Authors and Publications

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To the untrained eye, Sittingbourne has little to offer anyone who is interested in history and heritage, but how wrong its outward appearance can be. Sittingbourne has a rich and varied history on many fronts, be it industrial, like paper making, brick making and cement production; agricultural; as a centre of hospitality; trade; and ship building. In days gone by, local fishermen utilized the Creek and the Swale to their full extent and the oysters cultivated here challenged the world-famous quality of those from Whitstable.

Smeed Dean’s Wharf, Murston

It comes as no surprise, therefore, that given the current climate, when interest in the town’s past is at an all-time high, several new first-time authors have emerged to satisfy the public’s thirst for knowledge about their town. This is added to by a large number of in-comers who are new to the district and who want to know more about where they live. In the nineteenth century two names stand out, they being George Payne and Canon Scott Robertson whose works remain an essential reference point for today’s local historians who build upon those early works, questioning the early misconceptions and sometimes challenging their hypotheses. From these new works a new understanding of our town and the surrounding district has emerged. This is the joy of being a local history buff; you are forever discovering new things.

What follows is a synopsis of each of those authors, including the books they have written and most importantly, where you can buy them.