The Centre is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm

and is also open on Bank Holidays

The heritage centre has evolved since 2005. It was a very small part of Bluetown Kitchens from 2005-2009. This happened when the owners discovered the building had been a music hall for 200 years & was bombed in the first World war so closed in 1917.

It officially became a heritage centre in January 2009 when the showroom closed due to the ill health of Ian Hurkett. With the help and support of the people of the Isle of Sheppey, Jenny Hurkett has developed the Centre so that is now a heritage and cultural hub for the people of Sheppey.

Every item in the centre has been donated by local people. The building is being designed to link heritage and culture whilst being able to host events in any part of the centre.

The Heritage Centre contains:-

Artefact's about Sheppey and social history, a library of all the publications about Sheppey and its people as well as the general exhibits there are a few exhibition areas which change every month.

There is a research project linked to the impact the dockyard had on the island eventually there will be a room for people to trace their family but this is subject to funding.

Blue Town Heritage Centre also has a gift shop and a café - and happily caters for groups.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Becoming a friend and volunteer of the Blue Town Heritage Centre

We run a 'friends of blue town' scheme here at the centre not only will you get our event information before the general public but you will also get a news letter from Jenny about all that's going on here and a loyalty card which you have stamped on each paid event you attend and when you have 6 stamps your entitled to a free cream tea. Anyone can join up for just £5 a year all you need to do is pop in and fill out a form or give us a call and we can have one sent out to you.

The heritage centre relys on the help of volunteers in all aspects of running the centre if your interested in helping out please feel free to come in for a chat.

Feedback

From Shepherd Neame: 27th May 2011

Dear Jenny

Thank you very much for all the effort you and your team put into making the Guinea Pig Club so welcome at the Blue Town Heritage Centre.

The tour of the Island was very informative and it was a pleasure to visit Eastchurch Church and monument. Such a pity that the rain could not of held off for 10 minutes longer.

Everyone had a fantastic time at the Heritage Centre, there was so much to see we could have spent hours with you. The photographic presentation on early flight was absolutely stunning. Although the Guinea Pigs knew that the Island played a part in early flight, they had no idea it was quite so much.

The tea and cake was also delicious and everyone was delighted with their passport to the island and the Sheppey aviation book, you were so incredibly generous.

From my part as a Sheppey girl it was fantastic to see all the ols photographs of the town and seafront it certainly brought back memories. It was also a great source of amusement for the Guinea Pigs that my school photograph was in the museum! I am quite sure I haven't heard the last of this!

Once again thank you and your team for a memorable day.

Alison Shelley

Shepherd Neame

From Ken Cooke: 30th October 2011

Hello All

This is just to say a big thank you on behalf of my wife (a member) and our family for the help and hospitality on our visit last Thursday. It was a fascinating morning and the lunch was superb. I'm sure we'll be back.

Ken and Eileen Cooke

Listen to Sheppey's local radio: BRFM

As far back as 1841 there was a wooden pub on the site called the Royal George.
The building was renamed the New Inn in 1885 and in 1868 it was pulled down and re-built in brick.
In 1876, it became the Criterion and that year saw the first appearance of Richard Nemo, a one-armed juggler and comedian.
It was renamed the New Criterion Palace of Varieties in 1883 and there were performances by vocalists The Brothers Tabra, a sketch called the Lion Tamer by the Bunch family and the Hadji Troop of Arab Dancers.
In a 1902 local directory it was llisted as the New Palace of Varieties and Criterion Hotel.
An advert in 1909 called it the Criterion Picture Palace where they were showing a Ruffle's bioscope - an early form of projector - making it both the first and last cinema on Sheppey. A matinee for children cost 1d.
In 1917 it lost its liquor licence because the local autority said the 50 pubs already in Sheerness was too many. It became Gieves and Co. which made uniforms for the Royal Navy.
On June 5, 1917, it was bombed by a Gotha plane in the First World War. It wiped out the frontage of the building. Manager Edward Perry was killed along with George Prior and Herbert Lucas - believed to be dockworkers - and Royal Navy gunner Herbert Gandy.
It remained Gieves up until 1927. In 1932 it was listed as H W Jeans Automobile and in 1954 Sheerness Motorlauch Co Ltd and in 1976 it became Swale Engineering Services Ltd.