The death at 84 of one of Bromley’s leading local historians, Patricia Knowlden, has deprived the Bromley Borough Local History Society of one of its oldest and most enthusiastic supporters. Patricia joined the committee in 1977 and served continuously from then both as chairman and more recently as secretary. But, officially or unofficially, she was involved in every aspect of the Society’s work from producing the newsletter and publications, arranging speakers to putting on exhibitions.

Her interest in local history began when she moved to West Wickham with her husband Geoffrey in 1947 and decided to find out about her new home.  This led to many years of research and study and she was awarded a Diploma in Local History by London University in 1980 and then taught local history for some years for the Extra-Mural Department and for the Workers’ Education Association. Within the wider local history community she was being actively involved with both the British Association for Local History where she served on the council and as a delegate to the Kent History Federation.

Her specific interest was West Wickham where she lived but her detailed knowledge took in a much wider area of Bromley town and environs, particularly during the Civil War period, and there really wasn’t a corner of the borough that she did not know about or was not interested in. Her local knowledge was set against a very deep understanding and reading of local history sources and the history of Kent. Patricia was a mine of local history knowledge and if she didn’t know the answer to something she knew where to find it and was always intrigued enough to find out. It was this infectious enthusiasm that imparted itself to anyone who asked her for help and advice, both of which she gave freely and generously.  

Over the years Patricia has contributed many articles to the BBLHS magazine Bromleag and edited our two most popular publications Around Bromley and The town of Bromley a Century Ago. She published The Long Alert, 1937-45, drawing on her own experiences as Bromley’s youngest Air Raid Warden and was co-author with the late Joyce Walker of West Wickham, Past into Present. She also contributed to the Phillimore series with Bromley, A pictorial history. There is also a wealth of more academic level material that Patricia wrote.  Some of this has appeared in local history and archaeological journals and some is deposited at Bromley Local Studies library.

Patricia leaves behind her husband Geoffrey and son Neil. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

A longer article on Patricia's life can be found in the June 2011 issue of Bromleag.