Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #271 - Morris Minor

Carl Lewis photographed the partially hidden Morris Minor at Allen's Garage in Lyons Crescent. He checked the tax disc and found it ran out in 1979. So that means this wonderful old lady has been put out to grass for over 30 years.

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

Recognising Tonbridge Feature

Corpus Christi Church Lyons Crescent

I strayed from the High Street for this Recognising Tonbridge, and hoped that some of you would recognise where in the town the symbol in the photograph was located. Only two people named the spot.  Peter Harris was the first (he usually is) and Louise who also knew where it was left a comment on the blog.  The Alpha and the Omega symbols are etched into the lower glass panels on the main doors of Corpus Christi Church in Lyons Crescent.

The two symbols are the first and the last letters of the classical Greek alphabet, and are used as a Christian symbol often combined with the cross or the Chi-rho. If you look closely at religious paintings or art/artefacts depicting Christian themes or stories they can often be found, especially so placed on either side of the cross. Look out for them when in art galleries, churches, when on holiday visiting museums or cathedrals and you'll notice they occur more often than you would think.

Alpha and Omega

Tonbridge Graffiti Tags

Lyons Crescent

Lyons Crescent

No sooner have the unsightly scribbles been cleaned off ... they appear again. I don't get tagging. It's ugly, uncreative and unacceptable. These meaningless tags plague our neighborhoods, and undermine pride in the local community. It's negative, illegal and a blight on our society. If caught the perpetrator can be charged with criminal damage, given a criminal record, fined and can be ordered to do community service as a result. What I don't understand is that with all those possible consequences why is it so tempting to mess around defacing walls and public spaces.

If you spot graffiti in the town please report this to TMBC http://www.tmbc.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/street-care-and-cleaning/graffiti-reporting-and-removal

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

In September 1986 whilst parishioners attended Sunday morning mass the old Fisher Hall in Lyons Crescent mysteriously caught fire. Rumours still surround the blaze.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

In 1986 the Fisher Hall in Lyons Crescent mysteriously burned down during Sunday Mass and the parishioners' car park had to be urgently evacuated for fear of explosions

Who are these Tonbridge girls?

This group of girls, photographed in the early 1960's, are members of The League of Health and Beauty who used to meet in the Social Centre in Lyons Cresent.  The building has long gone, but it stood next to The Stradbrook Implant Centre, and has been replaced by town houses.

The group met weekly and would often perform their sychronised exercises at local events.

Does anyone recognise themselves or know any of the girls in the photograph?

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The pink velvet seats from Buster West's Tonbridge Playhouse were found piled high in four Lyons Crescent lockups in the 1960's. Unfortunately the rotten and rat bitten seats had to be destroyed.

I have been reliably told that they went up in flames as part of a massive bonfire on the river bank in The Crescent.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #50  -  Lyons Crescent Garage

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #48   - Lyons Crescent Garage

Tonbridge women ask Shadow Ministers for help in overcoming barriers to employment

Shadow Minister for Equalities Kate Green MP, and Shadow Minister for Education Karen Buck MP met local women and girls at Platform 51, a local women's centre in Lyons Crescent, who hosted a meeting to highlight the subject on employment and education opportunities for women in Kent  

It was an opportunity for the MPs to hear first hand about the experience from local women, many of whom have faced long-term unemployment, dropped out of education or were young mothers.

In the meeting, a focus group of 15 local women highlighted their concerns for the need for flexible exmployment options, essential affordable childcare and fair treatment in employment.

“I was very pleased to meet so many determined and articulate women at Platform 51. They're ambitious and I was very impressed at their keenness to work or study to get on in life", said Kate Green MP, Shadow Minister for Equalities, “We should be doing all we can to help them achieve their goals – by providing affordable childcare, and helping them to get the qualifications they need to get good jobs.”

Centre Manager Von Dawson said that it was wonderful to welcome Kate Green, and Karen Buck to the Lyons Crescent centre to hear first hand about the difficulties women are facing locally, from dealing with redundance to bringing up a family on a low income,

"It was a fantastic opportunity for women to talk, not only about the troubles they have experienced, but also how they have managed to turn these experiences around to help them become more resilient, and support other women in difficult circumstances.

