The Recorders of Uttlesford History (RUH) is an association of volunteers, each with an interest in the local history of their particular parish, representing most of the places within Uttlesford District  in the north west of Essex.

Ray Franklin is ours, he was born here and has a keen interest in our history being responsible in the past for the collection of old photographs available on disc see “goodies” and the millennium book now out of print but also available on disc.

While it is clearly an Uttlesford District Council initiative it was not necessary for the volunteer to be a local councillor so its not now clear whether its a Parish Council effort or a personal one. This is why when the Parish Council web-site started up and I gladly passed over all their stuff I kept this back.

This village runs on volunteers like Ray and this web-site was set up to support all such work. Formal regulated and procedure ridden stuff belongs elsewhere whence the Parish Council’s own web-site.

SATURDAY 28 MARCH 2009: 10 am – 5 pm

The first-ever Uttlesford History Fair will take place in Saffron Walden on Saturday 28 March 2009, and promises to be an exciting event, and all completely FREE.

The day is being organised by the Recorders of Uttlesford History, a federation of historians and local history societies based in the District of Uttlesford.

The History Fair is being held to promote and encourage interest in the history of the area of north-west Essex and beyond. History Recorders and society members are setting up displays reflecting their own communities, with a strong emphasis on family history and village history.

Display stalls will include galleries of old photographs, scrapbooks and ephemera, books and journals, historical maps, oral history, computer resources, genealogy as well as original archives from both Saffron Walden and the villages. There will also be demonstrations of the much-acclaimed Uttlesford History database and website developed by the Recorders.

Among villages taking part are Chesterfords, Clavering, Debden, Elsenham, Hadstock, Hatfield Regis, Henham, Littlebury, Little Hallingbury, Manuden, Newport, Radwinter, Stansted Mountfichet, Wimbish as well as the town of Thaxted.

Saffron Walden history will be well represented with displays by local societies and the Town Library, a look at the seldom-seen Quaker Archives, and an exhibition of the Saffron Walden Town Archives – the last chance to see them before they are transferred to the ERO at Chelmsford.

In addition there will be a number of demonstrations and workshops by the Essex Record Office, and the chance to see archaeological objects found by local metal detectorists.

For further information please email chair@recordinguttlesfordhistory.org.uk or check out the website www.recordinguttlesfordhistory.org.uk