tonbridge historical society newsletter Tonbridge History Autumn 2013 Photo above: Two of the aquatic games at one of the annual Water Galas staged by Tonbridge Swimming Club before the First World War ‒ see page 7. Tonbridge’s municipal swimming bath had opened in 1910, though it was 1919 before the local Council, in the teeth of fierce opposition, allowed ‘mixed bathing’ ‒ men and women in the water together. From the Chairman:

Having taken over as Chairman from Jenny Poxon I would like to thank her for all her hard work and enthusiasm during her term as Chairman, and I hope that the Society continues developing and progressing into the future. A little background about myself: I worked for over 30 years teaching history in grammar schools in South Manchester and moved to Tonbridge with my wife seven years ago. One of the first organisations we joined was the Historical Society and we have both enjoyed being members. I am interested in all aspects of history, particularly local and industrial. George Buswell Society News Tonbridge Historical Society Lecture Programme 2013-14

Founded: 1960 All meetings are held in the Riverside President – Joy Debney Room at the Angel Centre. Past Presidents – Stella Hardy MBE, Thursday 19th September, 7.45 pm Joan Thirsk CBE, Christopher Chalklin The Georgians ‒ polite (and not-so- polite) society in 18th century England Committee Patsy Erskine-Hill Chairman – George Buswell Our speaker has degrees from Trinity College, Dublin and Edinburgh Vice Chairman and Website University. She travels and lectures – Anthony Wilson widely on Russian, Italian and British Secretary – Madge Woods, History to groups including history societies and cruise passengers, but 18th century England is a particular Treasurer – Pat Mortlock, enthusiasm. Thursday 10th October, 7.45 pm Minutes & Archives – Sally Robbins Kent in the English Civil War, 1640-49 Publicity – Vanessa King Jackie Eales Audio-visual Officer‒ Deborah Cole Professor Eales holds the chair of Early Social Events – Jenny Poxon Modern History at Canterbury Christ Church University, and is currently Other Committee Members: Presi­dent of the Historical Association. Roger Barham She has written and researched Pam Sharland extensively on the English Civil Wars, Co-opted Members: Tudor and Stuart Women, and 17th century Puritanism. Shiela Broomfield (Archaeology) Pat Hopcroft (Pictorial Records Collect­ Saturday 9th November, 2.30 pm ion and Kent History Federation Liaison) (Two-session meeting with tea. Booking required: a form is enclosed with this website: www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk News­letter) Subscription (from 2014): £9 per person 1 Shakespeare’s Playhouses (£3.00 for under-18s), due on 1st March 2 Theatrical Lives annually for the following season. Julian Bowsher Non-members are welcome as guests The speaker has worked for MOLA at all meetings on payment of £2 at the (Museum of London Archaeology) door (£1 for under-18s). since 1986. He is a noted expert in the archaeology and history of 2 ‘Shakespearean’ theatre in London Thursday 24th April 2014, 7.30 pm Lecture Programme 2013-14 and author of ‘Shakespeare’s London AGM, followed by theatreland: archaeology, history and The Luttrell Psalter ‒ an illuminated All meetings are held in the Riverside drama’ (2012). manuscript of the 14th century Room at the Angel Centre. His first talk will be mainly centred Imogen Corrigan on buildings and the second on This manuscript is remarkable for its Thursday 19th September, 7.45 pm artefacts. teeming illustrations of mediaeval life The Georgians ‒ polite (and not-so- Thursday 12th December, 7.45 pm and farming, mixed with saints and polite) society in 18th century England A History of Comic Verse ‒ 1066 to monsters.The speaker is a freelance Patsy Erskine-Hill the internet lecturer and study-tour guide in Anglo- Our speaker has degrees from Trinity Geoff Hutchinson Saxon and Mediaeval History and Art. College, Dublin and Edinburgh University. She travels and lectures Prepare for a lively and entertaining Recent Meetings widely on Russian, Italian and British evening when the well-known author and local historian Geoff Hutchinson At the March 2012 meeting Andrew History to groups including history Richardson spoke about his involvement societies and cruise passengers, but returns for our Christmas meeting. His previous appearances as Mad Jack in the development of policies to tackle 18th century England is a particular the problem of heritage crime ‒ such as enthusiasm. Fuller and others have been greatly enjoyed. What he has in store this time illegal excavations and metal detecting, Thursday 10th October, 7.45 pm we will find out on the night! and damage to listed buildings. He finished with the story of catching Kent in the English Civil War, 1640-49 Thursday 13th February 2014, 7.45 pm someone carrying out illegal excavations Jackie Eales Vinzenz’s Diary ‒ a moving diary of a at Thurnham and then discovering Professor Eales holds the chair of Early German POW that he had also done over 20 other Modern History at Canterbury Christ George and Joyce Buswell illegal excavations, mainly in the South Church University, and is currently East, but as far north as Hardknot Presi­dent of the Historical Association. Vinzenz Fetzer was a German soldier Fort in Cumbria and that his illegal She has written and researched who was captured in 1944 and then spent ‘finds collection’ included a section of extensively on the English Civil Wars, nearly three years in a Prisoner of War mosaic pavement from a Roman villa in Tudor and Stuart Women, and 17th camp at Tonbridge. The talk, given jointly Gloucestershire. century Puritanism. by our Chairman and his wife, covers how Following the AGM in April his diary was translated and what it tells us Marc Morris gave an entertaining, Saturday 9th November, 2.30 pm about his experiences as a POW. informative and well-illustrated talk (Two-session meeting with tea. Booking about the Norman Conquest, linked Thursday 13th March 2014, 7.45 pm required: a form is enclosed with this to his recent book. He showed how News­letter) Gad’s Hill Place ‒ Dickens’ Little William’s victory in 1066 fundamentally Kentish Freehold 1 Shakespeare’s Playhouses changed England with the introduction Ann Carter 2 Theatrical Lives of castles, the rebuilding of every major Charles Dickens moved into Gad’s Hill church, changes to both law and Julian Bowsher Place in Higham in 1860 and died there language and the destruction of the The speaker has worked for MOLA ten years later. Our speaker is a well- Saxon ruling class. The 1086 Domesday (Museum of London Archaeology) known lecturer who formerly taught Survey showed how radically society since 1986. He is a noted expert at the school which until recently had changed, as only 13 of the top 500 in the archaeology and history of occupied Gad’s Hill Place. tenants were English at that time. 3 ... in the footsteps of mediaeval knights It is not generally known that Tonbridge had its own long distance circular walk in the 13th century. Deborah Cole has brought it up to date.

