Notes of the Quarterly General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society –
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 20th October 2023
Oct 2023
Apologies for Absence: Molly Brewer, Elizabeth Myers, George Gorham
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone to the meeting and hoped they would enjoy the talk by Pam Mills. She had brought copies of the book she had written with her for sale. (A copy of the book, Prevention, Detection and Keepers of the
Peace. Policing Tonbridge, a Division of Kent County Constabulary the first 50 years and
more, was purchased for the archive.)
Sadly, Bryan Winter, who had been a member since 2016 has died and our condolences have
been sent to his family.
Details were then given of a new project which Howard Dolling (HD) has got the bit between his teeth about. This would be the production of a new book, Hildenborough – Past
and Present which would be made up of 80-100 old and new photographs taken on the same
spot with brief explanatory notes about them. Some photographs will be found in the archive and perhaps members could offer some. We have an excellent photographer to help
with this. (HD) will be sending a note to members asking for ideas.
It was estimated that the project would be completed in six to eight months, most of it after
Christmas, in time for the book to be presented at this meeting next year.
The production costs will be borne by our publishers, Canterley Publishing, and the Society
will receive £1 for every copy sold.
Tracy Chandler was praised for all the work she has been doing on the archive and website.
(CV) urged members to look at the website as improvements have been made and two
members in the audience indicated that they had done so.
Coffee Break:
Policing in Tonbridge
Our speaker for the evening was Pam Mills. She drew on research that had underpinned her MA in modern history. It focused on the development in policing in Kent and Tonbridge from the mid nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth. Pam undertook her MA as a mature student and is currently engaged in writing her PhD thesis. Pam delivered her talk with great enthusiasm and commitment with a nice underlay of humour.
Formal policing both in Kent and Tonbridge had to wait until the experiment of creating the Metropolitan Police in 1829 was shown to be a success. The Met was brought in to being by Robert Peel and ten years after its inception the 1839 Rural Constabulary Bill allowed for the formation of county based police forces to be established and so the door opened for Kent to introduce its own police force which took until the passing of the Parish Constables Act of 1850.
Initially, 1839, the emerging forces were locally based, fifteen located in boroughs and a further 12 in divisions: one of which was Tonbridge. A number of voices at the time suggested the creation of a county wide centre of control. However there was resistance to the idea among the county’s locally based elites who clearly wanted to maintain their independence arguing that a centralised policing authority was not necessary in Kent.
A central county wide police authority eventually emerged in 1857 and central authorities quickly set about creating a viable bureaucracy by appointing Captain Ruxton (ex army) as its chief. Mills' research had led her to come to admire Ruxton who, though a strict disciplinarian, apparently displayed good organisational skills and an effective management style.
Pam traced the history of policing in Tonbridge through the appointment of its Superintendent Constables from the appointment in 1850 of Richard Gilbert. This line continued seamlessly until the 1940s when one head of Tonbridge police was found to be confused about how to complete his expenses claim and was encouraged to move on.
The talk also followed the development of the uniform worn by constables during the century covered by the talk, starting with the tall hats worn by the original constables through to the modern day uniform. Another example was the way technological innovation impacted the uniform e.g., the introduction of Sunbeam bicycles in 1896 required riders to wear knickerbockers.
As the force grew in size and scope Tonbridge had need to appoint its first detective constable in 1900 - Ernest Everett. Everett came from the Metropolitan Police.
Tonbridge Police appointed its first female constable, Emily Price, in 1925 and the first female inspector, Barbara De Vitre, in 1944. Pam observed that there has never been a woman chief constable for Kent and that the force currently maintains a glass ceiling in relation to women.
Pam’s talk provoked a number of questions and comments before she eventually wound up the evening. Much applause followed by a gracious thank you by the Chairman.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 19th January 2024 and Eddie Prescott will give one of his Second
World War talks on Bomber Harris.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Apologies for Absence: Molly Brewer, Elizabeth Myers, George Gorham
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone to the meeting and hoped they would enjoy the talk by Pam Mills. She had brought copies of the book she had written with her for sale. (A copy of the book, Prevention, Detection and Keepers of the
Peace. Policing Tonbridge, a Division of Kent County Constabulary the first 50 years and
more, was purchased for the archive.)
Sadly, Bryan Winter, who had been a member since 2016 has died and our condolences have
been sent to his family.
Details were then given of a new project which Howard Dolling (HD) has got the bit between his teeth about. This would be the production of a new book, Hildenborough – Past
and Present which would be made up of 80-100 old and new photographs taken on the same
spot with brief explanatory notes about them. Some photographs will be found in the archive and perhaps members could offer some. We have an excellent photographer to help
with this. (HD) will be sending a note to members asking for ideas.
It was estimated that the project would be completed in six to eight months, most of it after
Christmas, in time for the book to be presented at this meeting next year.
The production costs will be borne by our publishers, Canterley Publishing, and the Society
will receive £1 for every copy sold.
Tracy Chandler was praised for all the work she has been doing on the archive and website.
(CV) urged members to look at the website as improvements have been made and two
members in the audience indicated that they had done so.
Coffee Break:
Policing in Tonbridge
Our speaker for the evening was Pam Mills. She drew on research that had underpinned her MA in modern history. It focused on the development in policing in Kent and Tonbridge from the mid nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth. Pam undertook her MA as a mature student and is currently engaged in writing her PhD thesis. Pam delivered her talk with great enthusiasm and commitment with a nice underlay of humour.
Formal policing both in Kent and Tonbridge had to wait until the experiment of creating the Metropolitan Police in 1829 was shown to be a success. The Met was brought in to being by Robert Peel and ten years after its inception the 1839 Rural Constabulary Bill allowed for the formation of county based police forces to be established and so the door opened for Kent to introduce its own police force which took until the passing of the Parish Constables Act of 1850.
Initially, 1839, the emerging forces were locally based, fifteen located in boroughs and a further 12 in divisions: one of which was Tonbridge. A number of voices at the time suggested the creation of a county wide centre of control. However there was resistance to the idea among the county’s locally based elites who clearly wanted to maintain their independence arguing that a centralised policing authority was not necessary in Kent.
A central county wide police authority eventually emerged in 1857 and central authorities quickly set about creating a viable bureaucracy by appointing Captain Ruxton (ex army) as its chief. Mills' research had led her to come to admire Ruxton who, though a strict disciplinarian, apparently displayed good organisational skills and an effective management style.
Pam traced the history of policing in Tonbridge through the appointment of its Superintendent Constables from the appointment in 1850 of Richard Gilbert. This line continued seamlessly until the 1940s when one head of Tonbridge police was found to be confused about how to complete his expenses claim and was encouraged to move on.
The talk also followed the development of the uniform worn by constables during the century covered by the talk, starting with the tall hats worn by the original constables through to the modern day uniform. Another example was the way technological innovation impacted the uniform e.g., the introduction of Sunbeam bicycles in 1896 required riders to wear knickerbockers.
As the force grew in size and scope Tonbridge had need to appoint its first detective constable in 1900 - Ernest Everett. Everett came from the Metropolitan Police.
Tonbridge Police appointed its first female constable, Emily Price, in 1925 and the first female inspector, Barbara De Vitre, in 1944. Pam observed that there has never been a woman chief constable for Kent and that the force currently maintains a glass ceiling in relation to women.
Pam’s talk provoked a number of questions and comments before she eventually wound up the evening. Much applause followed by a gracious thank you by the Chairman.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 19th January 2024 and Eddie Prescott will give one of his Second
World War talks on Bomber Harris.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes of the Quarterly General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society –
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 21st July 2023
Jul 2023
Apologies for Absence: Dudley and Alison Aries, Andrew and Susan Gidley, Ann Wood
Welcome from the Chairman:
The cheese and wine evening was very enjoyable. We must thank those who set it up and
ran it so well – Pat Davies, Tracy and Luke Chandler, Howard and Joy Dolling and Claire
Knight - give a clap. Sorry if you did not attend – you missed a treat.
Results of the Questionnaire:
(CV) thanked those members who had completed the questionnaire and was pleased the
answers were so supportive of the Society.
He was pleased that the majority preferred the number of meetings held each year to remain
at four. Talks of a wider historical interest were strongly supported and there was enthusiasm
for talks on local trades and agriculture such as the Vineyard. The majority preferred the
way the meetings were currently organised. Occasional films from The British Film
Institute would be welcomed by most. (CV) was very grateful to the two members who
volunteered to help manage the website and the four who are prepared to help with cataloguing the archive. It was interesting that there was strong support for outings or visits
to places of historical interest. The committee will look into this. A visit to Bore Place with
details circulated to other societies was suggested by a member in the audience.
A number of topics for future talks, including the following, were suggested –
maps/topography, social developments (policing will be covered at the next meeting in October), more information on the vicars of Hildenborough, study of census returns,
historic houses.
Several suggestions for projects including the following two were made:
Oral history – a number of recorded interviews with village people were made
several years ago and are held in the archive.
Update and correct the book – as a follow up to the success of the book, the
committee is considering the publication of another book, Hildenborough: Past and Present, where original photographs and modern ones of the same view are shown side by side.
There was still time to complete Part 2 of the Questionnaire about living in Hildenborough
and members were encouraged to do so. Replies to Pat Davies please. His email address is
[email protected].
Coffee Break:
Raffle was drawn.
Whatever became of Christopher Robin
Our speaker this evening was Gilly Halcrow who had previously given a splendid talk to the Society about Ightham Mote. It was good to welcome her back.
Gilly Halcrow led us through the life of Christopher Robin’s immediate family and the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends and the impact of that on the Milne family. She used carefully chosen illustrations, gentle humour and an appropriately placed series of poems (probably drawn from A.A. Milne’s two collections – When we were Young and Now we are Six) which she delivered with insight and a neat, seductive expressiveness.
Briefly. A.A. Milne was born in London in 1882 and died in Hartfield in 1956. Educated at Westminster and Cambridge where he read Maths. During the First World War Milne served as an officer with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, surviving the Somme but being invalided out having caught Trench Fever. For the rest of the war he was to write propaganda leaflets at the War Office. He also served in WW2 as a Captain in the Home Guard.
Milne married Dorothy (Daphne) de Selincourt – who was seven years younger - in 1913 and some appreciation of the couple’s economic, social standing and attitudes can be intuited from the fact the marriage was held at St. Margaret’s Westminster and that de Selincourt’s personal maid accompanied her into the marriage.
Christopher Robin was born in 1920. He was educated at Stowe and Cambridge where he read English. He served with the Royal Engineers during the Second World War but only after his father intervened on his behalf after he had initially failed his medical examination. He had two long and critical relationships during his childhood the first with his nannie Olwen ‘nou’ Rand Blackwell and then with his father.
In 1925 the Milnes bought Cotchford Farm in Hartfield which was to become, at first at least, just a week-end retreat. It was this decision, Gilly showed, that eventually led to the creation of Pooh Bear and all his friends when A.A. Milne decided to so successfully monetarise Christopher Robin’s childhood by creating an enchanting world based on Christopher Robin’s toys, a black bear housed at London zoo called Winnie and a couple of characters invented by the author together with the placement of their adventures in the thinly disguised Ashdown Forest.
Gilly spent some time working through the derivation of the Pooh Characters, the amazing growth of interest in the books and the implication of all this on the lives of the Milne family. Christopher Robin developed a love hate relationship with the project throughout his life but was essentially alienated from the experience Holcrow suggested.
Christopher Robin married his first cousin on his mother’s side, Lesley de Selincourt, in July 1948. In August they settled in Dartmouth and opened the Harbour Bookshop which was to be successful until his death. They had one daughter, Clare, born in 1956 just months after his father had died.
Chrisopher Robin died in hospital at Totnes in April 1996.
End piece. A.A. Milne died deeply regretting that the Pooh phenomena had overwhelmed everything else he had created – novels, plays, film scripts, etc., etc. Daphne and Christopher Robin never spoke for the last 14/15 years of her life. Pooh lives on however remorselessly generating wealth and at the same time giving delight to small people.
Christopher Robin’s toys, which gave birth to the adventures of Pooh, are now housed in New York Public Library Gilly shared. Most of A.A. Milne's papers are housed elsewhere in the U.S.A. and the copyright of all the Pooh related works and illustrations now reside with the Disney Corporation.
This was a splendid talk; vividly presented by Gilly Halcrow and greatly appreciated by the evening’s audience of members and friends.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 20th October 2023 and will include a talk by Pam Mills on early
policing in Tonbridge – mainly the Victorian era. Hildenborough was one of the beats.
