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The Peterborough Area Local History Forum

 

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An Introduction

 

 

There are many organisations and individuals in the Peterborough area involved, or interested, in local history. The organisations include official bodies such as Northamptonshire Record Office, Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery, Peterborough Central Library and the Peterborough College of Adult Education. There are also smaller local museums and heritage sites as well as churches and schools with collections of local material. Then there are societies with interests in various aspects of local history, many of which carry out research, arrange talks and publish reports. Finally, there are individual researchers, writers, photographers and lecturers.

The Peterborough Area Local History Forum, established in September 1999, provides a means by which all these organisations and individuals can meet, exchange information on their programmes and plans, where relevant, and support each other on projects of one sort or another.

This Directory lists all the members of the Forum as at March 2001. It is divided into five sections covering official bodies; local museums and heritage sites; schools and churches; societies; and individuals -

Each entry includes a brief background note on the organisation or individual and a contact point.

All the members would welcome enquiries about their work and the societies are always keen to welcome new members.

 

PALHF Directory, first edition, March 2001

 

 

 

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Directory of Members

 

   

Official Bodies

PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL

Peterborough City Council, which became a unitary authority in April 1998, is responsible for a wide range of cultural and recreational services including the Library Service, the Museum and Art Gallery and Tourism. It is also responsible for education including the Peterborough College of Adult Education.

See separate entries for the Central Library, Museum and Art Gallery, and College of Adult Education

Tourism Officer: Linda Wills

Tel: 01733 343329 / 452336

Fax: 01733 341928 / 452353

EMail: linda.wills@peterborough.gov.uk

PETERBOROUGH CENTRAL LIBRARY

Local Studies Librarian: Richard Hillier

Broadway, Peterborough PE1 1RX

Tel: 01733 348343

Fax: 01733 555277

EMail: libraries@peterborough.gov.uk

The Library houses the Local Studies Collection which has material that relates to the area within a ten to fifteen mile radius of Peterborough, including books, maps and plans, newspapers and periodicals, and engravings and photographs. There is also a variety of microfilm/microfiche material including local census records from 1841 onwards, church registers, civil registers and probate indexes.

PETERBOROUGH MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

Heritage Services Manager: Michael Dillon

Priestgate, Peterborough PE1 1LF

Tel: 01733 343329

Fax: 01733 341928

EMail: museum@peterborough.gov.uk

Website: www.peterboroughheritage.org.uk

 

The Museum houses displays on Peterborough's archaeology, natural history and social history. It also has a library, a collection of fine art and a bookshop. A major new Millennium-funded exhibition on the story of Peterborough was launched in August 2000. The Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 12.00 to 5.00, Saturday from 10.00 to 5.00 and Sunday from 12.00 to 4.00.

PETERBOROUGH COLLEGE OF ADULT EDUCATION

Principal: Dr Graham Winton

Brook Street, Peterborough PE1 1TU

Tel: 01733 761361

Fax: 01733 703545

EMail: gwinton@pcae.org.uk

The College provides adult education courses in the daytime, evenings and at weekends in a variety of subjects including history, local history, archaeology, landscape history and field archaeology both for general interest and formal qualifications. The College provides a linked programme with the University of Cambridge Board of Continuing Education.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE RECORD OFFICE

County Archivist: Rachel Watson

Deputy: Sue Groves

Wootton Hall Park, Northampton NN4 8BQ

Tel: 01604 762129 Fax: 01604 767562

EMail: archivist@nro.northamptonshire.gov.uk

Website: www.nro.northamptonshire.gov.uk

 

 

The Record Office preserves the written history of the county of Northamptonshire, including areas formerly within its boundaries, and makes it available for public consultation. It preserves the recorded past for the present and for the future.

Museums and Heritage Sites

THORNEY HERITAGE MUSEUM

Contact: see Thorney Society entry

The Tankyard, Station Road,

Thorney, Peterborough PE6 0SE

The Museum shows the development of Thorney from Monastic days. It includes material illuminating the Walloon and Flemish influence after Vermuyden's drainage and the model housing established by the Duke of Bedford. The Museum is open from Easter to the end of September, weekends only, from

2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. Tours by previous arrangement, contact Margaret Fletcher on 01733 270634.

www.thorney-museum.org.uk/

 

NENE VALLEY RAILWAY

Hon Curator: Brian White

Hon Archivist: Peter Waszak

Wansford Station, Stibbington,

Peterborough PE8 6LR

Tel: 01780 784444

Fax: 01780 784440

Website: www.nvr.org.uk/

Heritage steam railway. The NVR has a museum at Wansford Station and the archives will be based at Ferry Meadows station. Currently a proportion of the archives are on loan to the County Record Office at Huntingdon. 'Nene Steam' magazine contains regular articles on aspects of local railway history. There are also several NVR books.

