THE names of the winners of two prestigious local history awards will be announced at the annual meeting of the Forest of Dean Local History Society next week.

The awards are named after two previous presidents of the society, Dr Charles Scott-Garrett and Dr Cyril Hart. Both were founder members and recognised nationally for their research and contribution to local history.

Dr Scott-Garrett, a Scottish rugby international trials player, came to the Forest as a scientist manufacturing acetone for the Ministry of Munitions at Speech House Road at the outbreak of the First World War. After working in various parts of the country he returned to the Dean and lived at Aylburton. Following his retirement in 1930 he devoted himself to local archaeology.

Dr Hart was a prolific researcher and writer with a deeply rooted interest in Forestry.

The Scott-Garrett Award is for the best talk of 2015/16. Dr Hart’s Award is for the article judged best and published in last year’s The New Regard, the society’s annual journal.

The winners will be announced at the society’s annual meeting to be held at the West Dean Centre, Bream, on Saturday, October 8 at 2.30pm.

The meeting will be followed by an exploration by vice-president Ian Pope into the mines owned locally by the powerful Crawshay family.

Society chairman Simon Moore, who is expected to be re-elected for a third year, said the awards always attracted great interest.

He said: “We have over 300 members so we try to produce a varied programme. There are 10 indoor and three outdoor meetings held at various Forest locations and visitors are welcome to try us out first!”