A Farewell from the Chair of the Society Trustees

Since 2000 I have had the honour of being the Chair of the Trustees of the Kent Archaeological Society. Indeed my links with the organisation go back to 1993, when I was briefly working in Maidstone, preparing to go off to China to live for a couple of years, and saw a leaflet for the society in, I think, Maidstone Museum. I remember being really fascinated by the Medway Megaliths then, reading a study that had just been published by Paul Ashbee and deciding that the KAS looked like a place that I might learn more about these incredible, mysterious monuments.

In the early years, I was a passive member. I attended a few events, and of course eagerly read the Archaeologia Cantiana when it landed, bulky and well wrapped, through my door. I even drove one winter night over to Lyminge to pick up a whole box load of back issues of the journal, going back to the 1900s.

It was only in 2015 that I stepped forward, answering a call to be a trustee, and that eventually led to chairing the board. Over that time, we have hit the same challenges as many others in the charitable and education sector. The pandemic took a huge toll, but members and colleagues made the best of online possibilities, and we found we had time to finally think through what a society like ours should look like in the 21st century, and the age of social media, AI and almost instantaneous news and information.

The greatest asset of the society, as far as I can see, has been a loyal, engaged membership. The numbers have remained solid. The depth of knowledge and commitment of people who support the KAS, who come to its events, who attend its digs and who write and offer articles and their expertise is simply unparalleled, and irreplaceable.

The second greatest asset is our history. It is incredible to think when going around the wonderful new gallery of archaeology at Maidstone Museum, which we were proud to collaborate on, that our links with this institution go back to the 1850s. It is also amazing to look at artefacts that KAS events and people discovered decades earlier, now on display – including the Gold torcs, which we had been trying to display for some time.

After five years, it is time for a fresh pair of eyes and for some new thinking. I am therefore regretfully standing down at this year’s AGM. But I know with Richard Taylor and Rebecca Fletcher now in charge of the day to day affairs of the KAS, that we are in good hands. I have appreciated the time working with KAS, and leave with many happy memories. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from colleagues and to be part of the remarkable work that the KAS does, and will continue to do.

Kerry Brown