1953
Lady Tweedsmuir introduces a very controversial bill to Parliament,
"The Protection of Birds Bill". This bill causes huge alarm among wildfowlers and others because one of the main features is to reduce the open season for wildfowling by three weeks, so that it would begin on September 1st instead of August 12th. The bill
also controversially gives protection to many species including the Brent Goose and bans Sunday shooting on the foreshore giving the power to allow Sunday shooting or not to the County Councils.
As a result, David Ashenden, Alf Mathews, Vic Tompson, Dennis Samson, Bob
Rapson and Eric Randle meet at Eric's house to discuss the formation of a
local Wildfowling Association and decide to place an advertisement in The
Shooting Times.
On 26th Sept 1953 at 6.30pm over 70 people attend the inaugural meeting in
the Shakespeare Hotel. Eric Randle Chairs the meeting and declares that
even if the Bill becomes law, wildfowlers should just ignore it.
Having the Chief Constable of Sussex present at the meeting probably did
not help Erics bid to run the Association. He was quietly ushered off the
stage and David Ashenden was duly elected as the first Chairman of the Kent
Wildfowlers Association.
1954
Lady Tweedsmuir's bill becomes law. It has roused wildfowlers all
over the country, who had been living a rather naive existence, to form
local wildfowling clubs in order to protect their sport from further
erosion. Many counties lose their Sunday shooting to the new Act and
their Sunday shooting remains lost to this day.
KWA establishes a conservation sub committee
1955
Dennis Samson is asked to form the Stoke Marsh Wardens and remains
Chief warden until 1967 (one of the pictures, above, shows Pat Gough wearing Dennis's original leather Wardens armband)
First clay pigeon shoot established.
1956
First exclusive shooting rights acquired.
Mallard and Canada goose release program started.
First Annual Club dinner held.
The first issue of the KWA newletter is published.
KWA reserves are established in the Medway and the Swale.
1957
The Association runs its first Gun Dog working tests.
1962
E. J. Lusty is elected Chairman.
1965
Gordon Pattinson is Chairman.
KWA begins to hold regular meetings at the Fox and Goose, Bapchild.
1968
The Firearms Act introduces the offence of armed trespass which marked the end of 'free' shooting. It became the increased responsibility of the Association to provide shooting rights for members.
1971
Bill Guthrie resigns as Chairman and Vice Chairman Peter Lester holds
the reins until the following AGM when Ron Lamb is elected Chairman.
The designer of our Smew emblem, Dr James Harrison, dies.
1972
Ron Lamb begins KWA land buying scheme with the purchase of Stockings Wood behind the Kent County Show ground at Detling 31 Acres for £16,000.
£5000 per anum is placed into the land purchase fund.
1973
Annual subscription is doubled to £16 per anum.
68 acres of Yantlet Creek are purchased. The membership unanimously votes
for this to become KWA's first exclusive reserve.
We gain shooting rights over 5 square miles of Blyth Sands
1974
Cliff Pools add another 1100 acres of reserve to the Association's
ever-growing portfolio.
The full membership stands at 500.
Purchase 8350 shares in the Faversham Oyster Fishery Company, the oldest
registered company in England and acquire a long shooting lease on the bed
of the Swale.
1975
2400 Mallard are reared and released onto KWA reserves.
On 8th August 1975 The Kent Wildfowlers Association Limited in
registered under The Companies Acts, its purpose to acquire and hold land
and leases.
Members rear Greylag Goslings and reintroduce them in the North Kent
marshes to compliment the WAGBI Greylag scheme.
Ten year voluntary moratorium on shooting Greylag commences.
1978
Dr Jeffrey Harrison OBE dies tragically from a stroke on September
1st. A member since 1954, Jeffrey's dedication to wildfowl research and
conservation was second to none.
1979
Nor Marsh becomes the first shooting area to have restrictions that
allow the marsh a one week rest period every third week.
1981
Despite strong objections from the Kent Wildfowlers Association, the "Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981" results in further erosions to our freedom as we loose curlew and all other shore waders, marine ducks, jack snipe and bean geese from the quarry list. Curlew shooting was enjoyed by many wildfowlers who ate them in August, September and October before winter forced them onto the mudflats to feed, when they
acquired a positively marine like taste.
