History Volunteers Celebrate Research Success
More than 50 Medway local history enthusiasts who have spent the past two years as volunteers contributing to the England’s Past for Everyone project will be gathering at the University of Greenwich at Medway, on Saturday, October 27.
They will be celebrating the end of their successful work examining the villages, people and industries that flourished in the Lower Medway Valley from the mid 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century. They will also be finding out more about a new research project into the history of the Medway towns.
The research into the Lower Medway Valley was led by Dr Andrew Hann, of the University of Greenwich, as part of a major Victoria County History project which will see the publication of a book next year and the ongoing creation of web-based resources for local people and schools interested in the history of Kent.
Dr Hann said: “So many people have contributed to the success of the Kent England’s Past for Everyone project over the past two years, researching in the archives, working on the village surveys and contributing to the book we are publishing next year. This event will be a great opportunity to thank them for all their hard work.”
“We now have a much better understanding of the history and development of this area and have made a major contribution to the England’s Past for Everyone project, and to the history of this part of Kent.
“Today the lower Medway valley is seen as picturesque and peaceful. This is a long way from the extremely busy river of the past with its high levels of barge traffic and the many people working in the thriving brickfields, cement works and paper mills. “
Dr Hann will officially thank the volunteers for their research efforts and outline plans for further projects in the Medway area. Architectural historians John Newman and John Vigar will talk about the results of architectural survey work in the some of the study villages, and the role of volunteers in the surveys. .
There will also be an opportunity to see an exhibition of work from the Kent England’s Past for Everyone project. And the national project’s education and skills manager, Aretha George, will talk about the important role volunteers have been playing in research across the country.
Dr John Dunne, of the University of Greenwich said: “We are celebrating the end of the first phase of the Kent England’s Past for Everyone project. A new phase is now beginning on the history of the Medway towns between 1500 and 1939.
“The aim is, again with the active participation of local volunteers, to produce the first comprehensive social and economic history of the area, focusing
on its rich trading, industrial and naval heritage.
“Dr Sandra Dunster of the University of Greenwich, will be leading the research and will be at the event to meet volunteers and answer questions about the second phase of the project.”
The Kent England’s Past for Everyone event at the Pilkington Building, University of Greenwich at Medway, on Saturday, October 27, will run from 1pm – 5pm. For further information contact Dr Andrew Hann tel: 020 7973 3560 email: a.g.hann@greenwich.ac.uk
For further information about the national project and the Kent research, visit www. englandspastforeveryone.org.uk
ends
For further media information, broadcast, photographic and interview opportunities, please contact:
- University of Greenwich at Medway Public Relations, tel: 020 8331 9420
- Delphine Houlton or Andrew Metcalf, at Maxim, tel: 01892 513033
Notes for Editors
England’s Past for Everyone (EPE)
www.EnglandsPastForEveryone.org.uk
England's Past for Everyone (EPE) is a Heritage Lottery funded local history project, run by the Victoria County History and involving communities across the country. Volunteers are working alongside authors and researchers in 10 counties to bring local history to life. Their topics include the history of ethnic minorities in Bristol, life and work in the lower Medway Valley, and the origins and townscape of Sunderland.
The research will result in an interactive website and fifteen paperback books, which will provide an insight into the way history is investigated and help inspire people to do their own research. The website will contain images, audio visual materials and historical documents which users will be able to search by place, time and theme. EPE is also working with schools to produce curriculum materials, linked to the interactive website.
Victoria County History (VCH)
Begun in 1899 and dedicated to Queen Victoria, the Victoria County History (VCH) is creating an encyclopaedic history of the counties of England, based on original research and ranging from earliest times to the present.
Over the past 100 years over 230 distinctive large red volumes have been published. General chapters cover subjects such as prehistory, and ecclesiastical and economic history and topographical chapters give a comprehensive, fully referenced account of each city, town, and village in the county. This work is carried out by staff in counties all over England, whose research is edited and prepared for publication by a central team based at the University of London's Institute of Historical Research.
The Institute of Historical Research (IHR)
EPE central support staff are based in the VCH offices at the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), University of London.
The IHR, under its Director Professor David Bates, offers a wide range of services to historians from the UK and around the world. The IIHR promotes excellence in scholarship and teaching through its library, seminars, conferences, fellowships, training, publications and the work of its three research centres, of which VCH is one.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has provided a grant of £3.4million to the EPE project.
HLF enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy.
English Heritage
English Heritage is providing 510 new photographs and reconstruction drawings of selected buildings and sites for use by the EPE project. EPE are also working in partnership with English Heritage Education and Outreach departments.
English Heritage is the government’s advisor on the historic environment. The organisation is responsible for all aspects of protecting and promoting the historic environment.
The National Monuments Record (NMR) is English Heritage’s public archive of 10 million items. It’s the first port of call for anyone seeking information on the historic environment.