ALT About the talk: On Christmas Eve of 1830, a huge crowd assembled on Penenden Heath to witness the execution of William and Henry Packman, two young brothers from Blean (near Canterbury), and William Dyke, from Bearsted. The same day, seven prisoners were removed from Dover Town Gaol and taken to a convict ship for transportation to Australia. The draconian sentences were part of attempts to repress a massive movement of agricultural labourers that was sweeping southern, eastern and central England. Known today as Captain Swing – the signature on menacing letters sent to farmers and landowners – the movement was a rebellion against poverty, unemployment, threshing machines and the workhouse. In this talk, John Bulaitis outlines events in Kent which were crucial in the genesis and evolution of the Swing revolt. John Bulaitis' book, 'The Tithe War in England and Wales, 1881-1936', won the 2025 Joan Thirsk Memorial Prize for the best book on British and Irish rural history.

ALT Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh presents her lunchtime talk in the Lecture Theatre at Sessions House – part of County Hall, Maidstone. Among Kent’s over seventy medieval hospitals and almshouses are some of the oldest in the country and a considerable number, compared to many counties, are still functioning today. This talk will explore the different types of medieval hospital – from leper hospitals to those which accommodated poor pilgrims, as well as how hospitals developed in the later Middle Ages to meet the changing circumstances of the world after the Black Death. Moreover, medieval hospitals are often seen as extensions of monasteries, but we’ll see just how important the civic authorities were in the management of 'their' hospitals, and the way the civic records provide insights into the lives of the brothers and sisters at hospitals such as St John’s in Sandwich. Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh is a Specialist Associate Lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent.

ALT Shown here is a collage of photos promoting Heritage Open Days 2026 at Kent Archives. They capture staff at work in our strongrooms, conservation studio and reprographics office. Encountering Kent’s archives during a behind-the-scenes tour can make a lasting impression. Seeing vast quantities of original records gathered together in our strongrooms; experiencing a closeness to documents that are hundreds of years old; watching our reprographics team digitise records using advanced imaging equipment; hearing an archivist describe the process of collecting, accessioning and cataloguing historical material; learning about the tools and treatments employed in the conservation studio to preserve our collections: all of this, we are confident, will enlighten visitors about how our day-to-day practice facilitates access to and ensures the survival of Kent’s recorded history. More info: www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/heritage-open-day-at-the-kent-history-library-centre.html

ALT Shown here is an engraved depiction of the Chapel at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Sandwich. Published by William Boys, 1787. Among Kent’s over seventy medieval hospitals and almshouses are some of the oldest in the country and a considerable number, compared to many counties, are still functioning today. This talk will explore the different types of medieval hospital – from leper hospitals to those which accommodated poor pilgrims, as well as how hospitals developed in the later Middle Ages to meet the changing circumstances of the world after the Black Death. Moreover, medieval hospitals are often seen as extensions of monasteries, but we’ll see just how important the civic authorities were in the management of 'their' hospitals, and the way the civic records provide insights into the lives of the brothers and sisters at hospitals such as St John’s in Sandwich. Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh is a Specialist Associate Lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent.

ALT Shown here is an albumen photograph capturing young and senior members of Maidstone Swimming Club. It lists the club's captain as F. Griffin and the sub-captain as A. Hastie. Created by the London Photographic Co. (Maidstone and Sittingbourne), 1893 [ref. U3360/P2/2] [Archives@Kent] is the quarterly newsletter published by Kent Archives and Local History Service, Maidstone. From publicising newly catalogued material to exploring documents in detail and sharing information about upcoming events, our newsletters can be delivered straight to your email inbox or accessed at www.kentarchives.org.uk/archive-newsletter Have yet to subscribe? Contact us today and we’ll be happy to add you to our mailing list – Email: [email protected] Telephone: 03000 420 673

ALT About the talk: Susie Colyer Nethersole (1869-1956) was the author of eight novels set in East Kent and was one of the first authors signed by Mills and Boon in 1908. This talk will explore her works and consider the ways in which she wrote about the Kentish landscape. Although born into a farming family, Nethersole admitted that she had 'never actually gone out with the hoe herself’; however, her attention to detail is finely observed, with the colours of the fields, the flowers, the seasons and the weather creating a rich tableau which her characters inhabit. Nevertheless, her stories are not chocolate-boxy, but grittily realistic. Rural life is tough, and characters struggle as well as thrive, as modernity threatens their traditions. For Nethersole this was her world, albeit often as an observer, but that world could also be grey and monotonous, and it is her 'warts and all' portrayal of Kent's rural past that marks her out as more than just a writer of romance fiction.

ALT Sue Lamberton wears medieval attire to present her lunchtime talk at Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone. About the talk: What comes to mind first, at first glance of an ancient document or book? That it’s an incredible survivor? That the handwriting is tiny, beautiful, or in an unfamiliar language? That it may be embellished with illuminated letters with gorgeous colours of deep pigments and burnished gold? That there’s a surviving seal or even multiple seals? For the textile lover however, focus on these wonderful things can fade when encountering the tantalising addition of an original ribbon, braid or embroidered seal bag and the thoughts of how, where, and by whom it was made. Sue Lamberton is an independent scholar with a particular interest in the silkwomen of London, who demonstrates, teaches and makes silk textiles for museums and historic sites, the performing arts industry and living history.

ALT Shown here is a photograph of (from left) Mike, Lindsay, Victoria, Caitlin and James from the Kent Libraries and Archives teams, collecting litter along the towpath leading to the Archbishop's Palace, Maidstone.

ALT Shown here is a photograph of (from left) Georgia, Jodie, Abigail, Millie, Sheelagh and Alice from the Kent Libraries and Archives teams, collecting litter in the vicinity of Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone.

ALT Shown here is a photograph of (from left) Hannah, Gareth, Mark and Lara from the Kent Archives team, collecting litter in the tree-covered area between James Whatman Way and Fairmeadow, Maidstone.

ALT Shown here is a photograph capturing just a few of the numerous bags of rubbish that were collected during the litter pick. After completing the litter pick, we contacted Maidstone Borough Council and informed them of the waste's location, to ensure quick collection by the refuse team.