Celebrating the Isle of Sheppey
- 39 minutes ago
- 7 min read
When the Arts Council told great grandmother Jenny Hurkett that her beloved Isle of Sheppey was a “cultural desert” she saw red.
To prove them wrong, she has almost single-handedly created a month-long Festival of Sheppey for June to show off the Island’s heritage and put it in the spotlight.
Jenny, 77, who is part of the Island Forum, which was created to improve and promote Sheppey, said: “I was gobsmacked when I was told the Island was a cultural desert. They obviously had no idea what we have here. Perhaps, we just don’t shout about it as loud as other areas.”
But that is all about to change.
After she put the word out that she wanted to create an annual festival for Sheppey, dubbed Kent’s own Treasure Island, she was inundated with offers of help and to stage events.
There are now just under 100 talks, walks, shows, exhibitions, musical performances, films and workshops scheduled across the Island.
Jenny said: “It’s gone bonkers!”
Everything kicks off on Monday, June 1, with a civic launch at the Belle and Lion pub in Sheerness. It’s part of the JD Wetherspoon chain.
Jenny, who has four children, two stepchildren, 15 grandchildren and three great grandchildren, explained: “Sheppey has always been a little bit quirky so we thought why not have the launch for the festival in ‘Spoons? Besides, the pub is packed with pictures, paintings and information about the Island’s history.”
Even Southeastern is getting in on the act by running a special Sheppey Shuttle from Sittingbourne to Sheerness on the day.
VIPs will be greeted by the Island’s new Town Crier, retired schoolteacher Bruce Horton, who will be showing off his new livery.
Bruce, 61, who was picked after a shout-off for the prestigious job, said: “I feel very humbled that I have been chosen to be the first town crier for the Isle of Sheppey – an Island which doesn’t always receive the best press. But it has so many positives.
“To be able to bring those into peoples’ lives, and to remind them of all the good things, both historical and current, about Sheppey is something I am looking forward to.”
The festival also coincides with the Queenborough Independence Day celebrations on Saturday June 20.
It was in 1667 that the dastardly Dutch captured the town on their way to attacking Chatham. Queenborough has the dubious honour of being the only place in England to have surrendered to foreign invaders since the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Dutch only remembered to give it back to the British in 1967 – 300 years later.
The festival encompasses the Swale Vehicle Enthusiasts’ annual classic car show at Halfway on Sunday, June 7 and the Big Lunch at Eastchurch, on the same day.
Watch out, too, for hundreds of cyclists taking part in the annual Chase the Sun bike ride from Sheppey to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday, June 20. The cyclists will be leaving The Leas at Minster at dawn.
Some of the other highlights visitors and residents can look forward to include:
· Great Expectations. A one-man performance of Great Expectations at the Criterion Blue Town on Wednesday, June 3, by Gerald Dickens, the great, great grandson of Charles Dickens. Dickens spent his early years on Sheppey. It is believed he based the characters of Magwitch, the escaped convict in Great Expectations, and Fagin from Oliver Twist on people he encountered while on the Island.
· Peregrination of Hogarth. Dramatised account of William Hogarth’s five-day tour of Sheppey in 1732 with his pals. Performed by Big Fish Arts at the Criterion Blue Town on Wednesday, June 17.
· Assorted workshops run by artist Laurie Harpum and the Museum of London Archaeology under the banner of Coasts in Mind.
· Arts company Teatro Vivo will be sending “usherettes” to events across the Island to get inspiration for a play about Sheppey.
· Experience the camera obscura aboard the renovated Thames sailing barge Raybel with artist Ben Judd at the all-tide landing stage at Queenborough on Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25.
· History talks including a day-long event at the revamped Sheerness Dockyard Church at Blue Town on Saturday, June 13. Speakers will include Martin Verrier, Andrew Byrne, Martin and Rosemary Hawkins and Patrick Wright.
· Film shows at the Criterion Blue Town featuring movies made on, or having close links to, Sheppey. They include Cockleshell Heroes (1955) and Dunkirk (1958) on Friday, June 12; the 1975 Christmas special of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em starring son-of-Sheppey Michael Craford on Friday, June 19; and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) introduced by Peter West of Eastchurch Aviation Museum on Friday, June 26.
· Classical music concert on Sunday, June 21, at the Criterion Blue Town with pianist Carole Anne Wells and flautist Mark Underwood plus the Preston Ensemble string quintet led by violinist Antony Dennant and featuring fellow violinist Jo Saul, Sara Thorpe on viola and Rachel Waltham and Sophie Shackletonon cellos.
