Kate Morris - Social Historian

Kate’s passion for social history and service in local government was nurtured already as a teenager influenced by her father’s interest in serving his community.  

She also found fascination in family and local history as she listened to the tales her Yorkshire grandmother had to tell about her life in the small village of Newport in the East Riding in the late 19th century.  The opportunity to devote herself to this came with a place on the MA course on Historical Research at the University of York in 2001. Kate’s MA thesis evolved as a history of Newport, which was later published by Tempus as Around Newport and Broomfleet in 2003.

Her research since then has included her own family’s history, most of which was centred on the Ridings of Yorkshire, though she discovered forebears also venturing to London as so many young men did in the 18th century. One of these lived out his life in St Albans as she would three centuries later. Her genealogical expertise has also supported local charitable organisations with auctions for her research time.

A mission to encourage interest in local heritage and inspire research into aspects of local history has resulted in several initiatives which Kate has driven through her position as Heritage Champion and as Mayor of St Albans. Her activities as a member of SAHAAS also promote research and have been rewarded by an ever growing range of publications on the history of St Albans. For more about her own publications and initiatives, click here.

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