 | About Us |  |
The HRGS is a non-profit-making organisation dedicated to understanding our history and heritage and helping others to do the same.
Much of our history has been lost or forgotten over the years. We cannot change the past but we can learn from it. The HRGS is working hard to research, record and publish as much of our heritage as possible. To this end our group began, recruiting members and sponsors from the local, and not so local, community. |  |
| The only qualification needed for membership is a love of history and whilst the members range in experience, their co-operative and supportive attitude is constant throughout. We are a proactive and interactive group in which new members are warmly welcomed and invited to take part in our many activities at whatever level they wish.
We encourage questions and help find answers. We believe in involving the whole family and run special historical events such as ‘Treasure Hunts’ to include members of all ages. We hold regular monthly meetings at various sites and museums, run training courses for those who would like to learn how to research for themselves, offer supported projects for members to work on in a small team and a friendly environment to do it all in.
To view our constitution please click here.
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| | The HRGS is a non-profit group and is excited to announce that we are soon to open a Research Centre in Sittingbourne. It will cost approximately £5 a day to run this centre. Any contribution to help us to do this is greatly appreciated. |
| Who Are We?
The HRGS is a voluntary group - we couldn't function without the constant hard work and effort of our committee and members. So much goes on behind-the-scenes that many people are unaware of. We're always looking for people who are interested in getting involved.
Below is a little bit of information about who we are and ways in which you can become involved in helping us.
Please feel free to contact us by email or come along to our next meeting and meet us in person. |
| Our Committee | The Chairman - John Clancy
Chairman - 'Chairman' is an ancient Saxon word meaning '...he who is in charge yet also cooks and washes bottles'. The HRGS is very much a hands on group with a wide range of skills, experience and knowledge within the membership. Everyone brings something to the group whether they realise it or not and the Chairman of a research group must work with the members to identify their collective and individual needs and strengths. The role also requires a great deal of work behind the scenes, identifying projects, channeling relevant resources to where they are needed, working closely with many other groups, institutions and individuals as well as taking the lead in all aspects of a busy and dynamic group. Also, as an active local historian, there is much research work to be done and studies to write up, documents to be transcribed and lectures to give. Its rather like spinning a dozen plates on a dozen poles. In the dark.
However, there is a body of able and willing volunteers at hand to help the HRGS run smoothly and effectively. Each Committee member has taken on a specific role that ensures the group maintains the vision, drive and forward momentum that has made the HRGS what it is today. It is only with their dedication and hard work that we can continue to research and preserve our local history and heritage and, most importantly, make it accessible to all. It is to them that the HRGS owes its success and I am proud to be the Chairman of such a Committee.
If you have any questions for The Chairman please click here. |  |
| Treasurer - John Paul
The administration of the H.R.G.S. is undertaken by unpaid volunteers who wish to see the group fulfil its aims. Nevertheless the group has numerous costs i.e. insurances, meeting rooms hire, inks, paper, payment of external speakers and the purchase of documents, books and equipment.
The more significant items of equipment and documents are funded from grant monies applied for by the group's committee, all other items and the day to day running expenses are paid for from the members' subscriptions and the donations of many local businesses without which the group would struggle financially.
If you have any questions for the The Treasurer please click here. |  |
| Research Secretary - Alan Abbey
If you have any questions for the The Research Secretary please click here. |  |
| Librarian - Karen Paul
Since the inception of the H.R.G.S. the library has grown, by purchases and donations, to over 400 items. It is an eclectic mix of academic treatises and articles, official reports, maps and accessible introductions to a range of subjects.
Naturally the core collection is the local history of Sittingbourne and the surrounding area, but crafts, archaeology, land tenure, architecture, palaeography and genealogy are some of the many subjects included.
A selection of items is taken to meetings, when possible, for members to browse and borrow for up to 2 months. A detailed subject index has been compiled and is also available at meetings. Copies of the printed alphabetical author/title catalogue are available to all members.
In the long term it is hoped that the library will form part of a local history Archive and Research Centre, and will be more widely available for reference purposes.