Details of the mediaeval walk have portion reads as follows: ‘... to the garden lain on a single sheet of parchment of Penecestr and so directly to Redelef ... to in Canterbury Cathedral for seven Coppingsland ... and so directly by the land centuries.­ Unlike 21st century walks, of the Prior of Tonbridge [Priory Farm] ... this one was not for leisure but was and so to the mead of Newsoles [Nizels] ... a ‘perambulation of the lowy of from the paved way [London Road] ... and Tonbridge’ (the castle lands) by 24 so to Romdshedde ...’ lords and knights to determine what If other places are added which are belonged to the Earl, Gilbert Clare recorded in other documents or can (the Red) and what belonged to the be identified by their situation in the Archbishop of Canterbury and others. landscape and on old maps, then 34 The copy in Canterbury Cathedral is of the 59 places can be identified with in mediaeval latin and was translated by reasonable confidence which is more John Harris in 1719. Hasted, writing than half. The 34 places were joined up 80 years later, refused to include it on a map and as Dumbreck discovered in his great work on the history of the jury of Lords and Knights appeared Kent because ‘the places as well as the to follow old parish boundaries. names of persons mentioned in these perambulations being obsolete and now totally unknown, the insertion of them in this place can give so little information to the reader’. Since that time the perambulation route has been largely forgotten apart from WV Dumbreck’s referrals to parts of it in the 1958 issue of Archaeologia Cantiana. Not being deterred and knowing that you must never believe all you read, the document has now been revisited, transcribed and translated Part of the walk following a surviving again. Knowing also that 13th century boundary bank documents do not come thick and fast Having drawn a rough map of the in Tonbridge we need to make the most route, it was decided to walk it in stages of what there is. and see if the landscape revealed any Fifty-nine places were visited on that clues that might identify missing places day (or over a period) in 1279. Of these such as ponds, old roads, house names it was discovered that 17 still exist, with etc. Public footpaths were found to a cluster of them in the west and north, lie on or near the route and they were between Penshurst and Underriver. This linked up to make a long distance 4 circular walk of 33 miles. ‘led’ by Stephen Many discoveries were made on of Penshurst the walk. Missing places could be who presided identified by associated features and over the per­ old names seen on houses and roads. ambul­ation That was exciting enough, but to top it at the castle all, the countryside around Tonbridge in 1279 and was found to be extremely varied and whose effigy beautiful and so a book has been written can be seen Stephen of Penshurst with directions for the long distance in Penshurst walk and for a series of circular walks Church. For details have a look at all with historical notes. The walks are www.tonbridgecircularwalk.co.uk 5 More about the town museum

