Swanley History Group – The First 10 Years
Swanley History Group started in 2013 as a result of a West Kent local history project involving local young people. The film they produced is still available to view on You Tube by searching Swanley’s Hidden Histories.
Community Librarian Jenny Carter was approached to ask why there was no local history society given Swanley’s history. She initiated meetings of local residents from which a small group of older people (but young at heart) decided to set up a group to share and preserve the history of Swanley and so Swanley History Group was born.
We’ve been in various venues during the last decade – starting in the old library which was rather cramped and moving on to the Clocktower, where due to price rises and our need for a larger room we moved on to the Bowls Club. Again availability times meant we had to move again and here we are now at the Alexandra Suite where I’m sure you agree we are very well provided for in terms of facilities but have had some difficulties with securing regular meeting times meaning we’ve now had to change to Wednesday evenings. Fingers crossed for some stability now.
At our first meeting we had no idea what to expect regarding attendance when Esme Hodge gave her first Swanley Then and Now presentation which she is reprising this evening. We were so pleased that 45 people came and 24 joined. We were pleased so many people continued to join at subsequent meetings and by the end of the year membership was at 75.
We still have 32 members from 2013 and throughout the 10 year period have welcomed a total of 213 people to our membership.
Sadly some members have passed away and some have moved away or for other reasons can no longer attend but active membership is still at 94. We even have a member in the USA.
Programme organiser Christina Tyler has worked hard to secure presentations on a wide range of local and more general social history topics including rat catchers, various war related themes, fashion, entertainment, Tower of London, brickmaking, fingerprinting and so much more………. A selection of flyers for past meetings is on display.
Keith Whitmore and Esme Hodge have given their time for free in presenting local presentations covering Swanley Town and Village, Hextable and Crockenhill.
Other members have also put together presentations including Janet Rose on how to research your family tree and Bob and Judy Brickell on the Channel Tunnel Rail protest group and Stephen De Winton and Sarah Lewis on Sutton at Hone War Memorial and John Meakins on the Fire Service.These take a lot of time and effort in researching to put together and we offer them our heartfelt thanks.
As we have expanded our horizons we have organised outings to Waterman and Lightermens Hall,
toured The Houses of Parliament,
visited the Isle of Sheppey where we had a tour of the area, a visit to Eastchurch air museum and a memorable Music Hall Show at the Bluetown Criterion Theatre.
We’ve also visited Parkwood School where we were treated to a tour of the building and lunch,
Cobham Hall including a delicious cream tea
and most recently a small group toured Swanley Bus Garage which is being renovated to its art deco beginnings.
We’ve also taken part in Sevenoaks History Fair and displayed at STC Armed Forces Days and other local events.
We’ve produced 2 calendars of local historical scenes in 2017 and 2018 funded by a generous donation from the family of the late Marilyn Ball who was one of the founding members of SHG and of course our tribute books to the Fallen of WW1 and WW2 remembered on Swanley War Memorial (copies still available).
Thank you to Judith French for her skills at reading microfiche copies of old newspapers and the rest of the Research Team for their efforts with the books. Thank you to everyone who has bought copies and for the lovely feedback which make all the sweat and tears worthwhile.
In 2018 We provided the information for the plaques on Swanley Town Council’s Silent Soldiers Installation on Asda’s wall and members including myself, Tracy, Terry and Jan Mitchener unveiled the silhouettes of our own ancestors.
Members along with other community groups such as Scouts and Brownies also helped Swanley Wildlife and Nature group with the planting of their Remembrance Wood in Swanley Park. Unfortunately this was damaged by fire a couple of years later.
We’ve recently liaised with the Darent Valley Railway Partnership who will hopefully be displaying old photos of the area in the station waiting room in the near future.
We have also developed a Website and Facebook page, which I manage alongside managing the membership data and general administrative tasks. As well as keeping members informed of our activities they reach far and wide and we receive lots of enquiries from former Swanley residents all over the world.
We are always pleased to receive donations to our local archive so do let us know if you have anything that tells of Swanley’s past. Written memories are also welcomed for the newsletter and website.
Covid and Lockdown came unexpectedly and meant we had to stop meetings for most of 2020 and 2021 but our Newsletter editor Peter Taylor who has managed over 10 years to produce 119 newsletters on every aspect of local and social history you can think of, kept us all going throughout it all by continuing to issue a newsletter every month. Where he manages to find all the articles is a mystery in itself.
Once we reinstated meetings in September 2021 it was so heart-warming to welcome most of our friends back. We are picking up numbers again with 12 new members in 2022 so we hope to gain more this year – please spread the word.
