Gordon Henderson - Blue Town Heritage Centre
Gordon Henderson visits the Blue Town Heritage Centre in Sheerness, Kent.
Sheppey Port & Bluetown Walk
So much to see on this island - Have you been to the Music Hall yet!
YOU ARE HERE
A scratch of our new show 'You Are Here' performed at Blue Town Heritage Centre, Isle of Sheppey for Pot Luck 8.
Contact us:
coolhuntingtheatre@gmail.com
Website:
coolhuntingtheatre.com
Twitter:
@thecoolhunting
SS Montgomery - Ticking Thames Bomb
Short Documentary on the infamous wreckage of the WW2 Liberty Ship 'SS Richard Montgomery' which rests one mile off the coast of Sheerness, Kent in the Thames Estuary. She has been there since 1944, containing thousands of tons of explosives and situated right on the edge of one of the UK's busiest shipping lanes, is it still a threat to the surrounding area, and what the hell is it still doing here?
Peter West of Blue Town Heritage Centre, Sheerness, Kent & Gordon Henderson MP for Sittingbourne & Sheppey give the story of Britain's most dangerous wreckages.
Director, Interviewer, Editor & Illustrator: Thomas Cleary
Cinematographer: Lweendo Ndawana
Archive Footage: Online resources
Restored Music Hall in Kent, UK
The Criterion Music Hall, Blue Town, Sheerness, Kent - a must see visitor attraction!
Bobohill sound performing at Sheerness-on-Sea
Bobohill performing at reggae festival at Sheerness-on-Sea.
Exploring the naval history of sheerness
The Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust is working to repair and transform Dockyard Church, which stands at the entrance to the former Royal Dockyard on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. The church, which was badly damaged by fire in 2001, is an architectural masterpiece and one of the most important buildings at risk in the south east of England.
Sheerness began as a fort built in the 16th century to protect the River Medway from naval invasion. In 1665, plans were first laid by the Navy Board for a Royal Navy dockyard where warships might be provisioned and repaired, a site favored by Samuel Pepys, then Clerk of the Acts of the navy, for shipbuilding over Chatham. After the raid on the Medway in 1667, the older fortification was strengthened; in 1669 was established the Royal Navy dockyard in the town, where warships were stocked and repaired until its closure in 1960.
Beginning with the construction of a pier and a promenade in the 19th century, Sheerness acquired the added attractions of a seaside resort. Industry retains its important place in the town and the port of Sheerness is one of the United Kingdom’s leading car and fresh produce importers. The town is the site of one of the UK’s first co-operative societies and also of the world’s first multi-storey building with a rigid metal frame.
century. As the settlement expanded eastwards, away from the dockyard and the Blue Houses, the wider area became known as Sheerness, taking its new name from the brightness or clearness of the water at the mouth of the River Medway. Completed in 1860 and still standing today, the Sheerness Boat Store was the world’s first multi-storey building with a rigid metal frame. In 1863, mains water was installed in the town, and the Isle of Sheppey’s first railway station opened at the dockyard. Towards the end of the 19th century, Sheerness achieved official town status and formed its own civil parish, separate from Minster-in-Sheppey. The 1901 Census recorded the Sheerness parish as having 18,179 residents and 2,999 houses.
The town’s low rainfall and ample sunshine made it popular as a seaside resort, with tourists arriving by steamboat and train. The Sheppey Light Railway opened in 1901, connecting the new Sheerness East station with the rest of the island. However, by 1950, lack of demand led to the railway’s closure. The Sheerness tramway, which opened in 1903, only lasted until 1917.
Terraced houses near the seafrontIn 1944 the United States cargo ship SS Richard Montgomery ran aground and sank 1 mile (1.6 km) off the coast of Sheerness, with 3,172 tonnes of explosives on board. Due to the inherent danger and projected expense, the ship and its cargo have never been salvaged; if the wreck were to explode, it would be one of the largest non-nuclear explosions of all time. A 2004 report published in New Scientist warned that an explosion could occur if sea water penetrated the bombs.
In March 1960 the Royal Navy ceased operating the Sheerness dockyard and the Medway Port Authority took over the site for commercial use. The dockyard closure led to thousands of job losses, and most of the nearby houses and shops in the Bluetown area were eventually abandoned and demolished. By the 1961 census, the population of Sheerness had fallen to 13,691.The dockyard closure also led to the decline of the Sheerness and District Cooperative Society, as many of its members were dockyard workers. At the time, the society was the island’s main retailer, but it has since been reduced to a few shops and been merged with a larger society. As of 2007, Bluetown is an industrial area, and Sheerness has become the largest port in the UK for motor imports.
