I just passed Swindon on a train. Ironic given the 1st book I get credit as an editor is in my hands today (for the 1st time 😱). Think you know Swindon? You really don’t if you haven’t read this by local history legend John Chandler, Hobnob 😁

And here are John Chandler, Hobnob and Dr Louise Ryland-Epton in action! We had great fun at the first of our Gloucestershire Heritage Hub workshops Missed it? Join us in two weeks time for the next one. See the heritage hub’s site for more details of the full program: heritagehub.org.uk/local-history-…

Some publications news from our sister projects in Wiltshire and Somerset. First off, our colleague Dr Louise Ryland-Epton, who also works with @WiltsHistory, has produced this amazing book in collaboration with the community of Bremhill.

And our colleagues at VCH_Somerset recently published their latest Big Red Book, which features the North Somerset coast, including Dunster Castle and the Butlin’s holiday camp. And if you hurry, you can pick up a copy from Boydell & Brewer with a fat 25% discount.

If that’s not enough, check out the Victoria County History page on the Institute of Historical Research website for new draft texts from our friends at VCH Oxfordshire and VCH Essex Trust!

And if you still want more, we can look forward to next year, when a whole new batch of Big Red Books being added to British History Online, where you will be able read them FOR FREE!

And don't forget, you can also find our recent drafts - on the parishes near Cheltenham, Cirencester and Chipping Sodbury - on the Victoria County History page: history.ac.uk/research/victo… Work continues on the county, and we'll hopefully be able to add more drafts to the collection soon.

Something fun to brighten a dreary January Monday: do you think Sandi Toksvig is reading one of our Victoria County History Big Red Books in this clip and if so, which volume do you think she chose?!

Spent the morning in Winchcombe ahead of my VCH Gloucestershire talk to the community in March. Loved this grotesque with his hat & tiny hands. Poor Thomas Williams looked a bit lonely in his memorial, but his facial hair was fab. The town will be the focus of our next volume! 😁

Further information for Hoskins Day 1st June, hope to see you there.

If you are not sure where to begin when analysing or writing about buildings join us on the 7th May for our next online training session. Victoria County History’s Ruth Slatter & Simon Drapper from VCH Gloucestershire & VCH Oxfordshire will give a beginners guide history.ac.uk/events/underst…

It was great to see our recently retired editor Dr John Chandler awarded a VCH red badge yesterday, acknowledging his many outstanding contributions over the last two decades for both VCH Gloucestershire and @WiltsHistory (not to mention his generous support to colleagues everywhere).

We’re so proud to be a part of this great project. We are so lucky to be able to do this work. And as the modern VCH Glos. was established in 1959, this happens to be our 65th anniversary year. Maybe we should have some cake?

In the 2nd of two blogs to mark 125 years of the Victoria County History our General Editor (Architecture) Ruth Slatter looks to the future & highlights 6 key priorities as the project to continues to flourish as a national network of #placebased research blog.history.ac.uk/2024/05/the-vi…

In a world that's about to become crowded with politicians' dubious pledges, please read my colleague Ruth Slatter's 6-point manifesto for the future of Victoria County History - a vision I'm sure we can all get behind. Proud to be part of this project as it looks to its *next* 125 years...

Our six pledges to the people of our towns and villages.

Whoop! And FAO VCH Gloucestershire...

Exciting developments as VCH works to bring the remaining published texts to British History Online.

Looking through the 1921 census for one of my VCH Gloucestershire parishes, and intrigued to find a professional footballer amongst all the ag labs and other rural workers. Intriguingly, he was actually under contract to Sunderland AFC whilst apparently living near Cirencester.

For those who are curious, his name was Charles Edward 'Ted' Clack, and he has a biography on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Clack. Over two seasons the winger made 9 appearances for the Rokerites, failing to win any. Perhaps that is why he moved to Bristol City for free in 1923.