Apologies for Absence: Dudley and Alison Aries, Andrew and Susan Gidley, Ann Wood
Welcome from the Chairman:
The cheese and wine evening was very enjoyable. We must thank those who set it up and
ran it so well – Pat Davies, Tracy and Luke Chandler, Howard and Joy Dolling and Claire
Knight - give a clap. Sorry if you did not attend – you missed a treat.
Results of the Questionnaire:
(CV) thanked those members who had completed the questionnaire and was pleased the
answers were so supportive of the Society.
He was pleased that the majority preferred the number of meetings held each year to remain
at four. Talks of a wider historical interest were strongly supported and there was enthusiasm
for talks on local trades and agriculture such as the Vineyard. The majority preferred the
way the meetings were currently organised. Occasional films from The British Film
Institute would be welcomed by most. (CV) was very grateful to the two members who
volunteered to help manage the website and the four who are prepared to help with cataloguing the archive. It was interesting that there was strong support for outings or visits
to places of historical interest. The committee will look into this. A visit to Bore Place with
details circulated to other societies was suggested by a member in the audience.
A number of topics for future talks, including the following, were suggested –
maps/topography, social developments (policing will be covered at the next meeting in October), more information on the vicars of Hildenborough, study of census returns,
historic houses.
Several suggestions for projects including the following two were made:
Oral history – a number of recorded interviews with village people were made
several years ago and are held in the archive.
Update and correct the book – as a follow up to the success of the book, the
committee is considering the publication of another book, Hildenborough: Past and Present, where original photographs and modern ones of the same view are shown side by side.
There was still time to complete Part 2 of the Questionnaire about living in Hildenborough
and members were encouraged to do so. Replies to Pat Davies please. His email address is
[email protected].
Coffee Break:
Raffle was drawn.
Whatever became of Christopher Robin
Our speaker this evening was Gilly Halcrow who had previously given a splendid talk to the Society about Ightham Mote. It was good to welcome her back.
Gilly Halcrow led us through the life of Christopher Robin’s immediate family and the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends and the impact of that on the Milne family. She used carefully chosen illustrations, gentle humour and an appropriately placed series of poems (probably drawn from A.A. Milne’s two collections – When we were Young and Now we are Six) which she delivered with insight and a neat, seductive expressiveness.
Briefly. A.A. Milne was born in London in 1882 and died in Hartfield in 1956. Educated at Westminster and Cambridge where he read Maths. During the First World War Milne served as an officer with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, surviving the Somme but being invalided out having caught Trench Fever. For the rest of the war he was to write propaganda leaflets at the War Office. He also served in WW2 as a Captain in the Home Guard.
Milne married Dorothy (Daphne) de Selincourt – who was seven years younger - in 1913 and some appreciation of the couple’s economic, social standing and attitudes can be intuited from the fact the marriage was held at St. Margaret’s Westminster and that de Selincourt’s personal maid accompanied her into the marriage.
Christopher Robin was born in 1920. He was educated at Stowe and Cambridge where he read English. He served with the Royal Engineers during the Second World War but only after his father intervened on his behalf after he had initially failed his medical examination. He had two long and critical relationships during his childhood the first with his nannie Olwen ‘nou’ Rand Blackwell and then with his father.
In 1925 the Milnes bought Cotchford Farm in Hartfield which was to become, at first at least, just a week-end retreat. It was this decision, Gilly showed, that eventually led to the creation of Pooh Bear and all his friends when A.A. Milne decided to so successfully monetarise Christopher Robin’s childhood by creating an enchanting world based on Christopher Robin’s toys, a black bear housed at London zoo called Winnie and a couple of characters invented by the author together with the placement of their adventures in the thinly disguised Ashdown Forest.
Gilly spent some time working through the derivation of the Pooh Characters, the amazing growth of interest in the books and the implication of all this on the lives of the Milne family. Christopher Robin developed a love hate relationship with the project throughout his life but was essentially alienated from the experience Holcrow suggested.
Christopher Robin married his first cousin on his mother’s side, Lesley de Selincourt, in July 1948. In August they settled in Dartmouth and opened the Harbour Bookshop which was to be successful until his death. They had one daughter, Clare, born in 1956 just months after his father had died.
Chrisopher Robin died in hospital at Totnes in April 1996.
End piece. A.A. Milne died deeply regretting that the Pooh phenomena had overwhelmed everything else he had created – novels, plays, film scripts, etc., etc. Daphne and Christopher Robin never spoke for the last 14/15 years of her life. Pooh lives on however remorselessly generating wealth and at the same time giving delight to small people.
Christopher Robin’s toys, which gave birth to the adventures of Pooh, are now housed in New York Public Library Gilly shared. Most of A.A. Milne's papers are housed elsewhere in the U.S.A. and the copyright of all the Pooh related works and illustrations now reside with the Disney Corporation.
This was a splendid talk; vividly presented by Gilly Halcrow and greatly appreciated by the evening’s audience of members and friends.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 20th October 2023 and will include a talk by Pam Mills on early
policing in Tonbridge – mainly the Victorian era. Hildenborough was one of the beats.
Notes of the Annual General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society –
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 21st April 2023
Apr 2023
Apologies for Absence: Malcolm Baker, Tony Cole, Sue Gorham, George Gorham, Kate Izzard,
Sheila Kennedy, Sigi Lester, Ken Lester
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone to the meeting
Last year had been difficult, getting things back to normal after Covid. We had been able to
hold our four meetings in the village hall. The speaker planned for last year's AGM let us
down and George Gorham stepped in with a most interesting and informative talk on
exploring family history using old photographs. The July talk by Linda Wayman was
particularly enjoyable. She described how Hildenborough Hall was run for several years
from 1946 by Tom Rees when her parents worked their. The five BFI films by pioneering
women documentary makers, including the glorious travel film Beside the Seaside,
introduced by Ros Cranston were shown at the September meeting. George Buswell gave
an excellent, well presented talk on the growth of Tonbridge in the 18th century when the
Medway Navigation System was developed.
There are two things planned at the moment, which I hope will be of interest to you. A
cheese and wine social evening will be held on 3rd June and invitations will be sent out to
members.
Members will receive a questionnaire seeking their views and suggestions on the future of
the Society which I hope will be completed.
Progress is being made on updating the website but a webmaster is still needed.
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), gave his report on the Society's accounts for the
year ended 31st March 2023.
Subscriptions for existing members for 2022/2023 were waived and the £30 shown are for
new members only. All copies of the book, Hildenborough – Our Village have been sold
and there will be no further reprint.
The bank charges £5 per month for dealing with cheques and (HD) would be grateful if
subscriptions were paid either in cash or on line. A new lap top computer has been bought
which will be used for publicity material and for links to the projector when we have a
speaker giving an illustrated talk.
The bank balance at the moment is £5,000.
The Chairman thanked (HD) for managing the accounts so efficiently and for all his work
on producing and selling the book.
Election of Officers:
At present the Society does not have a vice chairman and there have been no offers to stand
for the election.
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by Will Shanks and seconded by
Andrew Gidley and agreed by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Election of Committee:
Sadly, Sue Gorham will not be standing for re-election. She was thanked for her
assistance and work since the inception of the Society in 2013. She has served on the
committee since 2014.
No nominations have been received to stand as webmaster. It was hoped that the new
website will be more manageable and not need too much skill to use. Tracy Chandler,
Joy Dolling and Pat Davies were all thanked for their very valuable contributions
to the Society's ongoing activities. Claire Knight, who was standing for election, will be
handling publicity issues.
The proposed committee members were re-elected and Claire Knight was elected without
opposition by Alison Aries and seconded by Dudley Aries and agreed by a show of hands.
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor.
After the coffee break Bob Appleton gave his illustrated talk,
The evening’s talk was given by Bob Appleton. Bob, born in Gravesend, started collecting postcards as a boy. Wandering home for lunch one Saturday morning he stopped outside a ‘second hand’ shop which offered, on an outside table, a box full of postcards for sale at 1d each. Bob became absorbed in both the pictures and the messages they exhibited and arrived home late for lunch (a note said “lunch is in the oven”) and half-a-crown poorer. Since that day he has been an avid collector of postcards.
He focused the evening on creating a journey from Gravesend to Tonbridge along the A227 at the beginning of the twentieth century threading through the county via Meopham, Wrotham, Ightham and Shipbourne. Bob now lives in Tonbridge so the journey mirrored his own in essence. As an aside he also shared some postcards of Hildenborough from his collection thus extending his journey for a few miles.
Three classes of images sustained his talk – those of pubs, churches and three or four ‘tourist’ illustrations promoting towns along the way which showed a romantic relationship between two young folk although the one promoting Tonbridge suggested that four or five young people, who perhaps had been having a rare old time sharing a spiff, were sharing a moment of uninhibited rapture; clearly Tonbridge in those days was the place to be if you were under twenty-five!
The early postcards he used were mostly monochrome. The first colour postcard he used was of Meopham Court dating from 1905. Although not presented in date order (late 1890s here and 1920s there) they all captured this journey through Kent in the early years of the last century.
Of course, some buildings had disappeared but many are still in place. Others had changed, some markedly and others subtly. These changes were illustrated by showing how they looked ‘yesterday’ by contrasting the postcards with recent photographs which gave the talk a wonderful immediacy.
Some of the postcards brought the differences between the experience of life one hundred years ago and today vividly into focus e.g., the card showing a bus drawn by two horses liveried as the Surprise Bus.
The postcards he chose of Hildenborough were of the Windmill, Boiling Kettle pets cemetery, Hildenborough Hall and the Yews in Coldharbour Lane.
At the end Bob was asked about the history of postcards – introduced in the UK around 1870. Became popular very quickly - 800 million sent in 1910. Privately published cards were allowed by the Post Office in the mid-1890s and the split back (message and address side by side) in 1902. He declined to give a value of his collection!
A lovely educative evening given with insight and gentle humour.
Any Other Business:
The Chairman hoped the questionnaire would cover all the important issues the Society is facing.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 21st July 2023 and will include a talk by Gilly Halcrow on
Whatever happened to Christopher Robin looking at the life and times of Christopher Robin
with slides of the Ashdown Forest, the Milne Family and the real Winnie-the-Pooh.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Apologies for Absence: Malcolm Baker, Tony Cole, Sue Gorham, George Gorham, Kate Izzard,
Sheila Kennedy, Sigi Lester, Ken Lester
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone to the meeting
Last year had been difficult, getting things back to normal after Covid. We had been able to
hold our four meetings in the village hall. The speaker planned for last year's AGM let us
down and George Gorham stepped in with a most interesting and informative talk on
exploring family history using old photographs. The July talk by Linda Wayman was
particularly enjoyable. She described how Hildenborough Hall was run for several years
from 1946 by Tom Rees when her parents worked their. The five BFI films by pioneering
women documentary makers, including the glorious travel film Beside the Seaside,
introduced by Ros Cranston were shown at the September meeting. George Buswell gave
an excellent, well presented talk on the growth of Tonbridge in the 18th century when the
Medway Navigation System was developed.
There are two things planned at the moment, which I hope will be of interest to you. A
cheese and wine social evening will be held on 3rd June and invitations will be sent out to
members.
Members will receive a questionnaire seeking their views and suggestions on the future of
the Society which I hope will be completed.
Progress is being made on updating the website but a webmaster is still needed.
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), gave his report on the Society's accounts for the
year ended 31st March 2023.
Subscriptions for existing members for 2022/2023 were waived and the £30 shown are for
new members only. All copies of the book, Hildenborough – Our Village have been sold
and there will be no further reprint.
The bank charges £5 per month for dealing with cheques and (HD) would be grateful if
subscriptions were paid either in cash or on line. A new lap top computer has been bought
which will be used for publicity material and for links to the projector when we have a
speaker giving an illustrated talk.
The bank balance at the moment is £5,000.
The Chairman thanked (HD) for managing the accounts so efficiently and for all his work
on producing and selling the book.
Election of Officers:
At present the Society does not have a vice chairman and there have been no offers to stand
for the election.
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by Will Shanks and seconded by
Andrew Gidley and agreed by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Election of Committee:
Sadly, Sue Gorham will not be standing for re-election. She was thanked for her
assistance and work since the inception of the Society in 2013. She has served on the
committee since 2014.
No nominations have been received to stand as webmaster. It was hoped that the new
website will be more manageable and not need too much skill to use. Tracy Chandler,
Joy Dolling and Pat Davies were all thanked for their very valuable contributions
to the Society's ongoing activities. Claire Knight, who was standing for election, will be
handling publicity issues.