Imagine: Connecting Communities Through Research
Imagine is a 5-year project funded by the ESRC. It is organised into four ‘work packages’ on the social, historical, cultural and democratic context of civic engagement. Each package involves a network of academics and community partners exploring our research questions. This film is the first draft of a longer film about the project, which will be released in September 2015.
The principal investigator is Kate Pahl, Professor in Literacies in Education at the University of Sheffield.
Work package 1 on the social context of civic engagement is coordinated by Angie Hart, Professor of Child, Family and Community Health at the University of Brighton.
Work package 2 on the the historical context of civic engagement is coordinated by Sarah Banks, Professor in the School of Applied Social Sciences at Durham University.
Work package 3 on the cultural context of civic engagement is coordinated by Kate Pahl, Professor in Literacies in Education at the University of Sheffield.
Work package 4 on the democratic context of civic engagement is coordinated by Paul Ward, Professor of Modern British History at the University of Huddersfield, who will also be exploring the history of civic engagement in twentieth century Britain to see how imagining the future has played a role in community participation and how people invoke the past to explore their lives in the present.
Community partners involved
Boingboing, resilience-focused social enterprise (Brighton); Art in Mind (Brighton); East Sussex Children’s Service; Amaze supporting parents of children with complex needs (Brighton); Multi-Agency Resource Service (Stirling); Young Foundation; Scottish Child Care and Protection Network; Benevolent Society (Australia); Centre for Community Based Research (Ontario, Canada); Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums; Living History NE; Search; Riverside Community Health; St James Centre for Heritage & Culture; Patchwork Youth Project; W. Newcastle Picture History Collection; Pendower Good Neighbour Project; Cedarwood Trust; Meadow Well Connected; Phoenix Detached Youth Project; Remembering the Past: Resourcing the Future; Herbert Art Gallery & Museum; African Caribbean Community Organisation; Working Actively To Change Hillfields; Foles Hillfields; Rotherham Children and Young People’s Services; Rotherham; The Site Gallery; Museums Sheffield; The Hepworth Wakefield; Tassibee women’s centre (Rotherham); Kent Library Services; Community Action Hampshire; Institute for Volunteering Research; Community Foundation for Tyne & Wear Northumberland; Blue Town Heritage Centre (Sheppey); Participedia, Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO).
This film has been funded by the AHRC for the Connected Communities Festival 2015. It has been made by Kirklees Local TV.
From £169,500 Clarence Place, Isle of Sheppey www.newmove.co.uk
The beautifully conserved site will be home to a Garden of Remembrance and a public open space for all to enjoy. This peaceful, residential site is further enhanced by close proximity to the imposing Minster Abbey.
Minster is Sheppey's highest point benefitting from breathtaking views, and is rich in cultural heritage. The town has a variety of shops, which adequately cater for day to day needs.
The long beach at the Lees is very popular both for bathing, fishing and windsurfing. Beaches at Sheerness have been winning the Blue Flag for the last ten years. Rural pursuits can also be indulged by a visit to one of the nature reserves on the island.
The town of Sheerness has everything you need, from supermarkets, small specialist shops and banks, to a sports centre and indoor swimming pool. Just outside the town there is a large leisure park where you can canoe, windsurf and enjoy the nine hole
pitch and putt golf course -- all followed by tea at The Boathouse Café. Hempstead Valley, just off junction 4 of the M2, is the perfect shopping destination, with a fabulous choice of over 52 stores including the largest M&S in Medway. The island is a mix of traditional seaside towns, such as Sheerness, and heritage towns, such as Queenborough.
Sheppey Promenade festival - 2011
A short film about the inaugural architecture, heritage and arts festival 'Sheppey Promenade', which took place on the Isle of Sheppey in September 2011.
Featuring interviews with guest speakers Michael Palin and Dan Cruickshank.
Film produced and edited by Emma Crouch, with thanks to Tom Linay (isayraar.com)
37s on teesside 2013
Class 37's on test train and RHTT duties on Teesside in September & November 2013.
Gordon Henderson - Selling Off of Public Forests
Gordon Henderson MP thanks the public for their concerns regarding the selling off of public forests and congratulates them on forcing the government to abandon their plans.
