The Kingdom of Poland started its existence in the medieval period as one of the most important countries of eastern Europe. Positioned on key trading routes, it became a powerful nation that had periods of remarkable stability, playing a major role in both the Renaissance and the Reformation. Despite this,...

If my generation all remember where they were when the aeroplanes, hijacked by terrorists, flew into the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001, then my parents' generation all knew where they were when they heard about the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. Before the conspiracy theorists and the...

Physical, mental and neurological disability and differences have existed for as long as people have roamed the earth, with different cultures, groups and communities responding differently to how to support those individuals. How disability has been recognised and treated is not something that has always been recorded over human history,...

When the seasons change and the autumn and winter coats come out with a bare lapel space, we are often reminded that Remembrance time is upon us. In this and recent years the reality of war has never been far away from our news feeds. That reality may be overseas...

If you are over the age of fourteen you probably don’t get the excitement of Halloween. In fact, you might wonder generally what the fuss is about a Christian-Pagan entwined anniversary that leads to the excitement of children and their demands for sugar. However, as adults it is an opportunity...

Some things are important every year; others only seem to hit our radar when it’s a significant anniversary – think Bonfire Night versus The Battle of Waterloo. That is why we refresh and update our anniversaries calendar every year. For what is left of 2023 we have the 75th anniversary...

Each year, the HA hosts and promotes Local History Month in May, which seems like a long way  off right now but we believe in planning ahead. We also believe that now is the time to celebrate some of the rich history and histories that are found in our local...

October is Black History Month. At the HA we support Black History, diverse histories and the history of all marginalised, minority and discriminated groups all year round. After all, diverse history is all our history. To support those who are interested in using October as a way to focus on...

Welcome to this packed autumn edition of HA News, featuring a mixture of what we've been up to, what we're planning on doing and some history pieces just for you. Dr Gabrielle Storey explores the history and importance of medieval coronations, former HA President Dr Anne Curry writes about her experiences as an...

At the end of last month (August) it was the 60th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr’s famous ‘I have a dream’ speech, made during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom held on 28 August 1963. The racism in the US at the time included segregation...