Wiltshire libraries celebrate Local and Community History Month with events and exhibitions across the county
May is Local and Community History Month and Wiltshire Council is celebrating local history with an array of events and exhibitions at libraries across the county.
The aim of the month is to increase awareness of local history, promote history in general to the local community and to engage with the local community to help them discover how to find out more about and enjoy the county.
Events are running from Wednesday 4 May through to Friday 27 May and a full list of events and booking information can be found on the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre website.
Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council said: "Whether it's your own family history or the history of our historic county, we have events taking place to interest everyone and plenty of chances to hear from local experts on some fascinating topics.
"The county of Wiltshire has played an important part in our nation's history since medieval times, as demonstrated by events and items still on display in Salisbury. The newly completed Domesday Book was first presented at Old Sarum in 1086 and Salisbury Cathedral contains the best preserved copy of Magna Carta. Produced in 1215, it is considered to be one of the most important legal documents in the world. The Cathedral also contains one of the world's oldest working clocks (there are claims it is the oldest), which is said to date back to 1386 and keeps time to an accuracy of 2 minutes a day.
"Understanding our history and how it has shaped our lives today can help us to become stronger and more cohesive communities today. I hope that people will take part in these events and enjoy discovering more about their past."
Many libraries in Wiltshire and the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham have resources available to help you research your family history, including free access to various online services such as the British Newspaper Archive and Ancestry. Royal Wootton Bassett Library (Monday 16 May) and Calne Library (Thursday 26 May) will be holding introduction sessions on using Ancestry for family history research on the library computers.
We also have events to help you hone your research skills so you can delve into the history of your local area or your own house. You don't you need to live in an old house to research its history. Whether you're in a sixteenth century thatched cottage or a 1980s semi, there's a wealth of information waiting to be uncovered. Devizes Library (Wednesday 25 May) will be running a session to help you get started researching the history of your house and the people who called it home before you.
The British Newspaper Archive gives online access to millions of newspaper articles from the British Library newspaper collections including articles from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries and we'll be showing you how to make the most of it at Salisbury (Wednesday 4 May), Warminster (Thursday 19 May) and Melksham (Friday 20 May) Libraries.
In addition to online resources we have lots of other resources available during Local History Month: come and delve into the posters and cuttings of Salisbury past with a look at Salisbury ephemera- a veritable feast of interesting bits and bobs for your delight at Salisbury library (Wednesday 18 May).
A full list of events and booking information can be found on the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre website.
Events taking place in Wiltshire libraries during Local and Community History Month:
Discover the British Newspaper Archive
Salisbury Library
Wednesday 4 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free
Frogg Moody
Exploring Fisherton
Salisbury Library
Thursday 5 May, 7-8pm, £3
Sarah Murray
The Hall: Bradford on Avon's Hidden Gem
Bradford on Avon Library
Monday 9 May, 7.15-8.15pm, £3
Julie Davis
Wiltshire Folklore
Malmesbury Library
Monday 9 May, 7.15-8.15pm, £3
Jane Faulkner
In Search of Pudding Brook
Corsham Library
Friday 13 May, 5.30-6.30pm, £3
Kathryn Preston
Workshop: A Beginner's guide to using Ancestry
Royal Wootton Bassett Library
Monday 16 May, 10.30am-12pm, Free
Amy Hammett, Wiltshire Museum
Dementia friendly reminiscence session with old everyday objects from the past
Devizes Library
Tuesday 17 May - 2.30-3.30pm, Free dementia friendly session.
Discover Salisbury Ephemera
Salisbury Library
Wednesday 18 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free
John Garland
Discover the British Newspaper Archive
Warminster Library
Thursday 19 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free
Kathryn Preston
Discover the British Newspaper Archive
Melksham Library
Friday 20 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free
Tom Rogers
The Pippins, Calne: The Evolution of a Medieval Plot
Calne Library
Monday 23 May, 10.30-11.30am, £3
Ian Hicks
An Introduction to Palaeography
Trowbridge Library
Monday 23 May, 2-4pm, £6
Julie Davis and Max Parkin
How to Research the History of Your House
Devizes Library
Wednesday 25 May, 10.30-12.30pm, £6
Discover the British Newspaper Archive
Salisbury Library
Thursday 26 May, 9.30-10.30am, Free
Jo Smith
A Beginner's Guide to Using Ancestry
Calne Library
Thursday 26 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free
Julie Davis
Wiltshire Folklore
Chippenham Library
Friday 27 May, 7.15-8.15pm, £3
Amy Hammett, Wiltshire Museum
Children's local history activity (age guide 5-9 years)
Discover Devizes throughout the ages
Tuesday 31 May - 2.30- 3.20 pm. Free
As well as talks there are also several exhibitions you can drop in to see including:
Amesbury Library
Roses School: A History
Bradford on Avon Library
The Hall: Portrait of a Country Estate between the wars
Calne Library
Calne Town Centre Excavation
Chippenham Library
1952 Chippenham
Corsham Library
The Flemish Weavers
Devizes Library
Prison Life in Devizes
Marlborough Library
Crime in Marlborough
Malmesbury Library
Local Folklore