Westmorland 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
Alston Moor Historical Society Email: [mailto:llaw840090@aol.com llaw840090@aol.com] Website: Alston Moor Historical Society


 * Alston Moor Historical Society was founded in 1973 and, due to the geographical situation of Alston Moor, it is a member of both the Northumberland Association of Local History Societies and the Cumbria Federation of Local History Societies.

Appleby Archaeology Group Supper Room of Appleby's Market Hall Eden Valley Carlisle, Cumbria CA16 6XF UK Email: [mailto:administrat0r@applebyarchaeology.org.uk administrat0r@applebyarchaeology.org.uk] Website: Appleby Archaeology Group


 * Appleby Archaeology is focused on practical, field archaeology. Most of the Group's activities take place in the Appleby area but our interests range across the whole of Cumbria.

Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society (CWAAS) Telephone: 01524 67523 Email: [mailto:general.secretary@cumbriapast.com general.secretary@cumbriapast.com] Website: Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society


 * The Society's charitable purpose is the advancement of education and culture in the fields of the arts, heritage and science. To promote, encourage, foster and coordinate the study of archaeology, history, genealogy, customs and traditions with special reference to the County of Cumbria which now includes the historic counties of Cumberland and Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands and the Sedbergh district of Yorkshire. Affiliated groups are the Carlisle Affiliated Group, the Kendal Historical & Archaeological Society, the Penrith Affiliated Group, and the South West Cumbria Historical & Archaeological Society.

Cumbria Family History Society Email: [mailto:secretary@cumbriafhs.com secretary@cumbriafhs.com] Website: Cumbria Family History Society


 * The Cumbria Family History Society was founded to help members carry out their genealogy researches and our area of interest is the modern county of Cumbria, which is the old counties of Cumberland and Westmorland and a part of Northern Lancashire and North Yorkshire.

Cumbria Industrial History Society Shap Wells Hotel B6261 Shap Penrith, Cumbria CA10 3QU UK Email: [mailto:lowludderburn@btinternet.com lowludderburn@btinternet.com] Website: Cumbria Industrial History Society


 * CIHS was formed in 1985 by members of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society with a particular interest in industrial history.

Cumbria Local History Federation Email: [mailto:secretary@clhf.org.uk secretary@clhf.org.uk] Website: Cumbria Local History Federation


 * The Cumbria Local History Federation (CLHF) has a membership of Cumbrian local history societies, related groups and individuals. It promotes an interchange of information about activities and events. Additionally, the Federation provides a forum for liaison, a means of cooperation and a capacity for county-wide activities.

Duddon Valley Local History Group Victory Hall 4 Station Rd Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria LA20 6HN UK Telephone: 01229 861511 Email: [mailto:info@duddonhistory.org.uk info@duddonhistory.org.uk] Website: Duddon Valley Local History Group


 * DVLHG was formed in the early 1990s and runs a programme of activities and talks for its members. Our five year long study of the whole valley has restarted extending the survey to cover areas not walked in earlier phases. Our findings led to our current major project with Oxford Archaeology North excavating three medieval longhouse sites near Seathwaite Tarn.

Holme & District Local History Society Burton Memorial Hall Main St Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria LA6 1NA UK Telephone: 01524 782198 Website: Holme & District Local History Society


 * The Society concentrates on the local parishes of South Lakeland (Cumbria), including Holme, Burton, Beetham, Hutton Roof, Heversham, Lupton, Milnthorpe, and Preston Patrick. From the beginning we have collected photographs, maps and books about our local area for our library.  As the collection expanded with donations from members and non-members we started an archive section, now divided between two archivists: (1) Holme and (2) Burton & the district.

North West Catholic History Society Email: [mailto:editor@nwcatholichistory.org.uk editor@nwcatholichistory.org.uk] Website: North West Catholic History Society


 * The North West Catholic History Society promotes the study of the history of the Catholic Church in the region west of the Pennines, the old counties of Cheshire, Cumberland, Lancashire, and Westmorland.

Orton & Tebay Local History Society Orton Methodist Church Penrith, Cambria CA10 3RG UK Email: [mailto:OTLHS@btinternet.com OTLHS@btinternet.com] Website: Orton & Tebay Local History Society


 * Orton & Tebay Local History Society was formed to research and collate information about our area. It meets on a monthly basis to listen and to learn from various speakers on local historic events and places.

