Tonbridge Daily Photo

It's New Year's Eve and usually Wetherspoons in Tonbridge is full of happy revellers. Sadly this year it won't be happening. The pub is closed until further notice due to the recent High Street floods.

Hadlow flood in 1968

I've been really fascinated by the 1968 copy of the Flood Edition of the Tonbridge Advertiser I found in my office this week. 

It was certainly news to me that Hadlow village was under 4ft of water when the flood was at its highest point. 

Here are a couple of images taken in Hadlow High Street. It's unbelievable!!!

 

Tonbridge Floods 1968

Yesterday I searched my home office knowing that I had an old newspaper of the last floods in town, and eventually came across the old, yellowed and slightly fragile copy of a special flood disaster edition of the 1968 Tonbridge Advertiser. It made fascinating reading, not only for the devastating flood images and reports, but also for the adverts and notices the paper carried in the 60's. Here are some of the images of those floods that prompted the building of the Leigh flood barrier.

It's very sad that Tonbridge has flooded again, and my heart goes out to the people affected. A previous post (below) carries a link to a Community Facebook page if you can offer help to local flood victims.

Thin line to safety - Residents of Avebury Avenue

Avebury Avenue - former Rugby Club and Drill Hall

Supplies and food being transferred by poles - Avebury Avenue

Tonbridge High Street

Cyclists on The Botany before the floods rose - Ritz Cinema is showing Camelot

Help and support for flood victims

Can you help or support those in Tonbridge and the surrounding area affected by the recent floods.
Take a look by clicking on the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1399716396941795/

Tonbridge Daily Photo/Tonbridge Flood

Shared on Twitter by Kent 999s @Kent_999s

Tonbridge Floods Christmas Day Morning

Swollen and fast flowing - Big Bridge

Capsized boats at Big Bridge

River path from Big Bridge below Pizza Express to The Wharf Pub

The Castle Terrace Flooded (cellars must be deep in water)

Medway Wharf Road

Early Christmas Day Spectators on Big Bridge

Medway Wharf Road (water level lower than Christmas Eve)

Bubbling drains in the High Street

The Botany totally underwater

New Wharf Road

River Walk

Water has boken the banks around the castle

The riverside of Lyons Crescent

Tonbridge Floods Christmas Eve

Water cascading under Big Bridge

Boats stuck under Big Bridge

Pizza Express and The Wharf

Castle Inn Terrace

Medway Wharf Road

Flooded - The Botany, Bon Marche, Holly Good Nails, Waitrose

New Wharf Road - Water Rising

Bradford Street Under Water

Tree stuck under Little Bridge

Tonbridge Daily

I really enjoy writing this blog and it's helped me to get to know the town in which I live, and I hope if you are living in Tonbridge that it has you too.

I just want to remind those who drop by and read the daily information, snippets and enjoy the photographs that the majority of the images are mine, taken by myself, unless a credit appears mentioning the source.

Also some of the presentation of ideas have been created by myself and therefore are my intellectual property, as is some of the research on the town which has appeared in no other publication. So unless you are clear of the source of the information you may be using, my research outcomes, ideas and images are under copyright and should not be used to generate any monetary gain.

This is simply a blog to be enjoyed by all who live locally and want to know more about the town in which they live. It is not in the public sphere to capitalise on making money or a profit.  Therefore please don't steal my work for this purpose.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #403

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #402

Eileen Best captured this beautiful photo of St Stephens Church Window and the Christmas Tree. Gorgeous!!!

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #401 - The Motte

Slippery Slope

Leaves will fall in autumn, and there's nothing we can do about it.  However, an enormous amount of leaves are covering the pathway leading up the motte. That was fine today, as it was dry, and I found myself kicking them around in a childlike way (as one does with autumn leaves).  But, I dread to think how unsafe the paths could be if it rains or becomes damp, so please can the leaves be cleared away before the walkway really does become a 'slippery slope'.

Sleeping Bags Needed For The Homeless

Local charity, The Bridge Trust, in Tonbridge is putting out an urgent plea for people to donate warm winter sleeping bags to them.  

The charity provides good quality accommodation and support services for single homeless adults in West Kent.  However, they are unable to provide immediate emergency accommodation, so until a room becomes available in one of their houses, The Bridge Trust urgently needs sleeping bags, which at least provides some warmth to a homeless person on these cold winter nights.  

