Previous Projects

The group photo has an air of a Victorian drama

The group photo has an air of a Victorian drama

The group photo has an air of a Victorian drama Jeanette is taken aback on discovering everyone ready before midday Lydie recreates her role as Nancy with Mutley going for the barrow boy look
Keith looks dapper dressed as a Toff Keeley, Danielle and Keith look as if they have stepped out of a Jane Austin novel Seamus finds something funny
Finally Keith and Seamus along with the rest of the group get to have fun at the fair Seamus tries some food in the Dickensian Kitchen at Eastgate House The participants of the Grove History project get to take part in the parade.

Dickens christmas festival

After the success of the summer Dickens festival everyone is keen to take part in the Christmas version.

A brief biography of Charles Dickens.

Charles Dickens father John worked as a clerk in Portsmouth at the time when Charles was born in 1812. The family moved to Chatham when Charles was 5 years old where his father worked in the dockyard.
Charles received some education at the William Giles school in Chatham.
After moving to Camden Town in 1822 a change of fortune saw John Dickens, along with his family, (except for Charles) imprisoned for debt at Marshalsea.
Because of this, at the age of 12 years Charles Dickens began work in a boot blacking factory in London.
His experience of the harsh conditions had a deep impact on him which he would draw on later for his writings.
In 1827 Charles began work as a Law clerk. At the age of 17 years he became a court stenographer. Then in 1834 he became a political journalist.
Pickwick paper, Dicken's first novel was published in March 1836. In the same year he married Catherine Hogarth and honeymooned in Chalk near Gravesend.
In 1856 Charles bought Gads Hill Place in Higham. Charles and Catherine remained together until 1858 when Dickens became estranged from his wife. He had a mistress 'Ellen Ternan' who was an actress. They stayed together until his death.
Charles Dickens died of a stroke at Gads Hill Place on 9th June 1870. He had requested that he be buried at Rochester Cathedral, however, contrary to his wishes he was interred in Poets corner in Westminster Abbey.

A brief review of The Christmas Dickens Festival by Keith Edwards 16years.

We all had breakfast as a group at about 9 o'clock. Then evryone got changed into their clothes. Then we got thwe train to Rochester and we became involved with the parade, and everyone was waving at us and taking our photos as we walked down the high street. When we got to the castle there was a Funfare. We all went on one of the rides and then we went home. It was a very good day out.