South West Cumbria Historical & Archaeological Society Egremont Market Hall Supper Room 6 Market St Egremont Copeland, Cumbria CA22 UK Telephone: 019467 24634 Website: South West Cumbria Historical & Archaeological Society

Wesley Historical Society - Cumbria Methodist History Society 36 Kirkhead Road Kents Bank Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria LA11 7DB UK Telephone: 015395 33865 Email: [mailto:wilkinson789@tiscali.co.uk wilkinson789@tiscali.co.uk] Website: Wesley Historical Society - Cumbria Methodist History Society


 * The Society was formed in 1976 and is one of several Regional Methodist Historical Societies which were originally branches of the Wesley Historical Society, established in 1893. We cover all aspects of Methodist history (including former Methodist denominations) with special emphasis on Cumbria.

Westmorland Societies
Appleby-In-Westmorland Society Market Hall Supper Room Boroughgate Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria CA16 6XB UK Telephone: 017683 51592 Email: [mailto:viviennegate@aol.com viviennegate@aol.com] Website: Appleby-In-Westmorland Society


 * The aims of the Society include the promotion of high standards of planning and architecture, the preservation of features of historic interest, and the stimulation of interest in the geography, history, and architecture of the area.

Bampton and District Local History Society Bampton Memorial Hall 2 Croft End Bampton Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2RS UK Telephone: 01931 713294 Website: Bampton and District Local History Society


 * The Bampton and District Local History Society aims to record and investigate the physical and social history in the Bampton area. Our programme of meetings is primarily focussed on specifically local subjects, with an emphasis on seeking out Bampton's history 'on the ground'.

Crosby Ravensworth Local History Society Telephone: 01931 715324 Email: [mailto:TEDRELPH@aol.com TEDRELPH@aol.com] Website: Crosby Ravensworth Local History Society


 * The purpose of the Society is to encourage interest in the History of Crosby Ravensworth and the former County of Westmorland, to increase knowledge of Local Customs, Traditions, Historic Sites, Architecture and Families, to carry out research and add to the body of knowledge; when appropriate to publish literature based on research projects.

Kendal Historical & Archaeological Society The Shakespeare Centre Yard 76 Highgate Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4HE UK Telephone: 01539 722006 Email: [mailto:helenholmes07@hotmail.co.uk helenholmes07@hotmail.co.uk] Website: Kendal Historical & Archaeological Society

Levens Local History Group Levens Institute Lowgate Levens Near Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8NL UK Email: [mailto:levenshistory@btinternet.com levenshistory@btinternet.com] Website: Levens Local History Group


 * The Levens Local History Group was set up in 2006 to research and investigate the heritage of the village and parish and its occupants. The longer-term aim of the group is to produce a total history of the development and growth of the village up to 2005.

Long Marton Local History Group Long Marton Village Institute Long Marton Road Long Marton, Cumbria CA16 6BJ UK Telephone: 017683 62642 Email: [mailto:kspence@phonecoop.coop kspence@phonecoop.coop] Website: Long Marton Local History Group


 * Our Local History Group focused on collecting items of recent history, including oral recordings of village people who had spent much of their lives here, & who have a fund of stories concerning farming, mining, & the railway which arrived in the 1870’s & was an important influence on the village until the station closed in 1968.

Ravenstonedale Parish History Group High Chapel House Ravenstonedale Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4NQ UK Telephone: 015396 23308/07798 688057/015396 20605 Website: Ravenstonedale Parish History Group


 * The Group’s origins go back to 2010, when it became necessary to find storage for a large amount of Parish archive material, and it was felt that this could be located in the former High Chapel in the centre of Ravenstonedale village. At the same time it was decided that the archive should be organised, catalogued, and made available to anyone interested in viewing it. This work is ongoing!

Shap Local History Society Shap Memorial Hall Main Street Shap Penrith, Cumbria CA10 3NL UK Telephone: 01931 716244 Email: [mailto:liz.amos68@gmail.com liz.amos68@gmail.com] Website: Shap Local History Society


 * Shap Local History Society was formed in 2001 with the aim of recording and collecting together the vast amount of archive material relating to the Parish.

Staveley & District History Society Middle Holme Kentmere Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9JP UK Email: [mailto:sec@sdhs.org.uk sec@sdhs.org.uk] Website: Staveley & District History Society


 * The Local History Society for the Westmorland Parishes of Over and Nether Staveley, Hugill and Kentmere.

Upper Eden History Society Kirkby Stephen Grammar School Christian Head Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4HA UK Email: [mailto:daveb.williams@virgin.net daveb.williams@virgin.net] Website: Upper Eden History Society


 * This is a Society for people who have an interest in history and live in the area of Kirkby Stephen in the upper part of the valley of the River Eden in Cumbria.