News

A proposal has been approved by the committees of the VCH Trust and the Derbyshire Record Society (DRS) to wind up the Trust as a separate body and transfer its funds and activities to the Record Society. This post gives further information on the merger proposals.

The merger will not affect the work of either society. Philip Riden will be continuing as honorary county editor for VCH in Derbyshire (and also Nottinghamshire), with funding coming from the Record Society. Both organisations will continue their programme of publications.

For this proposal to go ahead it needs to be approved by members of the VCH Trust. The committee thought that rather than calling a special meeting purely to discuss the proposal that it would be sufficient to write to members and ask them to signify their approval by letter, email or telephone. We have now undertaken this – but if members have not received their copy, please let our hon. County editor know as soon as possible. (The letter also includes a memorandum, which gives further information on the impact of the merger).

If any members raise doubts about the proposal, we will call a meeting to explain further the thinking behind it. If anyone wishes to ask specific questions, Philip Riden will be happy to answer them.

Assuming the proposal is approved, we would like to close the VCH Trust books on 31 March 2026 and transfer its funds to the DRS account. We would therefore ask Trust members paying the £5 a month subscription to cancel their bank standing orders after the payment due at the beginning of March.

Everyone who has been subscribing standing order (or by an annual payment of £60) will become a life member of the Record Society and be able to buy publications at members’ discount. There will be other adjustments that need to be made. These will include reviewing the future of the currently two separate websites and obtaining permission of the Charity Commission. On the latter the committee believes that the objectives of the VCH Trust and the DRS are similar. This should result in a successful merger.

We would like to thank all members of the VCH Trust most wholeheartedly for their support for the project over many years. This has enabled the History to be successfully re-established in Derbyshire.

If, as a member, you have not received the letter, or require any further information please contact our Hon. County Editor, Philip Riden.

The late Mr Gladwyn Turbutt, 1927–2025.

Members of the Derbyshire Victoria County History Trust and no doubt of the greater local history community in the county, will be saddened to learn of the death on 12 September 2025 of our President at the age of 97.

At his express request, there was no public funeral and there will be no memorial service.

Although in recent years Mr Turbutt had retired from active involvement with both VCH and the Derbyshire Record Society, he was for many years closely involved with their work and remained a most generous supporter. As President of the Record Society he acted as chairman of the committee for some thirty years.

In addition to his work as a local historian, Mr Turbutt will be warmly remembered throughout the county for his many acts of public service, including his support for the Church of England and a long list of voluntary organisations. He was both a former High Sheriff and a Deputy Lieutenant of Derbyshire.

A tribute to Mr Turbutt’s life and work was given at our Annual General Meeting on 11 October. A full appreciation will be published in Volume 145 (2025) of the Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, whose appearance will for this reason be delayed by a few weeks. Mr Turbutt was a former President of the Derbyshire Archaeological Society.