Durham County Local History Society

IF THE SOCIETY IS TO CONTINUE ITS WORK AND UPDATE TO CONDITIONS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, IT URGENTLY NEEDS NEW MEMBERS PREPARED TO SERVE IN ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL ROLES such as a major upgrade of the website!

Full List of Articles published between 1964 and 2025 - Journals 1-90 - showing Titles and Authors.(273k) This shows the task involved in adding the full texts of these to a new DCLHS website

If you are interested to help, please contact the DCLHS Secretary, Dr John Banham on 01388 816209,

Or e-mail him at jdbdclhs@gmail.com

or write to him c/o 21 St. Marys Grove, Tudhoe Village, Spennymoor DL16 6LR.

DCLHS NEWS

Talks

Bowburn talk. Bowburn Local History Society Talk
by David Butler
Dirt, Death and Disease in Durham City

9th March 2026 7pm
at Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn, DH6 5AT

Articles

Click to see an article from
1972 Bulletin 14 - Easington Rural District by W A Moyes (1972 Bulletin 14)
and a recent update on changes to the East Coast.

Click to see an article from the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland
St Andrew's Church, Roker by Glen Dodds.

The Surtees Society is publishing The Diary of W. G. Footitt, Architectural Draughtsman of Durham, 1897-1914, edited by Michael Johnson [£80, but 40% off for those who buy online before April 30, 2026. It is also available as an e-book - click to see flyer].
This is a fascinating record of an important architectural practice during the final years of the Gothic Revival and a vivid chronicle of social history. For further information, please see the website of the Northern Architectural History Society.

Durham Museum Pop Up is located in 39 the High Street, Prince Bishops Place, near the Beamish Emporium. This Pop Up relocates some of the displays from Durham Museum, previously in the closed church of St Mary le Bow on North Bailey. The City of Durham Trust together with Beamish Museum, Durham World Heritage Site, and Durham County Council, are supporting this venture.
Durham Museum Pop Up is open Thursday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. No admission charge.
If you would like to volunteer at the Durham Museum Pop Up please email helenbarker@beamish.org.uk

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Banner DCLHS

The Society was formed in 1964 to encourage and promote interest in the study of the history of County Durham. It is a registered charity (no. 235597)

Our emphasis has been on recent centuries when County Durham was playing a major part in the economic and industrial growth of Britain and also making its individual contribution to the social, religious and political development of our country.

Like the County Durham Forum for History & Heritage, the area covered by the Society is the historic County Palatine - between the Tyne and the Tees, including the major urban areas south of the Tyne and north of the Tees.

The Society attends events promoting local history and issues a range of publications.

The Journal, available free to members, includes original contributions on Durham's history, articles on sources and reviews of books. Other publications, covering original research on a wide range of local topics, are made available to members at reduced prices.

Information on the large range of articles published in our Journal (formerly Bulletin) and other publications over the last sixty years is on our Publications page.

JOURNAL 90 - Published November 2025.

  • Appreciations of two prominent and long serving members of the Society - Richard Hird and Michael Robson.
  • ‘The College of St Andrew's Auckland and its 'phantom' school before 1470. by J J Vickerstaff.
  • Hopetown 1831-1881: The first 50 years of a new industrial community. by Ross Hamilton.
  • The Heyday of the Beehive. by Win Stokes.

Our Journal Editor, Dr Mark Egan, would like to hear from members interested in writing for the Journal, who have suggestions to make about the Journal’s format and contents or who wish to suggest subjects to be covered and possible authors. He says:

As ever, I appeal for more content! As editor, I am also happy to assist potential contributors pull articles into shape. Whether you are an experienced writer, or are just for the first time considering writing up some research, please get in touch at marksanddancer@googlemail.com

Our Membership page gives details of how to join the Society.

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