THE death of Kent historian Anne Roper 25 years ago was mourned by many across the county.

But anyone interested in history has real cause to thank her as she left her entire collection of thousands of documents and photographs accumulated over a period of 60 years to the Kent Archaeological Society.

The society has just placed a catalogue of the collection on-line.

One of her favourite subjects was the county’s pubs and inns. In 1955, she was co-author with H R Pratt Boorman of Kent Inns, a Distillation.

Mr Boorman, known as ‘the Guv’nor’ was the owner and chairman of the Kent Messenger Group at the time.

Among her many photographs is one of the unveiling of the John Brunt VC pub sign at Paddock Wood in 1947.

The pub was renamed after the town’s gallant soldier won the Victoria Cross in Italy for ‘bravery, devotion to duty and complete disregard for his personal safety’ on December 9, 1944, only to be killed in a mortar attack the next day.

The catalogue can be downloaded from www.kentarchaeology.ac (‘Library and Collections Catalogues’ page).

The collection itself can be consulted at the KAS Library at Maidstone Museum in St Faith’s Street, by appointment with Pernille Richards, via email to: pernillerichards@gmail.com