Thomas Fletcher Waghorn

On the anniversary of his death, to celebrate the memory of Chatham born adventurer Thomas Fletcher Waghorn, 3 Confluence poets walked from his grave in Snodland to his statue in Chatham. Details of where to find his grave are on the find a grave website.

Snodland historical society have some information about him here. He embodied the unconquerable spirit of Kent and we salute him.

My books have arrived!

They have arrived! Copies of my debut collection Fire in the Head, available now to order from Wordsmithery.info

The Admiral's Tea Party

One thing that seems to slip many peoples minds is that the majority of Chatham dockyard is based in neighboring Gillingham (New Brompton).

From the beginnings of old Gillingham as a fishing village, there has been a strong naval tradition in the area. You can imagine there is a lot of naval history that is unknown about the area, or not widely known. One of the most surprising things that I have found out is that the Admiral of the whole British fleet held "fabulous" tea parties on the lawn of his residence on the lower lines park. (I'm still quite surprised that he lived in Gillingham).

To celebrate and illuminate this history, Sam of Wordsmithery fame is helping local people create a show commissioned as part of the Paint The Town Festival to be performed at the Lower Lines Park in Gillingham on Saturday, 8 July.

A day-long workshop is planned at the Brook Theatre on Saturday, 24 June for people who would like to take part. To book or for further info contact wordsmithery.info@gmail.com

See this article about the Great Lines Admiral's Gardens by the Kent Gardens Trust

Medway Monday

Image: SM Jenkin

Silent Sunday

Image credit: SM Jenkin

Live'n'Local Rochester Litfest

Live and local, the Rochester Literature festival is back this weekend with a terrific programme of events

On Saturday,  10 October the events are based around Rochester, where you can get your fix of caffeine and culture at the cafe crawl or join the talks and Workshops at the Guildhall museum.

The cafe crawl timetable is on the Rochesterlitfest website here

On Sunday, the action moves to Sun Pier House in Chatham, I have a feeling that the workshops will book out quickly, but if that happens don't worry, there's a good variety of free gallery talks, a local publisher book fair and even an artist on hand who will be recording the day in pen and ink. Or will it be paint? Will she inspire you to try your hand?

The showcase performance for me though will be the play written by local Playwright Sam Hall. My Mind Is Free explores four contemporary stories of human trafficking, all the more shocking as that too is live and local. After having attended one of Sam's workshops, I was surprised at how blatant human trafficking is, once you know what to look for.  

Want to know more? Rochester literature festival: Live'n'Local

Medway Festival of Steam and Transport 2014 - it's coming!

So this Easter, there's going to be an exciting event at the historic Dockyard in Chatham

The Medway Festival of Steam & Transport will be going full steam ahead!

It sounds like an exciting mixture of retro chic, music, steam and vintage vehicles and steampunk! Yes, our very own Great Kentspectations will be taking over the Mezzanine Floor of No. 3 Slip The BIG Space. I love events like this, where people who share a variety of passions, interests, obsessions call them what you will, are able to share them with others. It's a great way of meeting new people, and having your world expanded.

More information about the events for 2014 is available online here

Have you ever been? Do you have any memories you'd like to share? Any tips for a newbie?(Do they sell beer?)

Why the parade? (St Patrick's day parade)

So we are coming up to 4 weeks before the St Patrick's parade in Medway, and I have started to think more closely about why I am doing this. What exactly, do I hope to achieve? A part of this is finding and celebrating an Irish identity beyond the stereotype. There are smart Irish people (Louis Brennan), no we are not all drunks, there is a beautiful and ancient language and a culture to celebrate too. 

Image credit: J Durham
(From http://www.morguefile.com/)

It has dominated my life outside of work for the last year, and I have lost count of the other activities that have by necessity had to be dropped or let slide. For next month or so, there will be nothing else.

Don't get me wrong, this has been an excellent opportunity to learn, to grow and to develop. The friends I have made along the way, the way that my relationships with my friends has shifted and changed has all been a part of it. When the parade happens, it will be an additional pleasure, and a tactile demonstration of the goodwill and raised awareness we are hoping to achieve. Both for the Irish community in Medway and for the St Mary's social club.

So what is it that we want to do? Firstly, to raise awareness about the Irish community in Medway. There has been no definitive history written about them, but they have been active in working in the area notably in construction and at the hospital. There are about 1% Irish born in the local area, but estimates for those of Irish descent leap up to 10%. Quite a big demographic, don't you think? The St Mary's social club was formed back in 1973, but still many people don't know about it. Part of what we are doing is to raise awareness about forgotten Irish people of note, including the genius Louis Brennan. My personal interest in him goes beyond his Irish identity, as he is from the same county my family are from.

The second of course is to have a good time! Of all the festivals and parades I've attended, the one that many people seem to enjoy the most is the St Patrick's day parade. It's an inclusive and friendly occasion. Unfortunately, in recent years there are a number of places where the connection to some breweries has taken over the event. I like a pint as much as the next person, but why is it that the likes of Guinness (and other breweries and companies) have been able to colonise the day? Is is because of their sponsorship, or because it ties into ideas about what it means, what other people think it means, to be Irish? How much has the stereotype of the drunken Irish played into that?

And while we're asking questions, I ask myself these while I am inviting groups to take part in our parade. By including some groups and not others, what does it say about being Irish in Medway and the Irish identity? What does it mean to be Irish, second generation Irish in England? Am I celebrating an Irish identity, or creating it? Does it have to be a choice, can't identity be shaped and change over time as well?

Louis Brennan - Headstone unveiling March 11th 2014

You are cordially invited to the Unveiling of Headstone at the grave of Louis Brennan, Inventor Extraordinaire by Irish Prime Minister- An Taoiseach Mr Enda Kenny T.D & Cllr Noreen Heston, Mayor of Castlebar, County Mayo

The unveiling will take place in St Mary’s Cemetery, Harrow Road, London NW 10 5NY
On Tuesday March 11th at 11.30a.m.


This event will include unveiling of plaque commemoration the work of Louis Brennan at Church, St Mary’s Cemetery and a Memorial service conducted by Mgr. Canon Thomas Egan the Chief Administrator, St Mary’s Cemetery.


A reception will be held afterwards at Flannery’s Bar Wembley High Road at 2p.m. (nearest tube/train Wembley Central.) R.S.V.P by March 4thb 2014 to Email: brianhoban78@eircom.net

Louis Brennan was born in 1852 in Castlebar, Mayo, Ireland. He died in Switzerland in 1932. After spending some time in Australia, Louis spent a lot of his time in Gillingham, living in Woodlands while his factory was near the Strand.

Please click on the image to enlarge it

Medway is beautiful

                                     Have you ever heard of Darnet island?

It exists, and its part of the beautiful Medway estuary. It's full of history, a beautiful place and until this year, I hadn't even known it existed.If it weren't for the wonderful Creatabot, I'd be just as ignorant today.

Dave Wise and spent six weeks on the isle of beauty during the summer of 2012, living alone and exploring the island. Most of the legacy there is part of the industrial-military heritage of the area, but the island also housed a pub. And there are owls, and seals, edible plants and how did I not know it was there?

I wonder at my own ignorance, sometimes, about the place where I was born and have spent the majority of my life. How is it possible, that I don't know this place exists?

Habit, for the most part. Ignorance. It's s easy to take the place you live in for granted after all. And all it takes is a shift in perspective to see the beauty again - from a stranger. From someone who has been away. Not much...