The Historical Association Annual Conference York 10 - 11 May 2013 - a speedy review.

Three hundred people attended for two engagning, challenging and very full days dedicated to history. Over the Friday and Saturday the corridors of the Park Inn York reverberated with the noise of lectures and workshops with historians both professional and amateur.

The Friday began with an acknowledgement that the HA was now at the frontline of an attack by Government ministers for doing its job: standing up for history (more of that at the end). The opening talk in a packed lecture room by Professor Jackie Eales the HA President was on - ‘How glorious was Gloriana'? - Elizabeth I and her historians'. A fascinating lecture exploring the strengths of Elizabeth's diplomacy and the contradictions and attitudes towards a female monarch compared to those of a male monarch.  

The day continued with workshops offering something for the formal teaching professional, through to general history and heritage sessions for the regular history enthusiast. With 9 - 10 workshops choices for each session there was no time for anyone to be bored only a general discussion about "what to go to now" and "if only I could do that as well". The weather held (just) for those who had signed up to some of the outside sessions and there was even some sunshine, though most would not have known as they bustled from workshop, to coffee session, to workshop.

Two rooms at the venue were dedicated to stalls offering historical expertise, exam boards and heritage promoters. As teachers scooped up freebies for the classroom and everyone else eyed up the journals the first day drew to a close with an informative keynote lecture by Sir Richard Evans on the ‘Writing the history of nineteenth-century Europe', and of course a couple of asides about the National Curriculum.

Spilling out to the wine reception those who had ‘learnt enough' for one day headed off to restaurants and home, but over 100 stayed for the evening dinner.

The Saturday was no less engaging than the Friday. It was started by the keynote lecture from Marc Morris ‘The Norman Conquest: why did it matter' using he said a cartoon to aid interpretation. The cartoon was the Bayeux Tapestry and so ensued an informative, humorous and engaging lecture. So successful was he that the book stall sold out of at least one of his books whilst he happily signed them for anyone prepared to queue.

On went another full day of workshops, talks and visits from professional guidance to general interest spanning a thousand years of history and a bit of archaeology - well we were in York.