History Society Receives Award For Best Journal In Britain

Published on: 18 Jul, 2021
Updated on: 24 Jul, 2021

Send & Ripley History Society has won the 2021 British Association for Local History award for the best local history society journal / newsletter.

The society’s chairman, Cameron Brown, said: “This is a prestigious award, won against competition from societies throughout Britain.

“The British Association for Local History was formed in 1982 but can trace its origins back to the National Council For Social Service formed in 1948 and is the national charity which promotes local history studies.”

The covers of three of the Send & Ripley History Society’s recent journals.

Send & Ripley History Society was founded in 1975, initially as the Send History Society. Forty-six years on, with more than 330 members (despite Covid) the society reports that it is a flourishing group dedicated to researching and recording the history of Send, Ripley and surrounding parishes, including Ockham, Pyrford, Wisley, Byfleet, and further afield.

The society publishes six journals each year and they are sent free to members. Every journal since 1975 has been indexed and digitised and is available to view on the society’s website, free of charge, to members and non-members alike. Although the most recent 12 journals are restricted to members only.

The British Association for Local History praised the quality of production as well as the range of content and the evidence of involvement and participation by the local community.

The editor since 2017 has been Cameron Brown (a retired publisher) but credit for the aesthetic quality goes equally to the art director, Cameron’s wife Ditz, and to David Bedford of Headline Design and Print, from Woking, who handles the design and production of the journal.

The society has a museum in the grounds of the Ripley Village Hall, featuring changing exhibitions of local interest.

It is currently open by appointment only. In normal times members enjoy five or six (free) talks a year in the village hall, three or four outings during summer months, plus the journals.

New members are always welcome.

Click here for the society’s website.

Or contact the membership secretary by sending an email to christina.sheard@btinternet.com

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