The Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society has announced it is winding up just one year short of its 50th anniversary.
The society, which offered historical research, talks and presentations, sadly closed this month after being unable to recruit new people to take over its running.
The Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society managed to weather the pandemic by doing as much as was possible remotely, including sending out details of online talks to members, achieved with a committee of just four people.
The Society’s beginnings sprung from the Thanet Archaeological Unit, which ran from 1976 until 1988, when the commercial arm of the TAU separated and became the Trust for Thanet Archeology.
The voluntary part changed its name to the Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society and became self-funding. From inception, it was a small registered charity, but this will now be dissolved as activities have ceased and funds have been disposed of to other relevant charities as required.
Margaret Symonds, who had been on the committee for 15 years, 14 of these combining the role of Chair and Secretary, said: “IOTAS was due to celebrate its half-century in 2026, and we hoped that a good programme of fascinating talks and visits in 2024 might just attract new interest in the Society and enable us to continue.
“However, despite continued appeals to members and others, we were unable to fill the most essential roles on the committee, without which we couldn’t function as a charity.
“We have moved out of our offices at Crampton Tower Yard, and transferred most of our equipment and records to the Trust for Thanet Archaeology (TTA), which is based at the Antoinette Centre in Quex Park.
“We are now asking our ex-members to give their future support to the TTA, and to contact them or Archaeology in Kent, which is run by our last President, Andrew Mayfield, Community Archaeologist to Kent County Council and the Greenwich Royal Parks, for information about volunteering opportunities and local archaeology. The Kent Archaeological Society will also be happy to answer queries on local archaeology.
“If a member of the public finds anything intriguing in the landscape, or a piece of ancient pottery or other interesting artefact in their garden, please do contact them and they will be happy to help.
“It is very sad to have to wind up such a long-standing organisation, and a great shame that no-one was able or prepared to take it over, but there is still a huge amount of rich archaeology in Thanet which remains to be investigated, especially with all the house-building and other developments taking place these days.”
Find Trust for Thanet Archaeology on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/thanetarch/?locale=en_GB
Find Archaeology in Kent on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ArchaeologyinKent/?locale=en_GB
Sad that IOTAS is no more. Margaret did sterling work but like me and others, we don’t get any younger. Pity nobody in their thirties or forties is up for this.
a sad event , but at least its being consigned to history