January 2024

It is with great sadness we report the passing of Paul Oldham on Sunday 7th January, after his 6 months’ long battle with cancer. He was a passionate champion of the Museum and very supportive of the activities of MMF. Most recently he was a major contributor towards the Museum’s new Archaeological gallery – Lives in Our Landscape.

Very much a Maidstone person, he lived in what was his parents’ home in Hermitage Lane all his life except the years he spent at Oxford University. He strongly supported the university in later life as he did Maidstone Grammar School, where he was educated. He pursued a career in finance.

He served as a Councillor on both Maidstone Borough and Kent County Councils where he was much respected by members of all political persuasions and was elected Mayor of Maidstone in 1993/94. He was very involved at  the highest level for Kent Archaeological Society (including a period  as President).

In 1995, following the death of his parents, he set up a charity in their name – the William and Edith Oldham Charitable Trust – to do work in their memory. TheTrust has 6 objectives – to promote education in Maidstone; to provide bursaries at Wadham College, Oxford; to support the less fortunate in Barming  & Teston Parishes; to promote the study of archaeology and history; to support Maidstone Museum; and to help preserve Kent’s historic buildings.

He was known as a private person and he has expressed a wish that he should have a cremation funeral with no service. Maidstone Borough Council will mark his passing with a minute’s silence at the Council meeting on February 21st.

He will be much missed by those who knew him