Sydney Simmons, former Borough Engineer, sheds a little light on the fate of the contents of the town museum (THS Newsletter, Spring 2013):

‘When I came here in 1951 part of the to sort out all the documents from loft in the castle offices was the Town the Clerk’s domain in the roof. But Clerk’s domain and held what I was when we got there the floor was swept told were the remains of the Museum. bare and the only document was the Among the items stored there were drawing of a sewage pumping station some wooden display units with not in Tonbridge. I was told all the divisions similar to pigeon holes in Town Clerk’s documents had been which were collections of stones (they thrown out of the windows into a skip. may have been geological specimens), The marble busts disappeared and the a stuffed alligator with its jaws open, a new TMDC officers claimed they had large disembowelled clock from the old never existed. Town Hall with the mechanism in a I understood that the items of real loose heap, and a very heavy metal bell. interest and value in the collection There was also a robust timber ‘Baby had been the remnants of The Kibble Walker’, possibly Victorian, designed bequest to the Tonbridge Mechanics to support a toddler walking in circles Institute.’ round a central pillar. Anne Hughes expands on this: ‘Thomas There were two other sets of Museum Kibble of Greentrees, Hadlow Road, items. In the basement of the castle gave many pictures, statuary, works offices, beyond the intact Georgian of art and books to the Tonbridge ovens, were a series of wine bins, in Mechanics’ Institute, later transferred which there were beautiful marble to the Library, but no record of these busts. In the roof can be found. space above the The only item I Surveyor’s stores have traced is a in the nearby painting said to Slade depot be by Tintoretto were large oil which is in the paintings similar council chamber in quality to of Tonbridge The Crucifixion Castle, but there in the Council is no mention Chamber. of the donor. Later, follow­ According to the ing Local Gov­ Tonbridge Free ern­ment reorg­ Press the items anisation in 1974, were saved from a I was asked to Marble busts in the castle basement, now lost. fire at Greentrees go to the castle Council officials claimed they never existed. in 1879.’ 6 100 years ago – from the Tonbridge Free Press 29th August 1913: The Water Gala 10th October 1913: Shopping Week and the Carnival ‘Some delightful weather favoured the Water Gala held in the Bath on A century before the recent ‘Tonbridge Wednesday, and arranged by the Taster Day’ the town held a ‘Shopping Tonbridge Swimming Club. The ex­ Week’: cellent character of the programme ‘This week Tonbridge is experiencing provided called for much favourable its first Shopping Week and so far the comment, and the numerous events event has proved highly successful. were keenly contested. Despite the wretched weather At the con­clusion of the programme, conditions which prevailed on Tuesday and prior to the distribution of the and Wednesday large numbers of prizes by Lady Nott Bower, a pleasing people have been attracted into the little ceremony was performed by town. The Shop Window displays that lady which took the form of the have been ‘the feature of the week’ but presentation of a framed illuminated the Carnival on Wednesday evening address, silver and oak inkstand and also drew a large crowd into the High silver pen to the Hon. Secretary, Mr Street.The intermittent rain had caused Roger Leonard who has in that capacity many forebodings but fortunately the worked so enthusiastically and with Clerk of the weather became more such success to promote the welfare of kindly disposed as the hour approached the club. Mr E. Sanderson said but for for the start of the procession ... Mr Leonard there would have been no There were upwards of seventy Tonbridge Swimming Club as he had entries and prizes were awarded in been the pioneer of it, but he expressed four sections: decorated bicycle or his regret that Mr Leonard had not hand vehicle, fancy costume, decorated been successful in his attempt to form cars and decorated horses or vehicles a Ladies section of the club but he (Mr (although only horses entered in this Sanderson) believed it only needed section). A start was made from the ladies to come forward and support Fire Station [then near the Castle] and the scheme.’ (The photos on page 1 of this the route included the High Street, Newsletter may have been taken at this Pembury Road ... and return to the Fire event.) Station where prizes were distributed.’ Mediaeval Menu Archaeologists working on the former cod, herring, eel and haddock were Bingo Hall site in the High Street also found. For fruit, there is evidence in 2003-5 found food remains in that mediaeval Tonbridge people were abundance. They included bones of ox, getting their five a day from plums, pig, and sheep or goats (but not horse), grapes, elderberries and raspberries or and there was evidence of butchery in gooseberries. Oats made up most of the the splitting of bones to extract the cereal intake, supplemented with wheat marrow. Bones from sea fish such as and barley. 7 Here and there ....

