Newsworthy Articles

Faversham Charters and Magna Carta

Many years ago I translated the splendid collection of Faversham town charters, one of the best locally-held archives anywhere in England. The results appeared in The Royal Charters of Faversham, published by the Faversham Society in 2013, and still available from them.

​At that time the charters were held in imposing safes in the mayor's parlour in the Alexander Centre, but now a changing selection is on permanent exhibition in the Tourist Information Centre in the Market Place, where they are well displayed with accompanying background details. Do drop in and see these splendid mediaeval survivals which also include the town's own copy of Magna Carta.
15 June 2024

Moving On From The Institute

After four years at the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies at Northgate, Canterbury, I have decided to move on in April.

Life is short, I still have various projects, and time (and energies) are less in evidence. My stint there has been enjoyable but I partly feel that it is time for a younger successor to take over and perhaps move the business on in a different way.

​I shall certainly miss being surrounded by the tremendous library as well as the second-hand bookshop which is currently being arranged.
30 January 2024

Research Project - Fourth Anniversary

Do not underestimate how long it may take to write a parish history. I am now approaching the fourth anniversary of my work on Reculver and there is still much to do.  Even without too much in the way of physical remains of either the original church of the 600s or its mediaeval enlargements, the records of its long subsequent history do survive and afford much information on parish life and its people.

I hope with time to build a fairly comprehensive overview of the principal parishioners and their land holdings, and perhaps even create a map. Most materials at the cathedral archives have now been investigated, and soon I must turn to Maidstone and then to the various London repositories for further information.
26 October 2023

Sarawak Specialists' Society
​- aka Borneo Stamp Club

I have just had a rewarding weekend in Torquay with the Sarawak Specialists' Society (now renamed the Borneo Stamp Club) to indulge my other passion of stamp collecting - still one of the world's biggest hobbies. There were splendid displays of North Borneo, Sarawak, Labuan and Borneo (which constitute the island of Borneo) plus an auction. Far beyond elementary philately, the displays showed how far and how specialised any country collection can become and the many years needed to put it all together. In the case of Sarawak the celebrated Brooke family of Rajahs are a study in themselves and, curiously, were domiciled not far away near Tavistock. Several members were also members of the Royal Philatelic Society and there was much exchange of hard-won specialised knowledge. A true collecting community indeed.
21 March 2023

New Talk and Webinar on the History of Writing

This week I broke by Zoom duck with a talk on the history of writing from classical times to the age of print, where I took the opportunity to show some of my favourite illuminated manuscripts.

The talk was organised by, and given to, members, friends and supporters of the Friends of the Keep Archives (FOTKA), the east Sussex county archive office just outside Brighton. Of course, the convenience of attending a lecture without travelling to the venue is a great attraction for many, but some speakers (including myself) may miss the human presence and interaction (and background noise!) as things proceed.
29 September 2022

International Heraldic and Genealogical Congress

In August, as Principal of the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, I attended the International Congress for those two disciplines in Clare College, Cambridge, the first in England since 1976.

​Around 150 delegates were present including many from the U.S.A. and Scandinavia. There were two daily streams of lectures (including mine on early Kentish parish registers), and many interesting insights into international scholarship from distinguished speakers. Colourful splashes of colour were provided by the heralds at the various receptions which culminated in a full dress grand gala dinner in Trinity College. The summer heat was tolerable even if the grass of the courts was uniformly brown. The next congress is scheduled for Boston, Mass., in 2024.
10 August 2022