We hope the MPs will be able to carry the messages they heard this week to their colleagues in Parliament – women need more help in bringing down barriers to employment.”

Platform 51 West Kent works with local women delivering programmes and courses including basic skills, confidence building, dealing with bullying and parenting courses for young mothers.

The centre can be contacted on 01732 365831 or email westkent@platform51.org 

http://www.platform51.org/whatwedo/ourwork/centres/westkent

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

Town Lock House, Lyons Crescent, was opened by HRH The Princess Royal - Princess Anne on the 11th October 1993. Her helicopter landed in the grounds of the Weald of Kent School

L Harlock sent a comment via Twitter
 'I was at school there when that happened, they made us line up on the field'

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

Recognising Tonbridge Close Up

R. Allen (Tonbridge) Ltd

This week's Recognising Tonbridge was recognised within minutes, and over the week many correct answers came trickling in including from Wendy Leach, who is part of the team at Stradbrooks, and this one was easy for her as she looks out onto the sign from the practice window.

The old worn enamel sign is well known to locals and sits on the forecourt of R. Allen's garage services in Lyons Crescent. The quaint buildings and worksheds have stood on this spot since the early 1900's, and were used at this time as a boat house, stables, hayloft and workshop where carriages, carts and the early motor car were maintained.

A map dating 1866, and 1897, show that an inlet of water from the River Medway came up as far as the boundary of Lyons Crescent, but this was filled in so that the yard could be used and built on. By 1908 maps show that the inlet no longers exists, and a number of buildings including a boat house were in use. There is some evidence that secret electrical work was going on in the building during WWII.  It would be interesting to know about this.

Duncan Welch who owns the garage grew up in Lyons Crescent, and has worked in the garage for most of his life. It was a different place then before the massive development of apartments and housing that now surround the area.  He has many happy memories especially of boating on the river and playing in his father's boat shed.

There are not many places like this left in Tonbridge. It really is a gem.

Tonbridge Teen and Twenty Club

Teen and Twenty Christmas Party - early 1960's

This is a repeat post from about a year ago as recently a number of people have asked about the hall that used to be in Lyons Crescent. It was used by many different clubs and societies, and probably by The Local Health Authority as weekly vouchers and orange juice were distributed to families for their children from this site.

The Teen and Twenty Club started at the Working Man's Club in Preston Road, at the end of Avebury Aveue, and was run by P C Judd and Mr and Mrs Scott. It moved to the small hall in Lyons Crescent around the early 1960's. The hall has since been demolished and been replaced by houses.  It would have stood next to the now Stradbrook Clinic.  It is believed that the band in the front row were from a local village, maybe Hadlow or Matfield, and on the night wore purple jumpers.  Does anybody remember the band or their name?

The newspaper cutting of the fashion show was taken  around the same time, and in same hall, in the early 1960's.  It is thought that the clothes for the show were lent by Gunners Department Store, formerly on the corner of Lyons Crescent.

The person who provided the two images does remember a few of the people in both photographs, but do you?  Please get in touch if you recognise yourself or anyone in either of the pictures.
tonbridgedaily@gmail.com

A Statue Of Our Enry

I read this week that Henry Cooper, will be immortalised in bronze by a Staffordshire sculptor and the finished work will eventually stand in London.  Maybe it would have been fitting for a statue of 'Our Enry' to have had pride of place somewhere in Tonbridge, as he did live in the far northern reaches of the town for a while, and had strong links with Nizels Golf Club in Hildenborough where he was Chairman. Many Tonbridge members of the club have played a round of golf with Henry, and enjoyed a drink with him at the bar. Locals say that he regularly 'splashed it all over' (the vinegar that is) when he ordered an occasional fish and chip supper from the Rainbow Fish Bar at York Parade. So Henry was really 'Our Enry' for a time in Tonbridge.

Henry's funeral took place last May at Corpus Christi Church in Lyons Crescent, and many sporting celebrities and friends attended the private service.  Among them was the late Frank Carson who died recently. The selection of photographs are a few of the many I took that day.

