New Books

Wood - A Family of Kent

By Charles Wood
ISBN 978-0-906460-14-6

This account deals with a common surname with many variations. It sets out to trace a line and its context in Kent in deep links to families and places, starting with provisional possibilities in the sixteenth century, with more confident connections and background in later periods up to the First World War.

Kent has one of the finest collections of historical records of any county, but there is ample room for confusion when a family name is so widely found in early times, and often shared with unrelated local families.

Many of the connections uncovered here were forgotten over the last 150 years, given migration and business opportunities here and overseas in the Victorian age; and not least insouciant attitudes of Edwardians. Hopefully the context of this account will encourage further discoveries to come. A short postscript traces one particular family into the middle of the last century.

Extensive footnotes, index and a bibliography. Includes five maps and early surveys, and 29 other illustrations, mainly in colour. Paperback, 200 pages.

Published by Ian Hodgkins & Co Ltd, enquiries@ianhodgkins.com Available from Adams of Rye Ltd, £20 plus £4 p&p. Email: Adamsrye@aol.com, Tel: 01797 223136 www.Adamsofrye.co.uk

Tonbridge Through Ten Centuries

Tonbridge Historical Society

In the 11th century, Tonbridge was a tiny settlement. By the end of the 20th it was home to more than 30,000 people. This richly-illustrated book explores the history of that remarkable transformation, as a compact castle-centred community grew into a substantial town.

KAS Historic Defences

Kent’s strategic position has bestowed upon it a rich history of military defence from pre-Roman periods to the Cold War as well as a legacy of surviving sites of fascinating variety. It is this which stimulated the formation of the Society’s Historic Defences Committee which met for the first time in January 2014. The Committee hopes to foster growth of an existing interest in this subject both within the Society and more widely, as well as to encourage participation in defence-heritage projects, including the recording of sites. Wherever possible it will help recognition of the need to both to protect our defence heritage.

Although most activity is currently focused on the defences of the modern era, the hope is to embrace all periods which, hopefully, will be reflected in future publications. Developing positive partnerships will be explored by the Committee. This has already resulted in successful and highly attended field trips to historic defences in the Hoo Peninsula and, in cooperation with Maidstone Museum, to the Great War home defences in Sheppey and Swale. At least one more such event is planned for 2015. Any KAS member interested in joining the Committee or finding out more should contact Vice Chairman, Sheena Owen at sheenaowen@btinternet.com. An inaugural Newsletter is planned for the summer of 2015.