Bedfordshire Societies

Family history societies often publish helpful journals, transcripts, compiled genealogies and host helpful websites. They may have ongoing projects to transcribe records and create indexes. Most societies publish queries in their journals and maintain lists of members’ research interests that may be helpful to you. You may want to join one of these societies, reap the benefits of their expertise and resources, or support its efforts.

Addresses of the societies are for the most part where their meetings are held as they are by-and-large not brick-and-mortar institutions.

Regional Societies
Albion Archaeology St. Mary's Church St. Mary's Street Bedford, Bedfordshire UK MK42 0AS UK Telephone: 0300 300 6877 Email: [mailto:h.cooper-reade@albion-arch.com h.cooper-reade@albion-arch.com] Website: Albion Archaeology


 * Albion Archaeology, originally established in 1972 as Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service (BCAS), is a professional archaeological organisation providing a full range of archaeological services to the private, public and voluntary sectors. Based in the historic St Mary's Church in the heart of Bedford, we operate on a regional and national basis, helped by good transport links to large parts of central, eastern and southern England.

CBA South Midlands Group Email: [mailto:dp.ingham@albion-arch.com dp.ingham@albion-arch.com] Website: CBA South Midlands Group


 * The CBA South Midlands group, an autonomous local group under the umbrella of the national Council for British Archaeology. CBA South Midlands covers four counties – Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. They are an educational charity working to involve people in archaeology and to promote the appreciation and care of the historic environment for the benefit of the present and future generations.

Cholesbury & St Leonard's Local History Group St Leonards Parish Hall Jenkins Lane St Leonards Tring Dacorum, Hertfordshire HP23 6NW UK Telephone: 01494 758890 Email: [mailto:localhistorygroup@cholesbury.com localhistorygroup@cholesbury.com] Website: Cholesbury & St Leonard's Local History Group


 * Cholesbury & St Leonard's Local History Group is an amateur society founded in the early Sixties to stimulate interest in the Hilltop Villages. A regular feature has been the talks by guest speakers, be they acknowledged experts or enthusiastic amateurs, and the emphasis is naturally on subjects local to the Chilterns.

Lincoln Record Society Robert Hardy Building Bishop Grosseteste University College Longdales Road Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 3DY UK Email: [mailto:communications@lincoln-record-society.org.uk communications@lincoln-record-society.org.uk] Website: Lincoln Record Society


 * The Society was founded in 1910 to print records and documents relating to the ancient county and diocese of Lincoln. The ancient diocese covered not only Lincolnshire, the second largest county of England, but also the wide area which lay within the medieval diocese: the counties of Lincoln, Leicester, Northampton, Rutland, Oxford, Bedford, Buckingham, Huntingdon and northern Hertford. Since 1910 the Society has published ninety nine volumes many of which are still in print.

Woburn Sands & District Society Village Hall 9 Woburn Ln Aspley Guise Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK17 8JS UK Website: Woburn Sands & District Society


 * The Society was formed in the 1960’s to preserve and protect the amenities and rural character of the villages and hamlets in the area the Society covers. These include, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Aspley Heath, the Brickhills, Husborne Crawley, Salford and Wavendon.

Bedfordshire Societes
Ampthill & District Archaeology and Local History Society 15 Coniston Rd Flitwick Bedford, Bedfordshire MK45 1QQ UK Telephone: 01582 655785 Email: [mailto:secretary@adalhs.org.uk secretary@adalhs.org.uk] Website: Ampthill & District Archaeology and Local History Society


 * The Society was founded in 1962 to assist the public in the study of archaeology and local history.

Bedford Architectural, Archaeological & Local History Society Putnoe Heights Church & Community Centre Putnoe Heights Bedford, Bedfordshire MK41 8EB UK Telephone: 01234 344344 Email: [mailto:info@baalhs.org.uk info@baalhs.org.uk] Website: Bedford Architectural, Archaeological & Local History Society


 * We are a group of local people, from a wide variety of backgrounds, who share a common interest in the history and archaeology of Bedford and its neighbourhood. We are also actively involved in trying to ensure that Bedford's buildings of special architectural and historic interest are protected and to increase public awareness of their importance.

