Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor
Re: The Society Then and Now.
I am currently doing a detailed audit of the holdings in the Library’s Marsham Street Store. In the process of this I have come across a lovely News item from the Chatham and Rochester News on the 1st of August 1903 regarding the annual meeting of the Kent Archaeological Society in Rochester. As we look back on the events of this summer it is interesting to look back on that summer in the history of the Society and reflect on how much has changed. I have chosen a couple of little snippets to give you a flavour of this event.
“On Monday and Tuesday this society, after an absence of seventeen years, again held its annual gathering in the ancient city of Rochester, from which, on the second day, it made excursions into various parts of the Hundred of Hoo to inspect several ancient churches and Cooling Castle. Although the unsettled state of the weather caused the attendance to be below the average on these annual occasions, yet on Monday morning, at the preliminary meeting in the Guildhall (a building of more than ordinary interest) at Rochester, for the despatch of business, there was a great gathering. The President, the Rt. Hon. Earl Stanhope, Lord Lieutenant of the County, occupied the chair, supported by the Vice-Presidents and members of the Council, together with the officers of the Society.
Tuesday’s Proceedings were of a character which attracted a very large number of the members of the Society, including many ladies, notwithstanding that the weather forecast was the reverse of promising. Rain commenced even before the start, and continued, with only brief intervals of sunshine, during the whole day, getting worse as the day advanced. The party arriving by up or down trains were met at the Chatham, Rochester and Strood railway stations, and others at the hotels of the city, by carriages — four four-horse char-a-bancs and brakes, and one pair-horse waggonette; these were joined by a motor car and several private carriages, including that of the Earl of Darnley.”
In the pouring rain they then proceeded to visit Cliffe-At-Hoo Church, Cooling Castle, High Halstow Church, Stoke Church and Hoo St. Werburgh, where a series of enthusiastic Vicar's provided them with refreshments and told them all about their churches.
They were certainly the ‘Hard Back’ generation. It is at least reassuring to know that despite all the changes since then the weather will continue to be an unpredictable influence on the activities of the Society.
Pernille Richards