On November 4 on HMS Belfast 44 pupils representing 447 students came together with their teachers and parents to mark the excellence of their work in history inthe Young Historian prize scheme.
Three of them were barely five years old, several were now serious students at A-level. The whole group represented quality, achievement and well-merited pride.
The work this year was some of the best ever, and wide-ranging in content. Coming from all over the British Isles, from Liskeard, Cornwall, to Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, we had fine local history, distinguished world history, moving recent history and very distinguished work in cultural history.
The guest presenter was Lady Antonia Fraser. The judging panel was represented by chairperson Gordon Batho and member Dorothy Meade. Also there were the people who had made the scheme possible - representatives from the Royal Historical Society, the Wolfson Foundation, English Heritage, Past Times, the Young National Trust Theatre and Victoria County History.
John Fines is president of the Historical Association
