Bampton and District Local History Society

Bampton and District Local History Society

After February's ice and snow, our March meeting was altogether more relaxed. Members enjoyed the presentation by retired sheepfarmer Maurice Steele who showed his own slide-tape programme tracing the River Eden from source to sea. A keen photographer from his teens, Maurice produced a host of beautiful images of the Eden in its many moods. His command of the pre-digital technology was in itself a lesson in twentieth century history!

Although the February meeting on oral history had to be postponed because of bad weather, a small group of us subsequently spent a very informative morning with the Ambleside Oral History group. We got advice about how to organise an oral history programme, how to go about making and recording interviews and how to store information with due regard to people's wishes and need for privacy. The most enjoyable part was being asked to interview one another - even when we thought there could be nothing new to know, we actually discovered some fascinating life experiences.

We plan to have the postponed session on 'Neighbours - the key to oral history' at the BDLHS AGM on Tuesday 6th October and would welcome your ideas and contributions then. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 7th April when David and Heather Pitt will guide us along 'First Steps in Family History' - a subject of great interest to many members.

Another date for your diary is Tuesday 5th May when we plan this year's summer exploration. We will be visiting Setterah Park courtesy of Mary Westgarth who has been researching this medieval site with its scheduled ancient monument for several years. It promises to be a most interesting visit. More details later.

Pat Garside, Chair, BDLHS

Bampton and District Local History Society

The BDLHS looks likely to have a busy year - the programme of meetings, visits and social events is well underway, with highlights focussed on Helton, Setterah Park, and Haweswater. We are helping with several ongoing research projects including the recording of datestones on parish buildings, the listing of graves in St Patrick's church, the churchyard and Bampton cemetery, and the history of the Haweswater Hotel. We aim to make all the information widely available and to include it on our website, linking it together to assist people with online searches. The existing material from the Bampton Tithe Map and the history of Burnbanks has been very well used and has generated numerous enquiries. BDLHS website address is www.bampton-history.org.uk

In addition we have been approached by Cumbria Wildlife for help in supporting their project to record historic changes in the County's landscape, fauna and flora. Bampton could be one of the areas that they choose to concentrate on, interviewing residents about their memories of the fields and fells.

There are many aspects to the activities of the Bampton Local History Society - please let us know if there is a particular aspect that interests you and your skills will be gladly received! As was noted in the previous newsletter, we are preparing to carry out further oral history to supplement the considerable amount of work already done in preparation for 'Ploughing in Latin'.

Our March meeting 'The River Eden - from source to sea' is a talk and film by Maurice Steel. It will be held on Tuesday March 3rd at 7.30pm.

On Tuesday 7 April, David and Heather Pitt will be holding a family history workshop with hands-on help where people can take the first vital steps to building an account of their own personal history. It should be a fascinating evening so make a date and come along!

Two dates for the diary -

3 March 2009 7.30 Small Hall Maurice Steel The River Eden - from source to sea
7 April 2009 7.30 Small Hall David and Heather Pitt A Family History Workshop

Pat Garside, Chair, BDLHS

Bampton and District Local History Society

BDLHS continued its 2008-9 programme with a topic of considerable local interest - the history of sheep. June Hall spoke about 'Sheep and Wool in History' and drew out the ways in which they have shaped our landscape, our seasons and even our language. Using a wealth of illustrations she showed how images of sheep and shepherds coloured medieval religious texts and memorials to the dead. For many centuries, wool and later cloth manufacture, underpinned the wealth of farmers, monasteries like Shap Abbey, and indeed the nation as a whole. It was a fascinating insight into familiar local concerns.

The Society's oral history project will be the subject of the next meeting on Tuesday 3rd February 2009. The meeting is called 'Neighbours: The Key to Oral History'. The title is designed to emphasise that the project belongs to everyone, since we are all part of the neighbourhood of Bampton and its immediate areas. The evening will consist of short contributions from a variety of local people who will talk about their memories and experiences. If you, or someone you know, has a story to tell and would be prepared to talk about it for 10-15 minutes please let me know.

On Saturday February 14th from 10am - 1pm, a group of members of the Society has been invited to Ambleside to learn more about the 'nuts and bolts' of doing oral history. I'm sure this will be very valuable. Numbers have to be limited but there are places available, so please tell me if you would like to join in.

Pat Garside
Chair, BDLHS