Continuing Research into Leverstock Green's History
Researches into Leverstock Green's history for the Leverstock Green Chronicle continues, though I estimate it could be many years before the main work is complete; with the basic text alone standing at over 500 typed A4 pages to date, with supporting material, transcripts of original documents etc. running to many times that amount. The time I have for research is now limited given my family, LGVA, and the several other local (mostly historically orientated) committees on which I now serve. I am also now called upon by a number of local societies to give talks on our local history. See http://www.lgchronicle.net/LectureList.html )
Progress is therefore necessarily slow, but helped by the increasing ability to access information via the Internet. Nevertheless, I always find time to do just a little more.
Recent research, mostly undertaken either at home on documents in my possession, via the Internet, at Colindale Newspaper Library or at Dacorum's Heritage Store in Berkhamsted, (why not view their web site on http://www.dacorumheritage.org.uk/) has been primarily involved in either working on teh census data now available, or trawling the microfilms of the Hemel Hempstead Gazette for information on Leverstock Green. There is much further work to be done. It can take between 3 - 8 hours to view and make notes on one year's Gazette entries alone. The Gazette being first published in 1859.
The Buglass & LGVA Archives.
I was also been fortunate since the death of LGVA President Fred Buglass, (August 1998) to have been given all the papers, minute books etc. of the Leverstock Green Parish Room Trust, discovered at his home. These proved a veritable mine of information, and I undertook the painstaking task of cataloguing the collection so future generations can appreciate their heritage. I presented the completed catalogue to the present Chairman of the Parish Trust, Ron Harris in July 1999; with the original documents being deposited at HALS (Hertfordshire Archive and Local Studies, previously known as the Hertfordshire Record Office), at County Hall Hertfordshire. Copies of the catalogue are available at Leverstock Green and Hemel Hempstead Libraries and at Dacorum Heritage Store in Berkhamsted as well as at HALS.
A few years ago I was also made Archivist for Holy Trinity Church, and have catalogued the documents still held by our local church as opposed to those which have gone to HALS. Amongst these were a couple of early Churchwardens' acount books, which have been of especial value.
When time permits which is not often, I have started to catalogue in a similar manner all the past documents connected with LGVA and which have been stored at the village hall. Some of this will undoubtedly be duplicates of some of the documents in the Buglass Archive.
For further information on these archives or any other matter concerning Leverstock Green's history please contact me.
