Cumbria Local History Federation
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| Cumbria Local History Federation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cumbria Local History Federation |
| Formation | 19XX |
| Type | Voluntary organisation |
| Headquarters | Cumbria |
| Location | Cumbria |
| Region served | Cumbria |
Cumbria Local History Federation is an umbrella association promoting local and family history across Cumbria, linking parish groups, museum volunteers, and academic researchers. It fosters collaboration among societies in urban centres such as Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Whitehaven, and Workington and rural districts including Eden District, South Lakeland District, and Allerdale. The Federation engages with heritage bodies like Historic England, National Trust, Cumbria County Council, British Association for Local History, and Cumbria Archives Service to conserve archives, sites, and oral histories.
History
The Federation traces roots to postwar civic movements that reshaped local associations alongside organisations such as Local Government Act 1972, Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), Victoria County History, and Federation of Family History Societies. Founding meetings drew representatives from groups in Penrith, Ulverston, Kirkby Stephen, Millom, and Appleby-in-Westmorland and paralleled initiatives by Lancashire Archaeological Society, Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, Cumbria Tourist Board, and university departments at University of Cumbria and Lancaster University. Over decades it responded to national developments involving Heritage Lottery Fund, National Archives (UK), Local Heritage Initiative, and changes in National Council for Voluntary Organisations policy.
Organisation and Structure
Governance reflects common models used by Charity Commission for England and Wales registered bodies and regional federations like Yorkshire Local History Federation. An executive committee with roles analogous to chairs in Cumbria County History Trust, treasurers in Society of Antiquaries of London, and secretaries in British Records Association oversees subcommittees for archives akin to Friends of the Lake District partnerships. Volunteer trustees liaise with institutions including Cumbria Libraries, Tullie House Museum, Wordsworth Trust, Kendal Museum, Furness Abbey Trust, and borough councils such as Barrow Borough Council and Copeland Borough Council.
Activities and Services
The Federation organises training similar to programmes run by Institute of Historic Building Conservation, Council for British Archaeology, and Society for Local Archaeology, delivering workshops in archival care, cataloguing used by National Register of Archives, and oral history techniques promoted by British Library Sounds and Oral History Society. It offers advice on conservation projects involving sites like Hadrian's Wall, Carlisle Castle, Kendal Castle, and Holker Hall, and supports grant applications to funders such as Heritage Lottery Fund and Art Council England. The organisation coordinates community archaeology alongside groups like Lancaster University Archaeology Unit and assists with digitisation efforts inspired by Digital Preservation Coalition and Jisc.
Membership and Affiliated Societies
Members include local history societies from towns and parishes: Keswick Local History Society, Kirkby Lonsdale Civic Society, Cockermouth Civic Trust, Ambleside Parish History Group, Grange-over-Sands Historical Society, Maryport Maritime Museum volunteers, Egremont History Group, Milnthorpe Local History Society, Sedbergh Historical Society, Beetham Heritage Group, Broughton-in-Furness Historical Society, Silloth History Group, Wigton Local History Society, Barrow Shipbuilding Heritage Group, Ulpha and Bootle Local History Group, and family-history focused organisations like Cumbria Family History Society. Affiliated institutional partners include Cumbria Archive Service, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Wordsworth Trust, Lakeland Arts, Ribble Trust, English Heritage, and Historic Environment Record teams.
Publications and Research Projects
The Federation produces newsletters, guides, and monographs reflecting the publishing traditions of Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, Cumbria County History Trustshire volumes, and county guides similar to Pevsner Architectural Guides. It has supported projects on local industries such as Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Barrow Shipbuilding Company, Whitehaven Coalfield, Kendal Mint Cake history, and agricultural studies tracing land tenure from Enclosure Acts impacts to estate records like those of Lowther family and Fell farming landscapes. Research collaborations have involved University of Cumbria, Lancaster University Centre for North-West Regional Studies, Cumbria Record Office, Historical Manuscripts Commission methodologies, and community-led oral-history archives modeled on British Library Oral History collections.
Events and Conferences
Annual conferences mirror events staged by British Association for Local History and regional history federations, held in venues such as Tullie House, Brigflatts Meeting House, Stricklandgate House, and town halls in Kendal and Carlisle. The Federation runs lecture series featuring speakers from Historic England, National Trust, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Royal Geographical Society, and academic seminars with researchers from University of Manchester, University of Sheffield, and Newcastle University. It organises study days on themes like industrial heritage, maritime histories, ecclesiastical records, and landscape archaeology coordinated with bodies such as Council for British Archaeology and Historic Environment Scotland.
Impact and Community Engagement
Through partnerships with museums, archives, parish councils, and educational institutions like St Martin’s College and Cumbria University campuses, the Federation has helped secure conservation outcomes for sites including St Bees Priory, Souter Lighthouse, and sections of Hadrian's Wall Path. Its outreach supports school programmes patterned on National Curriculum local-history initiatives and volunteer training that feeds into regional tourism offers promoted by Visit Cumbria and heritage trails curated by Lake District National Park Authority. The Federation’s advocacy has influenced planning consultations involving Local Plan processes, heritage designations administered by Historic England, and funding decisions from sources such as Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England.