Our 60th Birthday

The Historical and Antiquarian Group of the Old Bexley Civic Association had its first meeting at 8pm on Monday 17 December 1951 at the Toc H room next to Cray House in Bexley High Street. Mr P. J. Tester was elected Chairman. Mr Laurence Mildwater, Hon. Secretary, gave a talk on the general history of Bexley and district and this was followed by a lively discussion. Forty-three members joined up and proposed activities included lectures, transcribing parish registers, visits to local places of historical interest and fieldwork.

As envisaged from the group's inception, it became independent from the Old Bexley Civic Association in December 1952, with the name Bexley Local History and Antiquarian Group. The name was shortened in 1956 to Bexley Antiquarian Society, and was "modernised" to Bexley Historical Society in 1982.

The Bexley Historical Society is the longest-established of all the local history societies in the London Borough of Bexley and over the years its members have contributed their knowledge and experience to a number of published works and archaeological excavations. In December 2011 celebrated its 60th anniversary and the tradition of active participation continues with our "Then and Now" and "Changing Times" projects.

We celebrated this anniversary by inviting special guests including the Mayor of Bexley to our meeting on Monday 12 December, where in addition to the talk on the History of Playing Cards by Alan Payne, there were refreshments and nibbles and an exhibition of our history and research activities. We raised £100 from a raffle and donated it to the Mayor's 2011/2012 special charity.