Report of the Inaugural Meeting
of the
Dorset History Forum
at
Thomas Hardye School, Sixth Form Centre
(by kind permission of the Head Teacher)
Saturday 24th March 2007
Over 80 representatives of local and family history, archaeology, historic built environment,
archives and heritage groups met together to initiate the Dorset History Forum. The meeting
was led by Hugh Jaques, the County Archivist and supported by the Dorset History Centre.
John Chandler, freelance local historian and publisher and former Wiltshire County Local Studies
Librarian, gave an entertaining talk on Local History past, present and future. John highlighted the
role that local history plays in the perception of a place and the importance that it has today to education
and tourism especially in a county such as Dorset.
Later David Hayns, presented the meeting with much food for thought on the work that other
similar forums have undertaken around the country. David is a member of the Executive Committee
of the Cheshire Local History Association but was also a National Field Officer for the
British Association for Local History (BALH).
A lively question and answer session sparked exchanges of ideas and connections being made between
groups. There was a buzz of enthusiasm and much animated discussion over lunch.
In the afternoon Hugh Jaques presented the Steering Committee of Katherine Barker of the
Dorset Local History Group, John Brown of the Dorset Industrial Archaeology Society,
Jane Ferentzi Sheppard of the West Dorset Research Centre (unable to attend on Saturday),
Jacqui Halewood, Principal Archivist, Michael Hodges of the Christchurch Local History Group
and Ann Smith of the Dorset Record Society (unable to attend on Saturday) to the meeting.
The Steering Committee proposed that:
· The Dorset History Forum will encompass all aspects of history and heritage in Dorset.
· Will act as a network of organisations providing mutual advice and support to learn about and from the work that others are doing.
· Will work with professionals employed in the field in the county and to gain support from and to support them.
· The Steering Committee plus any other members who are co-opted at any time should continue to work on the establishment of the Dorset History Forum as an independent body.
· The Steering Committee will work on the aims and objectives, constitution and organisation of the Forum with a view to holding the first AGM in the autumn.
· The Forum will require a number of Committee members including Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer as well as an Events Secretary or group, a Publicity Secretary, Newsletter Editor and Web master.
The meeting was then asked for a show of hands to approve the proposal of the Steering Committee,
which the meeting unanimously approved.
The meeting then divided into 7 groups to discuss their ideas and views on what the groups want from
a Dorset History Forum.
Again much animated discussion was evident and each group reported back to the whole meeting in turn.
Many similar themes resulted from these group discussions and notes for the Steering Committee to consider.
The main themes were:
· Sharing expertise, knowledge, interests and resources – networking minimising duplication
· A register of members interests and skills
· Information on speakers and contact lists of members of the Forum
· Need for a web site and newsletter
· The importance of communication and sharing
· That the Forum could help smaller societies in their activities by providing support in a variety of ways
· Need for regular meetings and rotating meetings and events around the county
· Need for a membership fee that could be based on the size of the organisation
· Need for smaller meetings/sub groups created to encompass special or specific interests
· Need for workshops to help societies with issues such as how to research, resources and sources available, obtaining funding, how to publicise the group and copyright
· Need for engagement with schools to promote the importance of history
· Possibility of the Forum having equipment that could be loaned out to societies
· Possibility of the Forum being able to bulk purchase supplies that could be purchased by the societies.
· Need for the Forum to be able to provide advice to the member societies
· Need to effectively publicise the work of the Forum
· Need to publicise the Forum to parishes and communities groups in the county
· Need to work with the agencies in the county who work with volunteers and communities
· Need to establish links with BALH
In closing the meeting Hugh Jaques summarised the feedback, thanked the speakers and representatives
for coming to the meeting and appealed for the registration and members interest forms to be completed.
During tea many people took the opportunity to continue networking.
Everyone reported that it had been a successful and valuable day.