Bedfordshire Family History Society Mark Rutherford School Bedford, Bedfordshire MK41 8PX UK Email: [mailto:bfhs@bfhs.org.uk bfhs@bfhs.org.uk] Website: Bedfordshire Family History Society


 * The Society was formed in 1977 to encourage the study of Family History, Genealogy and Heraldry, primarily within the County of Bedfordshire.

Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Priory Methodist Church 63 Newnham Road Bedford, Bedfordshire MK41 9QJ UK Email: [mailto:secretary@bedfordshirehrs.org.uk secretary@bedfordshirehrs.org.uk] Website: Bedfordshire Historical Record Society


 * Bedfordshire Historical Record Society (BHRS) was established in 1912 as a focus for the study of Bedfordshire history. The BHRS has been publishing the results of research by members and non-members of the Society for more than one hundred years.

Bedfordshire Local History Association 32 Grange Road Barton Le Clay Bedford, Bedfordshire MK45 4RE UK Telephone: 01582 655785 Website: Bedfordshire Local History Association


 * The BLHA has been the successful umbrella organization for local history in the county for over thirty years. Members include: almost all of Bedfordshire’s local history societies, institutions such as the Bedfordshire Archives, and an increasing number of individuals.


 * The association promotes the study of local history within and around Bedfordshire and provides a forum for discussion and cooperation between interested groups, individuals and its members. They also seek to improve communications between local history societies and the broader historical network both regionally and nationally.

Biggleswade History Society Trinity Methodist Church Shortmead Street Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 0AP UK Telephone: 01462 813724 Website: The Biggleswade Historical Society


 * The Biggleswade History Society has the primary objective of promoting the advancement of public education through the study of local history in Biggleswade.

Caddington Local History Group Heathfield School 1A Hyde Rd Caddington, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 4HD UK Telephone: 1582 725391 Email: [mailto:peterdfarrow@talktalk.net peterdfarrow@talktalk.net] Website: Caddington Local History Group


 * Its function is to trace and preserve any aspect of Caddington’s past (and present) including the surrounding area.

Carlton & Chellington Historical Society Carlton Village Hall The Moor Carlton, Bedfordshire MK43 7JR UK Telephone: 01234 721497 Email: [mailto:CCHSsec@gmail.com CCHSsec@gmail.com] Website: Carlton & Chellington Historical Society

Clapham Historical Society Narly Oak The Baulk Green Lane Clapham Bedford, Bedfordshire MK41 6AA UK Telephone: 01234 350353 Email: [mailto:mollie.foster07@btinternet.com mollie.foster07@btinternet.com] Website: Clapham Historical Society

Colmworth and Neighbours History Society Church Rd Colmworth, Bedfordshire MK44 2JX UK Email: [mailto:secretary@colmworthhistory.org.uk secretary@colmworthhistory.org.uk] Website: Colmworth and Neighbours History Society


 * The neighbouring villages of Colmworth include Bolnhurst, Keysoe, Little Staughton, Wilden, Renhold, and Ravensden. We try to promote an interest in history, and particularly local history, through regular monthly meetings and also through our Research Group.

Dunstable & District Local History Society Methodist Church Hall The Square Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 1QJ UK Telephone: 01525 221963 Website: Dunstable & District Local History Society

Hitchin Historical Society Church House Churchyard Hitchin, Bedfordshire SG5 1HP UK Telephone: 01462 423209 Email: [mailto:secretary@hitchinhistoricals.org.uk secretary@hitchinhistoricals.org.uk] Website: Hitchin Historical Society


 * The Society's object is to increase and spread knowledge of all aspects of the history of Hitchin. We also liaise with other local societies on issues where we feel that account should be taken of the town’s historic character.

