AN AWARD winning historian who was devoted to preserving the history of Basingstoke has died aged 78.

Barbara Applin, pictured, moved to Basingstoke almost 50 years ago to pursue her love of archaeology.

She stayed after finding love, life-long friends and a passion for local history.

Barbara was a founding member of the Basingstoke Archaeological and Historical Society (BAHS) which was set up in 1971.

She came to Basingstoke in 1968 to work as assistant curator for The Willis Museum, where she carried out rescue excavations at Oakridge and on the M3.

Barbara went on to work as an editor at publishers, Macmillan.

She received the Personal Achievement Award from the British Association for Local History after founding projects in Basingstoke including Talking History, for which she worked with a team of volunteers to interview people about their memories of the town, which is now kept in the Hampshire Record Office and Willis Museum.

Her best friend of more than 50 years, Mary Oliver paid tribute to Barbara, and said: “I loved her dearly, Barbara was just lovely, she was so kind and would always help someone if she could. She was an incredibly clever woman who worked incredibly hard to preserve Basingstoke’s history and she loved to read and go to the theatre.

“Barbara was brilliant and she will be so sorely missed. She had a very fulfilled life.”

Barbara lived in Old Kemp-shott Lane with her husband Bob, 75, who she met when she joined The Willis Museum.

They married in 1970 and as founding members of BAHS they were always passionate about local history, co-editing Eric Stoke’s book The Making of Basingstoke.

Barbara was also a major contributor to the ongoing Victoria County History project, working with the Institute of Historical Research to rewrite the Basingstoke and district entries in the Hampshire history volume, which Bob plans to continue in his wife’s name.

Barbara’s funeral will be on April 21, at 2pm, in St Joseph’s RC Church, in St Michael’s Road, South Ham.