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

Clean this up please!!!!

The Big Bridge is looking really clean at present and the new paintwork is showing off the ironwork features to its best advantage. I do hope that the Little Bridge, made by the same Tonbridge Foundry in Avebury Avenue, will now get the TLC it too deserves as it's looking a little jaded.

Situated outside the Shaw Trust on the Little Bridge is the most decorative ironwork I have come across in Tonbridge. I believe it too was made by Gray Brothers of Avebury Avenue, but it is far more delicate and intricate in design. However, it is in a poor condition and in desperate need of a clean. I don't know who is responsible for the wrought ironwork, but whoever that may be is allowing it to fall into disrepair. This is directly in the High Street and doesn't do the town any favours. It would be good to see this cleaned up and renovated so that everyone can enjoy this little bit of history in our town.

Big Bridge has Makeover

The Big Bridge in town is having a revamp. Built in 1887 by Gray Brothers at their Avebury Avenue foundry it is now an iconic and much loved landmark in Tonbridge.

Hopefully the Little Bridge will receive the same treatment. 

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

Recognising Tonbridge detail

I thought this one would be easy, but only two people recognised where this detail is situated. The four petalled flower forms part of the pattern on both Big Bridge and Little Bridge.

 

If you look closely on the larger pillars the makers of the ironwork, Gray Brothers, can be seen. Gray Brothers were a Tonbridge company who made the intricate and beautiful railings in their Avebury Avenue foundry in 1887.  The site of the former workshop was approximately where the Adult Education building now stands.

Next time you cross either of the bridges stop to look at the railings, as more often than not, we are so used to our surroundings we simply don't notice how stunning they are, and the added bonus is they were made in our town by Tonbridge men.

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

Recognising Tonbridge Feature

Kent Invicta Horse

Lots of you recognised this one and so there are too many of you to name.  It is of course the White Horse of Kent or Kent Invicta Horse on both the Big and Little Bridge.  At my last count there were 26 on the Big Bridge and 8 on Little Bridge.

Big Bridge Tonbridge

If you look closely above the Invicta Horse, the makers of the ironwork can be read. Gray Brothers were the Tonbridge company who made the intricate and beautiful railings in their Avebury Avenue foundry in 1887.  The site of the former workshop was approximately where the Adult Education building now stands.  I wonder what remnants are left below the building.

Next time you cross either of the bridges stop to look at the railings as often we are so used to our surroundings we simply don't notice how stunning they are, and the added bonus is that they were made in Tonbridge by Tonbridge men.

River Walk - Big Bridge

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The Empire Theatre in Avebury Avenue was fondly known as the 'Bug-Hutch' by locals in the 1920's and 1930's.  The Manager Buster West was known to always wear a bowler hat when on duty at the picture house.  On Saturday mornings he collected the admission fee, and those who were able to pay a higher price to sit in the gallery gained the 'unspoken' privilege to bombard the stalls below with apple cores and other discarded litter.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

Frank Woolley's father, Charles, made bicycles to order in his Tonbridge workshop business at 72 High Street.  The premises were lost due to road widening around the turn of the 20th century, and the family moved to Avebury Avenue and East Street.

It has been documented that Charles made a carriage for his two sons in his engineering business, and the boys were often seen out and about in Tonbridge driving the little vehicle, with two goats at the reins.
 

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

Although there were a number of guesses, only one person recognised the detail of the plaque above the door of the telephone exchange in Avebury Avenue.  Formerly at 94 High Street (now Weatherspoon's) the exchange moved to this building in 1939.

Recognising Tonbridge detail

Telephone Exchange in Avebury Avenue

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The earliest mentions of a inn on the corner of Avebury Avenue  and High Street were references to a 'messuage' or inn called 'le Aungell'.

In the 19th century a new Angel was built on the opposite side of the road on the corner of Vale Road and The High Street. This well known building was demolished in the 1970's and a supermarket was the first business to appear on the new site. It is now Poundstretchers.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The iron railings on the town's Big and Little Bridge were made by Gray Brothers whose foundry was in Avebury Avenue. The foundry stood on the now Adult Education building.

Look carefully at the railings when next passing over the bridges and the Gray Brothers logo can clearly be spotted.

