Diary - Online & Live
Please note that whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the calendar, all dates, times and events are subject to change. It is sensible to check with the appropriate promoters before attending. Most societies anticipate a donation for attendance by non-members.
JANUARY
Tuesday 6 January (8.00pm)
Kent Family History Society.
‘Defence of Kent during the Napoleonic Wars, Dr Stephen Summerfield.’
Online via Zoom
✉️ secretary@kfhs.org.uk
Tuesday 6 January (7.30pm)
Lamorbey and Sidcup Local History Society.
‘Chatham Historic Dockyard, Dr Martin Watts.’
St Lawrence’s Community Hall, Hamilton Road, Sidcup
✉️ enquiries@lam-sid-lhs.co.uk
Wednesday 7 January (7.30pm)
Wye Historical Society.
‘Members Evening.’
Joanna Thornhill School, Wye, Ashford, TN25 5EA
✉️ enquiries@wyehistoricalsociety.org.uk
Wednesday 7 January (8.00pm)
Orpington and District Archaeological society.
‘Spitalfields Medieval charnel house, Dr Jane Sidell.’
Online Via Zoom
🔗 www.odas.org.uk
✉️ orparchsoc@yahoo.co.uk
Thursday 8 January (7.30pm)
Charing & District Local History Society.
‘Happy Birthday Jane Austen, Kerstin Muller.’
Charing Parish Hall, Station Rd, Charing, Ashford, TN27 0JA
✉️ cdlhssecretary@outlook.com
Thursday 8 January (7.30pm)
Faversham Society. ‘Vikings in Kent, Andy Ward.’
Faversham Assembly Rooms, 63–64 Preston Street,
Faversham, ME13 8PG
✉️ info@favershamsociety.org
Thursday 8 January (7.00pm)
Folkestone & District, Family History Society.
‘Your most notorious ancestor.’
Church Hall of All Souls Church, Somerset Road, Cheriton,
Folkestone, CT19 4HA
✉️ webmaster@folkhfs.org.uk
Thursday 8. January (7.30pm)
North West Kent Family History Society.
‘He’s not missing, he is here. Tracing the missing of the First World War, Mel Donnelly.’
Online Via Zoom
🔗 www.nwkfhs.org.uk/contact
Thursday 8 January (8.00pm)
Plaxtol Local History Group.
‘How to Research the History of your Plaxtol House,
Lydia Goodson & Haydn Puleston Jones.’
Online Via Zoom
🔗 www.plaxtollocalhistory.wordpress.com/talks-visits
Thursday 8 January (7.00pm)
Sandwich Local History Society.
‘AGM & ‘Open Forum’ - short presentations by members.’
Sandwich Guildhall Museum, Guildhall, Cattle Market,
Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9AH
✉️ robertepay@outlook.com
Saturday 10 January (7.00pm)
Crayford Manor House Historical Society.
‘Historical Greenwich, Ian Bevan.’
The Baker Trust Hall, Maxim Road, Crayford DA1 4BG
✉️ janet.hearn-gillham@ntlworld.com
Saturday 10 January (10.30am)
North West Kent Family History Society.
‘Thames Sailing Barges, John Rayment.’
Dartford Science and Technology College, Heath Lane,
Dartford, Kent, DA1 2LY
🔗 www.nwkfhs.org.uk/contact
Saturday 10 January (11.00am)
North West Kent Family History Society.
‘Islands of the Medway Estuary, Adam Taylor.’
Otford Village Memorial Hall, High Street, Otford, TN14 5PQ
🔗 www.nwkfhs.org.uk/contact
Monday 12 January (pm)
Gravesend Historical Society.
‘The History of All Saints Church, Hartley, Gerald Cramp.’
St Mary’s Church Hall, Wrotham Road, Gravesend, DA11 7LL
✉️ gravesendhistorical@hotmail.co.uk
Tuesday 13 January (7.00pm)
Hythe Civic Society. ‘Hannibal, History’s Greatest General, Major Gordon Corrigan.’
Hythe Bay Church of England Primary School, Cinque Ports
Avenue, Hythe, CT21 6HS
🔗 www.hythecivicsociety.org/contact
Tuesday 13 January (6.30pm)
Oaten Hill and South Canterbury Association.
‘Local History Group Meeting.’
The Phoenix, 67 Old Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3DB
✉️ secretary@ohsca.org
Wednesday 14 January (7.05pm)
Canterbury Historical and Archaeological Society. ‘The secret but vital port of Richborough in WW1, Dr Martin Watts.’
