The Association holds funds from which it can grant awards and prizes, with the purpose of helping and encouraging local history research and publication.
In line with its objectives of encouraging research into the history of Berkshire and the publication of material on the history of the county, the Association may make various grants. With the exception of the Berkshire History Prize, all awards must be approved by the executive committee, and are subject to funds being available.
The Anthony Cross Award
The late Anthony Cross left a sum of money to the Association, the interest on which is to be used to help pay the expenses of members researching the history of Berkshire.
1. The Award is made subject to funds being available.
2. Research may concern any part of Berkshire, as constituted before or after April 1st, 1974.
3. The maximum Award is £50.
4. Applicants must have been individual members of the Association, or members of affiliated societies, for at least two years before the application is made.
5. Applications must be made before the expenses are incurred. They should be sent to the Chairman of the Association. Claims may include the cost of copying, printing out, admission fees, and travel. They should state:
(a) how the membership qualification is satisfied;
(b) the subject of the research;
(c) where the research will be carried out;
(d) an estimate of the claim, and how the money will be spent; and
(e) the proposed outcome of the research, whether a monograph, journal article, lecture, etc.
6. Applications will be considered by at least two members of the BLHA Executive Committee, normally including the Chairman and the Treasurer, and a reply will be sent within a month of the application having been received to say whether or not it has been approved. Payment will be made within a month of the Treasurer having been notified that the approved expenses have been incurred. The granting of the award will be mentioned in the Association’s Newsletter.
7. A summary of the research should be submitted to the Newsletter Editor within six months of the grant having been made. Alternatively, longer articles based on the research may be sent to the Journal Editor for publication.
Grants for Local History Publishing
These will normally take the form of loans, available to groups or to individuals, towards the cost of printing and binding. It is expected that loans will be repaid from the proceeds from sales. The application should be made in writing to the Treasurer.
The Berkshire History Prize
A prize, worth £100, awarded jointly by the Berkshire Record Office and the Association, available to undergraduate students of the University of Reading who have submitted exceptional dissertations, using Berkshire primary sources. The prize is awarded at the discretion of the Department of History of the University.