1982
A year we would all like to forget. A General Meeting dissolves into chaos, the Chairman resigns, and the then Secretary, the late Peter Lester has a pint of beer unceremoniously poured over his head. The Association loses control of KWA Ltd.
Vice Chairman Charles Jordan steps into the breach and is subsequently elected chairman.
An injunction is served to keep KWA members away from Stoke marshes.
By the end of this year The Association regains control of KWA Ltd assets
but has lost shooting grounds that it has held since its conception.
1983
We change our name to The Kent Wildfowling & Conservation Association
to acknowledge the Association important contribution to wildfowl conservation.
Charles Jordan resigns as Chairman in December and Alan Jarrett takes up the reins.
1984
Alan Jarrett is elected Chairman.
SSSI's are notified and Letters of Consent are required from NCC before
shooting can recommence.
Permit returns are introduced for all shooting areas.
The Association hold their first Country Sports Fair at Detling, in
conjunction with the British Field Sports Association. The event attracts
in excess of 5000 people with over 300 entries in the clay shoot.
The Association is awarded the Stanley Duncan Trophy for wildfowl
conservation.
1985
The KWCA breaks new ground for wildfowling clubs by spending £130,000 on 710 acres of freehold land at Stoke, Bishops, Slayhills, Friars, Lower Halstow Creek are purchased from Blue Circle Industries. Members are asked to give an interest free loan of £100 to help finance the transaction.
Copperhouse and Darnet marshes are also purchased for an additional £35,000.
The Association retains the Stanley Duncan Trophy for its land purchase programme.
1986
Subscriptions increase to £55.
1987
First attempt to introduce a Guest permit system is defeated by 36
votes to 22
1988
Cooling Reserve and Foreshore purchased with the aid of a grant from
The Nature Conservancy Council and covering an area of 179 acres.
Guest Guns are seen on KWCA marshes for the first time. A resolution is
passed at the AGM to allow each member one guest per season.
1990
Sadly we are forced to part with our reserve at Yantlet to finance
further purchases at Stoke and Bishops totaling 333 acres.
1995
New inland shooting is obtained at Trosley.
1996
Another freehold purchase at Spring Grove.
1997
34 acres are added to our grounds at Stockings Wood, Detling and a
superb 81 acre site at Funton puts us firmly on the map in South East
Medway.
2002
Sees further land purchase at Harty Fields, a 10 acre fresh marsh at
Oare adjoining the Kent Wildlife Trust reserve, the Association's first
outright purchase of land in the Swale area. Sites at Ladies Hole Point and
Little Murston Farm swiftly follow.
2003
Club celebrate 50 years of wildfowling with a dinner dance, attended by KWCA members as well as specially invited guests, at which Clarissa Dickson Wright & Johnny Scott are the guest speakers.
2004
Alan Jarrett puts us on the map in East Sussex.
Bowley's Marsh, the Association's first land purchase outside of Kent is opened to Members.
This is closely followed by further purchases at Halling and Oare.
2005
Ground breaking joint venture in East Sussex at Oxenbridge Marshes; a joint purchase between the KWCA and the Chichester Harbour Wildfowlers Association.
2006
Yet more prime marshes are added to the Association ever-growing portfolio, with purchases at Upstreet and Westbere. The Association has now spent over a million pounds and amassed nearly 2000 acres of marsh!
2007
The Association acquires 48 acres of marshland on the Motney Hill peninsula.
Back in the 1970s, this area of reedbed, favourite of bearded tits, buntings and warblers, was one of the Kent Wildfowlers' first wildfowl reserves and we are delighted to once again be in a position to manage the land.
2008
The sudden death of Charlie Jorden, former Chairman and one of our most revered members, has marred this year. One of the keenest wildfowlers we have ever known, Charlie served the Association for many years as a Warden, Treasurer, Vice Chairman, Chairman and Vice President. He is sadly missed.
On a brighter note; the Association secures shooting over 600 acres of woodland in Kent and East Sussex.
We launch our new conservation arm; The Wild Spaces Fund.
2009
The Wild Spaces Fund continues to flourish as Westbere Reserve enters Higher Level Stewardship, delivering significant ecological benefits to this high priority site.
Shooting rights on the East Sussex marshes are expanded and further land purchases at Motney Hill contribute to the bio-diversity of this reserve.