If you have any questions for the The Librarian please click here. |  |
| Chronicle Keeper / Minutes Secretary - Christine Chapman
Some time ago I began to compile a scrap book of newspaper cuttings and the occasional photograph of things to do with the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne. As the scrap book began to fill it was considered to be more than just scraps, so it was given the title of ‘History Book’. Further development took place to include reports of every social event and project that the HRGS were involved in. The History Book, now an important part of the HRGS required a more ‘fitting’ title, hence the name CHRONICLE. The Chronicle has ‘grown’ and now takes up two lever arch files dating from 2004, when the HRGS was first formed. The Chronicle is available for members to browse through at most social events and will be found alongside our library display. We are continually adding to the files as we feel that the Chronicle is not just for the Group to have ‘a trip down memory lane’, but a means of passing on information to future generations. Anyone doing historical research knows how valuable this type of information can be.
If you have any questions for the The Chronicle Keeper please click here. |  |
| Membership Secretary / Archivist - Sharon Baker
The Membership Secretary is responsible for dealing with any membership enquiries or more general queries and making sure that each member receives their magazine.
If you have any questions for the The Membership Secretary please click here. | ![Membership Secretary / Archivist - Sharon Baker]() |
| The Archive Editor - John Clancy
When the HRGS was initially founded I suggested to Alan that the group would need a newsletter to advertise itself, keep the membership together and generally be something by which the group could be judged. This premise was based on the fact, some years earlier I had been a member of a certain disc jockeys' association based in the Thames Valley area. With its meetings being held so far away from where I lived there was no way that I could attend its meetings. My only contact was through its monthly newsletter by which I became well acquainted with several members, and despite my remoteness I still felt like I was a part of that association. Little did I know then that the job of editor of The Archive would fall to me! I am proud to be able to say, in a relatively short time span our newsletter has grown from a basic four-page newsletter to a 16-page magazine that has become the flagship of the HRGS. Originally it was intended that The Archive would be for members only but it was soon realised that it could generate an income for the group by being sold to non-members at a number of outlets. Hopefully this in turn might gain us a few more members. Even though my title is Editor, I cannot take all the credit for what you read each month. Much of the work of laying out the text and the pictures is done by Alan who has to ensure everything fits nicely on the pages, and then has the onerous task of printing it. I suppose I see my responsibility as one of finding enough varied and interesting 'stuff' for our readers to read. Fortunately there are a number of members who have become regular contributors and their work is much appreciated. If anyone enjoys writing, no matter how well or otherwise, I am always pleased to receive their work. It is how I began my own writing career long ago. Some writing work will earn you fabulous amounts of money, others will not; sadly The Archive cannot pay for your work but it's worthwhile experience for you.
If you have any questions for The Archive Editor please click here. | |
| Member Liaison - Eileen Abbey
The HRGS is a busy and interactive group. At our regular meetings there is always a lot going on and a lot of people taking care of the various aspects of the evening. It can get a little daunting to new members or those considering membership but help is at hand. The New Member Liaison is there to help, making introductions to other members and the committee and generally showing them the sights; especially the refreshment area!
If you have any questions for the The Member Liaison please click here. |  |
| Events Co-ordinator - Hazel Stanley
This is a very important position within the HRGS, responsible for organising the ten monthly meetings we have each year and the occasional visits and trips we all enjoy. The monthly meetings could be a visit to a church or museum, a lecture, talk or seminar. The Events Secretary will arrange the event and be responsible for ensuring any outside speaker knows where they need to be and have any equipment they require. They will need to liaise with the venue of a trip or visit to ensure they are prepared for the numbers of members visiting and all directions, costings and so on. It sounds a lot of work but is very rewarding, the members always enjoy our events and there is always a willing helping hand. Full support is always available.
If you have any questions for The Events Co-ordinator please click here. |  |
| Archivist - Phil Talbot
If you have any questions for the The Archivist please click here. |  |
| Website Designer - Ginny Lamb
The HRGS website was always intended to be a portal through which we could share our archive and knowledge about the local area. It has grown beyond anything we originally anticipated, however. The new site will hopefully go further towards realising this goal and will eventually become a virtual research centre accessible to everyone who's interested.
We also are very conscious that there are many people interested in researching our local area who, for one reason or another, can't always make it to meetings, or even to the area, and so the website, along with our publications, is our way of making our group available to all of them.
If you have any questions for The Website Designer please click here. |  |
| Join Us
You are guaranteed a warm welcome in the HRGS, why not consider becoming a member yourself?
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