Faversham from Old Photographs

Author: 
Peter Kennett
ISBN: 
978-1-84868 467-6
Publisher: 
Amberley Publishing
Price: 
£12.99
Reviewed by: 
Philip Miller

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Faversham from Old Photographs

If someone asked you to describe Faversham, I'm sure the words 'history' and 'tradition' would be uppermost in your thoughts. With the famous Shepherd Neame brewery and the once-busy creek, the town is embedded with those words just about everywhere. Now, Peter Kennett has condensed this history into a selection of more than 200 photographs showing the changes to the market town and its villages over the last century.

From workers at the creek to soldiers on a trip to Herne Bay; from demonstrations by hop pickers to the home coming of a local hero, Captain Philip Neame, the book really does give you a sense of the local community and what life would have been like.

Each photograph has a detailed description which expresses the thoughts, feelings and doings in the picture, as in the one above: 'Two youths on the left appear to be killing time whilst the third, resplendent in Eton collar, is either on an errand or delivering something'.

There is a clear contents page which makes the book easy to navigate, so if you are having a drink in the Shipwrights Arms or walking past the Guildhall, you can easily access the related history and photos to compare.

Overall, it's a book which you can pick up at any time and immerse yourself in. It intrigued me for countless hours and will undoubtedly appeal to anyone who would enjoy a trip into the past of this ancient and attractive town.