One-day Conference Open Day on Saturday October 19th Landscapes of south-east England from 11am to 4pm at the Old School during the Roman period: Saturday Hall, Hadlow. It is hoped that a 16th November 2013 in Faversham, new memorial plaque in St Mary`s organised by Kent Archaeological Field churchyard to the 30 Romany and School and the Council for British Irish hop-pickers who died in the Archaeology South East. For details accident at Hartlake Bridge in 1853 and to book, go to www.kafs.co.uk and will be dedicated during the afternoon. click on ‘News’. Enquiries to Anne Hughes, 01732 850214. Hope House and the YWCA Forthcoming history courses Platform 51 in Lyons Crescent (formerly the YWCA) is researching WEA Courses in Tonbridge the history of Hope House, built Exploring Britain’s Historic Landscapes, in 1911 as a hostel for young ladies Settlements and Buildings: 10 weeks working away from home. The founders from 1st October 2013, 10.15 - 12.15 were local philanthropists: Emmeline The Philosophy of History: 20 weeks from Snelling, Marion McGill, Harriet 2nd October 2013, 10 - 12 Streeten and Lucy Deacon. Art in Tuscany: The Emerging Renaiss­ In later years the building has been ance: 10 weeks from 10th November used by the Brownies, the Geraldine 2013, 10 - 12 Fox School of Dancing, a nursery Ten British Prime Ministers: 10 weeks and other activities (see www. from 9th January 2014, 2 - 4 platform51. org). Can you help them The River Thames (part 2):5 weeks from with any local historical knowledge 14th January 2014, 10 - 12 on the founders or YWCA branch, Five Great Buildings: 5 weeks from 25th please? In addition, they would love to February, 10 - 12 hear from anyone who has memories of Day school: The Origins of Kentish using Hope House. People: 6th November 2013, 2 - 4.30 Contact: Deborah Petrick: History Pro­ject, Plat­form 51, Hope House, (For details of all WEA courses contact 7 Lyons Crescent, Tonbridge, TN9 Rosemary Walker, 01732 366346) 1EX. Kent Adult Education courses Romany and Traveller FHS Not available when going to press but check at the Adult Education Centre, The Romany and Traveller Family Avebury Avenue. History Society will be holding an

THS Newsletter is compiled by George Buswell and Anthony Wilson. Our thanks to all contributors. Future contributions should be sent to THS, 7 The Ridgeway, Tonbridge TN10 4NQ Deadline for the next issue: 1st Feb. 2014

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