Report: 21st March 2013 - Regency Ramsgate

Peter Borrough showed his excellent film on Regency Ramsgate at our last meeting.

As well as illustrating the history of the building of the harbour it showed the many distinguished figures of history who had influenced the building and prestige of the town during the 19th century Regency period including several Royal visits.

The last meeting of the season will be on Thursday April 4th when Mike Bundock and John Fishpool assisted by society members will be presenting some of the findings of their Research Projects based on Shopping and Shops through the Ages in Herne Bay and the work that has been started on investigating the histories of the soldiers on the World War I memorial in the park.

Visitors with memories on any of these subjects are invited to come along as well as members who may be able to add their contributions. Doors open at 6.30pm for 7pm start. For more information phone 01227 362666.

Report: 7th Mar 2013 - Authors and Artists of the South East

“Authors and Artists of the South East” was the subject of Anthea Bryant's talk at our last meeting. She commenced her literary journey in Canterbury which Geoffrey Chaucer illustrated so graphically in his medieval Canterbury Tales and also covered more modern connections with Thomas Sidney Cooper, Rupert Bear, Bagpuss as well as Jane Austen, Ian Fleming and Count Zborowski (the inspiration for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) at Higham Park Bridge.

She travelled across to Faversham and the 16th century play based on the real life drama of the murder of local dignitary Thomas Arden in 1551 and from thence covered Rye with Richard Harris Barham's Ingoldsby Legends, E.H Benson's Mapp and Lucia series and onwards to Downe House with Charles Darwin, Sissinghurst and Vita Sackville-West, Chartwell and Winston Churchill, Port Lympne and Sir Philip Sassoon returning back to Bekesbourne and Joseph Conrad finishing with Charles Dickens and Bleak House at Broadstairs. Altogether a very entertaining and informative talk delivered in Anthea's very colourful and animated style.​

Continuing the theme of local authors, particularly appropriate as this was World Book Day, Mike Bundock, Society Curator and Archivist, introduced Kay Steventon and Judith Ford co-authors of their new book published by the Society "Will Scott and Herne Bay". They are the grand-daughters of William Mathew Scott ( pen name Will Scott) who, although he was born in Leeds, spent 44 years in Herne Bay from 1920-1964.

He was a caricaturist, author and playwright who is now best known for his children's series the Cherry books (published between 1952 and 1965). The book explores his relationship with Herne Bay and in so doing, provides a fascinating view of the town where he spent most of his adult life. Members were able to purchase their copies personally signed by the authors and copies at £7.50 each are now available at Herne Bay Museum, William Street Herne Bay or can be ordered direct from the website www.hbhrs.org

The next meeting will be on Thursday 21st March at United Church Hall High Street Herne Bay when Peter Borrough will be speaking on “Regency Ramsgate”. Doors open at 6.30pm ready for start at 7pm. All visitors welcome at £2, Members free. For more information contact 01227 362666.

Report: 21st Feb 2013 - The Dissenting Churches of Canterbury

At our latest meeting Ian Moat gave us a very informative talk on the “Dissenting Churches in Canterbury”.

He covered the history of the growth of the non-conformist church movement in Canterbury which included Baptists, Congregationalists, Countess of Huntingdon, Methodists, Presbyterian, Quakers and Salvation Army.

He also covered the background of the Jewish and Huguenot communities who settled in Canterbury over the centuries. He explained that his interest had grown from his own family's connection with the Plymouth Brethren chapel in Sturry where his great-grandfather, grandfather and father had all been preachers in the past.

One of the interesting stories was the story of Robert Cushman who was an apprentice grocer living in Canterbury in 1611 and questioning the teachings of the established church was imprisoned and excommunicated. After his release he went across to Leiden in Holland from where he established a separatist community with himself and John Carver as Elders. Finally in 1620 he sailed to England on the Speedwell meeting with the pilgrims on the Mayflower who were ready to sail to Virginia to start a new life free from the restrictive religious edicts of England. He served as agent of the New Plymouth Colony and representative of the colony with the company of Merchant Adventurers of London until he died in the spring of 1625.

David Birch, Chair, thanked Ian for his very illuminating talk with fascinating local and national history connections.

He announced that an extra feature of the next meeting would be the launch of the latest society's publication "Will Scott and Herne Bay" He said that both Kay Steventon and Judith Ford the authors, would be attending to explain the background of their researches. The main speaker for the meeting on Thursday March 7th at the Herne Bay United Church Hall, High Street, would be Anthea Bryant appropriately speaking on "Authors and Artists of the South East" starting at 7pm. Doors open at 6.30pm and visitors are most welcome at £2 members are free. For more information contact 01227 362666.

Report: 7th Feb 2013 - Wish You Were Here!

Mike Bundock, Society's Curator and Archivist, gave the Annual Harold Gough Memorial lecture at our last meeting entitled "Wish You Were Here" which illustrated how holidays to Herne Bay were publicised in the past.

He traced the history back to the first recorded picture bearing the name of Herne Bay drawn in 1780 by a local vicar's wife to the trading coasters and hoys which would have also brought passengers down as visitors from London.

