Our Notice Board is for any exchange of information on just about anything of historical interest.

Interested in learning more about human remains or need to practice your osteology skills?

Luton Culture is hosting one or two day human remains workshops as part of a project to further our understanding of health in and around Luton.

24–25 March 2012
5–6 May 2012 and 23–24 June 2012

Stockwood Discovery Centre
London Road, Luton LU1 4LX

Download Flyer and Booking Form

2013 will see the centenary of Bedfordshire and Luton Archives Service and to mark the event and raise awareness of the importance of archives, Colmworth and Neighbours History Society is sponsoring a television documentary. The programme will be put together by the Media Department of the University of Bedfordshire working with the archivists at BLARS. In readiness for work to begin next year human interest stories which have not yet been investigated are needed. Any ideas? Read more about this project and how to make contact.

To celebrate its tenth birthday Colmworth and Neighbours History Society has produced a journal featuring the special history of rural communities. It covers a wide range of subjects from short examples of oral history to larger pieces concerning an extended chase for a family history and an in-depth look at what can be learned of agricultural practices based on the 1901 Census for North Bedfordshire. Over fifty place names are mentioned. Read more, including how to obtain your copy of the special First Edition in colour.

BBC—REEL HISTORY

Madeleine Forrester of BBC East is holding regional meetings to discuss this project with organisations interested in working with them across counties, to show old films and collect memories around given themes etc. She would like to hear from any local history society who might be interested in linking in with this topic at a local level.

Reel History (Autumn 2011, BBC Daytime) programme details: Melvyn Bragg meets real people as they recount fascinating and surprising stories about how life in Britain used to be, as told through the British Film Institute’s and regional archive collections. Melvyn will visit a new location to focus on a different aspect of British life, with 20 themes across the series, using archive and real stories to highlight the hardships and simple pleasures of the past, as well as the enormous social changes that took place from 1900 onwards, building to a compelling social history of Britain.

More details

SUPPORT A PETITION TO SAVE A CENTRAL LONDON GEORGIAN WORKHOUSE likely to have been the inspiration for Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist.

There is a campaign in Fitzrovia to save this two hundred and thirty year old former workhouse built on fields in 1775 which is the last of its kind in central London.

This London landmark with its ties to social and medical history is under threat of imminent demolition.

Download details here or go directly to the petition

Views of Old Bedfordshire

BLHA member, Mr John Day, has spent the past five years developing a website containing old images of Ampthill where he lived for over 50 years. It's a voluntary enterprise to reflect his interest in pictorial history and to keep him busy in retirement. Access to the site is totally free and there are no advertisements. The first version of the site contained 2,500 images and the second version had 6,000.

Ampthill Market Square early 1900s

There was great interest and he was asked to consider including the surrounding area. This he has been doing over time and there are now over 15,000 images, many of which are from what was roughly the middle and western part of the old Mid-Beds area.

Widening Bedford Town Bridge 1939

Mr Day is fortunate to have a good long-standing arrangement with the Bedford and Luton Archive and Records Service in Bedford that allows him to scan and publish from their collection of many thousands of Bedford Press glass plate negatives for the period 1938–1966 on the understanding that his site is 100% non-commercial and that access is free.

All the pictures can be seen at http://www.ampthillimages.com. Use the red and blue navigation buttons to choose between Ampthill or Around and About and then select from the lists of albums.

Can you help any of the enquirers below?

Debbie Evans writes...

We found an old bottle whilst digging the rear of a 1900's property which we recently bought in Leighton Buzzard. We haven't been able to find any information on this bottle, or the company, on the internet.

The bottle has the following wording on it as it's rotated:

TRADE WALTER ALLEN MARK

[the Walter Allen part of this is embossed on the rim of an impression of a straw hat]

SODA WATER &
LEMONADE MANUFACTURER
LUTON BEDS

The bottle is green and has a rounded bottom. More pictures

It would be much appreciated if anyone is able to provide any information or contacts as to where information may be found. Email Debbie

THE BEDFORDSHIRE MALHERBES

Gordon Reeves is researching the history of the Anglo-Norman family of Malherbe (also spelt Malerbe) that flourished between the 12th and 16th centuries in various English counties. They were particularly prevalent in Bedfordshire, e.g., in Carlton, Bromham, Goldington and Kempston near Bedford; Houghton Conquest, Clophill and Stotford to the south, and the Brickhills, Hockliffe, Husborne Crawley and Tingrith toward Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable.

Please read his full request and contact him directly with any information you can provide.

Home Guard and World War II Defences of the Barton Le Clay Area

Cive Makin of Ampthill & District Archaeological & Local History Society is researching the Home Guard and the local defences of the Second World War in the Barton Le Clay area. He would very much appreciate any local information, photographs, personal memories or anecdotes from this period. If you are able to help in any way then please contact him on 01582 655785 (evenings) or email Clive Makin

We have received an appeal from Richard Moore in Cornwall for any information anyone can provide about this Great War Commemorative Mug which he found whilst clearing his parents' house. It seems to have originated in Dunstable. Click for more pictures and contact details.