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Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells photos
Displaying the first of 117 old photos of Tunbridge Wells. View all Tunbridge Wells photos
Tunbridge Wells maps
Historic maps of Tunbridge Wells and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Tunbridge Wells maps
Tunbridge Wells Jigsaws
We have just a few copies left of a 1,000 piece Jigsaw of Tunbridge Wells. The featured photograph is The Pantiles c1955, Tunbridge Wells.
Why not create your own Jigsaw for Tunbridge Wells from 4 favourite Frith photos of the area? Available as 520 piece or 1,000 piece Jigsaws, you can choose any four Tunbridge Wells photos, or choose photos from other places too.
Tunbridge Wells area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Tunbridge Wells and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Tunbridge Wells
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Tunbridge Wells.
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or of a photo of Tunbridge Wells.
My Stay in The Kent & Sussex Hospital
I am married to David Greenland but my maiden name was Valerie Watson, I spent 14 weeks in the hospital in 1946 and also previously in 1943. I remember the beds being pushed into the corridors when the air raid sirens sounded. I was operated on by a Mr Simons for a mastoid of my left ear, if it wasn't for the discovery of Penicillin and the clever surgeon I wouldn't be here today! I was in ward 12 on the top floor, there was a large balcony at one end of the ward that had a sloping pathway to the ward below I suppose it was a fire escape. My father died in the hospital in 1957. I now live in Australia.
The Balding Business in The Pantiles
I believe my Great Grandfather owned or ran a shop or shops in the Pantiles. I would be pleased for any photos or memories that anyone has. my email is alan@flower-studio.com
Cottages
Does anybody remember the Hand and Sceptre cottages at the bottom of Rusthall Road?
Telephone Exchange
Please someone anyone join in .There must be a telephone operator out ther somewhere I started as a telephonist in Tunbridge wells sept. 8 1948. ended up at relief exchange opposite bus depot until the 60,s My married name is Russell now divorced. I have many photos of us girls . We were a handfull we went on lots of outings . we hired a man to drive us. I have photos of us wearing first bikinis, I keep in touch via Jean Plass. They are my favourite years of my life Miss Wade was the supervisor. Oh boy could I tell some tales. PLEASE any one who remembers those days try to contact me or leave a message. We were also involved with the Royals. Daphne Hooker Married name Russell
Kent memories
Life at Southborough as an Evacuee in 1939
I was sent to Southborough from London in September 1939 and was billeted with a lovely couple, Mr and Mrs Brown who lived at Holden Corner. I was with another girl evacuee named Audrey and she and l just loved the chickens and fishing (with jam jars) in the pond. We went to the village school, bought Tizer and ice-cream from the shop, and I seem to remember going to the church there, too. Thanks to the Browns' kindness my memories of Southborough are most happy. Several of us used to try and make 'dens' in the bushes on the common on our way home from school. I well remember Audrey getting a letter from her mum saying that she had had to put their cat to sleep in case it got hurt by bombs and we both sat in bed and cried, me because I had 2 cats and I feared that they would suffer the same fate! Sadly when my home in Blackheath got bombed in September 1940,... Read more
Fishing
This is the Fish Pond at Holden Corner, Southborough. This was one of the two accessible and popular places for boys to go fishing in Southborough - the other was the Great Bounds Lake, near Bidborough.
As a boy in the 1940s and early 50s my Dad, Jack, bought me a fishing rod and my Dad and I would go down to the pond to go fishing.
As I recall there was very little change from when the photo was taken.
For a time in the late 40s and early 50s the cottage in the top corner was a small corner shop which was handy for snacks, ice cream or bottle of Tizer!
For some reason the bigger boys fished from the bank on the other side of the pond, whilst we always fished from this side, over the railing, pretty well from where the photo was taken. We always used a float with a small ball of wet bread rolled up on the hook, whilst the bigger boys... Read more
Shopping at The Parade
The Parade, Southborogh, was where my mother, Ivy, did most of her shopping. At that time you could buy pretty well everything you would need in the Parade. Trips into Tunbridge Wells were only taken if there was a need for something very special or the "sales" were on!!
Just round the corner in Pennington Road was an Off Licence called "Fisters" which is where we bought our rationed sweets - usually Sharps Creamy Toffees in my case. On Sundays my brother David, would be sent up the Fisters just before lunch. We always had a bottle of "cream soda" or a bottle of Tizer and a block of ice cream. As a pudding my brother had his ice cream in a glass of cream soda - home-made ice cream soda!
Before I left school, I was the delivery boy for the Green Grocers in Pennington Road called "Crouchers". On Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. My wages were 12 shillings and sixpence a week plus a sixpence tip from a... Read more
