Welcome to the Shepherdswell & Coldred History Society
Through this site you will be taken on a journey to our past, learning how events have shaped the people of this area and how the people have shaped the area.
History is a very fluid subject and so we will be constantly updating the information on this site as we learn more about the village and its history.
The latest initiative from the History Society is “Blast from the Past”, a monthly article that explores some aspect of village life or history.
To view the latest edition, click here.
Our next meeting
The Cartoons of David Low: Drawing the ‘Silly Asses’ with Karen Brayshaw
Thursday 26th November – Shepherdswell Village Hall @ 7.30pm
Winston Churchill described David Low as ‘the greatest of our modern cartoonists, the Charlie Chaplin of caricature’. Born in New Zealand in 1891 and moving to London in 1919, Low’s cartoons began to dominate the British press.
His creations included the pompous Colonel Blimp, satirising an establishment, and Joan Bull, to show his support for votes for women.
By the end of the 1930s, Low’s main target was Europe’s fascist dictators – ‘Hit and Muss’ (Hitler and Mussolini).
His cartoons during the Second World War have become iconic. They regularly feature in books and documentaries about the conflict.
Few cartoonists managed to capture the mood of the times more effectively. out-of-touch military
An archive of David Low’s work is conserved at the British Cartoon Archive at the University of Kent.
Karen Brayshaw is the manager of the collection. In this talk, she traces the life and career of Daivd Low and introduces some of the most influential cartoons from the archive.
The society normally holds monthly meetings and presentations at Shepherdswell Village Hall.
Click here to view our 2026 Programme of Events, but do check this website regularly for any updates or amendments to the programme.
We look forward to seeing you throughout the year.
To download a hard copy of the programme, simply click here.
To contact the History Society, please email shepherdswellhistory@gmail.com.
If you would like to become a member or renew your membership, you can either pay on the door at the next meeting or by BACS.
Click here for our bank details.
Our thanks to Dover District Council for the support it has given to the Society over the past few years which has greatly assisted our various projects as well as our ability to share the history of the village with the whole community.
The History Society is a member of the Kent Archaeological Society.