Committee (until March 2015):

David Parish (Chair)
Frank Walsh (Vice-Chair)
John Sly (Treasurer)
Ivan Cooper (Secretary)
Sandra Saban (Hatfield Heath representative)
Carol Toogood (Hatfield Broad Oak representative)
Ivan Wybrew (Archivist)
Ivan Cooper (Local History Recorder)

The Hatfield Regis Local History Society was formed, in 2000, from the Hatfield Heath History Group who had been responsible for producing A History of Hatfield Heath.

Attempts had previously been made to form a History Society in Hatfield Broad Oak and now representatives from both Villages met to write a constitution and form a committee.

This committee comprised Liz Wright, Richard Farr, Les Towers, and Ivan Wybrew, later joined by Mary White, Bob Ward, Catherine Hockley and Brian Pugh. In 2008 Robin Gurnett was elected Chairman when Liz Wright moved from the District, but sadly has since died, leaving a valuable legacy of his local history researches.

The Aims & Objectives of the Society are:

To bring together persons interested in the history of Hatfield Broad Oak, Hatfield Heath and Bush End.

To stimulate pubic interest and encourage the study of local history.

To help preserve records and objects and to co-operate with other local bodies with similar interests.

Meetings are held, alternately, in Hatfield Heath (Tuesday) and Hatfield Broad Oak (Sundays) with a programme of talks and visits.

 

Members also undertake local historical projects and these have included:

A reprint of A Tale of a Lonely Parish by Francis Marion Crawfor

A book on the History of the Hatfield Broad Oak Priory

A detailed analysis of the Stephen Green Diary

The staging of local history exhibitions for the Millennium, for the Silver Jubilee, and the Heath Festivals
Memorial books for the two Hatfield Heath Churches on the fallen from the two World Wars and the History of the two Churches

Two albums 'then and now' photographs of the Heath together with other Albums of Photos of the Heath
Identifying the names of Heath Residents from old Photographs

Detailed work on the history of local farms and farmers

A booklet on Gibson's farmhouse and the Hurdle End Cottage

A reprint of A History of Hatfield Heath

Reprints PRICE: ?4.00 each or by post ?5.00

 

There are also four new books:

The War Memorials of Hatfield Regis
This full-length book by John Sly, published to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, has 178 pages and traces the lives of the 54 men commemorated on the Great War memorials at Hatfield Heath, Hatfield Broad Oak and Bush End.
PRICE ?5.00 + pp
Enquiries: sly211@btinternet.com

The Pumps and Wells of Hatfield Heath
This publication is part of the Hatfield Regis History Society series of books which have been produced. This volume has been researched and compiled by Frank Walsh, over a two year period. 36pp booklet inc range of coloured spreads:
PRICE ?5.00 or by post ?6.00

Prisoner of War Camp 116, Mill Lane, Hatfield Heath
This 40 page A5 full colour book provides images and details of the Camp and experiences of the Villagers, Italian and German Prisoners of War held in the Camp from 1941 to 1945. Researched and written by Ivan Cooper. Available at Hatfield Heath and Little Hallingbury Post Offices:
PRICE ?5.00 or by post ?5.90

Hatfield Heath Census in 1861
Researched and written by Robin Gurnett this book contains an in-depth survey of Hatfield Heath and its residents in 186:
PRICE ?3.00 or by post ?3.65

 

Enquiries: ivandjc@aol.com