The late Frank Carson talks to Barry McGuigan

Russ Abbot (Comedian)

Terry Wogan, Jimmy Tarbuck and his wife

Dancing (Brucie) Bruce Forsyth & Tonbridge golfer Paul Way former Ryder Cup player

Boxer Barry McGuigan

Three Legends - Kevin Keegan, Cliff Morgan & Bobby Charlton

Pat Jennings (Goal Keeper) & Kenny Lynch (Singer)

Kevin Keegan

Lyons Crescent Postie & Kevin Keegan
 all photographs copyright TonbridgeDaily

Book Early For Christmas

Spotted today in Lyons Crescent

Christmas Menu Now Available

Lead is disappearing in Tonbridge

While walking along the riverside path I noticed that the lead flashings on the Pizza Express wall had been heavily vandalised. Kent has seen a recent spate of lead being stripped and stolen from buildings, and Tonbridge has not been spared. Only last month I heard that the lead flashings from the roof of the Castle Council Chambers were taken, and one of the town's schools was also a victim.  In September the lead flashings were taken from a hall roof in Lyons Crescent, and October also saw lead disappearing from the roof of an office building in East Street and a shop in the High Street.

Could the photo above show a bungled attempt at a spot of lead pilfering?

TONBRIDGE TEEN AND TWENTY

 

The 'Snippets of Tonbridge Past' had a number of comments on this blog and via Twitter including the following one:-

'The Teen and Twenty moved there (Lyons Crescent) from Preston Road. I have a couple of photo's taken there, one of a fashion show and the other a Christmas party. If anyone else is from that era and would like to have a look maybe 'Tonbridge' would like to use them.'

 

And Tonbridge did - the two photographs were received today together with just a little more information.

Teen and Twenty Christmas Party - early 1960's

The Teen and Twenty Club started at the Working Man's Club in Preston Road at the end of Avebury Aveue and was run by P C Judd and Mr and Mrs Scott. It moved to a small hall in Lyons Crescent around the early 1960's. The hall has since been demolished and been replaced by houses.  It would have stood next to the now Stradbrook Clinic.  It is believed that the band in the front row were from a local village, maybe Hadlow or Matfield and on the night wore purple jumpers.  Does anybody remember the band?

The newspaper cutting of the fashion show was taken  around the same time in the early 1960's.  It is thought that the clothes for the show were lent by Gunners Department Store, formerly on the corner of Lyons Crescent.  The person who provided the two images does remember many of the people in both photographs, but do you?  Please get in touch if you recognise yourself in either of the pictures.

Snippets of Tonbridge Past

I received an email from a resident who has lived in Tonbridge all her life.  Some of the information is really interesting and throws a light on what life was like in the 1950's/1960's for those living in the town.  I especially found the paragraph about Warders Surgery fascinating as it shows how booking an appointment to see a doctor, and the waiting room experience has really moved on. I loved the idea of having to save up for a chicken at Christmas. No factory farming then.  How times have changed!!!! 

"We used to have Carnival queens, I think they held the beauty contests in Lyons Crescent (YMCA?) and the winner was paraded on a float in the carnival. There was also a river carnival for a couple of years.

You can just see a carnival queen on a float passing the old Fisher Hall in Lyons Cresent

When Higham Lane was built they were blowing up tree stumps for weeks and chickens were running about the fields.

When the town flooded Gunners had to sell all their stock that hadn't got wet, but had been in the shop, I had a lovely time rumaging and bought what had been a very expensive brolly for 1s.6d.

The delivery tradesmen:

Blakeley's delivered our beef joint every saturday.

We also had the milkman, baker, fishman, knife and scissor sharpener, greengrocer, rag and boneman in his horse and cart, and then the 'modern' rag and bone man, who came in a big van, he weighed your bundle of rags and gave you a gift depending on the weight of your rags. we all hankered after the ear-rings and necklace set in a presentation case, all gold and 'glittery', but I think we would have had to have had a shop full of clothes for that! 

Beef was the normal sunday roast and you saved up for a chicken for christmas!

I remember seeing the old guy whose photo is in the doctor's (Warders in East Street), riding around the town delivering medicine. The surgery was over the bank in East Street. We would start queuing about 8am to get an early number and then have to sit on hard chairs for hours, asking everyone who was leaving what number they were.

The 'private' patients had their own waiting room along the corridor, it was smaller, just as dark and depressing, but better chairs, I think they had arms!"