The Reginald Hine Award

The Reginald Hine memorial

The Reginald Hine               memorial

Named after the early twentieth-century Hitchin historian, the Reginald Hine Award was first proposed in March 1979 as an essay competition for works, in adult and junior categories related to the history of Hitchin.

Each year, the best essay was to have received the Stanley Lee Hine Memorial Cup, donated by Stanley Lee. Subsequently, the basis for making the award has been widened to include the full range of activities encompassed by the Society.

The cup is now awarded each year to a person or persons who, in the opinion of the committee, have made a significant contribution through their actions research or publications, to Hitchin Historical Society and the furtherance of the understanding of the history of Hitchin.

President Bob Williams (right) presented the Hine Award to Mike Clarke, publications, Pauline Humphries (left) and Bridget Howlett, editors, at the AGM in 2019, for their book Discovering More About Hitchin. The award included the fourteen authors: Stephen Bradford-Best, Nigel Claydon, Peter Ellis, Alan Fleck, Chris Honey, Bridget Howlett, David Howlett, Christopher Hubbard, Pauline Humphries, Terry Knight, John Lucas, Nadfiisa Sayany, Janet Walker and David Wheeler MBE

Some of the authors (L to R): Simon Walker, Pauline, Mike, Bridget, Chris Honey, Derek Wheeler MBE, David Howlett (hiding!), Brian Worbey (non-author) and Terry Knight.

In 2020 and 2021 there has been no AGM meeting at which to award the trophy, due to the Covid-19 situation.

Photos courtesy of Pamela Skeggs