Extinction Rebellion demonstrations have gained currency across the country in recent months, including in Hereford, with many students and school children making a stand. Fifty years ago, it was a stand of another sort when Hereford Art College students marched to show their support for the growing anti-Vietnam war movement. Several years later, and another generation refuse to be moved in a sitting-down protest for CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament). But then in matters closer to home, the proposed merger of the two counties of Hereford and Worcester in 1972 produced a vociferous response. One gentleman Hereford landlord at the Horse & Groom, Lloyd George allowing his protest to go to his head. The proposal never attracted the loyalties of Herefordians and a “Hands off Herefordshire” campaign was set up, sadly to no avail. The suggestion of a new name, ‘Malvernshire’ (because the Malvern Hills were roughly in the geographical centre of the new county), did not sway them, and it was widely lampooned. Despite an imaginative and energetic campaign by anti-merger supporters, the merger went ahead, and stayed in place until 1998, where the county once more reverted to plain old Herefordshire to the delight of many. Once again Derek Evans archive of photos has given us a great insight into these moments of time in the county’s history. To explore this collection of photos, which are being digitised by volunteers working with Catcher Media and Herefordshire Archives visit www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk