The following meetings will be subject to any restrictions that might still be in place as a consequence of Covid-19 (Coronavirus).
If any meeting needs to be cancelled it will be noted on this page.
All meetings are held in the Church Room, Back Lane, Goudhurst.
Meetings start at 7.45pm unless otherwise stated.
6th October 2020 –– The Goudhurst Post – Gill Joye CANCELLED
A history of the postal service in Goudhurst from its 17th century provincial origins via the influential Stevens family to the present day.
3rd November 2020 – The Heritage and Memory of Hop Picking in West Kent – Dr Toby Butler
Toby Butler has brought ex-hop pickers from East London to the hop gardens they picked in to record their evocative memories. The talk includes documentary and archive films shot at hop farms around Tonbridge.
2nd December 2020 – Mrs Beeton’s Victorian Christmas – Toni Mount
Celebrating the Festive Season with Isabelle and Sam Beeton, including their time living in Kent, plus Christmas traditions introduced by the Victorians.
The doors will open at 7.15pm for mince pies and mulled wine before the talk begins.
2nd February 2021 –John (Mad Jack) Fuller the life of the eccentric Georgian Squire – Geoff Hutchinson
Delivered in costume, Geoff relates entertaining tales about the 19th century Squire of Brightling. Best remembered for odd-shaped folly buildings there were also many more significant achievements throughout his eventful life.
2nd March 2021 – Suffragettes of Kent– Jennifer Godfrey
Thought provoking stories about the determination, courage and sacrifice of those involved in the women’s suffrage movement with references to Goudhurst and surrounding areas
6th April 2021 – AGM – The Beresfords of Bedgebury and their legacy – Neville Gallagher
William and Louisa Beresford purchased the Bedgebury Estate in the 1830s. They initiated the Pinetum and developed the surrounding communities of Goudhurst and Kilndown. Later William’s stepson Alexander continued their work with lasting impact on the local area.
4th May 2021 – The Sailing Barge in its Heyday (Medway and South East Coast) – Tony Farnham
An ex-bargeman looks back on the magnificent Medway working craft carrying everything from bricks to build London to hay for horses in WW1.
Membership for the year, giving free entry to all the season’s meetings, is an annual subscription of £10.
A charge of £3 is made for a visitor per meeting.