As early as 1792 bathing machines were situated just to the east of the Ship Inn and from then on Herne Bay started to be favourably mentioned in the travel guides of the day as a select retreat for sea bathing. The first pier built in 1832 gave rise to a sudden influx of visitors encouraged by the advertising of the Herne Bay Steam Packet Company who ran regular trips from London using their two boats the "Red Rover" and "The City of Canterbury".

The coming of the railway in 1861 again provided a stimulus for more visitors to spend their holidays by the sea and as a result of the Registrar General's announcement in 1883 that Herne Bay was one of the healthiest seaside places to live in, the slogan "Visit Healthy Herne Bay" came to be synonymous with all future holiday advertisements of the town until well into the 1960's.

Members really enjoyed the colourful images taken from the series of Herne Bay Holiday Guides produced by Herne Bay Urban District Council from the 1930's and the iconic British Rail posters which portrayed a somewhat idealistic picture of golden sands, sea and sunshine intended to entice families to the town. The talk engendered much discussion of memories past amongst members which was continued over refreshments kindly served by Margaret Woods.

David Birch, Chairman, explained that the society was in the process of producing a publication to celebrate 180 years of the incorporation of Herne Bay as a separate town. This involves matching 180 old views of the town with their modern counterparts and he asked whether any members would be prepared to help by photographing any of the selected locations.

He also appealed to members for anyone who might be willing to take on the Honorary Treasurer's position which has recently become vacant on the death of Tony Bendry. Mrs Colleen Ashwin-Kean is at present acting in a temporary capacity but he said she would welcome a more permanent replacement.

A list of possible Summer Outing locations was circulated and members were invited to return their choices at the next meeting. This will be on Thursday 21st February at United Church Hall High Street Herne Bay when Ian Moat will be talking on The Dissenting Churches of Canterbury, starting at 7pm. Doors are open from 6.30pm. Members free, visitors £2. For more information ring 01227 362666.

Report: 6th Dec 2012 - Not Just a Load of Gas

The Society's last meeting before Christmas was an illustrated talk by Mick Hills who gave a very interesting and "illuminating" talk - "Not Just a Load of Gas" - on the history of gas lighting and production in Herne Bay.

He explained that he had had access to the complete collection of handwritten ledgers and books held at Kent Archives Maidstone of the Herne Bay Gas Company which started its operations in 1853 . He explained the background to early research on the production of coal gas which was intially purely for lighting of streets for better personal safety purposes and with the advent of the Industrial Revolution intended to extend the working hours in factories.

The Gas Light and Coke company was formed in London in 1812 and was granted a Charter by Act of Parliament. Initially there were 2 Gas Works in London in 1814 and by 1829 there were 200. By mid 19th century most towns over 10,000 population had their own privately owned gas companies. In 1853 the Herne Bay Gas Company, based in Salts Lane (now Kings Road opposite Beach House) managed by William Morley Staers produced enough gas for 30 lights - except for five nights around the New moon!
The proximity of coal from the newly opened Kent coal mines the nearest being Chislet was useful but much coal from the Northern mines was brought down by ship transport and off-loaded at the beach opposite the clock tower. In 1878 a new retort was built and in 1883 they purchased Beach House for £300 and built a new gasholder.

By 1900 Herne Bay Gas & Coke Company had 919 consumers and there were 177 public lamps installed in the town. In October 1910 a new Gas Works site was built at Sea Street together with its own railway siding and a new holder was erected. In 1948 the Gas industry was nationalised and in 1957 the Sea Street retorts were closed and all production was taken over by the Dover works. The western end of this site including Georgina Cottages was sold off in 1961 and is now occupied by factory units.

The Christmas Fair in the Central Bandstand proved a very successful venue to sell copies of the Society's 2012 Calendar and publicise future activities and thanks to all who helped with this.

The Society would also like to pay tribute to Dr Tony Bendry who passed away suddenly in November 2012.

Tony joined the Herne Bay Historical Records Society and became a Trustee of the Society following the resignation of Elgar Bennett in 2010. In addition to being a Trustee, 'Tone' (as he liked to be called) also undertook the important roles of both Treasurer and Membership Secretary. He played a major part in redrafting the Society’s Constitution to conform to the Charities Commission’s requirements and was also largely instrumental in resurrecting Society trips to local venues of historical interest such as Godinton House (Ashford) and Belmont House (Faversham) in recent years.
In addition to his interest in local history, Tony also participated in such diverse pastimes as bowling and hand-bell ringing. He was also a great family man and liked nothing better than being surrounded by his children and grandchildren and preparing barbecues for them at any opportunity – a culinary achievement at which he excelled. We shall all miss his enthusiastic and practical down-to-earth approach in dealing with the Society's affairs and send our sincere condolences to his widow Libby and his family.

The Society has appointed Mrs Colleen Ashwin-Kean Committee Member as a Trustee and Acting Treasurer and Phil Rose Society Secretary has agreed to take on the Membership Secretary's role for the time being.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday February 7th when Mike Bundock Society's Honorary Curator and Archivist will be giving the Annual Harold Gough Memorial Lecture entitled "Wish You Were Here" when he will be exploring the publicising of holidays in" Healthy Herne Bay" over past decades. We meet at United Church Hall High Street Herne Bay starting at 7pm.- doors open from 6.30pm. Raffle and Refreshments are available.Visitors very welcome £2 Members free. For any more information ring 01227 362666.