Houghton Regis Heritage Society c/o Houghton Regis Town Council Offices Peel Street Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire LU5 5EY UK Telephone: 07956 546970 Email: [mailto:david.hill3@ntlworld.com david.hill3@ntlworld.com] Website: Houghton Regis Heritage Society

Kempston Local History Society Kempston Library 32 Halsey Rd Kempston Bedford, Bedfordshire MK42 8AT UK Email: [mailto:dpilgrims57@btinternet.com dpilgrims57@btinternet.com] Website: Kempston Local History Society

Langford District and History Society St Andrew's Church Hall Church Street Langford, Bedfordshire SG18 9QE UK Telephone: 01737 312556 Email: [mailto:rowena.wolfe@which.net rowena.wolfe@which.net] Website: Langford District and History Society

Leighton Buzzard & District Archaeological & Historical Society Linslade Community Hall (St Barnabas) Waterloo Rd Linsdale, Bedfordshire LU7 2NR UK Telephone: 020 8819 5580 or 08456 44 77 07 Email: [mailto:elise@lbdahs.org.uk elise@lbdahs.org.uk] Website: Leighton Buzzard & District Archaeological & Historical Society


 * The Society's aims are to promote an interest in the past and to carrying out research in order to record our recent history and prehistory and publish these results in books, newsletters and reports. In order to do this we aim to build up a multi-layered record of the district which can be added to over time, embellished by detailed study and accessed by people interested in any aspect of our past.

Luton & District Historical Society Luton Museum Wardown Park Old Bedford Road Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 7HA UK Telephone: 01582 746725 Email: [mailto:adeye@luton.gov.uk adeye@luton.gov.uk] Website: Luton Museum

Manshead Archaeological Society of Dunstable 5 Winfield St Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 1LS UK Telephone: 01582 703911 Email: [mailto:enquiries@manshead.org.uk enquiries@manshead.org.uk] Website: Manshead Archaeological Society of Dunstable


 * The study of the prehistory and history of South Bedfordshire and adjoining areas by archaeological methods.

Maulden History Society Church Hall Church Road Maulden, Bedfordshire MK45 2AU UK Telephone: 01525 405732 Email: [mailto:rosiecoyle@hotmail.com rosiecoyle@hotmail.com] Website: Maulden History Society


 * The Society was founded to preserve the heritage of the village of Maulden and the surrounding area. We are building, together with St. Mary’s Church, a permanent local history archive to be maintained for future generations.

Potton History Society Brook End Potton Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2QS UK Telephone: 01767  260935 Email: [mailto:pottonhistory@aol.com pottonhistory@aol.com] Website: Potton History Society


 * It is an active society which organises trips, publishes material and maintains a developing archive of past and present photographs and  documents.

Riseley Historical Society High Street Riseley Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 1DD UK Telephone: 01234 708705 Email: [mailto:rjandpmorgan@hotmail.co.uk rjandpmorgan@hotmail.co.uk] Website: Riseley Historical Society


 * We have published several books on the history of Riseley which reveal aspects of village life and the people involved. The books are still available and are rich in photographs and memories of the people of the village.

Sandy Historical Research Group 12 Powers Close Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 1JS UK Telephone: 01767 226392 Email: [mailto:info@shrg.uk info@shrg.uk] Website: Sandy Historical Research Group


 * Sandy Historical Research Group was formed in late 2001, in order to capture the history of this Bedfordshire market town during the last 150 years or so (and further back where possible).

Sharnbrook Local History Group Methodist Church Park Lane Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LT UK Telephone: 01234 781791 Email: [mailto:enquiries@slhg.org.uk enquiries@slhg.org.uk] Website: Sharnbrook Local History Group


 * The active programme will normally consist of a series of talks, regular visits to places of local interest and tackling the research projects where data is collected and analysed, results are published and historical records/photographs are archived.

Toddington Historical Society Village Hall Leighton Road Toddington, Bedfordshire LU5 6AN UK Telephone: 01525 873025 Email: [mailto:tonycollinsuk@googlemail.com tonycollinsuk@googlemail.com] Website: Toddington Historical Society


 * Toddington Historical Society exists to research and record the history of the community and parish of Toddington. Toddington can trace its origins to the Anglo-Saxon period. In later centuries it was active in the strawplait and lacemaking industries.

Willington Local History Group Methodist Church Lydia St Willington Crook, Bedfordshire DL15 0AE UK Email: [mailto:wlhg@btinternet.com wlhg@btinternet.com] Website: Willington Local History Group


 * Willington Local History Group (WLHG) exists to promote interest in the history of the Bedfordshire village of Willington and of the surrounding area.

Wrestlingworth History Society Memorial Hall Church Lane Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire SG19 2EU UK Telephone: 01767 631373 Email: [mailto:roger.hutton@btopenworld.com roger.hutton@btopenworld.com] Website: Wrestlingworth History Society