Andrew Coles Andrew Coles first began an interest in local history, when as a child he helped out his best friend with a school project on the history of their local village.This interest was developed further by studying history at A Level and then with a degree at the College of St Paul & St Mary, Cheltenham (now the University of Gloucestershire) which he completed in 1987. After working in a bank for five depressing years post degree, he decided to change direction altogether, and set out to study to become a history teacher. He then completed a PGCE in Secondary Education at the University of Bristol, and entered the teaching profession in 1993 at a school in Wolverhampton, where he remains to this day. His passion for history, and especially local history, has continued throughout his career, and as he approaches retirement he is planning to start at MA during the next couple of years. His principle interests in local history are the history of the family, demography, migration, women's history, and reconstitution of nineteenth century communities. His main geographical area of interest is the West Midland's, and Shropshire in particular. He is really looking forward to working with like-minded committee members on exciting FACHRS projects.