Popular local history events are being planned by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s archive and local studies service, based at the Beverley Treasure House in Champney Road, Beverley.
The annual Local History Book Fair will be held on Saturday, 17 October, at Beverley Minster while an autumn programme of local history lectures and garden tours will start on Monday, 19 October.
Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Councillor Christopher Matthews will open the book fair at the Minster at 10am on Saturday, 17 October.
The Local History Book Fair, which has been running for the past 23 years, provides a focal point in an historic setting for people from all walks of life who have an interest in local and family history.
Around 30 organisations will be participating in the event, including the archives and local studies service, museums and library services, local history societies, family history societies, other special interest organisations relating to the locality and region, as well as publishers and booksellers. Combined, they encompass the full range of local studies and family history resources available in the area.
The event provides a unique opportunity to buy a wide range of books both old and new, pamphlets, maps and other ephemera produced by these organisations – as well as the chance to meet and mingle with the experts of the region.
The Local History Book Fair is open from 10am until 4pm, admission is free, homemade refreshments are available in the Minster Parish Rooms and guided roof tours will be organised at set times throughout the day.
From Monday, 19 October local history lectures will be held in the upstairs art gallery in the Treasure House.
Sophie Weston will start the programme with a lecture entitled, ‘A Journey along the Medieval Pilgrimage Road to Santiago de Compostella’.
Trish Colton and Diane Holloway, on Wednesday 28 October, continue with ‘The Life and Times of the Knights Templar in Yorkshire’, followed by Jeffrey Green on Friday 6th November, who will deliver ‘Six Congo Pygmies in Yorkshire, 1905 – 1907’.
Professor Barbara English will then speak on the subject of ‘The Real Lark Rise?’ on Monday, 9 November. This is followed by the George Edward and Mollie Hawkins Memorial Lecture delivered by Dr Richard Rex on Friday, 13 November, entitled ‘St John Fisher: from Beverley Boy to Butchered Bishop’.
The final lecture, to be held on Monday, 16 November, by Dr Gerardine Mulcahy, addresses the subject ‘Flights of Fancy?: the illustrations of Richard Caton Woodville and Friends’. All speakers are experts in their field and offer a varied and ambitious programme.
A guided tour called ‘North Bar Within and Without: an ‘Infinite Variety’ of People and Buildings’ on Saturday, 21 November, completes the programme. It will be led by Dr John Markham, commencing at 2pm outside the Beverley Arms.
Tickets are available at £3 per event or £18 for the season from the archives and local studies service on (01482) 392790 and booking is essential.
