Branch History

Some of the branches of the HA have existed since the HA was formed in 1906 – they have survived World Wars, Cold Wars, recessions and so many Secretaries of State for Education that they have lost count. The branch records are themselves now a history of learning about and finding history interesting. To find out about the history of your branch read the articles below.

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  • 100 not out: the Nuneaton branch centenary

    31st January 2019

    For the 2018–19 season, the Nuneaton Branch of the HA is celebrating its centenary. Founded in 1919, by 1921 there were 78 members. In 1924, members went on a ‘charabanc’ tour of Leicestershire churches, ending at Fenny Drayton, where they joined in the celebrations for the tercentenary of the birth...

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  • 70 years of the Isle of Wight Branch

    1st July 2020

    In June 2020 the HA Isle of Wight branch celebrated its 70th birthday. Here, Honorary Secretary of the branch Terry Blunden looks back at the history and development of the branch since 1950. Although the Historical Association was formed in 1906 sixteen years elapsed before a branch was established on...

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  • Bath Branch 90th Anniversary

    13th December 2016

    2016 marked the ninetieth anniversary of the founding of the HA's Bath branch. To honour this event the Mayor of Bath, Councillor Paul Crossley, invited members to attend a Civic Reception at the eighteenth-century Guildhall. Thirty-five members attended. They are pictured here in the Mayor's Parlour. Councillor Crossley welcomed the...

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  • Birmingham Branch 1907-2007

    Article

    The Branch was founded in May 1907, a few months after the Historical Association was established. The founding Branch President was Professor John Masterman, Professor of History (1902-09) in the University of Birmingham's Department of Commerce, as it was designated in those days. He was one of several historians in...

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  • Birmingham Branch History

    Article

    The Branch was founded in May 1907, a few months after the Historical Association was established. The founding Branch President was Professor John Masterman, Professor of History (1902-09) in the University of Birmingham's Department of Commerce, as it was designated in those days. He was one of several historians in...

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  • Bolton Branch Birthday

    Article

    Renowned historian Professor Sir Ian Kershaw joined the Bolton Branch of the Historical Association on 1 October 2007 to help celebrate their 80th anniversary. An audience of 185 people listened to his lecture on ‘The German People and the Persecution of the Jews', which examined the attitudes of the German...

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  • Bolton Branch History

    Article

    The Bolton Branch of the Historical Association, having been founded in 1927, celebrated its 80th birthday suitably spectacularly in October 2007. Not only did it have, for the occasion, a distinguished Chief Guest as visiting lecturer, and an audience of nearly 200, but it also had a large, decorative and...

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  • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Branch History

    Article

    History of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Branch of the Historical AssociationThe Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole branch of the HA was founded in December 1922 and has been in existence ever since. Its history can be followed in the annual reports sent to HQ, in the complete set of committee...

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  • Canterbury Branch History

    Article

    Although active between the wars, the Canterbury Branch had faded into oblivion by the 1960s.The arrival of the University of Kent at Canterbury brought about the Branch's revival in 1971-1972, led by Peter Roberts, Grayson Ditchfield and Donald Read, and a programme was arranged for 1972 -3.   Among those on...

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  • Cornwall Branch History

    Article

    The earliest information we have about the HA in Cornwall is an Annual General Meeting minute book showing that the branch was re-formed in 1963 by schoolteachers. Lecture meetings were held in various schools and these were probably all in the Truro area. The branch always appears to have been...

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  • Cornwall Branch to be revived

    26th October 2016

    The Cornwall Branch of the Historical Association is about to be revived after an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting [date to be fixed soon]) with the support of the Penryn (Falmouth) Campus of the University of Exeter, its staff (particularly Dr Garry Tregidga [to be Chair], Bob Keys [to be Treasurer],...

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  • Ealing Branch History

    Article

    The Ealing Branch was formed shortly after the second world war.  Among its founder members was Gordon Batho, then a schoolboy at Ealing County Grammar School for Boys and now President of the Durham branch of the Historical Association and Emeritus Professor of Education at Durham University. The Ealing branch holds...

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  • Essex Branch History

    Article

    Essex Branch - Early DaysEssex Branch was founded in 1920 or earlier and was active continuously until 1936.  In 1920-1 the president was H. de Havilland of The Manor House, Great Horkesley, and the secretary Mr. E.T. Baldwin of Earls Colne Grammar School.  There were 56 branch members and 8...

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  • Exeter Branch History

    Article

    A Brief History of the Exeter BranchExeter was one of the seventeen pre-First World War branches, founded in November 1906, the same year as the Historical Association itself. The Exeter branch was founded by Professor Walter (W.J.) Harte who became President of the (national) Historical Association 1932-36. Harte was appointed...

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  • Flodden lecture write-up - Glasgow & West of Scotland Branch

    7th November 2013

    Speaker: Dr. Christopher Burgess, Flodden500 Archaeology project Our first meeting of 2013-14 got us off to a flying start with Dr. Chris Burgess' historical and archaeological power point presentation on Flodden.   Firstly, he sketched out the European context - a war involving the Papacy, France and England - and how...

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  • Glasgow's Own in the Battle of Britain

    3rd December 2010

    The first lecture in the Glasgow and West of Scotland Branch "Glasgow's Own in the Battle of Britain" -dual presentation by Flt. Lt. P.G. Traynor, Historian 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Museum Association and Mr. J. Devine, Head of Multi-media, Hunterian Museum Flt. Lt. Traynor set the scene of 602...

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  • Historical Association Joins Twitter

    1st November 2010

    The Bolton branch of the Historical Association has taken another step into the twenty-first century by joining social networking site Twitter.  This comes as a follow up to the branch's website and Facebook group, both of which are proving to be useful tools for communicating with the public. The branch...

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  • History of the Cumbria Branch

    Article

    Cumbria Branch was founded in November 1971 as a result of a very successful tour of Hadrian's Wall, led by Peter Southern. We decided we needed a more permanent influence of the H.A. in Carlisle and Cumbria. There had been a Carlisle Branch earlier in the C20th but it folded...

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  • History of the Gloucestershire Branch 1919-2021

    Article

    This article is based on a talk originally given after the 2003 Branch AGM which drew on branch records subsequently deposited with the County Archives. These comprise AGM and committee minutes as well as notes on, and some details of, speakers for each meeting from the 1928-9 season to 1957,...

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  • Hull & East Riding Branch History

    Article

    The origins of the Hull branch of the HA go back to 1921. However the branch really came to life when Dr Fred Brooks arrived as Reader in Medieval History at the new University College of Hull. From 1930 to 1977 he was the mainspring of the activities and growth...

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