b'PrefaceAfter nearly a decade away from Bishop Wilton, it was fascinating to re-examine the Bulletins produced by the Local History Group over a 9 year period.In July 2000 Hilda Duffy, a wartime evacuee from Sunderland, revisited Bishop Wilton and made contact with Bessy Fridlington who had been her neighbour when she was taken in by the Cooks at No 10. Bessy knew that Mike and I were interested in the past, and put us in touch. When the Show was cancelled the following year due to Foot & Mouth, we had the idea of staging a re-union of evacuees from Sunderland and Hull. With a lot of help from the School, the Church and the WI, the village put on a fine event that still shines bright in my memory. In fact, 1978 was our first collaboration with Andrew Sefton, when we collected old photos of the village for a display to raise money for St Ediths, when copies could be ordered to be printed by Andrew in his darkroomnot such an easy undertaking in those days!The first meeting of the Local History Group was in September 2002, closely followed by the first Bulletin. The wonderful thing was how it drew in so many peoplenot just the current residents such as Andrew Sefton, Eileen Hopper, Edward Walker, Andy Boyce, Wendy Gilding, but people whose families had moved but who still felt a connection. I loved doing the research, but Mike was the driver in producing the publications and later the website. It was very time-consuming (and space-consuming too) with the research expeditions to Beverley, York, Hull, Leeds, Swindon and the PRO at Kew, and enquiries and visits from former residents and their descendants. Mike also kept the LHG going, giving talks and guided walks round the village, one of which I gamely tried to video. We had a lot of fun and I am very proud of what we achieved.I am immeasurably grateful to the people who took on the burden, following Mikes death, of the huge quantity of material that we had collectedAndrew Sefton, Andy Boyce and Father James Finnemore. I know too that Andrew is responsible for maintaining the website and keeping the flame alight.The past remains important, as we all fade gently into it. Kate Pratt3'