EPE Launch Event

Now almost a year since its inception, the Victoria County History’s England’s Past for Everyone (EPE) programme has made considerable advances across the country. In Kent the project has now reached an important milestone with the production of the first draft. A team of around fifty volunteers has been recruited and is hard at work in the archives. Survey work has also commenced, with a study of Eccles completed in late July. To mark this progress and celebrate the involvement of the local community in the project, a launch event was held on 19th July at the University of Greenwich’s Maritime Chatham campus. Over a hundred people gathered to listen to presentations and meet others involved in the project. Many of those attending were EPE volunteers and their families. Also present were representatives of the Kent Archaeological Society and other local history societies from the Medway area; staff from Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre and the Centre for Kentish Studies, and several members of the EPE support team from London.

Jane Longmore, Head of the School of Humanities, welcomed everyone to the University of Greenwich, and underlined its continued support for the EPE project, and for the revival of the Victoria County History (VCH) in Kent over the longer term. The VCH’s General Editor, Alan Thacker, gave a general outline of the EPE programme, explaining the reasons why it had been developed and the benefits it was expected to bring for the VCH and the wider community of local historians. He explained that whereas VCH has in the past relied primarily on the efforts of directly employed county staff, the new EPE project would see a growing engagement with local historians and the wider historical community. Stuart Bligh also said a few words on behalf of Kent Archive Services. He particularly commented on the recruitment and involvement of so many volunteers, something that the Centre for Kentish Studies had struggled with in the past. The main presentation of the evening was given by the Team Leader of the Kent project, Andrew Hann. His talk looked at different aspects of the research, focusing especially on the work done by volunteers. Some early findings relating to wages and working conditions were also presented.

Once formal proceedings were completed guests mingled and sampled the refreshments laid on by the University’s catering staff. Many also took the opportunity to peruse the poster displays at the back of the room. Some of these posters showcased volunteer work; others provided an introduction to some of the main project themes. Extracts from the successful volunteer newsletter were also on display.

Overall this was a very successful evening helping to raise the profile of the England’s Past for Everyone project in Kent, and to thank the volunteers for their continued support, without which the ambitious programme of work would be impossible. Hopefully we will be able to gather again in a couple of years’ time to celebrate the launch of the Kent paperback volume.

RIGHT: A pupil learning to survey on site.

BELOW: Schoolchildren investigating the probable gatehouse.

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: John Vigar (architectural consultant working on village surveys), Andrew Hann and Dean Johnes (EPE Volunteer).