The proposed committee members were re-elected and Claire Knight was elected without
opposition by Alison Aries and seconded by Dudley Aries and agreed by a show of hands.
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor.
After the coffee break Bob Appleton gave his illustrated talk,
The evening’s talk was given by Bob Appleton. Bob, born in Gravesend, started collecting postcards as a boy. Wandering home for lunch one Saturday morning he stopped outside a ‘second hand’ shop which offered, on an outside table, a box full of postcards for sale at 1d each. Bob became absorbed in both the pictures and the messages they exhibited and arrived home late for lunch (a note said “lunch is in the oven”) and half-a-crown poorer. Since that day he has been an avid collector of postcards.
He focused the evening on creating a journey from Gravesend to Tonbridge along the A227 at the beginning of the twentieth century threading through the county via Meopham, Wrotham, Ightham and Shipbourne. Bob now lives in Tonbridge so the journey mirrored his own in essence. As an aside he also shared some postcards of Hildenborough from his collection thus extending his journey for a few miles.
Three classes of images sustained his talk – those of pubs, churches and three or four ‘tourist’ illustrations promoting towns along the way which showed a romantic relationship between two young folk although the one promoting Tonbridge suggested that four or five young people, who perhaps had been having a rare old time sharing a spiff, were sharing a moment of uninhibited rapture; clearly Tonbridge in those days was the place to be if you were under twenty-five!
The early postcards he used were mostly monochrome. The first colour postcard he used was of Meopham Court dating from 1905. Although not presented in date order (late 1890s here and 1920s there) they all captured this journey through Kent in the early years of the last century.
Of course, some buildings had disappeared but many are still in place. Others had changed, some markedly and others subtly. These changes were illustrated by showing how they looked ‘yesterday’ by contrasting the postcards with recent photographs which gave the talk a wonderful immediacy.
Some of the postcards brought the differences between the experience of life one hundred years ago and today vividly into focus e.g., the card showing a bus drawn by two horses liveried as the Surprise Bus.
The postcards he chose of Hildenborough were of the Windmill, Boiling Kettle pets cemetery, Hildenborough Hall and the Yews in Coldharbour Lane.
At the end Bob was asked about the history of postcards – introduced in the UK around 1870. Became popular very quickly - 800 million sent in 1910. Privately published cards were allowed by the Post Office in the mid-1890s and the split back (message and address side by side) in 1902. He declined to give a value of his collection!
A lovely educative evening given with insight and gentle humour.
Any Other Business:
The Chairman hoped the questionnaire would cover all the important issues the Society is facing.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 21st July 2023 and will include a talk by Gilly Halcrow on
Whatever happened to Christopher Robin looking at the life and times of Christopher Robin
with slides of the Ashdown Forest, the Milne Family and the real Winnie-the-Pooh.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society – Autumn
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 20th January 2023
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 20th January 2023
Jan 2023
Apologies for Absence: Tony Cole, George and Sue Gorham, Elizabeth Myers
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), welcomed everyone to the meeting and was pleased to see so many people had come to hear the evening's talk.
Claire Knight, who designed the flyers and posters for this meeting, which you may have seen around the village, has been co-opted onto the committee.
Some of the Society's money has been spent to purchase a laptop to ensure there is a secure interface with the projector for speakers so that they can illustrate their talks.
The Chairman asked how many in the audience had looked at the Society's website recently and very few hands were raised. The Society has not had a web master since Steve Corbett (Mellie) moved from Hildenborough two or three years ago. When asked, nobody volunteered to take over the role. It was important that the website should be updated and a professional feasibility study will be undertaken. This project will be included on the agenda for the AGM on 21st April 2023. Committee members will stand for re-election at the AGM but sadly Sue Gorham has decided to stand down. If you would like to join the committee, please get in touch with one of the members of the committee.
A social evening – a wine and cheese party – is planned to be held this summer. It is important to find out how members would like the Society to develop, perhaps with more meetings, speakers on a wider range of topics or visits to places of interest. A questionnaire will be sent to members to explore this issue.
The Chairman then asked if anyone had any points they wished to raise. Claire Knight felt the archive should be more accessible. In (CV)'s view the archive was a major asset to the Society but also caused problems as it needed constant attention and security. Tracy Chandler, the Society's archivist, commented that most of the archive material had already been catalogued, but more help was needed to complete the task and would be gratefully received. Any member interested in helping should contact her or any committee member.
While the book – Hildenborough – Our Village – has proved so successful, people have pointed out things which had been missed. For example (CV) has recently found out that the village at one time had a choral society and that its minute book still survived. He was sure that there were more things which had been missed.
After the coffee break the evening’s talk was given by George Buswell who has written widely about the history of Tonbridge. He gave an arresting and humorous account of the genesis and decline of the Medway Navigation supported by a number of informative and well-illustrated slides,(the first outing of HHS’s new projector/laptop combination).
His talk showed that although there was interest in creating a navigable channel between Tonbridge and Maidstone along the Medway in the eighteenth century and possibly before, it was not until 1741 that work began after an Act of Parliament had been delivered in 1740. At that time Tonbridge was not a prosperous or a well-connected community. He illustrated this by quoting from the writings of Daniel Defoe who had visited the town in the 1720s describing it as a poor town, with poor housing and appalling roads. The project was moved forward by the then Mayor of Tonbridge, James Hook, and the generation of £30,000 of start-up capital raised by selling shares in the proposed Medway Navigation at £100 each. These shares proved, over the next hundred years or so, to be a very sound investment.
The engineering involved in creating the waterway demanded the construction of a series of locks to compensate for the drop of sixty three feet as the river transversed the countryside between Tonbridge and the end of the Navigation at Maidstone. The river has always been navigable below Maidstone. Interestingly, Tonbridge’s Town Lock was partly built from stone cannibalised from the Castle.
However the Navigation was not without its critics especially among landowners and farmers who refused to allow a tow path to be built as they wanted to maintain free and easy access to the river for their livestock and irrigation. With no tow path it became necessary to move the barges using human labour. These workers (known as ‘hufflers’) had to negotiate some one hundred hedges on their journey between the two towns and, indeed, they sometimes had to plunge into the river to sustain forward momentum.
From the beginning the Navigation was a success. It allowed the inflow of coal and other materials into the region thus generating energy and wealth to support the creation of new enterprises (e.g. the Powder Mills at Leigh) and to get local produce to new markets. The town’s infrastructure and housing stock also improved as it was now possible to build economically with bricks. Early examples of this were Judd House, Ferox House and the Rose and Crown.
The success was so great that it excited a Surrey based speculator, James Christie, in the 1820s, to try and create an extension of the Navigation to Penshurst and perhaps eventually to Forest Row. This intervention caused considerable turmoil which ended badly with little achieved. However, with the coming of the railway in the early 1840s the viability of the Navigation financially, and as an economic driver, began to decline.
The talk was greatly appreciated and applauded by the forty or so members and visitors who received it and stimulated a number of interesting and insightful questions from the audience at its close.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will be the AGM and will take place on Friday 21st April 2023 and will include a talk by Bob Appleton – Recreating a Journey using Postcards on the A227 from Gravesend to Tonbridge with a Diversion to Hildenborough.
Apologies for Absence: Tony Cole, George and Sue Gorham, Elizabeth Myers
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), welcomed everyone to the meeting and was pleased to see so many people had come to hear the evening's talk.
Claire Knight, who designed the flyers and posters for this meeting, which you may have seen around the village, has been co-opted onto the committee.
Some of the Society's money has been spent to purchase a laptop to ensure there is a secure interface with the projector for speakers so that they can illustrate their talks.
The Chairman asked how many in the audience had looked at the Society's website recently and very few hands were raised. The Society has not had a web master since Steve Corbett (Mellie) moved from Hildenborough two or three years ago. When asked, nobody volunteered to take over the role. It was important that the website should be updated and a professional feasibility study will be undertaken. This project will be included on the agenda for the AGM on 21st April 2023. Committee members will stand for re-election at the AGM but sadly Sue Gorham has decided to stand down. If you would like to join the committee, please get in touch with one of the members of the committee.
A social evening – a wine and cheese party – is planned to be held this summer. It is important to find out how members would like the Society to develop, perhaps with more meetings, speakers on a wider range of topics or visits to places of interest. A questionnaire will be sent to members to explore this issue.
The Chairman then asked if anyone had any points they wished to raise. Claire Knight felt the archive should be more accessible. In (CV)'s view the archive was a major asset to the Society but also caused problems as it needed constant attention and security. Tracy Chandler, the Society's archivist, commented that most of the archive material had already been catalogued, but more help was needed to complete the task and would be gratefully received. Any member interested in helping should contact her or any committee member.
While the book – Hildenborough – Our Village – has proved so successful, people have pointed out things which had been missed. For example (CV) has recently found out that the village at one time had a choral society and that its minute book still survived. He was sure that there were more things which had been missed.
After the coffee break the evening’s talk was given by George Buswell who has written widely about the history of Tonbridge. He gave an arresting and humorous account of the genesis and decline of the Medway Navigation supported by a number of informative and well-illustrated slides,(the first outing of HHS’s new projector/laptop combination).
His talk showed that although there was interest in creating a navigable channel between Tonbridge and Maidstone along the Medway in the eighteenth century and possibly before, it was not until 1741 that work began after an Act of Parliament had been delivered in 1740. At that time Tonbridge was not a prosperous or a well-connected community. He illustrated this by quoting from the writings of Daniel Defoe who had visited the town in the 1720s describing it as a poor town, with poor housing and appalling roads. The project was moved forward by the then Mayor of Tonbridge, James Hook, and the generation of £30,000 of start-up capital raised by selling shares in the proposed Medway Navigation at £100 each. These shares proved, over the next hundred years or so, to be a very sound investment.
The engineering involved in creating the waterway demanded the construction of a series of locks to compensate for the drop of sixty three feet as the river transversed the countryside between Tonbridge and the end of the Navigation at Maidstone. The river has always been navigable below Maidstone. Interestingly, Tonbridge’s Town Lock was partly built from stone cannibalised from the Castle.
However the Navigation was not without its critics especially among landowners and farmers who refused to allow a tow path to be built as they wanted to maintain free and easy access to the river for their livestock and irrigation. With no tow path it became necessary to move the barges using human labour. These workers (known as ‘hufflers’) had to negotiate some one hundred hedges on their journey between the two towns and, indeed, they sometimes had to plunge into the river to sustain forward momentum.
From the beginning the Navigation was a success. It allowed the inflow of coal and other materials into the region thus generating energy and wealth to support the creation of new enterprises (e.g. the Powder Mills at Leigh) and to get local produce to new markets. The town’s infrastructure and housing stock also improved as it was now possible to build economically with bricks. Early examples of this were Judd House, Ferox House and the Rose and Crown.
The success was so great that it excited a Surrey based speculator, James Christie, in the 1820s, to try and create an extension of the Navigation to Penshurst and perhaps eventually to Forest Row. This intervention caused considerable turmoil which ended badly with little achieved. However, with the coming of the railway in the early 1840s the viability of the Navigation financially, and as an economic driver, began to decline.
The talk was greatly appreciated and applauded by the forty or so members and visitors who received it and stimulated a number of interesting and insightful questions from the audience at its close.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will be the AGM and will take place on Friday 21st April 2023 and will include a talk by Bob Appleton – Recreating a Journey using Postcards on the A227 from Gravesend to Tonbridge with a Diversion to Hildenborough.
Notes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society – Autumn
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 21st October 2022
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 21st October 2022
Oct 2022
Apologies for Absence: Molly Brewer, Colin Cope, Joy Dolling, Ann Evans, Sue Gorham, Carol Walters, Ann Wood
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles, welcomed everyone to the meeting and was pleased so many people had come to see the films and hoped they would enjoy them. We were privileged to have Ros Cranston, the BFI archivist to introduce this evening's five films. The films were originally shot on 16mm stock which has been digitised and this later version is what we would see this evening.
Ros Cranston began by telling us that she was one of the curators of non-fiction film and television at the BFI National Archive. She was pleased to introduce these five new restorations which were part of The Camera is Ours project celebrating Britain's women documentary makers with which she had been involved for many years.
The pioneers of documentary film making which began in the 1930s were often called 'the documentary boys' but did include a number of women, two of whom, Ruby and Marion Grierson, were sisters of John Grierson, often referred to as the father of British documentary.
