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YOU AND YOUR SOCIETY
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The AGM will be held at Maidstone again this year, on Saturday 19 May 2001. Please put this date in your diary now and attend if you can. Well over 100 members attended our second attempt at holding the AGM last year; we are grateful to them and we will need a good attendance again. The notices and other papers will be sent to members in April and will give more information about the activities. We propose to have a talk by a well known speaker in the afternoon.
Subscription reminder: see enclosed leaflet.
Summer excursion 2001 - exploring Southern Ireland, June 9-17. (provisional dates)
Two years ago the Society visited several of Northumbria's Celtic Christian sites, next year we shall explore the beginnings of that early Christianity in the south of Ireland, in County Mayo and County Galway. We shall also have the opportunity of investigating a variety of prehistoric and historic sites, from the most important Stone Age tomb in Europe, Newgrange, to the Georgian terraces of Dublin. Travelling with Stratos Travel, with pick-up points throughout Kent, we shall have an overnight stop in North Wales, at Caernarfon and will stay in a comfortable hotel outside Dublin with daily excursions. For fuller details send an s.a.e. to the Hon. Excursions Secretary, Joy Saynor.
Spring Social Evening - see enclosed leaflet.
KENT HISTORY FUND
The Kent Archaeological Society has a Local History Fund Sub-Committee of the Publications Committee with representations from the Kent History Federation, to award grants to assist serious research leading to publication.
Applications are now invited from Local History Societies affiliated to K.H.F., or K.A.S, and from individuals who are either members of K.A.S. or a Local History Society affiliated to either K.H.F. or K.A.S.
Professional historians or post graduate students are not eligible to apply. Anyone wishing to apply should write to the Sub Committee’s Secretary requesting an application form. The Sub Committee will be the panel judging applications received.
REPORT OF 36TH BUILDING RECORDERS MEETING
The 36th Building Recorders meeting held at Charing in October took the form of a tribute to Kenneth Gravett. The speaker said that it was impossible to pay a tribute to him in such a short time but as the details of Ken’s life had already been given in obituaries, the purpose that day was to pay tribute to him simply as a building recorder and to have a building recorder’s meeting that he would have enjoyed.
She referred to the simple photograph in Arch Cant chosen in honour of his presidency of the Society and suggested that many people at the meeting were there because at some point Ken had smiled on them and begun a communication and a friendship.
The first Building Recorder’s Meeting in 1964 was recalled as reported in Archaeologia Cantiana full of the energy and enthusiasm which never left him. His interests were wide and over the years he engaged speakers on cottages to castles, from greenhouses to barns, from a cricket ball factory to the 1920 experimental sound mirrors which preceded radar. His own lectures concentrated on subjects that every listener could apply to their own areas, such a post medieval roof types, false fronts on old buildings and the effects of the 18th Century London buildings Act on Kent buildings.
It was well known that Ken was interested in timber framed buildings, for listed buildings of all periods and especially for those buildings which ought to be listed. He personally visited every listed building in Kent photographing, checking and recording details. It was his greatest disappointment not to have completed the series of The Kent Historic Buildings Index. That work, together with his concern for houses on the Channel Tunnel rail link and his extra responsibilities as President of the Society absorbed his last years. His retirement meant that he could hardly and completely devote himself to what he enjoyed most in exploring even more buildings.
The short tribute closed with a few moments of quiet for members to appreciate their own special memories.
Ramon Higgs followed with a presentation of his own small house at Weald, Sarah Pearson with details of the research for the forthcoming Hearth Tax publication and Maureen Lovering with details of a house on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. It was indeed an afternoon that Ken Gravett would have enjoyed.
THE ALLEN GROVE LOCAL HISTORY FUND £1,700 given in grants
Last year the Fund made seven grants to help work being done by groups and one individual, John Cotter of Whitstable, who is studying the little known Canterbury silver industry (1690 to 1800) and was given £200 towards his expenses and the costs of illustrations.
Brenchley and Matfield Local History Society received £400 on a Domesday Album with 60 pages of information and photographs to provide a record of the village at the start of the Millennium; 100 copies will be produced. Charing and District Local History Society is producing transcripts and copies of a wealth of 13-17th Century documents so they are readily accessible for research and were given £100 towards the cost of the materials.