Sheerness Variety Show 28 October 2011
Some amateur footage of a very memorable night. Sorry about the sound quality
New Mpinions: Gordon Henderson
Catch21 has been catching up with all the new MPs who have entered parliament after the recent general election, and we asked them a few questions about themselves and the new government. This time we talk to MP Gordon Henderson
Places to see in ( Shepton Mallet - UK )
Places to see in ( Shepton Mallet - UK )
Shepton Mallet is a town and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset in South West England. Situated approximately 18 miles south of Bristol and 5 miles east of Wells. Shepton Mallet contains the administrative headquarters of Mendip District Council.
The Mendip Hills lie to the north, and the River Sheppey runs through the town. Shepton Mallet lies on the route of the Fosse Way, the principal Roman road into the south west of England, and there is evidence of Roman settlement. The town contains a fine parish church and a considerable number of listed buildings. Shepton Mallet Prison was England's oldest prison still in use until its closure in March 2013.
In medieval times, the wool trade was important in the town's economy, although this declined in the 18th century to be replaced by other industries such as brewing; the town continues to be a major centre for the production of cider. Shepton Mallet is the closest town to the site of the Glastonbury Festival, the largest music festival in Europe. Also nearby is the Royal Bath and West of England Society showground which hosts the Royal Bath and West Show, and other major shows and festivals.
Shepton Mallet lies in the southern foothills of the Mendip Hills. The area is geologically founded on Forest Marble, Blue Lias and Oolitic limestone. To the north of the town are several caves of the Mendip Hills, including Thrupe Lane Swallet which is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The centre and oldest parts of Shepton Mallet are adjacent to the River Sheppey, and thus at the bottom of a valley, approximately 115 m (377 ft) above sea level. The edges of the town lie about 45 m (148 ft) higher up. The river has cut a narrow valley, and between Shepton Mallet and the village of Croscombe, to the west, it is bounded by steeply-sloping fields and woodland.
Within Shepton Mallet there are several distinct areas which originated as separate communities around the central point of the church and Market Place. The town centre is small, basically consisting of two streets: High Street, which runs south from the Market Place towards the Townsend Retail Park, and the pedestrianised Town Street which runs north from the Market Place to Waterloo Bridge. To the east, separated from the Market Place by the Academy complex, is the parish church of St Peter and St Paul.
The A37 road runs north and south through Shepton Mallet, along the line of the Fosse Way between the south of the town and Ilchester. The A361 from Frome skirts the eastern edge of Shepton Mallet on its way to Glastonbury, and the A371 from Castle Cary passes through the town on its way west to Wells; for some distance, both routes follow the line of the A37. Shepton Mallet had railway stations on two lines, both now closed. The first station, called Shepton Mallet (High Street) in British Railways days, was on the East Somerset Railway branch line from Witham and opened in 1859.
( Shepton Mallet - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Shepton Mallet . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Shepton Mallet - UK
Join us for more :
Gordon Henderson - Minster
Gordon Henderson visits Minster to talk about the lovely location.
Richmond Light Railway Steam Fair 2018
The engines and road steam in action at the Richmond Light Railway Steam Fair:
1921 Jung 0-4-0WT No.3175 Jenny
1891 Hunslet Alice Class No.542 Cloister
1885 Couillet 0-4-0PT No.810 Chuquintanta
Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0WT No.3136 Susan
Motor Rail Simplex
1917 Foden Wagon No.7536 Kate
1927 Fowler DNA Class Tractor No.16948 Colleen
1920 Fowler A9 Class Road Locomotive No.14754 Endeavour
1917 Aveling & Porter GND Class Tractor No.8809 Flower
Sheerness Dockyard Church - update
As part of our fundraising activity the Trust has commissioned a short film to promote the project. Trustees explain the current status of the project and how we would like to progress to achieve our ultimate goal of £3.3 million funds.
Gordon Henderson - Election Message
March 2010 Campaign Video - The reputation of Parliament is at an all time low. Some MPs care more about political point scoring than helping the people who elected them. We cant go on like this. Parliament needs to change.
Gordon Henderson wants to be part of that change and if elected has promised to always put our community before party politics.
Kate Hoey MP for EFB
Kate Hoey MP speaks with Jo Lamb for the first issue of e-Free Britain. You can downlaod e-Free Britain at