The first film was Marion Grierson's glorious travel film, Beside the Seaside from 1935 and many of the locations were along the coast of Kent. It was a pioneering film in its use of cinematic techniques, both visually and in the use of sound. Marion Grierson became an accomplished film maker and directed about 10 films in the 1930s. She married fellow documentary maker, Donald Taylor, and left the film industry after the birth of her first child.
The next film, They Also Serve, was a dramatised documentary featuring actors, a potent tribute to 'the housewives of Britain'. It was made in 1940 by Ruby Grierson but with a really strong sense of empathy with 'Mother' who is ever smiling in her support of her weary husband and truculent daughter. She was killed in 1940 while making a film about the evacuation of children to Canada when the liner they were travelling on, the SS City of Benares, was torpedoed. This was her last film.
The third film was Birth-day from 1945 directed by Budge (Brigid) Cooper, another dramatised wartime film with Molly Weir playing the main character. It was a government sponsored public information film and could be described as the real Call the Midwife. Budge Cooper spent much of her working life employed by the National Coal Board Film Unit, a male dominated working environment. She took the Coal Board to court and won when she was refused permission to go underground to film because of her gender.
There was a short refreshment break between the third and fourth films.
The fourth film, also from 1945, was Kay Mander's powerful campaigning film, Homes for People, in which she encouraged working class women to talk about their living conditions as they went about their domestic work. After a long career in the film industry she moved to Scotland in 1978 full of film making plans of her own and she died aged 98 in 2013.
The final film of the evening made in the 1960s, sponsored by the Gas Council, was Something Nice to Eat and featured Jean Shrimpton. Sarah Erulkar, the writer/director, was Indian born and Jewish and started her career in her early 20s at the Shell Film Unit. She made more than 80 films over 40 years and is, as far as is known, the first person of colour to have a career as a film director in the UK.
After the films were shown Ros Cranston then asked what people thought about the films and whether they had any questions. This provoked a lively and lengthy discussion.
The Chairman closed the evening by thanking Ros Cranston for presenting the films which had been so stimulating and enjoyable.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 20th January 2023 and will include a talk by George Buswell on The Medway Navigation and the Growth of Tonbridge.
Apologies for Absence: Molly Brewer, Colin Cope, Joy Dolling, Ann Evans, Sue Gorham, Carol Walters, Ann Wood
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles, welcomed everyone to the meeting and was pleased so many people had come to see the films and hoped they would enjoy them. We were privileged to have Ros Cranston, the BFI archivist to introduce this evening's five films. The films were originally shot on 16mm stock which has been digitised and this later version is what we would see this evening.
Ros Cranston began by telling us that she was one of the curators of non-fiction film and television at the BFI National Archive. She was pleased to introduce these five new restorations which were part of The Camera is Ours project celebrating Britain's women documentary makers with which she had been involved for many years.
The pioneers of documentary film making which began in the 1930s were often called 'the documentary boys' but did include a number of women, two of whom, Ruby and Marion Grierson, were sisters of John Grierson, often referred to as the father of British documentary.
The first film was Marion Grierson's glorious travel film, Beside the Seaside from 1935 and many of the locations were along the coast of Kent. It was a pioneering film in its use of cinematic techniques, both visually and in the use of sound. Marion Grierson became an accomplished film maker and directed about 10 films in the 1930s. She married fellow documentary maker, Donald Taylor, and left the film industry after the birth of her first child.
The next film, They Also Serve, was a dramatised documentary featuring actors, a potent tribute to 'the housewives of Britain'. It was made in 1940 by Ruby Grierson but with a really strong sense of empathy with 'Mother' who is ever smiling in her support of her weary husband and truculent daughter. She was killed in 1940 while making a film about the evacuation of children to Canada when the liner they were travelling on, the SS City of Benares, was torpedoed. This was her last film.
The third film was Birth-day from 1945 directed by Budge (Brigid) Cooper, another dramatised wartime film with Molly Weir playing the main character. It was a government sponsored public information film and could be described as the real Call the Midwife. Budge Cooper spent much of her working life employed by the National Coal Board Film Unit, a male dominated working environment. She took the Coal Board to court and won when she was refused permission to go underground to film because of her gender.
There was a short refreshment break between the third and fourth films.
The fourth film, also from 1945, was Kay Mander's powerful campaigning film, Homes for People, in which she encouraged working class women to talk about their living conditions as they went about their domestic work. After a long career in the film industry she moved to Scotland in 1978 full of film making plans of her own and she died aged 98 in 2013.
The final film of the evening made in the 1960s, sponsored by the Gas Council, was Something Nice to Eat and featured Jean Shrimpton. Sarah Erulkar, the writer/director, was Indian born and Jewish and started her career in her early 20s at the Shell Film Unit. She made more than 80 films over 40 years and is, as far as is known, the first person of colour to have a career as a film director in the UK.
After the films were shown Ros Cranston then asked what people thought about the films and whether they had any questions. This provoked a lively and lengthy discussion.
The Chairman closed the evening by thanking Ros Cranston for presenting the films which had been so stimulating and enjoyable.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 20th January 2023 and will include a talk by George Buswell on The Medway Navigation and the Growth of Tonbridge.
Notes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society – Summer
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 15th July 2022
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 15th July 2022
Jul 22
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to see so many more people at the meeting as the AGM had been so depressing as so few had attended.
The book, Hildenborough – Our Village published in September 2021, has been reprinted and is still in demand.
(CV) gave details of the belated send off for Geoff Calderhead, a founding member of the Society who died in March 2021, which will be held on 21st September in the Barn at the Plough at Powder Mills at 1.00 pm. His daughter would like those who knew Geoff to join them in her wish for a good send off.
Open Forum:
Nick Hawkins, who has lived in Hildenborough since 1968, told how last August he flew from Biggin Hill to Beachy Head and back and made a four minute film about the trip. The film is on YouTube and the link will be sent to Howard Dolling so it can be viewed.
Claire Knight is keen to put Hildenborough back on the map' and hopes the History Society can do this. She wants to enliven the Society and get the historical side back on track. She had several ideas about how we might move forward.
Pat Davies gave details of the next General Meeting on 21st October which will feature a stunning collection of five newly restored films by pioneering women documentary makers showing working class women's lives, housing struggles, pregnancy and the joy of the seaside. The BFI archivist, Ros Cranston, who led the restoration process, will be the speaker and answer questions. There will be no charge for members, children and full-time students and a £5 fee for non-members. There will be a more detailed piece about it in the August edition of Keys Magazine. He will also be advising other local history societies.
Evening’s Speaker:
After the coffee break the evening's talk was given by Linda Wayman who focused on a particularly interesting period in the history of Hildenborough Hall (in Coldharbour Lane). Her parents, Norman Wren and Vera Mann were employed by Tom and Jean Rees from the beginning of the Hall's life as a Christian Young People's Conference Centre. Linda Wayman drew on the memories of her parents (now sadly dead), the family photograph albums and the writings of Jean Rees to interweave her family's history with that of the Hall.
The Rees's bought the Hall in 1945 as it fitted neatly with their ambition to establish a residential Christian conference centre in the countryside. It was on the market for £6,000. The Rees's sold the Hall in 1954.
Her father was taken on to help in the garden. He obtained the job in 1946 partly through the recommendation of the local vicar and was paid £2 per week with board and lodging. Both the Hall and the grounds had to undergo a considerable amount of renovation before the venture could open.
On Whit Saturday 1946 the Hall opened for its first conference.
Some 1,400 visitors were welcomed during the Centre's first year making use of the Hall's sixty rooms over three floors and its open spaces. One of her photographs shows well appointed bedrooms which were shared (two or three beds in each) with males and females occupying different parts of the house. In photographs from her albums the public spaces were, seemingly, well decorated, spacious and comfortably furnished.
Linda Wayman's parents met during the Centre's first years when they both worked there. The photo album yielded photos of them both together with other staff members, Tom and Jean Rees and some guests. They became engaged and married in 1949, at which point they left the Centre as there was no provision for married couples. However, by that time they were able to save sufficient money to put a deposit down on a house.
It was clear from both Linda and the material she presented that her parent's time working as part of the Rees's team at Hildenborough Hall was an important and special part of their lives. It was clearly a time when the Hall was playing an interesting part in the evangelistic movement of that was a feature of that time.
Nb – more information on the history of this period is contained in the Society's book - Hildenborough – Our Village.
CV then introduced Norman Mitchell, one of our members, to give some information on another stage in the history of Hildenborough Hall.
In 1978 Dr Gerhard and Elizabeth Florschutz purchased the building for, it is believed, £72,000 and after renovation the Raphael Medical Centre opened in 1981 as a rest home - later specialising in neuro rehabilitation. In 1984 and 1990 residential retirement flats were built in the grounds. The former Hardwick School was purchased by Dr Gerhard in 1994 and let to Fosse Bank Junior School until the summer of 2003. Work began in June 2004 converting the building into what is now called Tobias House, providing rehabilitation care for victims of road crashes. In 2005 the Raphael Medical Centre became the St Raphael Hospital.
Over the years Mr Mitchell had several posts at the Hall, as a care assistant when he was a student, carrying out general maintenance duties and as head gardener.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 21st October 2022 when the film, Britain's Pioneering Women Documentary Makers: The Camera is Ours will be shown with Ros Cranston as speaker.
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to see so many more people at the meeting as the AGM had been so depressing as so few had attended.
The book, Hildenborough – Our Village published in September 2021, has been reprinted and is still in demand.
(CV) gave details of the belated send off for Geoff Calderhead, a founding member of the Society who died in March 2021, which will be held on 21st September in the Barn at the Plough at Powder Mills at 1.00 pm. His daughter would like those who knew Geoff to join them in her wish for a good send off.
Open Forum:
Nick Hawkins, who has lived in Hildenborough since 1968, told how last August he flew from Biggin Hill to Beachy Head and back and made a four minute film about the trip. The film is on YouTube and the link will be sent to Howard Dolling so it can be viewed.
Claire Knight is keen to put Hildenborough back on the map' and hopes the History Society can do this. She wants to enliven the Society and get the historical side back on track. She had several ideas about how we might move forward.
Pat Davies gave details of the next General Meeting on 21st October which will feature a stunning collection of five newly restored films by pioneering women documentary makers showing working class women's lives, housing struggles, pregnancy and the joy of the seaside. The BFI archivist, Ros Cranston, who led the restoration process, will be the speaker and answer questions. There will be no charge for members, children and full-time students and a £5 fee for non-members. There will be a more detailed piece about it in the August edition of Keys Magazine. He will also be advising other local history societies.
Evening’s Speaker:
After the coffee break the evening's talk was given by Linda Wayman who focused on a particularly interesting period in the history of Hildenborough Hall (in Coldharbour Lane). Her parents, Norman Wren and Vera Mann were employed by Tom and Jean Rees from the beginning of the Hall's life as a Christian Young People's Conference Centre. Linda Wayman drew on the memories of her parents (now sadly dead), the family photograph albums and the writings of Jean Rees to interweave her family's history with that of the Hall.
The Rees's bought the Hall in 1945 as it fitted neatly with their ambition to establish a residential Christian conference centre in the countryside. It was on the market for £6,000. The Rees's sold the Hall in 1954.
Her father was taken on to help in the garden. He obtained the job in 1946 partly through the recommendation of the local vicar and was paid £2 per week with board and lodging. Both the Hall and the grounds had to undergo a considerable amount of renovation before the venture could open.
On Whit Saturday 1946 the Hall opened for its first conference.
Some 1,400 visitors were welcomed during the Centre's first year making use of the Hall's sixty rooms over three floors and its open spaces. One of her photographs shows well appointed bedrooms which were shared (two or three beds in each) with males and females occupying different parts of the house. In photographs from her albums the public spaces were, seemingly, well decorated, spacious and comfortably furnished.
Linda Wayman's parents met during the Centre's first years when they both worked there. The photo album yielded photos of them both together with other staff members, Tom and Jean Rees and some guests. They became engaged and married in 1949, at which point they left the Centre as there was no provision for married couples. However, by that time they were able to save sufficient money to put a deposit down on a house.
It was clear from both Linda and the material she presented that her parent's time working as part of the Rees's team at Hildenborough Hall was an important and special part of their lives. It was clearly a time when the Hall was playing an interesting part in the evangelistic movement of that was a feature of that time.
Nb – more information on the history of this period is contained in the Society's book - Hildenborough – Our Village.
CV then introduced Norman Mitchell, one of our members, to give some information on another stage in the history of Hildenborough Hall.