2010
A very successful year, enlarging our land purchase and lease portfolio by nearly 1000 acres, securing the last remaining area of Stoke Saltings and adding 180 acres to our Wild Spaces Fund reserves. We spectacularly gain shooting leases at Barling Magna in Essex and Thornham Marshes in North Norfolk, and continue our dialogue with other clubs, north of the Thames, with a view to joint working.
2011
In a ground-breaking agreement for wildfowling clubs on the East Coast, the Leigh-On-Sea Wildfowlers Association merges with the Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association. Our combined membership strengthens the position of both clubs, and importantly, helps to protect wildfowling in Essex. The combined Associations make swift progress with land purchases on the Cam Washes in Cambridgeshire, fresh marshes at Teynham in Kent and saltmarshes at Barling Magna in Essex. These purchases further increasing the Association's vast land portfolio and protecting wildfowling across the counties.
In April we sign a new Higher Level Stewardship agreement with Natural England, and begin a programme of conservation work on our main reserves. Extensive capital works are carried out at Cooling and Motney Hill, whilst the work at Westbere continues.
In furtherance of out aims to project the huge asset base, our conservation arm, Wild Spaces Fund, becomes incorporated as a limited company.
2012
Joint work with our friends at Leigh-on-Sea pays dividends as we extend our shooting rights in Essex, and expand in Cambridgeshire, whilst still managing to purchase a substantial acreages of woodland and river bank in Kent. Our new fishing section continues to grow, with new rights on the River Medway, and our Higher Level Stewardship conservation work continues across all our reserves.
2013
We celebrate our Diamond Jubilee with a very successful dinner and dance at Hollingbourne. To complement our ever growing wildfowling portfolio, we launch two Air Rifle sections, Target and Hunter. Concentrated in Kent, the new sections provide 11 new areas for members to enjoy airgunning. Our co-operation with other Clubs continues, and a joint venture gives us shooting over the Ouse Washes for the first time. Our conservation arm, Wild Spaces Fund gains charitable status and launches its own facebook page.
2014
The Association continues with its strategic approach to land acquisition including working with other Associations, leading to the purchase of land on the Ouse Washes in a joint venture with the Cambridgeshire Field Sports Association. Also renting land at Smithy Fen, Cambridgeshire, on the River Great Ouse as a precursor to a freehold purchase the following year. The most notable divergence in the year was the purchase of Rights In Common in North Norfolk, including the establishment of our own East Coast Sporting Limited to hold the Rights, much to the chagrin of local wildfowling interests. Land in Faversham Creek – purchased in 2013 – was sold, with the retention of shooting rights for 999 years.
2015
Work continues to establish our legal right to The Rights acquired in North Norfolk, with legal costs incurred.
2016
The Purchase of Smithy Fen is completed, but the land was later sold on in 2018 with the 999-year retention of shooting rights, allowing the Association to recycle money into other priorities.
2017
The Association continues its diversification into rough shooting and air rifle hunting with the licence to woodland in the Medway Valley.
2018
Another busy year, with the purchase of more Rights In Common in North Norfolk; the purchase of land at Oxenbridge, East Sussex; and the acquisition of a 21-year lease over the foreshore in the West Swale. The latter leading to an expensive legal dispute with Natural England over consent for shooting.
2019
Concentration this year is in East Sussex: This includes taking up a 10-year option on leases over most of our land on the Pevensey Levels, a one-year agreement for another 70 acres south of Bowleys Marsh and acquiring more marshland at Wittersham.
2020
We acquire a licence for some nice saltmarsh in Essex. We also add to our fishing portfolio with land alongside the River Beult, in mid-Kent. Finally, we strengthen our northern portfolio by buying fresh marshes at Wheatacre in South Norfolk. More stringent General Licence regulations begin to take effect on rough shooting in particular.
2021
Shooting is slightly disrupted with the advent of Covid-19.
2022
The year is marred by the sad death of Paul Gray – former Committee member and Vice-Chairman.
We purchase woodland in mid-Kent, in support of our increasing number of air rifle hunters; membership of that section passing 70 for the first time. We establish a licence to continue to shoot an area of Stoke Saltings purchased by the Faversham Oyster Fishery Company earlier in the year. Notably the Association massively increases its fishing offer by acquiring a 10-year lease over 11 lakes from Brett Aggregates. This saw the Association membership more than double, with gross income now approaching £500,000.