The Kent Branch held its discussion group 'Novel Views' today in Shoreham alongside the River Darenth, with daffodils in full bloom, at last looking as if Spring is really here.

We discussed Engagements and Elopements, and we were really intrigued as to how many there were and the different types. There were secret, long, short, assumed and quite normal engagements; there were many elopements and questionable elopements! Did you know that King Lear's sons were Edmund and Tom? By the last question you can see how widely the discussion ranged. The seven of us were joined by Rosie Jill's lovely dog.

Our next Novel Views will be on Saturday 29 September in Tonbridge when we will be discussing Northanger Abbey.

The Kent Branch held their annual summer event at Godmersham, when Clare Graham gave her talk: 'Edward Knight: Jane Austen's Fortunate Brother', especially appropriate at Godmersham. There were picnics in the grounds, and afterwards a presentation of 'Jane Austen at Home', a dramatic presentation celebrating the variety and wit of Jane's writing.

Sharon Gray of Sussex Community Rail Partnership and Therese Hammond of Kent Community Rail Partnership joined forces to hold a joint pop-up information event at Tonbridge Station (Kent). Tonbridge is where two community rail lines meet, the Medway Valley line for which Kent CRP have responsibility, and the Tonbridge to Redhill & Reigate line which is looked after by Sussex CRP. There was promotion of all the various visitor attractions in the area with the Jane Austen Walk leaflets proving very popular.

The Kent Branch held its annual Austenian Ramble today in Sevenoaks. This covered Knole House, Knole Park and some of the Austen properties and associations in the Upper High Street. Jane's great uncle Francis, whom she visited with her parents and Cassandra in 1788, was an attorney and a notable Sevenoaks figure, trustee of eleven turnpike trusts, Governor of Sevenoaks School, agent for the Knole estate and parliamentary agent for the Duke of Dorset.

Knole House

Red House

The Kent Branch had its annual winter luncheon at Broome Park. Dr Linda Bree gave the talk which was absolutely fascinating. (More details on this event in the Kent Branch Newsletter.)

An audience of one hundred Janites thoroughly enjoyed Professor Emma Clery's Birthday Address, 'The Importance of Being Henry', at Tonbridge Parish Church where Jane's grandparents are buried.