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Latest news
A new article by Dianne Payne, 'Wheathampstead in the 1921 Census' has been added to the 'Local Research' page of the website. The 1921 Census was made available at the National Archives in January this year and is now available online, digitised and transcribed, at Findmypast and Ancestry. It offers insight into a country reeling from the First World War, with the turmoil of unemployment and a new emerging social and cultural order. It is the most extensive census to date and has particularly interesting features: questions about employer details and place of work, ‘divorce' as an option under marital status, reference to orphaned children and, like the 1911 Census, handwritten entries of residents. In this article, Dianne Payne provides an introduction to the 1921 Census for Wheathampstead, illustrating these new features, telling the stories of some of the village residents, and showing how the Census reflects the issues and everyday life of the period.
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Wheathampstead has a long and fascinating history and the History Society, which was set up in 2011, aims to share our interest and enjoyment in this history and heritage. We aim to promote knowledge and understanding of the village, past and present, often in liaison with other interested groups both in the village and further afield (See Links).
We meet on the third Wednesday in the month in the Mead Hall in East Lane (behind The Bull, next to the free car park) and have a programme of speakers . We also publish a monthly bulletin.
We encourage local people to research our local history and heritage. Click here to read a wide range of articles researched and written by members of the Society.
On 10 and 11 May 2025, we staged an exhibition in the Marford Memorial Hall to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Attended by more than 800 people, it was a great success. By popular request, a limited version of the exhibition was staged on Village Day, 12 July. Click here for more about the exhibition.
In 2019, we published The Pubs of Wheathampstead 1830 to 1914 telling the story of the 26 inns, alehouses and beerhouses that flourished in the village over this period. To find out more about the book, click here
MEMBERSHIP is £10.00 a year for individuals. Visitors are charged £3.00 per meeting attended. Members are also affiliate members of Welwyn Archaeological Society and have free access to their meetings.
You can become a member at any of our meetings or by downloading this membership form and sending it to the address shown. You can pay your subscription by cheque made out to Wheathampstead History Society, or by BACS to a/c 73 46 26 92, sort code 20 53 33.
Chairperson: Mike Smith
Hon. Treasurer: Ray Wilson
Hon. Secretary: Ruth Jeavons, 44 Necton Road, Wheathampstead, St Albans AL4 8AU
Email address: whs@wheathampsteadheritage.org.uk