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

Nestles Milk ... Richest In Cream

The Nestles Milk Ghost Sign sits high on the side wall of New Jimmys Restaurant in Avebury Avenue.
Only one person knew where the sign was positioned, although there were many vague guesses, and it's probably because it is in a narrow alleyway and very difficult to spot.

I have searched through Kellys Street Directories, thinking I would find a dairy or grocer in or around this building. but I came to a dead end.  A confectioner occupied the spot for many years and there were a number of 'dining halls' in the street, but nothing that explains the advertising of Nestles Milk. 

This type of advertising had its heydey in England from the 1920s to the 1950's, although ghost signs were in place during the end of the 19th century.  Their decline was the coming of mass produced posters, which were cheaper than individual traders having to pay for costly commisioning of hand painted wall advertising.

I have now found three Ghost signs in Tonbridge.  There is the very well preserved Hovis sign on the wall between the Honeymoon Restaurant and the town library, the faded hairdressing advertisement on the corner of Bank Street and The High Street, and now The Nestles painted sign in Avebury Avenue.

On a final personal note, I believe these haunting and faded hand painted advertisements should be preserved for their important historical and cultural significance to the community, but they are fading and fast disappearing often due to weathering, but also as a result of property development and demolition.  It is their faded appearance that has led them to be known as ghostsigns.    So go out and take a look before they vanish from Tonbridge.

If anyone can shed light on the reason Nestles milk was advertised in Avebury Avenue, or if there are any more hidden ghost signs in Tonbridge please contact Tonbridge Daily.

Bank Street/High Street

Hovis Sign in Barden Road

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

A iron post sits outside the main library in Avebury Avenue marking the location of a former tollgate.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The Big and Little Bridge fancy iron railings were made by Gray Brothers c1887 whose Tonbridge foundry was on the Adult Education site in Avebury Avenue #TonbridgeDailySnippet

Tonbridge Comforts Funds

Tonbridge residents have always been a good bunch of people and ready to support others in times of crisis.  In the aftermath of the floods in 1968, and the devastation this brought to the High Street and residential areas, and the hurricane of 1987 help was readily at hand and the town came together to support those who were affected.  

Even as far back as the second world war Tonbridge people got together to send parcels to local men in service at home and abroad.  This was the brainchild of two Tonbridge men Robert Pease and Alf Smith, who organised and conceived the Tonbridge Comforts Fund, to benefit those Tonbridgians in service in the BEF, Ships at Sea, Stations in Gibraltar,  Malta, Egypt, Aden, Palestine and Stations in Scotland, Wales and all over England.  The idea was that all servicemen received a parcel from their hometown, in the hope it would bring some home comfort and joy into their war-torn days.  It is not sure what would have been in the parcels, but they most probably contained items of food such as sweets, tobacco, clothing and toiletries ... similar to the parcels that are prepared and sent out to servicemen in far flung corners of the world today.

The letter below is a rather special document as it marks the 1000th parcel sent to serving Tonbridgians, and even more unusual is that the letter is addressed to Lance Corporal Allan Pease, the son of the founder of the Tonbridge Comforts Fund.  According to a family member the document was received in France on retreat to Dunkirk, and it is quite amazing that it still survives today. It could be unique and the first time one of its kind has been published.

copyright P Robynns

Lance Corporal Allan Pease, and his four brothers, all served in the army during WW2 and each one returned to Tonbridge when discharged.  Allan, the recipient of the letter, is the last surviving and is now in his 92nd year.  He was formerly Assistant Head Master at The Ridgeway School, and still lives in the area with his wife.  His father, and initiator of the Tonbridge Comforts fund, served as Regimental Sergeant Major Robert Pease of the Royal West Kents.  He was stationed in Tonbridge about 1925 as the Officer in Charge of the Territorial Army in Avebury Avenue.  When he left the Army he was employed as the Local Truant Officer for schools in the Tonbridge area.

Robert Pease founder of The Tonbridge Comforts Fund and his wife Annie

It would be interesting to find out what the comfort parcels contained, and therefore if anyone knows one of the packers listed on the letter, or received a parcel themselves or has any further information please leave a comment below or email tonbridgedaily@gmail.com with contact details.