Churches and Schools

ALL SOULS RC CHURCH ARCHIVES

Hon. Archivist: Peter Waszak

The Presbytery, Geneva Street,

Peterborough PE1 2RS

Tel: 01733 562528

Fax: 01733 346933

The Church archives date back to the late 18th century. Various publications and articles are available on local Catholic history.

ST JOHN FISHER RC SCHOOL

School Librarian: Peter Waszak

Park Lane, Peterborough PE1 5JN

Tel: 01733 343646

Fax: 01733 347983

The School Library has a large local studies section which is aimed at students and staff at the school but can also be made available to others by prior written request. The Library is of particular use to those involved in GCSE and A-level projects.

Societies

CROWLAND TOWN SOCIETY

Chairperson: Margaret Smith

Secretary: Sheelagh Elphee

48 North Street, Crowland,

Peterborough PE6 0EF

Tel: 01733 210260

E-Mail: cathi@cruland.freeserve.co.uk

Meetings are held generally on the second Monday of each month, to hear speakers on local topics or visit places of historic interest. The Society holds a large collection of photographs, documents and artifacts pertaining to the town and has a long-term aim to set up a Heritage centre.

DEEPINGS HERITAGE

Chairman: Neil Hermsen

Secretary: Keith Simpson

43 Eastgate, Deeping St James,

Peterborough PE6 8HH

Tel: 01778 344553

EMail: keith.r.simpson@talk21.com

Website www.deepings-heritage.org.uk

A civic society with interests in local planning matters, the environment and local history, archaeology, and architecture. The Society holds the social meetings each year on the second Thursday of each month in the Sixth Form Common Room, at The Deepings School. Deepings Heritage also publishes a newsletter and several books/booklets.

EYE HISTORY SOCIETY

Chairman: David Fovargue

Secretary: Chris Clark

87 Fountains Place, Eye

Peterborough PE6 7XX

Tel: 01733 222267

EMail: john.e.clark@talk21.com

A group of people interested in the social history of Eye village.

JOHN CLARE SOCIETY

Chairman: Dr John Goodridge

Secretary: Peter Moyse ARPS

The Stables, 1A West Street, Helpston, Peterborough PE6 7DU

Tel: 01733 252678

The Society brings together all lovers of Clare's poetry and prose who find in him 'a voice for our time' and promotes Clare's writings to a wider audience by way of exhibitions, talks etc. It also seeks to protect Helpston's environment and to encourage rural education and a sensitivity to the English countryside.

FRIENDS OF PETERBOROUGH MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

Chairperson: Maisie Terrell

Membership Secretary: Peter Green

Arley, High Haden Road, Glatton,

Huntingdon PE17 5RU

Tel: 01487 830357

The Friends aim to organise interesting and entertaining events and activities including a programme of monthly lunchtime lectures to promote the work of the Museum and help raise funds for the purchase of new items for the collections.

PETERBOROUGH MUSEUM SOCIETY

Chairman: David Sharp

Secretary: Ruth Rodwell

9 Royston Avenue, Orton Longueville, Peterborough PE2 7AA

Tel: 01733 231434

The Society founded the Museum, passing it to the care of the City Council in the 1960s. Currently the Society organises a series of lectures at the Museum fortnightly on Tuesday evenings between September and March and summer visits to places of interest. The Society also publishes historical texts relevant to the area.

PETERBOROUGH AND DISTRICT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY

Chairman: Ewan Cappitt

Secretary: Pauline Kennelly

33 Farleigh Fields, Orton Wistow,

Peterborough PE2 6YB

Tel: 01733 235956

EMail: michael kennelly@email.msn.com

The Society provides a forum for people presently living in and around Peterborough who are interested in studying geneology and the history of the various societies in which their ancestors grew up. It also provides assistance to people living anywhere in the world whose ancestors lived in or near Peterborough and who wish to find out more about those forebears.