In 1978 Dr Gerhard and Elizabeth Florschutz purchased the building for, it is believed, £72,000 and after renovation the Raphael Medical Centre opened in 1981 as a rest home - later specialising in neuro rehabilitation. In 1984 and 1990 residential retirement flats were built in the grounds. The former Hardwick School was purchased by Dr Gerhard in 1994 and let to Fosse Bank Junior School until the summer of 2003. Work began in June 2004 converting the building into what is now called Tobias House, providing rehabilitation care for victims of road crashes. In 2005 the Raphael Medical Centre became the St Raphael Hospital.
Over the years Mr Mitchell had several posts at the Hall, as a care assistant when he was a student, carrying out general maintenance duties and as head gardener.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 21st October 2022 when the film, Britain's Pioneering Women Documentary Makers: The Camera is Ours will be shown with Ros Cranston as speaker.
Notes of the Annual General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Jim England Hall of the Village Hall on Friday, 22nd April 2022
held in the Jim England Hall of the Village Hall on Friday, 22nd April 2022
Apologies for Absence: Carol Atkinson, Andrew Baines, Malcolm Baker, Andrew and Sue Gidley, Michael Hazell
Welcome and Address from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone, but sad so few members were there.
It was in 2019, three years ago, that we were last able to meet for the AGM. Because of Covid restrictions it was decided in 2020 and 2021 that the completion of the Society's AGM business, including the re-election of officers, committee members and the re-appointment of the auditor, would be handled remotely by email.
Discussed at the 2019 AGM was the plan for the Society to produce something substantial on the village history and as the Parish Council wanted to update Hildenborough from A-Z, this seemed a good opportunity, The project could take up to three years – more later. The year continued well with an excellent talk in July from George Gorham on the History of Garden Plants and a fantastic social evening in September when Mary Smith again gave her wonderfully illustrated talk, A Schoolgirl's War, showing girls at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls having lessons in tunnels.
Two further talks focusing on the Second World War were Malcolm Pettit's fascinating talk in October 2019 on the Battle of Britain and Eddie Prescott's talk last October, V for Vengeance – Hitler's Terror Weapons. These three talks now seem prescient given the horrors of the war in Ukraine.
In 2021 we were able to hold two meetings by Zoom. In January Imogen Corrigan gave a visually most successful talk on The Stonemasons who built Cathedrals and in April Jennifer Godfrey gave her talk on The Suffragettes of Kent.
The book project was already underway during lockdown and Howard (HD) and Joy (JD) Dolling's team of writers and contributors worked hard on it, resulting in the successful publication, Hildenborough – Our Village, on time and on budget last September. A huge achievement! It was good to know that newcomers to Hildenborough who took up residence at Berkeley Homes estate at Oakhill would receive a copy of the book.
Where were we now, three years later? Hopefully back with meetings for a start. The book has shown us that we had an enormous amount of material in our archives, enough to produce two more books. However, there was a problem. Not all the material has been catalogued and volunteers are needed to help with this task. The Committee is also considering whether the archive could be digitised to make access easier.
This was not a time to rest on our laurels. What should be the way forward? The book was a substantial milestone. It was important that we generated a programme that would encourage members to overcome any hesitation they might have to come to meetings once again. The Chairman asked for suggestions on future speakers, topics, outings or social evenings. A member suggested it might be fruitful to get involved with schools but this had been tried before and had not worked. Our membership has remained steady at around eighty despite the problems over the last two or three years. Sadly, during the past two years we have lost Marshall Browning, Geoff Calderhead, David Hunter, Eric Spender, Liz Toy, and only three weeks ago, Jenny Baker. Marshall Browning, Geoff Calderhead, David Hunter and Eric Spender made valuable contributions to the book as did Liz Toy to the archives. They are all sadly missed.
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
The notes the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD) read out at the meeting are set out below.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to be able to present the accounts of the society to you in person this year.
All those of you with an email address should already have received a copy of the accounts but I have some available for those who do not use a computer and there should be a few spares as well.
You will see that we have a very healthy bank balance of just over £5000 and I am pleased to say that we made a small profit. Most of the income was derived from sales of our book or from subscriptions. Similarly, most of our expenditure also related to the production of book and is all pretty self-explanatory. Except for our membership of the British Association for Local History, BALH, the subscription to which amongst other things provides us with general and public liability insurance cover for our activities.
With regard to the book itself Joy and I and the whole committee are really pleased with its success and we thank you all for your overwhelming support in buying a copy. As you will see in the notes, we printed 729 copies and at the end of March there remained only 39 books to sell. That number is now down to 32. Although Joy and I were the main point of contact for sales I would like to thank Sue Gorham (SG) for her sterling work at the Farmers market where she sold over 40 books.
Before I finish, I would like to record my appreciation to our auditor David Haugh for his continuing kind work and for agreeing to continue in office for another year. I will be happy to take any questions you may have after which could I please ask for a proposer and seconder to move the accounts are approved. Many thanks. “
The adoption of the accounts was proposed by Tony Cole and seconded by Molly Brewer and agreed by a show of hands.
The proposal to waive subscriptions for 2022/2023 for existing members but remain at £5 for new members was approved.
The Chairman praised (HD) for his terrific job as treasurer.
Election of Officers:
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee:
The proposed committee members were re-elected and Pat Davies was elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members Pat Davies
Joy Dolling
Sue Gorham
Appointment of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor.
Whether to manage without a vice-chairman would be considered at the next committee meeting (CV) explained. There was a need for someone to take on and update the website now that Steve Corbett (Mellie) had stood down. He had done a great job setting it up and managing it but had found it too much since moving away from Hildenborough two years ago.
Leigh Historical Society was planning an outing to Berwick church and Brighton on 23rd June 2022 and there were still a few places left on the coach if any members were interested. The form giving details would be emailed to members.
Lynne Page had sent (Mellie) some memories of her life and time at the Old Cock Pub. (HD) has corrected misspellings and punctuation errors and it was now ready to be put on the website.
The Society has been given a substantial amount of documentation and photographs by Dennis Hill regarding a project about the farms and farm buildings in the village. (HD) has this documentation and was tidying it up with a view to bringing this to completion by involving the whole membership.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
The coffee break then followed, the first for two years, which was enjoyed.
The evening finished with a splendid, well-illustrated and informative talk given by George Gorham. Whilst emptying out a family business factory he came across two old photograph albums containing photographs of a holiday that appeared to have been taken before the First World War. Being intrigued by these photographs George and Sue decided to locate where and when this event had taken place. In doing so they had to essentially invent a methodology that George thought others might find useful in exploring their family history.
The first step was to put the photos together and work through them systematically. From this examination it emerged that the holiday may have been spent in North Wales. There were three or four images that chimed with George’s own experience e.g. a view of a castle which had been carefully captured so that a railway bridge brought the eye toward it; a view of a church with a clock on the face of its tower. Having drawn these clues together the next step was to explore the Web (WWW) to see if he could match the family’s photos to those made available by keying in the possible locations. This proved to be a successful stratagem. Finding that the image of the church was St. Michael’s Old Church in Betws-y-Coed both validated their hypothesis and fully motivated a commitment to replicate the century old adventure themselves. So off to North Wales they went with the photo albums tucked under their arms determined to identify the views and images that these old photographs contained. How much still remained? How much had changed? What had been swept away by time?
What they found was arresting. By showing the photographs to various authorities several things emerged. First, people were interested and wanted to help. Second, source material turned up in unexpected places and by simply walking around the various towns, things came into focus. To illustrate: whilst staying in Criccieth George showed an image to the hotel staff who had no idea what they were looking at but one guy remembered that a barber’s shop in the town was decorated with old photographs. On going to the shop (no details on whether or not George had a haircut there) there was a clear match between the two sets of images. Second, once an image was identified it led on to other insights. Again to illustrate: there was a picture of a paddle steamer which George was able to identify. He found that a) in the late nineteenth century it had been a cross channel ferry, b) it was working in North Wales between 1904 and 1907 and c) during WW1 it had returned to the English Channel to carry troops to and from France. The critical issue for Sue and George was that they now knew that the holiday had taken place sometime between 1904 and 1907.
So George neatly showed that deepening historical knowledge demands ingenuity, creativity, insight and determination. A great ending to the evening.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 15th July 2022 and will include a talk by Linda Wayman on Hildenborough Hall in the Days of Tom Rees: Behind the Scenes with Norman Wren and Vera Mann.
Welcome and Address from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone, but sad so few members were there.
It was in 2019, three years ago, that we were last able to meet for the AGM. Because of Covid restrictions it was decided in 2020 and 2021 that the completion of the Society's AGM business, including the re-election of officers, committee members and the re-appointment of the auditor, would be handled remotely by email.
Discussed at the 2019 AGM was the plan for the Society to produce something substantial on the village history and as the Parish Council wanted to update Hildenborough from A-Z, this seemed a good opportunity, The project could take up to three years – more later. The year continued well with an excellent talk in July from George Gorham on the History of Garden Plants and a fantastic social evening in September when Mary Smith again gave her wonderfully illustrated talk, A Schoolgirl's War, showing girls at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls having lessons in tunnels.
Two further talks focusing on the Second World War were Malcolm Pettit's fascinating talk in October 2019 on the Battle of Britain and Eddie Prescott's talk last October, V for Vengeance – Hitler's Terror Weapons. These three talks now seem prescient given the horrors of the war in Ukraine.
In 2021 we were able to hold two meetings by Zoom. In January Imogen Corrigan gave a visually most successful talk on The Stonemasons who built Cathedrals and in April Jennifer Godfrey gave her talk on The Suffragettes of Kent.
The book project was already underway during lockdown and Howard (HD) and Joy (JD) Dolling's team of writers and contributors worked hard on it, resulting in the successful publication, Hildenborough – Our Village, on time and on budget last September. A huge achievement! It was good to know that newcomers to Hildenborough who took up residence at Berkeley Homes estate at Oakhill would receive a copy of the book.
Where were we now, three years later? Hopefully back with meetings for a start. The book has shown us that we had an enormous amount of material in our archives, enough to produce two more books. However, there was a problem. Not all the material has been catalogued and volunteers are needed to help with this task. The Committee is also considering whether the archive could be digitised to make access easier.
This was not a time to rest on our laurels. What should be the way forward? The book was a substantial milestone. It was important that we generated a programme that would encourage members to overcome any hesitation they might have to come to meetings once again. The Chairman asked for suggestions on future speakers, topics, outings or social evenings. A member suggested it might be fruitful to get involved with schools but this had been tried before and had not worked. Our membership has remained steady at around eighty despite the problems over the last two or three years. Sadly, during the past two years we have lost Marshall Browning, Geoff Calderhead, David Hunter, Eric Spender, Liz Toy, and only three weeks ago, Jenny Baker. Marshall Browning, Geoff Calderhead, David Hunter and Eric Spender made valuable contributions to the book as did Liz Toy to the archives. They are all sadly missed.
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
The notes the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD) read out at the meeting are set out below.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to be able to present the accounts of the society to you in person this year.
All those of you with an email address should already have received a copy of the accounts but I have some available for those who do not use a computer and there should be a few spares as well.
You will see that we have a very healthy bank balance of just over £5000 and I am pleased to say that we made a small profit. Most of the income was derived from sales of our book or from subscriptions. Similarly, most of our expenditure also related to the production of book and is all pretty self-explanatory. Except for our membership of the British Association for Local History, BALH, the subscription to which amongst other things provides us with general and public liability insurance cover for our activities.
With regard to the book itself Joy and I and the whole committee are really pleased with its success and we thank you all for your overwhelming support in buying a copy. As you will see in the notes, we printed 729 copies and at the end of March there remained only 39 books to sell. That number is now down to 32. Although Joy and I were the main point of contact for sales I would like to thank Sue Gorham (SG) for her sterling work at the Farmers market where she sold over 40 books.
Before I finish, I would like to record my appreciation to our auditor David Haugh for his continuing kind work and for agreeing to continue in office for another year. I will be happy to take any questions you may have after which could I please ask for a proposer and seconder to move the accounts are approved. Many thanks. “
The adoption of the accounts was proposed by Tony Cole and seconded by Molly Brewer and agreed by a show of hands.
The proposal to waive subscriptions for 2022/2023 for existing members but remain at £5 for new members was approved.
The Chairman praised (HD) for his terrific job as treasurer.