Romney Marsh and Arts Society and Oxford Heritage Centre Management Committee asked for help with the displays in their Heritage Centres. The former received £300 and the other £450 towards the cost of these; the grant to the Kemsing Society was also to help with an archives scheme run jointly with the Parish Council. Sundaland Historical Society is compiling an archive of material on Thomas Fletcher Waghorn (1800-50) who pioneered steam navigation and it received £250.
Why not apply for one?
The late Allen Grove left a legacy to the Kent Archaeological Society to establish this fund to be used for the purposes of research, preservation and enjoyment of local history. The Trustees will consider applications for grants for any project with one or more of these purposes. Projects may be practical ones such as presentations, publication and education as well as research.
Grants may be made to societies and groups as well as to individuals and are not restricted to members of the Kent Archaeological Society. They are usually around £200 to £400 each but the Trustees would consider a larger grant for a particularly imaginative or innovative project which might not be available to proceed without the grant. Awards may not be announced until the Summer or Autumn 2001.
Applications must be submitted, on the official application form, by 31st March 2001. Application forms and further information may be obtained from the Hon. Secretary: Mr A I Moffat, or by e-mail to secretary@kentarchaeology.org.uk.
Other grants
The Society has other grant programmes. Field work grants may be obtained from the Field Work Committee and applications should be sent to the Secretary, David Bacchus.
Directory - Correction
Hon. Curator, Dr. Mike Still, Tel: 01322 221702
KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY - A FRESH START
The revitalisation programme of the K.A.S. library is now almost complete, and we shall be ready at the beginning of 2001 to make a fresh start in the provision of facilities.
The furniture of the library has been modernised, and will provide for its prime functions - the use of its facilities for study, reading and research; as a meeting place for K.A.S. Committees and Working Groups; as a venue for small Seminars and Lectures for up to 20 people, and as a place where members can come simply to sit and browse. The index of books is now on computer, and there will also be available computers to access the Society’s great collection of photographs, drawings and paintings, and to assist in the organisation of field-work. Sufficient of the library’s books have been transferred to Bradbourne House to obviate the need for double stacking on the shelves and floor of the library. The books transferred to Bradbourne House are runs of Journals not often consulted, but will remain accessible to members when required. Valuable and rare books in the library have been made more secure. Re-organisation of books on the shelves is proceeding to a simple plan and new labelling of the shelves should facilitate search.
With these improvements achieved, we are organising, as from the beginning of 2001, a group of library volunteers to man the library. In the first instance, on Monday and Friday afternoons and all day Wednesday, in order to provide visitors and users of the library with any assistance they may require in searching for books or in using the computers. The library will, as now, be open to members at any time in the week during Museum opening hours, on production of a K.A.S. membership card, but those members who may feel they need assistance should take advantage of the presence of volunteers on the days stated.
Additionally, we plan to permit non-Members who have a need to consult the Society’s unique collection, access by request on the days when Volunteers are present. We shall be publicise that fact, and the library’s new start, at first through links with other libraries in Kent, such as the Canterbury University Library, the Canterbury Cathedral Library, and Kent Archives at Maidstone. Reproduced below is a copy of the information sheet we shall be circulating to outside organisations. We hope that this Fresh Start will encourage members to make fuller use of the library’s unique facilities, and at the same time increase public awareness of K.A.S. by providing an opportunity for non-members with real need to consult our collections under supervision. The Volunteers would welcome visits from members wishing to familiarise themselves with the facilities the library has to offer.
F. J. Panton, Hon Librarian, K.A.S. November 2000
KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY
Housed in Maidstone Museum, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1LH
COLLECTIONS
Books, collections of maps, books, pamphlets and ephemera on the history and archaeology of Kent, including the villages, by Kentish historians and antiquaries. Journals and publications of the K.A.S. of other County Historical and Archaeological Societies, of U.K. national organisations, and of European countries.
OPENING TIMES
For K.A.S. Members: Every day in the week during Museum opening times. On presentation of a K.A.S Membership Card.
For non-Members of K.A.S.: Monday and Friday 2pm to 4.30 pm, Wednesday 10.00 am to 4.30 pm (Times when the Library is staffed by Volunteers)
BORROWING
Not permitted.