Bulletin Contributions

Advice to authors, updated September 2024

PUBLICATION DATE: approximately 1 March 2025.

DEADLINE:   31 October 2024  (if typing needed then 4 October 2024).

LENGTH:  Articles should be around one to three thousand words in length, but we are flexible on this. The length will depend on the article itself and the balance and economic impact on the Bulletin. You may be asked to split the article over two annual editions. All sources should be fully attributed in endnotes which can be generated very straightforwardly in Microsoft Word - but please avoid excessive endnote usage.

SUBMISSION:  Preferably in Microsoft Word format (please advise early if that is not possible) and sent by email. These days most email engines can handle large files, but if you have any problems sending material to us, please use www.wetransfer.com free version. Articles should be submitted to the editor, John Dixon, at president@tewkesburyhistory.org 

ILLUSTRATIONS: Images are particularly welcome for illustrating your article. Whether in colour or black and white they can be submitted electronically in JPG format - of at least 300 dots per inch – or as original hard copy for scanning. Either way, images need to be provided as separate files from the article in order that the highest quality publication outcome can be achieved. In the case of original hard copy, please supply a stamped addressed envelope to facilitate return of the same. All illustrations should be captioned / numbered.

COPYRIGHT: It is the responsibility of the author to gain written permission from any owner of an illustration that you wish to submit. It is vital that ALL ILLUSTRATIONS which you wish to submit have a clear provenance and it is your responsibility to obtain permission in writing/email. You will, therefore, need to prove in writing that you have written for permission and, where you obtain a response, you need to submit it for our records. 

PROCEDURE:

  • As far before the deadline as possible, please submit the articles to me on president@tewkesburyhistory.org
  • Only one article per author is published in any one year.
  • On acceptance of a paper, an edited version will be sent back to you to ensure that all articles reflect house-style and for your comments and to undertake any requested amendments. It is vital that you only use one copy which will pass between author and editor. Any disputes will be referred to a sub-committee.
  • It then goes to our typesetter, who will transform the agreed edited article into the Bulletin format and place the illustrations. Typically, separate files e.g. jpegs of the latter need to be provided separately to ensure images published are of the highest quality.
  • The formatted copy will go to you for your comments and only vital changes. The revised copy will then go to an independent proof reader. Please advise me in advance if you will be on holiday.
  • The typesetter will convert the finished articles to print-quality PDFs which will be passed to the printer for production.
AFTERMATH: Offprints are provided freely to authors in digital (PDF) paper form.
Contributors might like to know that the articles of the published Bulletin are submitted for the Woodard Award. Named after the late Bob Woodard, late Honorary Life member, it is awarded each year for an article contributed to the Bulletin which is deemed by the independent judges to have contributed significantly by:
a. The quality of its research.
b. The clarity of its communication.
c. Increasing the knowledge of the history of Tewkesbury and district.
d. The way in which it is placed in its wider historical context

Please note: It has now been agreed that an article published over several Bulletins because of size will not be disadvantaged.
The award is a silver bowl, with the names of winners inscribed upon it, and a medal for the winner to keep. The judges are independent and report the results to the AGM of the Society in the year following publication; thus 2024 Bulletin will have the Woodard results announced at the 2025 AGM.  (see /Society-Honours )
Before that, an article might be short-listed by the County Local History Committee for the Bryan Jerrard Award. Two of our members have now won the prize, one has been runner up and we have had over 20 articles short-listed during the 17 years of the award's existence. (see /Society-Honours )

We have also won three national awards from the British Association of Local History under the category "Awards to Encourage Research and Publication".
If you would like an idea of the type of material that has won awards, email us and we can supply you with examples.
We would be delighted if you were to win all three awards - and we look forward immensely to reading your submission.

Best wishes

John Dixon
Print Version