Election of Officers:
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee:
The proposed committee members were re-elected and Pat Davies was elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members Pat Davies
Joy Dolling
Sue Gorham
Appointment of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor.
Whether to manage without a vice-chairman would be considered at the next committee meeting (CV) explained. There was a need for someone to take on and update the website now that Steve Corbett (Mellie) had stood down. He had done a great job setting it up and managing it but had found it too much since moving away from Hildenborough two years ago.
Leigh Historical Society was planning an outing to Berwick church and Brighton on 23rd June 2022 and there were still a few places left on the coach if any members were interested. The form giving details would be emailed to members.
Lynne Page had sent (Mellie) some memories of her life and time at the Old Cock Pub. (HD) has corrected misspellings and punctuation errors and it was now ready to be put on the website.
The Society has been given a substantial amount of documentation and photographs by Dennis Hill regarding a project about the farms and farm buildings in the village. (HD) has this documentation and was tidying it up with a view to bringing this to completion by involving the whole membership.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
The coffee break then followed, the first for two years, which was enjoyed.
The evening finished with a splendid, well-illustrated and informative talk given by George Gorham. Whilst emptying out a family business factory he came across two old photograph albums containing photographs of a holiday that appeared to have been taken before the First World War. Being intrigued by these photographs George and Sue decided to locate where and when this event had taken place. In doing so they had to essentially invent a methodology that George thought others might find useful in exploring their family history.
The first step was to put the photos together and work through them systematically. From this examination it emerged that the holiday may have been spent in North Wales. There were three or four images that chimed with George’s own experience e.g. a view of a castle which had been carefully captured so that a railway bridge brought the eye toward it; a view of a church with a clock on the face of its tower. Having drawn these clues together the next step was to explore the Web (WWW) to see if he could match the family’s photos to those made available by keying in the possible locations. This proved to be a successful stratagem. Finding that the image of the church was St. Michael’s Old Church in Betws-y-Coed both validated their hypothesis and fully motivated a commitment to replicate the century old adventure themselves. So off to North Wales they went with the photo albums tucked under their arms determined to identify the views and images that these old photographs contained. How much still remained? How much had changed? What had been swept away by time?
What they found was arresting. By showing the photographs to various authorities several things emerged. First, people were interested and wanted to help. Second, source material turned up in unexpected places and by simply walking around the various towns, things came into focus. To illustrate: whilst staying in Criccieth George showed an image to the hotel staff who had no idea what they were looking at but one guy remembered that a barber’s shop in the town was decorated with old photographs. On going to the shop (no details on whether or not George had a haircut there) there was a clear match between the two sets of images. Second, once an image was identified it led on to other insights. Again to illustrate: there was a picture of a paddle steamer which George was able to identify. He found that a) in the late nineteenth century it had been a cross channel ferry, b) it was working in North Wales between 1904 and 1907 and c) during WW1 it had returned to the English Channel to carry troops to and from France. The critical issue for Sue and George was that they now knew that the holiday had taken place sometime between 1904 and 1907.
So George neatly showed that deepening historical knowledge demands ingenuity, creativity, insight and determination. A great ending to the evening.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on 15th July 2022 and will include a talk by Linda Wayman on Hildenborough Hall in the Days of Tom Rees: Behind the Scenes with Norman Wren and Vera Mann.
Minutes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society - Autumn,
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday 22nd October 2021.
held in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall on Friday 22nd October 2021.
Apologies for Absence: Alison and Dudley Aries, Sue Gorham, Evan and Christine Portlock, Susan Sollis
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), thanked everyone for attending the meeting that evening and was pleased that it had been possible to hold it in the Village Hall.
The launch of the Society's book, Hildenborough – Our Village, had been an amazing success which more than 100 people had attended. There had been a quite extraordinarily good review of the book in the Sevenoaks Chronicle which has boosted sales.
CV was very sad to announce the death of Marshall Browning, a longstanding member of the Society, and condolences have been sent to his family. He had written a most engaging piece for the book about his early life in Hildenborough which is well worth seeking out.
Members agreed that, if possible, quarterly meetings should continue to be held in the Village Hall. No suggestions for future speakers or events were offered.
The evening's speaker, Eddie Prescott, was then introduced and he began his illustrated talk, V for Vengeance – Hitler's Terror Weapons.
This was a comprehensive account of the history of the V1 flying bomb and V2 guided missiles used by the Germans in World War 2 to attack London. His talk covered the design development and manufacture of these weapons as well as the tragic results of their use on the civilian population. Well illustrated with photographs from the time, it served as a timely reminder of the frightening conditions under which the people of Hildenborough would have lived as many of these weapons fell short of their targets, Hildenborough, and Kent generally, being on the flight-path to London. The chief engineer responsible for the design and manufacture of these weapons was Wernher von Braun, later to become a major figure in NASA's Apollo Space program. In his conclusion Eddie Prescott left us with the interesting question, should this brilliant scientist and engineer be regarded as a hero of human space exploration, or as a Nazi war criminal responsible for the deaths of thousands? Perhaps the subject of a future talk to the Society.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place, hopefully, in the Village Hall on Friday 21st January 2022 and will include a talk by George Buswell on The Medway Navigation and the Growth of Tonbridge.
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), thanked everyone for attending the meeting that evening and was pleased that it had been possible to hold it in the Village Hall.
The launch of the Society's book, Hildenborough – Our Village, had been an amazing success which more than 100 people had attended. There had been a quite extraordinarily good review of the book in the Sevenoaks Chronicle which has boosted sales.
CV was very sad to announce the death of Marshall Browning, a longstanding member of the Society, and condolences have been sent to his family. He had written a most engaging piece for the book about his early life in Hildenborough which is well worth seeking out.
Members agreed that, if possible, quarterly meetings should continue to be held in the Village Hall. No suggestions for future speakers or events were offered.
The evening's speaker, Eddie Prescott, was then introduced and he began his illustrated talk, V for Vengeance – Hitler's Terror Weapons.
This was a comprehensive account of the history of the V1 flying bomb and V2 guided missiles used by the Germans in World War 2 to attack London. His talk covered the design development and manufacture of these weapons as well as the tragic results of their use on the civilian population. Well illustrated with photographs from the time, it served as a timely reminder of the frightening conditions under which the people of Hildenborough would have lived as many of these weapons fell short of their targets, Hildenborough, and Kent generally, being on the flight-path to London. The chief engineer responsible for the design and manufacture of these weapons was Wernher von Braun, later to become a major figure in NASA's Apollo Space program. In his conclusion Eddie Prescott left us with the interesting question, should this brilliant scientist and engineer be regarded as a hero of human space exploration, or as a Nazi war criminal responsible for the deaths of thousands? Perhaps the subject of a future talk to the Society.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place, hopefully, in the Village Hall on Friday 21st January 2022 and will include a talk by George Buswell on The Medway Navigation and the Growth of Tonbridge.
Minutes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society – Autumn,
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 25th October, 2019.
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 25th October, 2019.
Apologies for Absence: Joy Dolling, Carol Miller, Eric Spender, Janet Foster.
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome so many people to the meeting including one new member.
Open Forum:
CV was sad to announce that Ron Woodgate, a long time member of the Society, had recently died, eight weeks after suffering a stroke.
George Gorham needs four more volunteers to help manage road closures at the Remembrance Day Parade and asked if anyone would help.
Elizabeth Toy has kindly donated all her family papers and maps to the Society and they will be put into the archive. Miss Toy is now living in a residential care home and CV has written to her thanking her for her gift.
It had been sad to have to call off the planned trip to Chatham Dockyard in May 2019, but there had not been enough interest. CV asked if members might like an outing in May 2020 and a large number raised their hands in support. He asked for suggestions and Greenwich with the Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum and the Battle of Britain Memorial Site at Capel-le-Ferne which has a new multi-media centre on site were put forward.
CV told the audience that it was harder to organise a raffle than might be expected. All prizes have been contributed by committee members. As the money raised from the raffle was important to the Society, he would be delighted if members might be willing to help with prizes. If you are offering a prize please contact Sue Gorham who organises the raffle. Her phone number is 01732 832 898.
Howard Dolling (HD) responded to a suggestion that perhaps there should be a society membership card by saying it had been considered an unnecessary expense but would be discussed at the next Committee Meeting.
Social Event held on 14th September 2019:
Pat Davies (PD) reported that ninety-four tickets were sold for the Social Event. His target had been one hundred and it had been hard work to sell ninety-four. The profit on the evening was £306 compared with just under £700 for the Quiz Night in September 2018. The talk and the films had been much enjoyed and good comments had been received about the food. He thanked all those who had helped with the event.
Another Quiz Night is planned for September 2020. Much preparation is needed for events so it is a help if members can respond promptly to assist with marketing.
CV congratulated PD for his efforts and thanked those who had helped. He had enjoyed the evening very much.
HHS Hildenborough A – Z Revised Edition:
HD had sent a lengthy email to members giving background information on the proposed publication and a list of chapters and the topics covered in each one. Members were encouraged to read it and get back to HD if they were willing to research and write a piece on one or more of the topics listed.
Raising the necessary funds would be a priority and fundraising events like the social event and quiz night were important. Members were asked to contact HD if they would pledge £15 to buy a subscriber copy.
After the coffee break, prior to introducing the evening's speaker, CV acknowledged the presence of Eddie Prescott, who will be giving a talk next October on Hitler's Terror Weapons – V for Vengeance. He had brought to the meeting copies of his book for sale, Tonbridge at War, which includes Hildenborough.
Malcolm Pettit gave the evening's talk which outlined his work as a Battle of Britain archaeologist - more immediately focusing on his work finding, identifying and arranging the formal burial of the airmen who had died and been lost along with their aircraft. Geoff Calderhead introduced Malcolm to the meeting. The two have been friends all their lives. Geoff recounted how Malcolm first became interested in the subject when, as a boy, his father had told him about the Spitfire that had crashed at the back of the Half Moon public house. From that point on he had become fascinated with the idea of finding out how much of the 'plane remained buried behind the pub. In 1972 Malcolm got permission to start a dig along with a group of friends, which eventually yielded the engine and other parts of the Spitfire. Geoff also revealed that Malcolm is an accomplished artist and has painted many canvasses depicting both the aircraft and the pilots of The Battle of Britain. He had several on display at the meeting. They can be viewed on his website www.tribute-to-the-few.co.uk or at his museum.
Malcolm organised his talk and illustrated presentation by stepping through a series of case studies. Each case concerned an airman who had been lost (and largely forgotten) along with his plane. Two things were clear from the presentation. First, was Malcolm's tremendous respect and admiration for each of the men he had found and restored to their families for burial. Second, was the deep emotional commitment he brings to his work. Malcolm's presentation was truly affecting and a wonderfully graphic illustration of why history is so important. The case studies included Pilot Officer John Basil Ramsay who was identified through an engraved signet ring given to him by his parents shortly before he was killed on the 18th August 1940 and through markings on his shirt collar and Sergeant Pilot Scott was also shot down in 1940 but who prior to his death had shared in the kill of a German plane which crashed at the Old Barn and was later displayed at the Half Moon. Malcolm took the meeting through several other cases including one of a German pilot.
The talk provoked a number of thoughtful and interesting questions.
Any Other Business:
A member mentioned that the Oast Theatre will be staging the play 'Pressure', set in June 1944 with the invasion of France ready to be launched, but there are conflicting weather predictions. The play will run from 9th - 16th November 2019.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place on 24th January 2020 and will include a talk by Chris Rowley on The Lost Powder Mills of Leigh.
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome so many people to the meeting including one new member.
Open Forum:
CV was sad to announce that Ron Woodgate, a long time member of the Society, had recently died, eight weeks after suffering a stroke.
George Gorham needs four more volunteers to help manage road closures at the Remembrance Day Parade and asked if anyone would help.
Elizabeth Toy has kindly donated all her family papers and maps to the Society and they will be put into the archive. Miss Toy is now living in a residential care home and CV has written to her thanking her for her gift.
It had been sad to have to call off the planned trip to Chatham Dockyard in May 2019, but there had not been enough interest. CV asked if members might like an outing in May 2020 and a large number raised their hands in support. He asked for suggestions and Greenwich with the Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum and the Battle of Britain Memorial Site at Capel-le-Ferne which has a new multi-media centre on site were put forward.
CV told the audience that it was harder to organise a raffle than might be expected. All prizes have been contributed by committee members. As the money raised from the raffle was important to the Society, he would be delighted if members might be willing to help with prizes. If you are offering a prize please contact Sue Gorham who organises the raffle. Her phone number is 01732 832 898.