Online Via Zoom
✉️ chas.membership@gmail.com
Wednesday 14 January (7.15pm)
Chatham Historical Society. ‘Research Presentations.’
St Stephen’s Church, Maidstone Road, Chatham, ME4 6JE
✉️ chatham.historicalsoc@gmail.com
Thursday 15 January (7.30pm)
Bridge and District Historical Society. ‘“Bourne to Run”, a short history of cricket at Bourne Park, Geoff Crothall.’
Bridge Village Hall, 28 High St, Bridge, Canterbury, CT4 5JZ
✉️ info@bridgehistory.org.uk
Thursday 15 January (8.00pm)
Bexley Archaeological Group.
‘The foreshore keeps the score: the many lives of a Rotherhithe wharf, and the archaeological evidence revealed on the riverbed, Germander Speedwell.’
Bexley Sidcup Conservative Club, 19 Station Road, Sidcup,
Kent, DA15 7EB
✉️ pr@bag.org.uk
Friday 16th January (7.30pm)
Dartford Historical and Antiquarian Society. ‘Recent Discoveries uncovered in the ancient Darent Valley and beyond – a personal view, Del Cook.’
The Mick Jagger Centre, The Grammar School (Boys),
Shepherds Lane, Dartford, DA1 2JZ
✉️ historicaldartford@gmail.com
Friday 16th January (7.30pm)
Shoreham and District Historical Society.
‘From Poke to Pocket: the Story of Hops, Rod Shelton.’
Shoreham Village Hall, High Street
🔗 www.shorehamkenthistory.weebly.com
Saturday 17th January (4.30pm)
Archbishops Palace Conservation Trust ‘Otford Wassail,’
Archbishops Palace Otford, Sevenoaks, TN14 5PD
✉️ secretary@otfordpalace.org
Monday 19 January (7.30pm)
Ashford Archaeological and Historical Society.
‘Sir Edward Dering of Pluckley, Kaye Sowden.’
The Friends Meeting House, Albert Road, TN24 8NY
✉️ hello@ashfordarchhist.org
Monday 19 January (8.00pm)
Leigh & District Historical Society.
‘Leigh, the Self-Sufficient Village, Chris Rowley.’
Leigh Small Village Hall, High St, Leigh, Halls TN11 8RL
🔗 www.leighhistorical.org.uk/about-us
✉️ joy.field@btinternet.com
Tuesday 20 January (10.30am)
Canterbury Cathedral.
‘The Bayeux Tapestry, Patricia Erskine-Hill.’
Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury CT1 2EH
✉️ archives@canterbury-cathedral.org
Wednesday 21 January (7.30pm)
Otford 1940’s Society. ‘The Dregs of the People remain: the Black Death and its Aftermath, Imogen Corrigan.’
Otford Memorial Hall, High Street, Otford, Kent, TN14 5PQ
✉️ Otford@1940.co.uk
Thursday 22 January (7.00pm)
Friends of Canterbury Archaeological Trust. ‘Facing the Cliff: An update on the Archaeology of East Wear Bay, Andy Macintosh.’
Location is TBD
🔗 www.canterburytrust.co.uk/fcat
Thursday 22 January (7.00)
Lenham Heritage Society.
‘Upstairs, Downstairs: West End fashions and suburban delights, 1830–1939. Prof Mark Connelly.’
Lenham Community Centre, Lenham, England, ME17 2QT
🔗 www.heritagelenham.co.uk
Thursday 22 January (7.00pm)
Folkestone & District, Family History Society.
‘Canterbury Cathedral Archives: overview with special emphasis on Parish Collections, Cressida Williams.’
Online Via Zoom
✉️ webmaster@folkfhs.org.uk
Friday 23 January (7.30pm)
Hildenborough History Society.
‘Otford Bishop’s Palace, Cliff Ward.’
Village Hall, Riding Lane, Hildenborough
🔗 www.hildenboroughhistorysociety.weebly.com/contact-us
Saturday 24 January (10:00am - 15:30)
The Medieval Studies Forum and CBA-SE.
‘Moated sites in the south-east conference.’
Millennium Room, East Horsley Village Hall, Kingston Ave,
KT24 6QT
✉️ medforum@hotmail.co.uk
Monday 26 January (7.15pm)
Tenterden and District Local History Society. ‘PLUTO: Pipeline Under the Ocean (D-Day), David Northcroft.’
