshelwood SUMMARY The origins of a LAMAS local history of Middlesex arose in 1947 to be overtaken This article marks the 50th anniversary of the Local by the establishment of a Middlesex Local History Committee of LAMAS by tracing its origins History Council (MLHC) in 1952, which in and development. The Middlesex Local History turn gave rise to the LAMAS Local History Council formed in 1951, merged with LAMAS in Committee. 1964 and since then the local history conferences recorded here have become an annual feature in the LAMAS’S HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX calendar of the local history societies of Middlesex. LAMAS identified the need to develop The London and Middlesex Archaeological new approaches to its study of Middle- Society (LAMAS) Local History Committee, sex when W McBeath-Marcham, in 1947, and its annual conferences, were launched proposed that the society get down to by R Michael Robbins in 1964. LAMAS had some hard work and start to produce its a long tradition of exploring local history own history of Middlesex. This, he said, through archaeological investigation and might take as long as 50 years to complete. antiquarian studies before this relatively A subcommittee was duly appointed, con- recent creation of a local history committee sisting of Messrs Marcham, Norman G Brett- by LAMAS. The subject matter now encom- James, Dr F W M Draper, A J Gritten and passed by the title LAMAS Local History Percy Davenport, and a circular was sent to grew from the antiquarian and topographical all members asking them what they could interests of its members in the 19th century contribute to the history. The 1947 Annual to become the evidence-based research of General Meeting (AGM) report listed 15 today’s practitioners. As a distinct historical responses that identified who was working discipline, local history emerged when the on which parishes (Appendix 1). Little Centre for Local History at the University of seems to have resulted from this initiative as Leicester was opened in 1948, and the Nat- no further reference is made to it in minutes ional Council for Social Service’s Standing- or later AGM Reports.1 Conference for Local History (SCLH) began Work on the history of Middlesex did take promoting a wider interest in the subject. place, however. Two volumes on Middlesex These two developments established local were produced in the early 1950s: one by history as a professional academic subject, Brett-James, entitled Middlesex, published alongside a more traditional amateur interest in 1951 by Robert Hale Ltd as part of a in the subject. From around this time adult proposed series of 57 volumes called The education classes in local history proliferated, County Books; the other by Robbins, who as did the number of local history societies. had joined LAMAS in 1947, again entitled 283 284 John Hinshelwood Middlesex, published in 1953 by Collins, one appointed General Editor. All the relevant of only two volumes commissioned by Jack organisations were circulated in early 1952 Simmons, Professor of History at Leicester, and asked to provide information and for a series under the heading of The New assistance in compiling the bibliography; Survey of England, before the project folded LAMAS put forward the names of Groves, due to lack of funds and rising costs. Brett-James and Draper, some of those Instead of writing its own history of Middle- Middlesex historians identified in 1947. sex, LAMAS set about trying to encourage The first draft of the Middlesex Bibliography the study of local history and antiquities was circulated to all the borough and urban by offering local societies the opportunity district libraries in June 1956. to take up affiliate membership; by 1955 it Mindful of Marcham’s warning that the full had attracted 15 local societies (Appendix history of Middlesex would take a long time 5). However, by then the Middlesex Local to complete, LAMAS members of the MLHC History Council (MLHC), under the chair- took an active role in supporting the post- manship of Robbins, had come into being war revival of the (VCH) Middlesex project. and was producing its own local historical In 1953 a meeting of all the likely supporters accounts, as well as supporting the revived in the county was convened, at which Rob- Victoria County History (VCH) Middlesex bins, supported by Draper, explained that project. his recently published Middlesex was as com- plete as possible, given commercial con- The Middlesex Local History Council straints, but several more volumes of the VCH produced by professional researchers The MLHC was established in February 1951 and historians were needed to cover the full under the authority of the SCLH and several record of the county. An appeal for funding members of LAMAS took leading positions was made to all Middlesex local authorities in the first Executive Committee — namely and the London County Council. The Lord Latham, Dr Draper, Eric E F Smith, response was overwhelmingly in favour and secretary, Miss E D Mercer and Michael thus a Middlesex Victoria History Council Robbins (Appendix 2). Clearly individual was formed, presided over by Sir Archer members of LAMAS saw the value of a Hoare.2 This was the first time the VCH had countywide history society, but the LAMAS been financed by local authorities, on the Council deferred any decision to sup- initiative and proposal of a county history port the formation of the MLHC until society. The VCH Middlesex ran to seven November 1951 when Robbins and another volumes completed by 1984, somewhat faster council member, Miss M B Honeybourne, than Marcham envisaged; supported by persuaded it to sign up to the MLHC. funding from other sources, there are now Having agreed to support it, an article on 13 volumes, the last one published in 2009. the origins and formation of the MLHC by At its AGM in 1959, a constitution for Eric Smith was published in the LAMAS the MLHC was adopted (Appendix 3) Transactions of 1952 (Smith 1952, 46). which set out its objectives. These included The MLHC quickly established a public stimulating public interest and bringing presence through its bulletins and news- together organisations and persons in- letters. Eighteen issues of the Bulletin were terested in local history; advocating and published on average twice a year until 1964, promoting the preservation of local rec- containing a wealth of historical information ords, antiquities and objects of historical on a wide range of aspects of Middlesex by a interest; sponsoring lectures on methods wide range of authors, many of whom were of research and pooling of information on LAMAS members (Appendix 4). One of the sources; and advising research workers and, first tasks of the MLHC was to arrange for where possible, assisting them to publish the compilation of what became known as their results. It was in pursuit of these aims the Middlesex Bibliography. An editorial board that in 1959 the MLHC instigated special was set up consisting of public librarians meetings or conferences, in conjunction within the county, and Mr J E Walker, Chief with the University of London, which were Librarian of the Borough of Hendon, was the precursors of the LAMAS Local History LAMAS Local History: Origin, Development and Conferences 285 Conferences. to the new committee, over which it was to The MLHC set itself specific tasks, one have sole control. The committee would also of which was to recruit new members, both have its own bulletin under the editorship institutional and personal, to strengthen of Lawrence Snell to be called The London the council’s work and put it on a stronger and Middlesex Historian.3 The first issue of financial basis. However, following a suc- the new bulletin appeared in July 1965 with cessful recruitment drive by LAMAS, then the following introductory paragraph by increasing the number of its own affiliated Robbins: local history societies, MLHC faced serious The London and Middlesex Historian is competition (Appendix 5). Fees became an the first fruit of the fusion of the London issue to many MLHC members who were also and Middlesex Archaeological Society LAMAS members. It is perhaps not surprising with the Middlesex Local History Council then that both the MLHC and LAMAS began which was formally completed early this to see some benefit in combining forces, year. It is designed to take its place with and as MLHC membership had started to the more strictly archaeoloical matter decline, the council decided to transfer its published in the Society’s Transactions membership to LAMAS. so as to give due representation to the historical aspects of the study of the past The LAMAS Local History Committee of our capital city and its immediately surrounding area. I am sure that all The winding up of the MLHC in late 1964 members of the united Society will wel- marks the moment when local history became come this new feature and I urge all a distinct specialism within LAMAS. The those who can to submit contributions transfer of members provided that they be so as to give the editor a wide range of taken into membership of LAMAS at a special choice. I am confident that the London rate. All the funds, archives, publications and Middlesex Historian will prove to be and other property of the MLHC was to a valuable medium for communication and will serve to stimulate the researches be transferred to LAMAS, which agreed to and studies which we all value.4 take over the MLHC lock, stock and barrel, and establish it as a subcommittee. LAMAS The bulletin only continued for another was to add the words ‘Incorporating the three issues (December 1965, October 1966 Middlesex Local History Council’ to its & April 1967), carrying nine articles on official notepaper and headings.