Howard Dolling (HD) responded to a suggestion that perhaps there should be a society membership card by saying it had been considered an unnecessary expense but would be discussed at the next Committee Meeting.
Social Event held on 14th September 2019:
Pat Davies (PD) reported that ninety-four tickets were sold for the Social Event. His target had been one hundred and it had been hard work to sell ninety-four. The profit on the evening was £306 compared with just under £700 for the Quiz Night in September 2018. The talk and the films had been much enjoyed and good comments had been received about the food. He thanked all those who had helped with the event.
Another Quiz Night is planned for September 2020. Much preparation is needed for events so it is a help if members can respond promptly to assist with marketing.
CV congratulated PD for his efforts and thanked those who had helped. He had enjoyed the evening very much.
HHS Hildenborough A – Z Revised Edition:
HD had sent a lengthy email to members giving background information on the proposed publication and a list of chapters and the topics covered in each one. Members were encouraged to read it and get back to HD if they were willing to research and write a piece on one or more of the topics listed.
Raising the necessary funds would be a priority and fundraising events like the social event and quiz night were important. Members were asked to contact HD if they would pledge £15 to buy a subscriber copy.
After the coffee break, prior to introducing the evening's speaker, CV acknowledged the presence of Eddie Prescott, who will be giving a talk next October on Hitler's Terror Weapons – V for Vengeance. He had brought to the meeting copies of his book for sale, Tonbridge at War, which includes Hildenborough.
Malcolm Pettit gave the evening's talk which outlined his work as a Battle of Britain archaeologist - more immediately focusing on his work finding, identifying and arranging the formal burial of the airmen who had died and been lost along with their aircraft. Geoff Calderhead introduced Malcolm to the meeting. The two have been friends all their lives. Geoff recounted how Malcolm first became interested in the subject when, as a boy, his father had told him about the Spitfire that had crashed at the back of the Half Moon public house. From that point on he had become fascinated with the idea of finding out how much of the 'plane remained buried behind the pub. In 1972 Malcolm got permission to start a dig along with a group of friends, which eventually yielded the engine and other parts of the Spitfire. Geoff also revealed that Malcolm is an accomplished artist and has painted many canvasses depicting both the aircraft and the pilots of The Battle of Britain. He had several on display at the meeting. They can be viewed on his website www.tribute-to-the-few.co.uk or at his museum.
Malcolm organised his talk and illustrated presentation by stepping through a series of case studies. Each case concerned an airman who had been lost (and largely forgotten) along with his plane. Two things were clear from the presentation. First, was Malcolm's tremendous respect and admiration for each of the men he had found and restored to their families for burial. Second, was the deep emotional commitment he brings to his work. Malcolm's presentation was truly affecting and a wonderfully graphic illustration of why history is so important. The case studies included Pilot Officer John Basil Ramsay who was identified through an engraved signet ring given to him by his parents shortly before he was killed on the 18th August 1940 and through markings on his shirt collar and Sergeant Pilot Scott was also shot down in 1940 but who prior to his death had shared in the kill of a German plane which crashed at the Old Barn and was later displayed at the Half Moon. Malcolm took the meeting through several other cases including one of a German pilot.
The talk provoked a number of thoughtful and interesting questions.
Any Other Business:
A member mentioned that the Oast Theatre will be staging the play 'Pressure', set in June 1944 with the invasion of France ready to be launched, but there are conflicting weather predictions. The play will run from 9th - 16th November 2019.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place on 24th January 2020 and will include a talk by Chris Rowley on The Lost Powder Mills of Leigh.
Minutes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society – Summer 2019
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 19th July 2019
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 19th July 2019
Apologies for Absence: Tony Cole, Howard and Joy Dolling, Tracy Chandler, Janet Foster, Sue and Andrew Gidley, Maurice Nairne, Carol Walters
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone to the meeting including a new member, Ioannis Sklavenitis.
Minutes of the AGM held on 26th April 2019:
These will be discussed at the next AGM which will be held on 17th April 2020.
Open Forum:
At the AGM Anne Mills suggested that there should be more frequent meetings with fellow members than the current four a year. While taking her point, it was decided at a recent Committee Meeting that no change should be made before the next AGM. We will continue to try to make the meetings as interesting as possible.
Tracy Chandler (TC), our Archivist, will be sharing with members some interesting enquiries and information she has received on the website. If you can help or have any information or photographs to add, please get in touch.
The archive is well organised and catalogued but TC is concerned about access and whether items have been borrowed without leaving details. Please let her know if you have any information.
If you wish to access the archive, please contact Pat Davies (PD).
Proposed Social Event 14th September 2019:
Tickets are still available for the Social Event which will include the talk Mary Smith gave at the last AGM, A Schoolgirl's War, which was much enjoyed and also a film show, a series of ten short films dating from 1904 – 1983 called Rural Life, covering all aspects of life in the country.
The tickets cost £5 each and will include light refreshments during a break between the talk and the films.
PD had tickets for sale at the meeting and he can also be contacted at [email protected]
HHS Hildenborough A-Z Revised Version:
CV began by saying that the publication could be financed and there was a market for it. Discussions have been held with others who have produced similar publications. The proposed book will be based on the A – Z but greatly enhanced by adding photographs and other material from the archive. CV also asked if members had any old maps or photographs of the village to get in touch.
It will be a major project, needing an editorial team and help from members. A list of topics was displayed and CV and Howard Dolling would be pleased to hear from members who will be willing to research and write about a particular topic e.g. Joy Dolling has written about shops in Hildenborough. If you have a story please write it down and get in touch. All contributions will be highly welcomed.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
After the coffee break and raffle, George Gorham gave a wide ranging talk covering the history of garden plants and gardening partly focusing on the county and the village. He started in ancient times showing that Kent in prehistory was essentially tundra. Moving forward, he pointed to the cultivation of native plants and flowers as predominantly the practice until the Romans began to introduce plants and vegetables from elsewhere in their empire once they had established themselves in this country. Earlier Anglo-Saxon horticultural habits were illustrated by reference to the analysis of a poor individual whose body, preserved in a peat bog, contained a meal consisting largely of fat hen on examination of his stomach's contents.
Further introductions followed the gradual exploration of other continents which led in turn to a change in garden techniques with the introduction of walled gardens and heated greenhouses – GG referred to Foxbush to illustrate this point. As wealth increased those with high disposable income began to demand more and more horticultural exotica, creating a demand for the services of plant hunters exploring in China and the Himalayas. One of their sponsors was the Rogers family. John Rogers bought Riverhill House in 1840 especially for the favourable climatic position it represented. An echo of Victorian flower planting was shown by way of a photograph of a bedding plant border from a Hildenborough garden taken this year – old habits linger on. The creation of the Allotment Holders Society at the end of the nineteenth century and the start of the annual village flower shows helped to anchor his talk in the history of Hildenborough. George Gorham ended by showing how science was still driving farming and horticulture through the development of new hybridisation and propagation methods. The illustrated talk was very well received.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday 25th October 2019 and will include a talk by Malcolm Pettit on The Battle of Britain.
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased to welcome everyone to the meeting including a new member, Ioannis Sklavenitis.
Minutes of the AGM held on 26th April 2019:
These will be discussed at the next AGM which will be held on 17th April 2020.
Open Forum:
At the AGM Anne Mills suggested that there should be more frequent meetings with fellow members than the current four a year. While taking her point, it was decided at a recent Committee Meeting that no change should be made before the next AGM. We will continue to try to make the meetings as interesting as possible.
Tracy Chandler (TC), our Archivist, will be sharing with members some interesting enquiries and information she has received on the website. If you can help or have any information or photographs to add, please get in touch.
The archive is well organised and catalogued but TC is concerned about access and whether items have been borrowed without leaving details. Please let her know if you have any information.
If you wish to access the archive, please contact Pat Davies (PD).
Proposed Social Event 14th September 2019:
Tickets are still available for the Social Event which will include the talk Mary Smith gave at the last AGM, A Schoolgirl's War, which was much enjoyed and also a film show, a series of ten short films dating from 1904 – 1983 called Rural Life, covering all aspects of life in the country.
The tickets cost £5 each and will include light refreshments during a break between the talk and the films.
PD had tickets for sale at the meeting and he can also be contacted at [email protected]
HHS Hildenborough A-Z Revised Version:
CV began by saying that the publication could be financed and there was a market for it. Discussions have been held with others who have produced similar publications. The proposed book will be based on the A – Z but greatly enhanced by adding photographs and other material from the archive. CV also asked if members had any old maps or photographs of the village to get in touch.
It will be a major project, needing an editorial team and help from members. A list of topics was displayed and CV and Howard Dolling would be pleased to hear from members who will be willing to research and write about a particular topic e.g. Joy Dolling has written about shops in Hildenborough. If you have a story please write it down and get in touch. All contributions will be highly welcomed.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
After the coffee break and raffle, George Gorham gave a wide ranging talk covering the history of garden plants and gardening partly focusing on the county and the village. He started in ancient times showing that Kent in prehistory was essentially tundra. Moving forward, he pointed to the cultivation of native plants and flowers as predominantly the practice until the Romans began to introduce plants and vegetables from elsewhere in their empire once they had established themselves in this country. Earlier Anglo-Saxon horticultural habits were illustrated by reference to the analysis of a poor individual whose body, preserved in a peat bog, contained a meal consisting largely of fat hen on examination of his stomach's contents.
Further introductions followed the gradual exploration of other continents which led in turn to a change in garden techniques with the introduction of walled gardens and heated greenhouses – GG referred to Foxbush to illustrate this point. As wealth increased those with high disposable income began to demand more and more horticultural exotica, creating a demand for the services of plant hunters exploring in China and the Himalayas. One of their sponsors was the Rogers family. John Rogers bought Riverhill House in 1840 especially for the favourable climatic position it represented. An echo of Victorian flower planting was shown by way of a photograph of a bedding plant border from a Hildenborough garden taken this year – old habits linger on. The creation of the Allotment Holders Society at the end of the nineteenth century and the start of the annual village flower shows helped to anchor his talk in the history of Hildenborough. George Gorham ended by showing how science was still driving farming and horticulture through the development of new hybridisation and propagation methods. The illustrated talk was very well received.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday 25th October 2019 and will include a talk by Malcolm Pettit on The Battle of Britain.
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 26th April 2019
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 26th April 2019
Apologies for Absence: Malcolm and Jenny Baker, Tracy Chandler, Bob Duffin, Janet Foster, Will McQuillan, Maurice Nairne, Ioannis Sklavenitis, Eric Spender
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles, (CV), was pleased to welcome so many members and visitors to the meeting and to the talk by Gilly Halcrow on the History of Knole which she would give after the coffee break.
He would be changing the order of the agenda slightly.
Review of the Past Year:
There had been one very sad event, the death of Tim Asquith, who had been an important member of the Society and the community, a researcher and historian who in July 2017 had given a talk to the Society on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church. Steve Corbett (Mellie) has put onto the website the eulogy Tim's brother had given at the funeral service at St John's Church.
The talks given at the quarterly meetings have been the bread and butter of the Society and we have had a really good variety. At the last AGM there was Mary Smith's "A Schoolgirl's War", which CV was disappointed not to be able to attend, and welcomed forthcoming the Social Event in September 2019 where Mary Smith will speak again. Ms Smith was followed by Robin Oakley speaking about his memories of growing up at Old House Farm and of farming in the 1940's and 1950's, George Buswell's talk on Medieval Tonbridge was also well received and in January, Joe Thompson of the Weald and Downland Museum, explained in detail how the barn at Mayday Farm was taken down and rebuilt at the Museum at Singleton.
Last May there had been a trip to the Weald and Downland Museum which had been fascinating.
Also in May, a plaque was placed on the house on the corner of Riding Lane and Mount Pleasant where Brian Goodale DFC, who had taken part in The Dambusters Raid, once lived. The plaque was unveiled by his widow, Vera.
Pat Davies (PD) was thanked for the amazing quiz night he had organised last September.
Overall, it had been an excellent year for the Society and CV thanked the members of the Committee without whose help the Society would not function.
The Chairman recorded his thanks to Janet Foster (JF), a founder member of the Society who has served as Chairman and then a member of the Committee from which she has now decided to step down.
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
The notes which the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), read out at the meeting, are set out below.