Highbury Hall, TN30 6LE
✉️ sec.tdlhs@gmail.com
Tuesday 27 January (8.00pm)
Frittenden Historical Society.
‘Sir Edward Dering of Pluckley, Kaye Sowden.’
Frittenden Memorial Hall, TN17 2DD
✉️ frittendenhistory@hotmail.co.uk
Tuesday 27 January (7.30 pm)
Hadlow Historical Society.
‘The Coram Foundling Hospital, Anne Hughes.’
St. Mary’s Church, Church Street, Hadlow, TN11 0DJ
✉️ hadlowhistory@gmail.com
Tuesday 27 January (7.00pm)
Sheppey Local History Society.
‘Sea Shanties, Jeff Reed.’
Minster Working Men’s Club, adjacent to the Gatehouse
Museum, Union Road, Minster, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, ME12 2HW
✉️ minstergatehouse@gmail.com
Thursday 29 January (7.00pm)
Kent Archaeological Society.
‘Knives and the City: Violence, Regulation, and Resistance in Medieval Urban Life, Jason Hulot.’
Online on Zoom
✉️ craig.campbell@kentarchaeology.org.uk
FEBRUARY
Tuesday 3 February (10.00am)
Kent Family History Society.
‘Settlement Certificates: the administration of the Poor Law in Kent in the 18th century, Dr David Shaw.’
Online via Zoom
✉️ secretary@kfhs.org.uk
Tuesday 3 February (7.30pm)
Lamorbey and Sidcup Local History Society.
‘Stone on Stone, Imogen Corrigan.’
St Lawrence’s Community Hall, Hamilton Road, Sidcup
✉️ enquiries@lam-sid-lhs.co.uk
Wednesday 4 February (8.00pm)
Orpington and District Archaeological society.
‘What’s the “moat-ivation”? Alexis Haslam.’
Christ Church URC, Tudor Way, Petts Wood BR5 1LH
🔗 www.odas.org.uk
✉️ orparchsoc@yahoo.co.uk
Wednesday 4 February (7.30pm)
Snodland Historical Society.
‘Medieval Pilgrimages, David Carder.’
The Devonshire Rooms, Waghorn Road, Snodland, ME6 5BQ
✉️ andrewashbee6@gmail.com
Friday 6 February (7.45pm)
Fawkham & District Historical Society.
‘AGM followed by the second part of the ‘Walk Through Hartley from the 60s onwards’ with videos and films from the late Brian Tremain.’
Fawkham & Hartley Church Centre, Ash Road, Hartley, DA3 8DB
✉️ scassidy51@btinternet.com
Wednesday 4 February (7.30pm)
Wye Historical Society / RAF A Wye Branch.
‘Menace, Mendacity and Manipulation. A Short History of Fake News… if you can believe it, Brigadier (Retired) David Reece.’
Lady Joanna Thornhill School, Wye, Ashford, TN25 5EA
✉️ enquiries@wyehistoricalsociety.org.uk
Saturday 7 February (10.30am)
North West Kent Family History Society.
‘Family History Research at the Metropolitan Police Museum, Clare Smith.’
Dartford Science and Technology College, Heath Lane,
Dartford, Kent, DA1 2LY
🔗 www.nwkfhs.org.uk/contact
Thursday 5 February (7.30pm)
Cranbrook Museum & Local History Society.
‘English Freedom, shining a light on the most significant fights for freedom, and the movers and shakers involved, Andy Lomax.’
Vestry Hall, Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3HA
✉️ secretary@cranbrookmuseum.org
Monday 9 February (pm)
Gravesend Historical Society. ‘Temple Manor and the Knights Templar, Jeremy Clarke.’
St Mary’s Church Hall, Wrotham Road, Gravesend, DA11 7LL
✉️ gravesendhistorical@hotmail.co.uk
Thursday 5 February (7.00pm)
Folkestone & District, Family History Society.
‘Farming Records: Estates, Tenants, Agricultural Occupations, Janet Adamson.’
Church Hall of All Souls Church, Somerset Road, Cheriton,
Folkestone, CT19 4HA
✉️ webmaster@folkfhs.org.uk
Tuesday 10 February (7.00pm)
Hythe Civic Society.
‘Trail Riding in South America, Wendy Fraser.’
