John Simon Fowler (born January 1956) is an English

social historian Social history, often called history from below, is a field of history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to co ...

and author who lives in

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is ...

Richmond, London Richmond is a town in south-west London,The London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) categorises the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as an Outer London borough. Although it is on both sides of the River Thames, the Boundary Commis ...

and is vice-chair of the

Richmond Local History Society Richmond is a town in south-west London,The London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) categorises the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as an Outer London borough. Although it is on both sides of the River Thames, the Boundary Commis ...

. He has written many books relating to family history and social history. Fowler, who has an MA in Archive Administration from

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

, was editor of ''Richmond History'', the annual journal of the Richmond Local History Society, from 2015 to 2019 and was editor of ''Ancestors'', the

family history Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

magazine of

The National Archives (UK) The National Archives (TNA; ) is a non-ministerial government department, non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Its parent department is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom, United K ...

, from 2004 until it ceased publication in 2010. He edited ''Family History Monthly'' from 2000 to 2004. His history-related articles have appeared in ''Local History Magazine'', ''

Family Tree A family tree, also called a genealogy or a pedigree chart, is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional tree structure. More detailed family trees, used in medicine and social work, are known as genograms. Representations of ...

'', ''

History Today ''History Today'' is a history magazine. Published monthly in London since January 1951, it presents authoritative history to as wide a public as possible. The magazine covers all periods and geographical regions and publishes articles of tradit ...

'', ''

BBC History Magazine ''BBC History'' is a British magazine devoted to both British and world history, and aimed at readers of all levels of knowledge and interest. There are thirteen issues a year, one each month and a Christmas special. The magazine is published, ...

'' and several academic journals. He was an

archivist An archivist is an information professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to records and archives determined to have long-term value. The records maintained by an archivist can cons ...

at the

Public Record Office The Public Record Office (abbreviated as PRO, pronounced as three letters and referred to as ''the'' PRO), Chancery Lane in the City of London, was the guardian of the national archives of the United Kingdom from 1838 until 2003, when it was m ...

, now

The National Archives National archives are the archives of a country. The concept evolved in various nations at the dawn of modernity based on the impact of nationalism upon bureaucratic processes of paperwork retention. Conceptual development From the Middle Ages i ...

, for 20 years. He was secretary of Labour Heritage, the Labour Oral History Project and the Friendly Societies Research Group. He is also active with the London Archive Users Forum and the Brewery and Pub History societies.Fowler, Simon
2001 profile at Fowler's history site, accessed 21 July 2024
/ref>

Works

As author

* (with William Spencer) ''Army Records for Family Historians'' (

Readers' Guide), PRO Publications, 1998, * ''At the Heart of the Community: Victoria House, Kew 1980–2020'', The Friends of Victoria House, 2022, * ''Family History: Digging Deeper'',

The History Press The History Press is a British publishing company specialising in the publication of titles devoted to local and specialist history. It claims to be the United Kingdom's largest independent publisher in this field, publishing approximately 300 ...

, 2012, * ''Family History Starter Pack: All You Need to Begin Your Family History Research'',

, 2004, * (with Ruth Paley) ''Family Skeletons: Exploring the lives of our disreputable ancestors'', The National Archives (UK), 2005, * ''A Guide to Military History on the Internet'',

Pen and Sword Books Pen and Sword Books, also stylised as Pen & Sword, is a British publisher which specialises in printing and distributing books in both hardback and softback on military history, militaria and other niche subjects, primarily focused on the Unit ...

, 2007, * ''Joys of Family History: All You Need to Start Your Family Search'', Public Record Office, 2002, * (with

David Blomfield David Guy Blomfield (11 July 1934 – 12 July 2016) was leader of the Liberal Party(UK), Liberal Party group on Richmond upon Thames Council, a writer, a book editor and a local historian. Early life and education David Blomfield was born ...

and Christopher May) ''Kew at War 1939–1945'',

; fourth edition 2024, * (with Daniel Weinbren) ''Now the War is Over: Britain 1919–1920'', Pen and Sword Books, 2019, * (with Derek Robinson) ''

Old Palace Lane Old Palace Lane is a street in Richmond, London, Richmond in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, running westwards off Richmond Green down towards the River Thames. It takes its name from the historic Richmond Palace, constructed during ...

: Medieval to Modern Richmond'',

Museum of Richmond The Museum of Richmond in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is located in Richmond's Old Town Hall, close to Richmond Bridge. It was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 October 1988. An independent museum and a register ...

and Richmond Local History Society, 2017, ; second edition 2020, * ''The Phil: A History of the Richmond Philanthropic Society'', Richmond: Philanthropic Society, 1997 * ''Philanthropy and the Poor Law in Richmond 1836–1871'', Richmond Local History Society, 1991, ; revised second edition published as ''Poverty and Philanthropy in Victorian Richmond'', Richmond Local History Society, 2017, * ''Railway Disasters'' (Images of Transport), Wharncliffe Books, 2013, * ''Researching Brewery and Publican Ancestors'', The Family History Partnership, 2009, * ''Richmond at War 1939–1945'', Richmond Local History Society, 2015, * ''Richmond in the Census of 1851'', Richmond Local History Society, 1988, * (with David Thomas and Valerie Johnson) ''The Silence of the Archive (Principles and Practice in Records Management and Archives)'', Facet Publishing, 2017, * ''Sources for Labour History'' (Public Record Office Readers' Guide), PRO Publications, 1996, * ''Starting Out in Local History'', Countryside Books, 2001, * ''Tracing Irish Ancestors'' (Pocket Guides to Family History), Pen and Sword Books, 2001, * ''Tracing Scottish Ancestors'', PRO Publications, 2001, * ''Tracing Your Ancestors'', Pen and Sword Books, 2011, * ''Tracing Your Army Ancestors'', Pen and Sword Books, 2006, ; second edition 2013, ; third edition 2017 * ''Tracing Your First World War Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians'', Countryside Books, 2008, ; second edition, Pen and Sword Books, * ''Tracing Your Great War Ancestors – The Gallipoli Campaign: A Guide for Family Historians'', Pen and Sword Books, 2015, * ''Tracing Your Great War Ancestors – The Somme: A Guide for Family Historians'', Pen and Sword Books, 2015, * ''Tracing Your Great War Ancestors – Ypres: A Guide for Family Historians'', Pen and Sword Books, 2015, * ''Tracing Your Navy Ancestors'', Pen and Sword Books, 2011, * ''Tracing Your Second World War Ancestors'', Countryside Books, 2006, * ''Using Poor Law Records'' (Pocket Guides to Family History), PRO Publications, 2001, * ''The Workhouse: The People, The Places, The Life Behind Doors'', The National Archives (UK), 2007, ; second edition, Pen and Sword Books, 2014,

As editor

* (with Robert Smith) J M Lee: ''Petersham: radar and operational research 1940–1946'', Richmond Local History Society, second edition 2024,

Notes and references

External links

Official websiteFowler's 2001 history site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, Simon 1956 births Living people 20th-century English historians 20th-century English non-fiction writers 21st-century English historians 21st-century English non-fiction writers Alumni of University College London British historians of World War II British social historians English archivists English book editors English genealogists English magazine editors English male non-fiction writers Historians of London Historians of World War I Local historians of England People associated with the National Archives (United Kingdom) People from Kew, London Richmond, London