I want to thank every member of the Committee past and present for their devotion to the Swanley History Group cause
Terry Morris for taking the lead as Chair from Day One and providing leadership and ideas and a humorous introduction to meetings which set the tone for the good natured and welcoming atmosphere of the group. Sadly due to ill health Terry was not able to attend this evening and everyone sends him their best wishes.
Christina Tyler for her work in organising the talks,
Tracy Mihill and previously Esme Hodge for their finance skills,
Peter Taylor for the newsletter,
Keith and Esme for their local knowledge and presentations, and Keith with his skills with the IT equipment,
Dave Warrick who joined the Committee last year and happily steps in to any role needed on the night - and his wife for the cake we’re going to be enjoying tonight .
Thank you to past committee members Jenny Carter, Rose Angus, Sue Ripley, Tracy Hales, Sue Lewis and the late Gary Vaughan, who have all sat on the committee at various times. Thank you to group members who have helped at meetings when we’ve needed an extra pair of hands – everyone who has helped lay out or clear chairs when needed and especially Pauline Whitmore who is ever present supporting Keith and the rest of us.
– if I’ve missed anyone off please forgive me - 10 years is a long time to remember back!
We’ve all seen a lot of changes to Swanley over the last 10 years – many of them controversial ones. The Working Mens Club such a central part of life for the people of Swanley in the last 2 centuries is no more, we’ve been threatened with high rise flats, the High Street has lost some of its well known buildings to be replaced with new apartment buildings, Woodlands is now Birchwood Heights Care Home, the Leisure Centre has been replaced with a can’t be missed orange building which will hopefully mellow over time, a retirement home complex has appeared on Birchwood Park Avenue.
Swanley’s history is fast disappearing but the spirit of Swanley remains in its residents and new history will be created but it is more important than ever to preserve the history of Swanley’s past.
The success of the Group is really down to you the members – whether you joined in 2013 or 2022 we value you all. Non members who come now and again are also an important part of the Group.
It is the enjoyment and appreciation from you that makes the job of the committee so worthwhile and the friendly and welcoming atmosphere that the group conveys that makes people want to join.
Finally don’t forget to keep voting online for us to receive the ASDA Green Token grant DETAILS ON LATEST INFO PAGE – you can vote once every 7 days so keep at it
Thank you all for the last 10 years and hopefully Swanley History Group will still be going in another 10 years.
Photos Courtesy of Keith Whitmore and Ann Hollands
Swanley History Group started in 2013 as a result of a West Kent local history project involving local young people. The film they produced is still available to view on You Tube by searching Swanley’s Hidden Histories.
Community Librarian Jenny Carter was approached to ask why there was no local history society given Swanley’s history. She initiated meetings of local residents from which a small group of older people (but young at heart) decided to set up a group to share and preserve the history of Swanley and so Swanley History Group was born.
We’ve been in various venues during the last decade – starting in the old library which was rather cramped and moving on to the Clocktower, where due to price rises and our need for a larger room we moved on to the Bowls Club. Again availability times meant we had to move again and here we are now at the Alexandra Suite where I’m sure you agree we are very well provided for in terms of facilities but have had some difficulties with securing regular meeting times meaning we’ve now had to change to Wednesday evenings. Fingers crossed for some stability now.
At our first meeting we had no idea what to expect regarding attendance when Esme Hodge gave her first Swanley Then and Now presentation which she is reprising this evening. We were so pleased that 45 people came and 24 joined. We were pleased so many people continued to join at subsequent meetings and by the end of the year membership was at 75.
We still have 32 members from 2013 and throughout the 10 year period have welcomed a total of 213 people to our membership.
Sadly some members have passed away and some have moved away or for other reasons can no longer attend but active membership is still at 94. We even have a member in the USA.
Programme organiser Christina Tyler has worked hard to secure presentations on a wide range of local and more general social history topics including rat catchers, various war related themes, fashion, entertainment, Tower of London, brickmaking, fingerprinting and so much more………. A selection of flyers for past meetings is on display.
Keith Whitmore and Esme Hodge have given their time for free in presenting local presentations covering Swanley Town and Village, Hextable and Crockenhill.
Other members have also put together presentations including Janet Rose on how to research your family tree and Bob and Judy Brickell on the Channel Tunnel Rail protest group and Stephen De Winton and Sarah Lewis on Sutton at Hone War Memorial and John Meakins on the Fire Service.These take a lot of time and effort in researching to put together and we offer them our heartfelt thanks.
As we have expanded our horizons we have organised outings to Waterman and Lightermens Hall,
toured The Houses of Parliament,
visited the Isle of Sheppey where we had a tour of the area, a visit to Eastchurch air museum and a memorable Music Hall Show at the Bluetown Criterion Theatre.