Hythe Bay Church of England Primary School,
Cinque Ports Avenue, Hythe, CT21 6HS
🔗 www.hythecivicsociety.org/contact
Tuesday 10 February (8.00pm)
Plaxtol Local History Group.
‘Plaxtol Houses, Jonathan Fenner.’
Online Via Zoom
🔗 www.plaxtollocalhistory.wordpress.com/talks-visits
Tuesday 10 February (10.30am)
Canterbury Cathedral. ‘Life in a Changing City – Canterbury 1825-1910, Doreen Rosman.’
Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, CT1 2EH
✉️ archives@canterbury-cathedral.org
Wednesday 4 February (7.30pm)
Snodland Historical Society.
‘Medieval Pilgrimages, David Carder.’
The Devonshire Rooms, Waghorn Road, Snodland, ME6 5BQ
✉️ andrewashbee6@gmail.com
Friday 6 February (7.45pm)
Fawkham & District Historical Society.
‘AGM followed by the second part of the ‘Walk Through Hartley from the 60s onwards’ with videos and films from the late Brian Tremain.’
Fawkham & Hartley Church Centre, Ash Road, Hartley, DA3 8DB
✉️ scassidy51@btinternet.com
Wednesday 4 February (7.30pm)
Wye Historical Society / RAF A Wye Branch.
‘Menace, Mendacity and Manipulation. A Short History of Fake News… if you can believe it, Brigadier (Retired) David Reece.’
Lady Joanna Thornhill School, Wye, Ashford, TN25 5EA
✉️ enquiries@wyehistoricalsociety.org.uk
Saturday 7 February (10.30am)
North West Kent Family History Society.
‘Family History Research at the Metropolitan Police Museum, Clare Smith.’
Dartford Science and Technology College, Heath Lane,
Dartford, Kent, DA1 2LY
🔗 www.nwkfhs.org.uk/contact
Thursday 5 February (7.30pm)
Cranbrook Museum & Local History Society.
‘English Freedom, shining a light on the most significant fights for freedom, and the movers and shakers involved, Andy Lomax.’
Vestry Hall, Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3HA
✉️ secretary@cranbrookmuseum.org
Monday 9 February (pm)
Gravesend Historical Society. ‘Temple Manor and the Knights Templar, Jeremy Clarke.’
St Mary’s Church Hall, Wrotham Road, Gravesend, DA11 7LL
✉️ gravesendhistorical@hotmail.co.uk
Thursday 5 February (7.00pm)
Folkestone & District, Family History Society.
‘Farming Records: Estates, Tenants, Agricultural Occupations, Janet Adamson.’
Church Hall of All Souls Church, Somerset Road, Cheriton,
Folkestone, CT19 4HA
✉️ webmaster@folkfhs.org.uk
Tuesday 10 February (7.00pm)
Hythe Civic Society.
‘Trail Riding in South America, Wendy Fraser.’
Hythe Bay Church of England Primary School,
Cinque Ports Avenue, Hythe, CT21 6HS
🔗 www.hythecivicsociety.org/contact
Tuesday 10 February (8.00pm)
Plaxtol Local History Group.
‘Plaxtol Houses, Jonathan Fenner.’
Online Via Zoom
🔗 www.plaxtollocalhistory.wordpress.com/talks-visits
Tuesday 10 February (10.30am)
Canterbury Cathedral. ‘Life in a Changing City – Canterbury 1825-1910, Doreen Rosman.’
Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, CT1 2EH
✉️ archives@canterbury-cathedral.org
Wednesday 18 February (7.00pm)
Maidstone Museum. ‘Victorian Britain Day by Day – Author Talk, Nicholas Travers.’
Maidstone Museum, St Faiths Street, Maidstone, ME14 1LH
✉️ museuminfo@maidstone.gov.uk
Tuesday 24 February (8.00pm)
Frittenden Historical Society.
‘Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales, James Dickinson.’
Frittenden Memorial Hall, TN17 2DD
✉️ frittendenhistory@hotmail.co.uk
Thursday 19 February (7.30pm)
Bridge and District Historical Society. ‘Bridge Union Workhouse at 190 Years Old, Alan Walton.’
Bridge Village Hall, 28 High St, Bridge, Canterbury, CT4 5JZ
✉️ info@bridgehistory.org.uk
Tuesday 24 February (7.30 pm)
Hadlow Historical Society.
‘Women of the First Millennium, Imogen Corrigan.’