PETERBOROUGH CIVIC SOCIETY

Chairman: Barry Pulford

Membership Secretary: Ian Webb

5 Buckland Close

Peterborough PE3 9UH

Tel: 01733 263149

EMail: ian.webb@unisonfree.net

Website: www.peterborough.net/civicsociety/

The Society seeks to encourage urban renewal and an appreciation of the local heritage of buildings and other features of historical and environmental interest. It maintains links with other bodies, organises a programme of talks and visits and publishes a spring newsletter and an annual report. The Society has also mounted plaques on a number of local buildings of historical interest and publishes a 'Plaque Trail' leaflet.

PETERBOROUGH LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Chairman: Stephen Perry

Secretary: Fred Browning

8 Cardinals Gate, Werrington,

Peterborough PE4 5AS

Tel: 01733 322278

The Society meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Museum at 7.30 pm from September to May. Visits are normally arranged for June and July. The Society publishes a magazine in March and October that usually has a local content. In March it holds an annual film night in aid of the Mayor's charities when the programme includes items of local interest. The overall aim of the Society is to enjoy the history of Peterborough.

PETERBOROUGH PUB ARCHIVE

Contact: Steve Williams

15 Hawthorn Road, Peterborough PE1 4PA

Tel: 01733 896320

Mobile: 07802 896641

Please

The project researches and maintains an archive of material relating to the public houses, breweries and people involved in the licensed trade and seeks out new material (oral or written) relating to the history of local public houses. It also forms links with other societies and individuals for the mutual exchange of information.

RAILWORLD

Chairman: Rev Richard Paten

Oundle Road, Peterborough PE2 9NR

Tel: 01733 344240

Railworld is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee with the objective of public education about railways in the broadest sense, ranging from Peterborough's local railway history to the long-term environmental benefits of travel by rail. The exhibition is open from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm on Monday to Friday between November and February and every day from March to October.

PETERBOROUGH RAILWORKERS' REGISTER

Contact: Clive Smith

Buildings Farm, Thorney Road, Milking Nook, Peterborough PE6 7PT

Tel: 01733 810223 Fax: 0870 734 6096

EMail: csmithcf@cs.com

The project, which is a part of Railworld, is compiling a register (including biographical and genealogical data) of all railworkers connected with Peterborough since the arrival of the railway.

PETERBOROUGH YOUNG ARCHAEOLOGISTS

Contact: Patricia Roberts

9 St Pega's Road, Peakirk,

Peterborough PE6 7NF Tel: 01733 253111

A club to encourage an interest in archaeology in children from eight years upwards by running monthly sessions, events or outings and providing members with information on other archaeological events in the area.

THORNEY SOCIETY

Chairman:

Secretary: Dorothy Halfhide

144 Wisbech Road, Thorney,

Peterborough PE6 0SE Tel: 01733 270908

EMail: dot.thorney@tesco.net

The aim of the Society is the presentation of the heritage of Thorney. It manages the Thorney Heritage Museum and arranges tours of the village (see the Museum entry). 

WERRINGTON LOCAL HISTORY GROUP

Chairman: Judy Bunten

Secretary: Mary Crunkhorn

43 Gunthorpe Road, Peterborough PE4 7TQ

Tel: 01733 574116

The group aims to promote an interest in, and knowledge of, the local history of the area in the widest sense by means of monthly talks on all subjects connected with the local history and by organised visits. A newsletter is produced bi-annually.

Individuals

BUNCH, ALLAN

196 Lincoln Road, Peterborough PE1 2NQ

Tel: 01733 564608 Fax: 01733 706675

EMail: allan.bunch@virgin.net

Former librarian and writer or editor of a number of books on local history subjects, now a freelance writer/designer under the pen-name Pen to Print.

CHISWELL, DON

2 Stanley Road, Peterborough PE1 1SZ

Tel: 01733 569951

Lecturer in history

MOYSE, PETER

The Stables, 1A West Street, Helpston, Peterborough PE6 7DU

Tel: 01733 252678

Member of the Association of Historical & Fine Art Photography and an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society, specialising in architecture and landscape. Also provides a service for copying of old photographs and documents.

 

 

Webpage provided by Steve Williams, Peterborough Area Local History Forum.

Please address ALL updates for this page to

 

15 Hawthorn Rd

Peterborough

PE1  4PA

 

 

 

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