The Marden Society
The Marden Society was formed in the 1970s in response to concerns about a particular development near the village. After that was successfully resolved the Society has gone on both to represent the views of the village, as far as it is able, and to promote interest in Marden, in Kent and in the countryside in general. In the words of its constitution, the Society exists to:
To these ends the Society has a programme of monthly meetings with guest speakers talking on subjects of interest to members, plus a summer outing usually in June, and also publishes a free bi-monthly newsletter, The Parish Pump. It initiated a project which produced the Village Design Statement, participated in development of the Neighborhood Plan and keeps a general eye on what is happening in terms of planning and development both in the village and the local area.
Meetings are normally held at 7.30 p.m. in the Vestry Hall, unless otherwise advised. There is a raffle, refreshments are provided, and visitors are always welcome.
The 2024 Committee is:
| Chairman: | Steve McArragher 01622 831007 steve.mcarragher@btinternet.com |
| Secretary: | Carol Hogg 01622 832900 carol.hogg@hotmail.com |
| Treasurer: | Mike Lockett 01622 833346 opplock@btinternet.com |
| Membership Sec. | Carol Hogg |
| Committee | Diane Fisher |
| Barbara Dubois | |
| Kim Day |
Membership costs just £5.00 per annum.
For details please email us here: steve.mcarragher@btinternet.com
| Our first talk of the Autumn season will be at 2.30 p.m. on 24th September in the Vestry Hall when Mike Scott Rumble will speak about “Lucky Breeze – The rise and fall of the British Airship Service”. Between 1918 and 1930 Major George Herbert Scott CBE, AFC was the pre-eminent airship pilot and engineer of his generation. He was appointed Officer in Charge of what became the last flight of the R101, on 4th October 1930, heading for India in bad weather. She only just got over the channel and crashed and burned near Beauvais with only four survivors. This disaster sounded the death knell for the crew, the passengers and the airship industry. Then on Wednesday October 22nd Wayne Perkins will tell us about “Witchcraft in Kent and the Maidstone Witches”. On 27th July 1652, six local women – Anne Ashby, Mary Brown, Anne Martyn, Mildred Wright and Anne Wilson all of Cranbrook, along with Mary Reade of Lenham were found guilty of Witchcraft, taken to Penenden Heath just a few days later and executed by hanging. Three of these women were later to receive a Judicial Reprieve that arrived a month too late. These were not witches guilty of performing maleficia as they were accused, they were widows or spinsters who had no man to stand up for them and they were persecuted for being old, poor, for being a ‘nuisance’ or not going to church; for being a burden or being different. This is a look at the darker side of Kent, just in time for Halloween….. Please note that we have changed the time of our talks from evenings to afternoons to try and attract more people, so all further talks will now start at 2.30 p.m. still in the Vestry Hall. If we are not able to get better attendance, we are considering closing the Society next year so as they say, “Use it or Lose it” |