· Cockney knees-up with Chas ‘n’ Dave tribute duo the Spice Chavs will close the festival at the Criterion Blue Town on Sunday, June 28.
For the latest information, visit the Festival of Sheppey Facebook page, sheppeyscene.co.uk or Sheppey Explorer.
Island Forum
The Island Forum was relaunched in October 2024 to promote Sheppey, improve facilities and to encourage investment in the Island.
It is a non-political body comprising individuals, councillors, organisations, schools and firms who all share one goal: a passion for Sheppey.
Its aim is to raise the profile of the Island, boost pride in the area, attract investment and boost the community.
The group was originally formed in 2018 by the Rev Steve Chalke as the Sheppey Community Development Forum. Mr Chalk was founder of the Oasis Academy which was, at the time, the only secondary school on Sheppey.
It pushed for a tourist information centre in Sheerness, campaigned for brown tourist signs for the Isle of Sheppey to be installed on the M2 motorway (it’s still waiting), introduced park runs and launched the Sheppey Support Bus.
Mr Chalk said: “A rising tide floats all boats. All projects like these, help make the Island more attractive to professionals to work here such as teachers, nurses and doctors.
“Sheppey is a lovely Island but it still struggles with an undeserved image.”
It is now co-chaired by teacher Paul Murray for EKC Sheppey Secondary School and retired journalist John Nurden who runs the local Sheppey Scene Facebook page and website.
Mr Murray said: “The Island needs an independent, non-political body to take a strategic overview on what is needed – and then be committed to make I happen. This is a great opportunity for those who are passionate about Sheppey to help decide what is needed and then work together to make it happen.”
The Festival of Sheppey has been driven by the Forum’s tourism group led by Jenny Hurkett.
Jenny Hurkett
Jenny Hurkett is no stranger to challenges.
She was born in Calcutta to Anglo-Indian parents and moved to England as a young girl, originally settling in Gillingham.
She recalled: "There were no other children of colour in our road so I became used to be being different.
"Life was complicated, to say the least. But I was always a stroppy little madam!"
She later moved to Scotland with her first husband and organised community street parties, becoming known as "Jenny from the Block".
On returning to England, she helped form one of the first Home Start centres in Medway and then spent a stint back in India battling to get justice for women.
She ended up on Sheppey, which is where her marriage broke down and she was left to bring up four teenage boys on her own.
At her lowest ebb, she launched a singles group and met her new husband, Ian.
The couple ran a kitchen business and showroom where the Criterion now stands.
"We had no idea it used to be music hall," she recalled.
Fifteen years ago, she set about bringing it back to life. It now boasts a vibrant music hall theatre with a very rare grand piano, a cinema, tearoom and a museum over three storeys packed with memorabilia and artefacts from Sheppey's history, including a reconstruction of Nelson's cabin aboard HMS Victory and a replica Cooperative shop.
Isle of Sheppey
Sheppey was first dubbed the Isle of Sheep by the Romans.
It is also the birthplace of British aviation.
Those magnificent men in their flying machines first learned to take off at Shellness and then the pioneering Short Brothers, with help from Charles Rolls of the Rolls Royce car company, built the first aircraft factory at Eastchurch.
In 1667, Queenborough became the only place in England to surrender to a foreign power since 1066 when the dastardly Dutch captured it on their way to attack Chatham. It was only in June 1967 – 300 years later – that the Dutch remembered to hand it back to the British.
Lord Nelson’s body was famously brought back to Sheerness in a barrel of brandy following the Battle of Trafalgar.
King Henry VIII holidayed at Shurland Hall, Eastchurch, with his wife-to-be Anne Boleyn.
Author Charles Dickens and diarist Samuel Pepys both spent time on Sheppey.
Sheppey is home to the American “bomb ship” SS Richard Montgomery which sank in a storm off Sheerness in August 1944 packed with 1,400 tonnes of explosives destined for Europe. It is still there – although there are plans to remove its distinctive masks which can still be seen from the shore.
Showbiz legends Michael Crawford and Rod Hull (plus Emu) were brought up on Sheppey. Crawford, star of Phantom of the Opera and Barnum, even filmed the 1975 Christmas special of his sitcom Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em on the Island.
Take That’s Robbie Williams has filmed a music video on the Island and lately former EastEnders’ actor Danny Dyer and his daughter Dani have taken over Priory Hill holiday park at Leysdown for their Sky TV show The Dyers’ Caravan Park.
Comments