Do you have a warm sleeping bag that you no longer need which could provide some relief from the cold for a homeless person?  If so, please get in touch urgently with The Bridge Trust on 01732 368363 or email them at info@thebridgetrust.org.uk.  

Please also "share" this information with your friends, family, colleagues and through your social media networks.  Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated - thank you.

Pantomime Gala Evening

As part of their 2013 Community Programme, Tonbridge Lions are delighted to be hosting a Gala Evening of this year's pantomime The Sleeping Beauty.

Prior to the main performances on Friday 20^th and Saturday 21^st December at The Angel Centre, special needs groups of both adults and children are being treated to a special preview performance on Thursday 19^th December.

The Kent Branch of the Royal Variety Club will be bringing local groups such as Ridgeview School, Parents Consortium, and Sussex Road School. Other groups such as Prospects and Lighthouse will also come along.

The pantomime which is produced by the Tonbridge based CLIPS Theatre Company, and attended by the Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Howard Rogers, will be guaranteed to make the invited audience’s Christmas treat extra special.

Shows for the public are 20th December at 7.30pm and 21st December at 10.30am, 2.30pm and 6.30pm. Tickets are available from the Angel Centre 017323 59966 priced at £11.00 adult; £9.00 concessions and £32.00 for a family of four

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #400

Sleeping Beauty ... your truly local Tonbridge Panto

Family Group: Left to right back row - Martin, Cheryl, Lynne. 

Front row - Harvey, Ivan, Arwen and Oscar.

Meet The Collis Family who will be giving our very own Tonbridge Panto a truly local feel.

There's mum Lynne ... dad Martin ... sons Oscar, Harvey, Ivan and daughter Arwen who all have roles in this colourful production, presented as always by Tonbridge Lions Club.

Lynne, who was last seen (or more precisely not seen) as the 'back end of the cow', in Jack and the Beanstalk, plays the part of Carabosse, the evil Godmother. And ... this year Martin plays The Lord Chancellor.  

The family connection doesn't stop there as Lynne’s sister, Cheryl Crouch, who was last year's wonderful 'front end of the cow', will definitely be seen a little more this time round as she plays the part of the Nanny.

The CLIPS Theatre Company who have been part of the Tonbridge scene now for 20 years prides itself on utilising local talent in its community pantomime productions every year. And, just as important you can be sure that by supporting your own Tonbridge pantomime all proceeds go to help local charities. A perfect combination and all you need to do is enjoy the fun, join in with the hilarity, songs and boos and hisses that a traditional panto has to offer, and the kids and grown-ups alike will love it. 

This really is a local pantomine, with a local cast and for the local people (those from further afield are of course most welcome as this is probably the best panto in the area).

Don't miss out and BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.

You all want to go don't you? Yes... of course you do.

Friday 20 December (7.30pm) 

Saturday December 21st (10.30am, 2.30pm and 6.30pm). 

Tickets prices:

Adults £11.00 

Concessions £9.00 

Family of Four £32.00 

All available from the Angel Centre Box Office 01732 359966.

Tonbridge Daily Advent Doors

Day 6 - Mill Crescent

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #400 - Tonbridge Lights

Tonbridge Daily Advent Doors

Day 5 - Charlton Terrace

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #399 - Tonbridge Parish Churchyard

Timeless and peaceful. A familiar scene and a popular short-cut. There are a number of interesting headstones so remember to explore a little next time you're passing through.

Tonbridge Daily Advent Doors

Day 4 - Charlton Terrace

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #398

The flower stall and Christmas decorations are helping The High Street Pavilion look really attractive and create a festive atmosphere for shoppers to feel the spirit of the season. There are plenty of pretty wreaths, plants and twinkling lights, which can only be a good thing at this time of the year.

Sadly, Angel Walk is completely devoid of Christmas lights, and although some of the shops are really trying their best to inject some seasonal cheer with window displays, it really isn't working without the help of garlands hanging above. It was the same story last year, and it's very sad that this walkway seems neglected. I have no idea who is responsible, or where the decorations have disappeared that hung here every Christmas. But ... it seems that Tonbridge doesn't deserve them any more, and that certainly doesn't help the morale of the town, the traders or the residents.