New President
Our Society was founded in the nineteenth century, has flourished in the twentieth but the world is changing, not least the world of archaeology, history and heritage. The approach of the twenty-first century and of a new Presidency, however, require a fundamental review of the role of our Society in that changing world. As our rules give responsibility to the President, in consultation with Council, for initiating new policies, I will be inviting Council to start the review. I will also be inviting Council to consider how to involve members in that process by consultation, debate and consideration of emerging conclusions. It will be important to consult other organisations in Kent and elsewhere to obtain ideas, perspective, goodwill and cooperation.
Our Society is challenged by the increasing specialisation of interests in the study of the past, resulting in isolation in research, fragmentation of resources, diversity of organisations and inadequate advocacy of our discipline. Cooperation must be the way forward and, in this, our Society must lead by example. The strength of our generalist approach is reflected in the use, in our title, of the word archaeology in the traditional sense, covering all aspects of the study of the past. We exist to serve, represent and include all, reconciling different interests wherever possible.
Our membership list testifies to the tradition of open recruitment of amateurs and professionals, forming a meeting place for mutual involvement and support. We must promote access to our discipline through information, training, facilities, advice, contacts and encouragement. Participation in our affairs must be promoted for another reason: the expertise, time and contacts of our members are our greatest strength. We are totally dependent on voluntary effort and the amount of member participation is the only limit on our activities. Of course, the income from our inherited assets maintains our independence and finances desirable projects, particularly publications.
Access through publication has always been the backbone of our Society, whether the long series of Archaeologia Cantiana, our research reports or our records series. However, the future of publication nationally is facing great change due to the volume of new material, advances in technology, greater specialisation and differing user requirements. What needs publishing and how information should be distributed has been the subject of intense debate, not least for excavation reports. The future of publication is a great opportunity for our Society to develop the traditional role but it is also a danger, given the importance to us of the activity. We must take care how we respond, as respond we must, to the modernisation of information distribution.
Our Society derives new responsibilities from the greater involvement of public institutions, universities, local government, national quangos and archaeological units in our discipline. We must be alert to pioneer new ideas or activities that public institutions do not find convenient at the time, we must use our independence to act as cheerleader and champion for the interests of archaeology, history and heritage within and without those organisations and we must be the critical friend seeking improvement, a protector of the public interest.
Given the diversity of organisations and interests, the Society is well placed to promote a research agenda for Kentish studies through consultation, review, advocacy and activities. Research priorities and requirements should be identified, coordination between studies assisted, new or neglected areas of research highlighted. As a learned society we must be committed to research and publication, or we are nothing. We are also the county society, covering the historic county of Kent not just the current administrative unit, and, as such, the guardians of the Kentish dimension to the study of archaeology. Kent has had a distinctive past but its Kentish character is under threat. We must ensure that our inherited traditions, adapted as necessary to meet modern requirements, are passed on to future generations.
Thus the future role of our Society, and the consequent changes in our objectives and activities, will be the theme of my Presidency. I look forward to your help.
PAUL OLDHAM
Paul Oldham joined the Society in 1960, becoming a Council member in 1971 as Membership Secretary. He is a member of the Churches, Fieldwork, Finance and Publication Committees of the Society.
With the late Allen Grove, a former President of the Society, he founded the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group after obtaining a Modern History Degree from Oxford University. After twelve years as Honorary Treasurer of the Council for British Archaeology, he was elected a Vice President.
Paul Oldham is a Kent County Councillor and Maidstone Borough Councillor, as well as a former Mayor of Maidstone. He is also a Warden of Rochester Bridge, a President of the New College at Cobham and a Governor of the University of Greenwich.