History or heritage?

This week the people of Caerwys are being given a free history book. It is not another collection of old photographs or anecdotes, rather it is an attempt to identify the forces that have shaped the town since early Victorian times.

Four themes were identified and researched: first, an overview of the economic, social and political changes of the Victorian and Edwardian period; second, an investigation into the rise of nonconformity; third, the impact of war; and finally the post war era and modernisation. The history of our community is not unique as the same processes of change were occurring across Wales.

Caerwys has changed dramatically in the last four decades: the population has virtually tripled; housing and tourist developments have changed the nature of the community. The majority of the population have moved into the town; many of these from outside Wales. The use of the Welsh language has declined dramatically. Therefore the project aimed to provide a greater understanding of the town’s history for the settled and new population, thereby fostering community cohesion and identity.

From the start the aim was to produce a ‘semi academic’ history. It was felt that there were already a number of guide books. I was commissioned to write the book in collaboration with a small committee. My view of what investigative history means was not always accepted; it was felt that certain things had to be included. In addition, numerous disputes took place over the illustrations: my approach was that illustrations (as sources) had to reinforce the points being made in the text was not universally popular. My protagonists armed with hundreds of attractive sepia photographs wanted them published alongside the text, with no obvious logical purpose. It seemed like a battle between history and heritage. In the end, however, the book was produced and will be handed out later this week. It will be for the community to judge whether or not it has been a success.

The project has already seen the creation of a historical society and a series of lectures (not necessarily related to the town). These have been attended by up to 100 people on each occasion. The point being made is that academic (or semi academic) history is popular; many people have a real desire to know more about their past. The heritage industry is valuable in Wales, but there will always be a place for investigative history. History is, after all, about asking difficult questions

I will provide an example of how my investigation has changed perceptions of some members of the community. As part of the research I spoke with elderly residents who regularly attended chapel. Their perception was that in the earlier part of the 20th century the chapels of the town were always full each Sunday. Yet my findings showed that this was rarely the case: the fashion for chapel building in the late 19th century had ensured that there were so many of them that the number of seats was almost greater than the total population of the area. So, there is no question that nonconformity is part of the heritage of Caerwys (and Wales as a whole), but simple historical research has identified the extent to which the population as a whole attended chapel. At best history and heritage can go hand in hand, at worst it reinforces misconceptions.

I am not a professional historian, but I recognise the importance of properly conducted historical research by the academic community. However, the outcome of this research is often published in rather obscure academic journals rather than made accessible to a public hungry for history. The internet is already proving useful in opening up historical research to a larger audience; more can be done. The project in Caerwys has shown, in a very small way, how historical research can ensure that our shared heritage is based upon reason.