Thanet Branch A.G.M.
The existing Committee was re-elected, less one member standing down. The Branch Chairman explained that the Committee was having increasing difficulty in covering branch meetings. Help had been requested unsuccessfully in March. It was recognised that the membership was much reduced from a few years ago, and it was unreasonable to call upon those members who had given much help in the past, who were now much older and less fit. However, the Chairman advised that without significantly more help, the Committee would be unable to run the branch beyond April 2020, at the very latest. Indeed, it might need to close it before then.
Talk: Reivers
Following the A.G.M., Michael Lucas gave an illustrated talk on the reivers. These were the families, of all classes, living on the Anglo-Scots border up to the early 1600s, who stole each other’s cattle and other property; practised extortion, and readily resorted to violence, whether in pursuit of theft or deadly feud.
Some were full-time outlaws, but others combined reiving with legitimate business. Larger reiving families could raise hundreds of armed men. The last great private battle in Britain took place here in 1593, between the Maxwells and the Johnstones, with 2,000 on the larger side, of whom perhaps 700 died.
Contrary to legend, the reivers were not nationalist Robin Hoods, but were happy to operate in international gangs and steal from anyone. Law enforcement was weak and its officers often corrupt, and if not corrupt became targets for murder. Protection rackets and kidnapping for ransom or hostages thrived. The reivers were only finally suppressed when England and Scotland were united under King James I. The innocent suffered with the guilty as the Government resorted to mass executions and transportations.
Michael ended by showing some reminders of the reivers to be seen today in the Borders, and some family history.