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Tonbridge
Tonbridge maps
Historic maps of Tonbridge and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Tonbridge maps
Tonbridge area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Tonbridge and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Tonbridge
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Tonbridge.
There are 12 shared memories to read.
Add your memory of Tonbridge
or of a photo of Tonbridge.
Shoe Shop
I am sure the shop running down the side of the river was a shoe shop and that they had a big rocking horse that I used to love to ride, but when going in I used to look down at the river and my legs would go weak, I still get strange dreams about it today and I am 60.
146a High Street
I used to live at this address and went to Brionne Gardens Girls School (now Hillview). I loved living here, the estate agents we lived over is still there, I know this as I went back for a visit with my son in 2008 after 40 odd years. We went to Tinkers Island where I used to play racing round playing ticky it, also went to Powder Mills where we used to swing over this stream, both places look like no one plays there any more, sign of the times I suppose. There used to be boat yards where we would hire a boat and row all the way round, also used the swimming pool all the time, used to be able to get a season ticket for the summer, couldn't believe how it had changed, adding the indoor pool, got permission to take pics so I could show my brother. In winter would get the train to Tunbridge Wells to go to the indoor pool, would buy a pomegranate... Read more
Mabledon & Nightingale Farms
Saw your Memory with interest. I have done two others on the site - people will think "He's vain", but hardly anyone else seems to have bothered.
I can remember the smell of hops drying here in the 1950/60s. I was born in 1950 but my father had lived since 1933 at 'Cartref' (which is Welsh for home). It's now called 'Hightrees' for some unknown reason. It is one of the houses on the main road, just up from Mabledon Farm. He knew the Larges well and did all the family's teeth. Often he would get a phone call from Ramond Large's father saying "Reg, can you go up to such and such a field? The pigeons are getting out of hand". So he was off with his 12-bore and a few decoys, usually on a Saturday afternoon, after morning surgery. Mr Podmore, and later Mr Young at Nightingale Farm, would do the same. We all knew each other in those days. All he had to do was climb... Read more
50 High Street
Although not so far back as 1890 I remember often being in the room with the large casement windows on the left hand side, in the 1950s and 60s.
This was my father's office at his dental practice at 50 High Street. The surgery itself was at the rear, being quieter. The separate entrance has now gone and is incorporated within the shops below. This room had a large window seat overlooking the High Street below. As well as the electric lights in this room there was a gas bracket on the wall, over his receptionist's (Mrs Taylor) desk and I remember this gas light being used once, during a power cut. Also, the one in the lavatory on the top floor.
In 1919, after having trained in the Army Dental Corps, he entered into partnership, as the junior partner, with a Mr Douche, trading as Douche and Warrener Dental Surgeons. Within two years he was practicing alone until 1965, when he retired, and continued for a short while... Read more
The Castle Lawn
I have a clearer copy of this photo in the book on Sevenoaks and Tonbridge and have studied it with a magnifying glass.
I was one year old in 1951 (and according to my parents, already walking at 9 months). The posture of the man beside the child (me), leads me to believe that it is my late father Reginald Warrener, Dental Surgeon of 50 High Street, Tonbridge.
The dog would appear to be our Labrador, at the time, Bruce. The two women at the top of the steps I believe to be my mother Stella (on the right) and either her sister Jose or my Godmother, Mrs Lilian Budd who lived at 16 Hilden Avenue, Hildenborough, on the left.
During the Second World War my father was Head Observer in the Tonbridge Division of the Royal Observer Corps and they were based on the Gatehouse of the Castle in the early war years, until they moved to the better premises in the tower of the old Capitol... Read more
Hop Picking. Telephone Exchange Tunbridge Wells
DOES ANYONE EVER ANSWER TO OUR MEMORIES?. THERE MUST BE SOMEONE OUT THERE COME ON JOIN IN I joined Tunbridge Wells telephone exchange september 1948 I remember so well the evening the man would come to George St. to tell us we started picking next day. Äll to work." "pull no more bines". all wonderful memories. We picked at Larges farm top of Quarry Hill I have contacted Ann re Mabledon. We would run into the bines when the German bombers came over and hide from the machine guns, a german pilot was escorted by us with pitchforks after he had parachuted down. I also did the tallies for a farm in Hayesden Lane. [forgotten name] I would like to get in touch with a boy called Earnie Clark who also lived in George St. We faught together and dreamed together. I remember the brick shelters also. And being collected from... Read more
Floods in Tonbridge
I was born in Tonbridge in 1957. I went to Sussex Road primary school and Hillview for girls. I remember the most is the flood we had and the carnivals when I was younger. I still come back to visit my sister who stills lives there. A lot has changed - I prefer the old Tonbridge.
Date of Photo
In 1953, the 400th anniversary of the school, the Queen Mother "opened" the entrance with newly erected boars' heads on each pillar. I have a photograph of this ceremony before the assembled school.