We’ve also visited Parkwood School where we were treated to a tour of the building and lunch,
Cobham Hall including a delicious cream tea
and most recently a small group toured Swanley Bus Garage which is being renovated to its art deco beginnings.
We’ve also taken part in Sevenoaks History Fair and displayed at STC Armed Forces Days and other local events.
We’ve produced 2 calendars of local historical scenes in 2017 and 2018 funded by a generous donation from the family of the late Marilyn Ball who was one of the founding members of SHG and of course our tribute books to the Fallen of WW1 and WW2 remembered on Swanley War Memorial (copies still available).
Thank you to Judith French for her skills at reading microfiche copies of old newspapers and the rest of the Research Team for their efforts with the books. Thank you to everyone who has bought copies and for the lovely feedback which make all the sweat and tears worthwhile.
In 2018 We provided the information for the plaques on Swanley Town Council’s Silent Soldiers Installation on Asda’s wall and members including myself, Tracy, Terry and Jan Mitchener unveiled the silhouettes of our own ancestors.
Members along with other community groups such as Scouts and Brownies also helped Swanley Wildlife and Nature group with the planting of their Remembrance Wood in Swanley Park. Unfortunately this was damaged by fire a couple of years later.
We’ve recently liaised with the Darent Valley Railway Partnership who will hopefully be displaying old photos of the area in the station waiting room in the near future.
We have also developed a Website and Facebook page, which I manage alongside managing the membership data and general administrative tasks. As well as keeping members informed of our activities they reach far and wide and we receive lots of enquiries from former Swanley residents all over the world.
We are always pleased to receive donations to our local archive so do let us know if you have anything that tells of Swanley’s past. Written memories are also welcomed for the newsletter and website.
Covid and Lockdown came unexpectedly and meant we had to stop meetings for most of 2020 and 2021 but our Newsletter editor Peter Taylor who has managed over 10 years to produce 119 newsletters on every aspect of local and social history you can think of, kept us all going throughout it all by continuing to issue a newsletter every month. Where he manages to find all the articles is a mystery in itself.
Once we reinstated meetings in September 2021 it was so heart-warming to welcome most of our friends back. We are picking up numbers again with 12 new members in 2022 so we hope to gain more this year – please spread the word.
I want to thank every member of the Committee past and present for their devotion to the Swanley History Group cause
Terry Morris for taking the lead as Chair from Day One and providing leadership and ideas and a humorous introduction to meetings which set the tone for the good natured and welcoming atmosphere of the group. Sadly due to ill health Terry was not able to attend this evening and everyone sends him their best wishes.
Christina Tyler for her work in organising the talks,
Tracy Mihill and previously Esme Hodge for their finance skills,
Peter Taylor for the newsletter,
Keith and Esme for their local knowledge and presentations, and Keith with his skills with the IT equipment,
Dave Warrick who joined the Committee last year and happily steps in to any role needed on the night - and his wife for the cake we’re going to be enjoying tonight .
Thank you to past committee members Jenny Carter, Rose Angus, Sue Ripley, Tracy Hales, Sue Lewis and the late Gary Vaughan, who have all sat on the committee at various times. Thank you to group members who have helped at meetings when we’ve needed an extra pair of hands – everyone who has helped lay out or clear chairs when needed and especially Pauline Whitmore who is ever present supporting Keith and the rest of us.
– if I’ve missed anyone off please forgive me - 10 years is a long time to remember back!
We’ve all seen a lot of changes to Swanley over the last 10 years – many of them controversial ones. The Working Mens Club such a central part of life for the people of Swanley in the last 2 centuries is no more, we’ve been threatened with high rise flats, the High Street has lost some of its well known buildings to be replaced with new apartment buildings, Woodlands is now Birchwood Heights Care Home, the Leisure Centre has been replaced with a can’t be missed orange building which will hopefully mellow over time, a retirement home complex has appeared on Birchwood Park Avenue.
Swanley’s history is fast disappearing but the spirit of Swanley remains in its residents and new history will be created but it is more important than ever to preserve the history of Swanley’s past.
The success of the Group is really down to you the members – whether you joined in 2013 or 2022 we value you all. Non members who come now and again are also an important part of the Group.
It is the enjoyment and appreciation from you that makes the job of the committee so worthwhile and the friendly and welcoming atmosphere that the group conveys that makes people want to join.
Finally don’t forget to keep voting online for us to receive the ASDA Green Token grant DETAILS ON LATEST INFO PAGE – you can vote once every 7 days so keep at it
Thank you all for the last 10 years and hopefully Swanley History Group will still be going in another 10 years.
Photos Courtesy of Keith Whitmore and Ann Hollands