Local History

A research project carried out by the University of Greenwich and funded by EU money has seen archivists from Kent and northern France working together as never before.

The result is a bilingual exhibition charting the shared history of Channel communities from the 12th to the 20th century.

Dr Emma Hanna

Dr Emma Hannah helped launch the research and is a History Lecturer at the University of Greenwich:

"There were thousands of people from Kent living in France. We know of a gin distillery in Calais, lace workers from England working in Calais and equally we have records of French smugglers in English prisons.

"There's so much shared history and it's impossible to see it just from the English side."

Channel Tunnel

Many documents refer to the early attempts made in the 19th century to build the first Channel tunnel - while others relate to the busy trade of smuggled goods across the water.

Far from being a frontier between warring neighbours, the Channel was for centuries a busy region in its own right, with trade continuing throughout times of conflict.

There are records of one Kent family moving to the Calais region just months after the battle of Waterloo. Indeed for more than 200 years [1347 - 1558], Calais was an English town, where English was the language spoken and whence 'illegals' were expelled.

The English community did not die out altogether after the army of the Duke of Guise captured the fortress in 1558. In 1818 the first newspaper was published in Calais - in English.

Wine

Other unearthed treasures include a 12th century charter from Louis VII of France offering 100 measures of wine to the monks of Christ Church priory in Canterbury as an offering to the martyred Thomas Becket.

1785: First Channel crossing by air

Then there's the 1381 royal ordinance stipulating that all foreign travel must be made exclusively from Dover.

There's also the letter detailing the account of English prisoners escaping captivity in St. Omer castle.

Archivists and academics now hope to create a community history network to further strengthen the links between both sides of the Channel.

Catch the exhibition in 2008

The exhibition can be seen at Centre for Kentish Studies, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone (01622 694363) from Tuesday 13 May to Friday 6 June (excluding Mondays).

It will be at Canterbury Cathedral Archives (in the Cathedral Precincts, 01227 865330) during July and August, probably not Fridays, until Thursday 28 August.

It will be at Dover Discovery Centre, Market Square, Dover (01304 210101) from Friday 31 October to Wednesday 3 December.