Sunday 21 August 2011

Recognising Tonbridge

Where in Tonbridge am I?



12 comments:

  1. This sign is on the wall of the Honeymoon restaurant at the entrance of the carpark

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  2. Oh, I didn't realise you had already said where this was, I only had the pic. on screen. I have just returned from town and saw it as I went round the round-a-bout. I don't know exactly how long the Hogben bakery was there, but it was definitely there between 1938-1954. I don't remember it, but then I can't remember what was there before the Chinese restaurant. Can anyone?

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  3. Maybe I put the answer on too early. I had so many people via my Twitter feed who knew where it was. Thanks for the dates that the Hogben bakery was up and running. I wonder if I can find any information on it or better still a photograph. Perhaps someone can help
    here. As for what was there before the Honeymoon - I have no idea. Watch this space!!!!

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  4. @ handyplasterer The Honeymoon Restaurant occupies 2-4 Barden Road. the 1891 census states that The Station Inn was at 4 Barden Road, and that master baker, John Lambert, occupied 2 Barden Road. Sometimes numbers change over a period of time. Is the Station House the former Station Inn which is now listed as being at 8 Barden Road.

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  5. I think the Station Inn was originally the Station Bridge Hotel, which was 2, The High Street, next to the Library, which is 4 The High Street. I can't remember what 8 Barden Road was. I think it will need a trip to the library to look at the Kelly's street directory.

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  6. The Station House was the South Eastern Hotel.

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  7. A bit more history.
    John Lambert was born in 1853. He was the son of Thomas Lambert, a Master Baker of King's Street, Rochester (1861)
    In 1880 at West Ham, London, he marries Rose Hannah Berry, a Master Baker's daughter, born in London. When they marry he is 26 and she is 39.
    1881 they are living with Rose's father John at his Baker's shop in Medway House, Frindsbury, Rochester.
    By 1891 they are at the Bakery 2 Barden Road.
    John dies at the beginning of 1901 aged 48.
    In 1901 Rose is still at the bakery as a Baker and Pastry Cook, living with her are two nephews and one niece, Annie Noaks.
    In the summer of 1904 Annie marries a Master Baker called Charles Foster Wicks.
    1911 Charles and Annie Wicks are the proprietors of the Baker's at 2 Barden Road.
    In the 1960's I remember the Landlord of the Railway Tavern (previously Station Bridge Hotel)
    was Mr Noakes, presumably a relative of Annie.
    By 1911 Rose Lambert has moved back to Rochester and is living at 96 Rochester Ave, with a Sarah Johnson, also a widow. They are both living 'on their own means'.
    Rose dies in 1921 aged 80.

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  8. Before it became the Honeymoon it was a run down transport cafe/ lodging house.

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  9. There is a 1890's photo of Laberts Bakers on the same site as the Libary now is on the Tonbridge Historical Society web site (Pictorial Collection No. 14A.432)

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  10. Thanks Anonymous - here is the link for Lamberts Bakery on Tonbridge Historical Society's website. It is of course totally unrecognisable as this is now the main Library

    http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/photos/the-high-street--1/slides/14A.432.html

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  11. If you look at 'The High Street 1. Number 33'
    on Tonbridge Historical Society's website, you will see another photo of the bakery showing John Lambert standing in the doorway of his shop.
    Yes, vaguely remember the transport cafe now.

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  12. This was my great grandfather's bakery he was Mr Hogben. My mum remembers playing there as a small child. She was born in 1951. I have been told that he also kept homing pigeons out the back.

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