St. Mary’s Church, Church Street, Hadlow, TN11 0DJ
✉️ hadlowhistory@gmail.com
Thursday 19 February (7.30pm)
Smarden Local History Society. ‘Rooms, How their Character has Changed Through Time, Peter Batty.’
The Charter Hall, Smarden, Ashford, TN27 8NF
✉️ smardenheritagecentre@gmail.com
Tuesday 24 February (6.30pm)
A lecture by Dr Barrie Cook, presented by Kent Archives and Local History Service.
‘The coin hoards of medieval Kent 1180–1560’
Westgate Hall, Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury,
Kent, CT1 2BT
✉️ archives@kent.gov.uk
Friday 20 February (7.15pm)
Dartford Historical and Antiquarian Society.
‘Northfleet’s Forgotten Tunnels. Victor Smith.’
The Mick Jagger Centre, The Grammar School (Boys),
Shepherds Lane, Dartford, DA1 2JZ
✉️ historicaldartford@gmail.com
Friday 20 February (7.30pm)
Shoreham and District Historical Society.
‘Commonwealth War Graves, Sarah Nathaniel.’
Shoreham Village Hall, High Street
🔗 www.shorehamkenthistory.weebly.com
Wednesday 18 February (8.00pm)
Otford and District Historical Society.
‘The Architectural History of Sevenoaks, Paul Britton.’
Otford Memorial Hall, 28A High St, Otford, Sevenoaks,
TN14 5PQ
✉️ enquiries@otfordsociety.org.uk
Monday 23 February (7.15pm)
Tenterden and District Local History Society.
‘Malcolm Saville: Stories Set in Rye, Elaine Luke.’
Highbury Hall, TN30 6LE
✉️ sec.tdlhs@gmail.com
Wednesday 18 February (7.00pm)
Sandwich Local History Society.
‘Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Tour of Kent 1573: including her stay in Sandwich, Luke Farrell.’
Sandwich Guildhall Museum, Guildhall, Cattle Market,
Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9AH
✉️ robertepay@outlook.com
Tuesday 24 February (7.00pm)
Sheppey Local History Society.
‘Cox and Danks, Betty Allsworth.’
Minster Working Men’s Club, adjacent to the Gatehouse
Museum, Union Road, Minster, Isle of Sheppey,
Kent, ME12 2HW
✉️ minstergatehouse@gmail.com
Thursday 26 February (7.00pm)
Friends of Canterbury Archaeological Trust. ‘The Afterlife of Roman Kent, Rich Best.’
Location is TBD
🔗 www.canterburytrust.co.uk/fcat
Saturday 28 February (8.00pm)
Plaxtol Local History Group. ‘Saturday Morning Village Hall Archive Session (pre-booked members only)’
Plaxtol Memorial Hall, School Lane, Plaxtol, Sevenoaks,
Kent, TN15 0QD
🔗 www.plaxtollocalhistory.wordpress.com/talks-visits
Thursday 26 February (7.00)
Lenham Heritage Society.
‘The Hazards of the Journey: Pilgrimage and Travel in the Middle Ages, Imogen Corrigan.’
Lenham Community Centre, Lenham, England, ME17 2QT
🔗 www.heritagelenham.co.uk
Saturday 28 February (9.00am)
Current Archaeology. ‘Current Archaeology Live! 2026.’
UCL Institute of Archaeology, 20 Bedford Way,
London WC1H 0AL
✉️ subs@archaeology.co.uk
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FEATURED EVENT
FAVERSHAM SOCIETY EVENT – VIKINGS IN KENT
Andy Ward
Thursday 8 January (19:30 – 21:00)
Join us to learn all about Vikings and the impact they had on Kent.
Join the Kent Archaeological Society’s (KAS) Curator, Andy Ward, as he delves into the archaeological evidence of the Vikings in Kent. Discover when they landed, their impact on the county’s archaeology, and the modern misconceptions we still hold. This talk will provide a brief overview of the period and highlight items in the KAS collections that may have Viking connections. Drawing on Andy’s experience as a Portable Antiquities Scheme Volunteer and Curator, with a keen interest in modern attitudes towards our shared past, this session promises to be enlightening.
This event takes place in the Faversham Assembly Rooms in Preston Street.
Due to capacity limitations, tickets must be prebooked, either via the society website or at the Faversham Visitor Information Centre:
✉️ www.favershamsociety.org/events/?event=9242
Tickets are FREE for Faversham Society members and £5 for non-members.