THE CLEVELAND AND TEESSIDE
LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY PRIZE
The J.T. Packett Prize
Since 2007, our Society has run a biennial prize essay competition, made possible by a generous bequest from the late Mr. John T. Packett. The 2025 competition was different from the usual format, because we joined with the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway offering a much bigger prize, open to everyone, but limited to research about the Railway. Now, things are back to normal.
The next Packett Prize will be awarded in 2027. The closing date, if you want to enter, will be the end of March 2027. As usual, you can choose to write about any subject relating to history in our local area. It could be something which relates to the whole district, or just to a small part – a town, a village, a street or a building. It could be about a person, a place, an activity, or perhaps a comparison between things. The possibilities are legion! If you are not sure whether your chosen subject is suitable, or if you’d like to write about something more than about 20 miles from the River Tees, please contact our Secretary to check whether your choice will be acceptable.
When you send in your finished essay, our Secretary will pass on your entry to our three judges without your name on, so they can be completely impartial when it comes to picking the winner.
The length of your essay isn’t particularly important. It will be judged on quality, not quantity. You should aim at between 2,000 and 5,000 words, but that’s only a very rough guide. Longer or shorter essays will be acceptable Also, your essay will not be judged on the quantity or quality of illustrations: the written text is the main consideration. There is a prize of £250 for the winning entry. If you are new to writing local history essays, or not sure if your work would be good enough, don’t worry! There’s also the chance of winning £50 for an entry which shows potential.
The competition is not open to professional historians. It is open to any amateur historian or student, whether they are a member of the society or not. The prize is intended to encourage amateurs and first-time writers. Those who have entered the competition previously or who have submitted essays to Cleveland History in the past are also encouraged to take part. Even if you don’t win, you will enjoy researching your chosen subject, and your finished work might still be suitable for publication in Cleveland History.
Remember – closing date is the end of March 27. Best start planning now!