Our March meeting was given to us by Doug Lindsay on “Kent and East Sussex Railway – Then and Now” and he explained how this branch line had been created after the Light Railway Act of 1896, the area it served, and it’s history until it was closed in 1961. We learnt that re-opening a railway line after closure is very hard work, not only with the physical work in rebuilding buildings, engines and railway lines, but also having to deal with British Rail and all the other public authorities. It says much for the determination of railway enthusiasts that we have any heritage railways at all…

Our next talk, on Monday 14th May, will be given by Melanie Gibson-Barton on “In Flanders Field”, talking about some of the less well known World War One sites.

Our 2018 schedule:
9th July – 1917 – Bombs on Kent – Alex Ferris
10th September – Development of South Darenth before 1900 – Malcolm Scott
12th November – AGM & Short Talk followed by Wine & Cheese
Our 2019 schedule:
14th January –  Woolwich Women at War – Steve Hookins
11th March – The Romance of London’s River – Tony Farnham
20th May – The Kaiser’s War – Christoph Bull
8th July – Lost Empires – the last days of Music Hall and Variety – Wilf Lower
9th September – To be confirmed but will be a talk by one of our members
11th November – AGM & Short Talk followed by Wine & Cheese
Please note that next year’s May meeting will be a week later than normal.

As was mentioned during our last meeting, new data privacy laws come into effect on 25th May 2018. You will find a GDPR Consent Form with this newsletter, and we would ask that you return this form to us as soon as possible as the Society needs your consent to process your data. If you have any questions about this form, please do contact our Chairman or myself.

Forthcoming Local Events:
Friday 11th May at 7.30pm – Quiz Night at Sutton Court, Sutton at Hone in aid of  St John the Baptist Church
Saturday 23rd June at 2.00pm – St Mary’s Church Fete at Court Lodge, Horton Kirby