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Welcome

Fylde History Network

The Fylde History Network was set up in January 2010 by Peter & Maureen Shakeshaft and Christine Storey.   

We were aware that a good deal of research is being done across the Fylde which would be of great interest to all local historians in the area, but that there was no system for liaising and communicating between the local societies.    The idea of developing a network for local historians and the dozen or so Local History Societies in the Fylde – from Pilling in the north to Lytham and from Blackpool in the west to Garstang – was born.    

Peter has written eight books, of which – ‘The History of Freckleton’ ‘Voices of Freckleton’ and ‘St Anne’s on the Sea – a History’ have been published by Carnegie Publishing.   He has also published ‘The History of Holy Trinity Freckleton’, ‘The History of St Paul’s Warton’. ‘The History of Freckleton Church of England Primary School’. ‘The Diary of George Wylie Rigby of Freckleton and ‘Lytham Priory – A History’

Christine has published a ‘Guide & History of Poulton’ published by Tempus, a book of photographs of Poulton published by Landy Publishing (Bob Dobson) and ‘Poulton-le-Fylde Through Time’ published by Amberley.

The inaugural meeting was held in Staining on January 16th 2010.   Dr Alan Crosby spoke about the Fylde and introduced the idea of local historians in the Fylde working together.  Discussions followed as to how local historians and societies in the Fylde might make use of these new contacts, by sharing ideas for speakers, research topics and information about the history of the area and how the Fylde History Network could be developed.    The inaugural meeting was funded by the Lancashire Local History Federation.

Fylde History Network Conferences:

2010 October         ‘St Anne’s on the Sea –  the Opal of the West’

2011 March            ‘A Local History Day’  

2011 October          ‘Law & Order in Lancashire’

2012 November      ‘Location, Location, Location’.  

2013 November  ‘Church & State- From Conformity to Toleration’

2014 October          ‘450 Years of Education in the Fylde’.

2015 November        ‘Struggle for Survival’

2016 November       ‘Tudor Lancashire – Disputes and Debates’

2017 November     ‘Warp and Weft – from Cottage to Mill’

2018 November       ‘The Making of Lancashire’ 2019 November        ‘Riot, Revolution, and Reform in  Early  Industrial Lancashire