Click here to download the group photograph at the end of our recent trip to the World War One battlefields in Flanders and here for an account of the trip.

Do you have a ‘History Mystery’ that deserves further investigation ?? If so, click here to download details of how the local archives service might be able to help you whilst a film is made of the investigation.

Our next evening meeting takes place in Colmworth Village Hall from 7.30pm on Friday, 17th February 2012 when Barbara Potter will be presenting a talk entitled ‘Lacemaking'. Visitors are very welcomed at a charge of £2.50.

A detailed survey of all of the inscriptions on the gravestones surrounding St Denys Church, Colmworth and from memorials inside the church has been added to our downloads section.

The Downloads / Other Downloads section now contains the November 2011 listings of our archives.

Two new pages have been added to the website: Colmworth War Memorial (telling the story of four local soldiers who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars) and Family Histories (currently containing original research on three local families).

New as of 3/10/11: the Little Staughton Baptist Chapel Registers of Births and Burials from 1770 to 1811 can be found in the Downloads section.

CNHS Chairman's Report, September 2011

In this, our tenth anniversary year, I thought it would be helpful to summarise where we have got to during our existence so far.

In summary, we have I believe achieved the following :-

• Established an effective local society
• Membership has grown considerably - up to 75 this year
• We have achieved our aim of having a broad membership, covering the local villages
• Quality of group dynamic – or, more simply, it is fun to meet!
• An excellent varied menu of speakers and events
• Solid finance
• Success with grants – eg. projector screen, display boards, banner, archive boxes
• Our topics have ranged from very local to international
• Splendid visits
• Our tours programme has developed –eg. York, Ypres
• Research Group with first publication, censuses, downloads etc.
• Archives
• Website

You may have your other points to add or contradict some of mine – but that is what a study of history is all about! I am most grateful for all the hard work of the membership and committee in so many ways, since we are a very broad-based organisation which would not function without this wide local support.

What of the future? It would be interesting to hear people’s views at the AGM, since it is always good to re-evaluate where we are going. We shall continue to develop all those items listed above, but challenges remain. Here are a few challenges as I see it.

• The age profile of the society. We do need a broader age range. This will also enable us to
• Refresh the committee as certain individuals retire or leave
• The need to spread the work load more
• Ensuring we keep our broad range of interest to all the villages and do not become too Colmworth-focussed
• The challenge of investigating and publishing more material
• Defence of the local archives services.

I must record my thanks here to all the members of the committee and all the willing volunteers whose work behind the scenes makes for a smooth-running and successful History Society.