“I am pleased to let you know that the finances of the society are in a very healthy position. Our balance at the bank as at the year-end was £1895.41. The Profit and Loss account shows a surplus of £217.62. As I explained last year the pre-payment for the trip to the Weald & Downland Museum skewed that year's accounts by allowing us to show a profit, whereas if the pre-payment had been stripped out, we would actually have made a loss. This year the actual cost of that trip is included and if this too were to be discounted our profit would have been much greater. The largest contributor to this profit was the most enjoyable and successful Quiz night and our thanks to Pat Davies for masterminding this successful event and to my wife Joy for running the raffle.
Thanks are also due once more to your committee members for providing refreshments, running raffles and collecting visitors' fees at the main meetings. You can see these efforts have resulted in welcome additions to our profitability.
Our membership currently stands at 75. Five members failed to renew their subscription and as the chairman has already mentioned we sadly lost Tim Asquith and also David Jones. The slight discrepancy between the number of members and the amount of subscriptions received is due to some members paying in advance for more than one year.
On the outgoings side I think everything is fairly self-explanatory. The £75 annual subscription paid to BALH, The British Association for Local History, provides our insurance, which covers us for public liability and activities such as meetings, walks, talks, visits to places of interest etc.
Finally, I would like to record my grateful thanks to our auditor David Haugh for his continuing help to the Society in auditing our accounts. He has kindly said he is willing to continue for the forthcoming year.
The adoption of the accounts was proposed by PD and seconded by Sue Gorham (SG) and agreed by a show of hands.
Election of Officers:
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee:
The proposed Committee Members were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Webmaster Steve Corbett
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members
Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Sue Gorham
Appointment of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor.
Consider Members Views Going Forward:
CV asked whether the Society was living up to the expectations and the audience gave its approval.
Anne Mills suggested that it might be worth considering more frequent meetings, especially if they would allow more contact among fellow members, especially as important matters like maintaining the archives, ought to be regularly considered.
Proposed Social Event 14th September 2019:
PD gave the details of this event which will take place on Saturday, 14th September 2019 in the Jim England Room at the Village Hall beginning at 7.30 pm.
It will include Mary Smith's beautifully illustrated talk, A Schoolgirl's War, which was so enjoyed at the last AGM. There will also be a film show entitled Rural Life. a series of ten films dating from 1904 – 1983 from the BFI Archive, covering all aspects of life in the country and are stunning. He distributed postcards giving details of the films.
There will be a break for refreshments between the talk and the films.
Tickets will cost £5 each and will include light refreshments, tea, coffee and juice and a glass of wine can be purchased. Until the end of May, booking is limited to members who may bring one guest. After that, booking will be open to the general public.
PD would take bookings at the meeting.
Hildenborough A-Z Revised Version:
CV and HD gave details of the project,
It was felt that it was time that the Society produced something physical and as the Parish Council wants to update Hildenborough from A-Z, this seemed an opportunity. The Weald History Group has published "The Changing Face of the Weald" and the Tonbridge Historical Society, "Tonbridge through the Centuries".
CV and HD have met with the people responsible for producing these publications to find out what would be involved in such a project.
This would be a very large undertaking which could take two to three years. There is a considerable volume of material in the archive, on the website and in the A-Z so we would not be starting from scratch. There is also a need to make the material in the archive accessible to members. It would require a designer with the appropriate skills and up-to-date technology and HD suggested his neighbour might be willing to help. An enthusiastic editor/project manager to manage, motivate and deliver the project and to work with the Committee will also be needed.
The critical issue is to establish whether or not the Society could afford such a publication. The Changing Face of the Weald costs £15 and cost upwards of £5,000 to complete. The Quiz Night held in September 2018 made a £700 profit and it was hoped that this year's Social Event will be as profitable. A similar sum could be raised if sixty to sixty-five members forward purchased a copy of the book. The Parish Council will be sympathetic to a request for a grant and there are other bodies to approach for funding. The cost of the project was not thought to be a problem.
The audience agreed it was a worthy project.
PD made the point that people would be needed to carry out research tasks for the project and that he was still looking for volunteers to research and write notes on the frames of photographs in the Jim England Room. The archivist, Tracy Chandler, would like to step down and also was in need of help.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
After the coffee break Gilly Halcrow's talk covered both the history of Knole and its dominant occupants, the Sackville family. Her talk was exhaustively prepared and delivered with insight and wit.
She traced Knole’s growth in status from a fine manor house, probably dating from the late fourteenth century, to the present day. Throughout its history the house has been regularly extended and renovated: the most recent of which (covering the house, its contents and treasures), began in 2012 and has just been completed at the cost of £20million to the National Trust.
In 1456 the Archbishop of Canterbury acquired the house. Henry VIII wanted it for hunting and confiscated it and it passed to Elizabeth I who had little use for it. Elizabeth gave it to the Earl of Leicester who later gave it back to her. Thomas Sackville made it the Sackville family’s Treasure House in 1603. So began that family’s long association with Knole which continues through a two hundred year leasing agreement with the National Trust who took over responsibility for Knole in 1946.
Tony Cole, a Society member, then gave details of an interesting link between Hildenborough and Knole.
The Earls of Derby owned several properties and land holdings in various parts of England, the family's principal seat being Knowsley Hall near Liverpool. In the nineteenth century a substantial part of the eastern and north eastern side of Hildenborough was in the estate of the Earls of Derby.
The link to Knole was as follows: in 1870 Edward Stanley, the 15th Earl of Derby, married Mary, a daughter of George Sackville-West, the 5th Earl de la Warr. Mary was the sister of Mortimer, 1st Lord Sackville of Knole. Edward was her second husband. The first was James Gascoyne-Cecil, the 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, by whom she had five children. A few years after James died she married Edward Stanley. Mary was then widowed a second time and died in 1900.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 19th July 2019 and will include a talk by George Gorham on the History of Garden Plants with extra material on the foundation of the Allotment Holders Society and the start of the annual village flower shows. It will also cover the impact on our gardens of the plant hunters and their sponsors, one of whom was the Rogers family of River Hill House.
END
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles, (CV), was pleased to welcome so many members and visitors to the meeting and to the talk by Gilly Halcrow on the History of Knole which she would give after the coffee break.
He would be changing the order of the agenda slightly.
Review of the Past Year:
There had been one very sad event, the death of Tim Asquith, who had been an important member of the Society and the community, a researcher and historian who in July 2017 had given a talk to the Society on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church. Steve Corbett (Mellie) has put onto the website the eulogy Tim's brother had given at the funeral service at St John's Church.
The talks given at the quarterly meetings have been the bread and butter of the Society and we have had a really good variety. At the last AGM there was Mary Smith's "A Schoolgirl's War", which CV was disappointed not to be able to attend, and welcomed forthcoming the Social Event in September 2019 where Mary Smith will speak again. Ms Smith was followed by Robin Oakley speaking about his memories of growing up at Old House Farm and of farming in the 1940's and 1950's, George Buswell's talk on Medieval Tonbridge was also well received and in January, Joe Thompson of the Weald and Downland Museum, explained in detail how the barn at Mayday Farm was taken down and rebuilt at the Museum at Singleton.
Last May there had been a trip to the Weald and Downland Museum which had been fascinating.
Also in May, a plaque was placed on the house on the corner of Riding Lane and Mount Pleasant where Brian Goodale DFC, who had taken part in The Dambusters Raid, once lived. The plaque was unveiled by his widow, Vera.
Pat Davies (PD) was thanked for the amazing quiz night he had organised last September.
Overall, it had been an excellent year for the Society and CV thanked the members of the Committee without whose help the Society would not function.
The Chairman recorded his thanks to Janet Foster (JF), a founder member of the Society who has served as Chairman and then a member of the Committee from which she has now decided to step down.
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
The notes which the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), read out at the meeting, are set out below.
“I am pleased to let you know that the finances of the society are in a very healthy position. Our balance at the bank as at the year-end was £1895.41. The Profit and Loss account shows a surplus of £217.62. As I explained last year the pre-payment for the trip to the Weald & Downland Museum skewed that year's accounts by allowing us to show a profit, whereas if the pre-payment had been stripped out, we would actually have made a loss. This year the actual cost of that trip is included and if this too were to be discounted our profit would have been much greater. The largest contributor to this profit was the most enjoyable and successful Quiz night and our thanks to Pat Davies for masterminding this successful event and to my wife Joy for running the raffle.
Thanks are also due once more to your committee members for providing refreshments, running raffles and collecting visitors' fees at the main meetings. You can see these efforts have resulted in welcome additions to our profitability.
Our membership currently stands at 75. Five members failed to renew their subscription and as the chairman has already mentioned we sadly lost Tim Asquith and also David Jones. The slight discrepancy between the number of members and the amount of subscriptions received is due to some members paying in advance for more than one year.
On the outgoings side I think everything is fairly self-explanatory. The £75 annual subscription paid to BALH, The British Association for Local History, provides our insurance, which covers us for public liability and activities such as meetings, walks, talks, visits to places of interest etc.
Finally, I would like to record my grateful thanks to our auditor David Haugh for his continuing help to the Society in auditing our accounts. He has kindly said he is willing to continue for the forthcoming year.
The adoption of the accounts was proposed by PD and seconded by Sue Gorham (SG) and agreed by a show of hands.
Election of Officers:
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee:
The proposed Committee Members were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Webmaster Steve Corbett
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members
Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Sue Gorham
Appointment of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor.
Consider Members Views Going Forward:
CV asked whether the Society was living up to the expectations and the audience gave its approval.
Anne Mills suggested that it might be worth considering more frequent meetings, especially if they would allow more contact among fellow members, especially as important matters like maintaining the archives, ought to be regularly considered.
Proposed Social Event 14th September 2019:
PD gave the details of this event which will take place on Saturday, 14th September 2019 in the Jim England Room at the Village Hall beginning at 7.30 pm.
It will include Mary Smith's beautifully illustrated talk, A Schoolgirl's War, which was so enjoyed at the last AGM. There will also be a film show entitled Rural Life. a series of ten films dating from 1904 – 1983 from the BFI Archive, covering all aspects of life in the country and are stunning. He distributed postcards giving details of the films.
There will be a break for refreshments between the talk and the films.
Tickets will cost £5 each and will include light refreshments, tea, coffee and juice and a glass of wine can be purchased. Until the end of May, booking is limited to members who may bring one guest. After that, booking will be open to the general public.
PD would take bookings at the meeting.
Hildenborough A-Z Revised Version:
CV and HD gave details of the project,
It was felt that it was time that the Society produced something physical and as the Parish Council wants to update Hildenborough from A-Z, this seemed an opportunity. The Weald History Group has published "The Changing Face of the Weald" and the Tonbridge Historical Society, "Tonbridge through the Centuries".
CV and HD have met with the people responsible for producing these publications to find out what would be involved in such a project.
This would be a very large undertaking which could take two to three years. There is a considerable volume of material in the archive, on the website and in the A-Z so we would not be starting from scratch. There is also a need to make the material in the archive accessible to members. It would require a designer with the appropriate skills and up-to-date technology and HD suggested his neighbour might be willing to help. An enthusiastic editor/project manager to manage, motivate and deliver the project and to work with the Committee will also be needed.
The critical issue is to establish whether or not the Society could afford such a publication. The Changing Face of the Weald costs £15 and cost upwards of £5,000 to complete. The Quiz Night held in September 2018 made a £700 profit and it was hoped that this year's Social Event will be as profitable. A similar sum could be raised if sixty to sixty-five members forward purchased a copy of the book. The Parish Council will be sympathetic to a request for a grant and there are other bodies to approach for funding. The cost of the project was not thought to be a problem.
The audience agreed it was a worthy project.
PD made the point that people would be needed to carry out research tasks for the project and that he was still looking for volunteers to research and write notes on the frames of photographs in the Jim England Room. The archivist, Tracy Chandler, would like to step down and also was in need of help.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
After the coffee break Gilly Halcrow's talk covered both the history of Knole and its dominant occupants, the Sackville family. Her talk was exhaustively prepared and delivered with insight and wit.
She traced Knole’s growth in status from a fine manor house, probably dating from the late fourteenth century, to the present day. Throughout its history the house has been regularly extended and renovated: the most recent of which (covering the house, its contents and treasures), began in 2012 and has just been completed at the cost of £20million to the National Trust.
In 1456 the Archbishop of Canterbury acquired the house. Henry VIII wanted it for hunting and confiscated it and it passed to Elizabeth I who had little use for it. Elizabeth gave it to the Earl of Leicester who later gave it back to her. Thomas Sackville made it the Sackville family’s Treasure House in 1603. So began that family’s long association with Knole which continues through a two hundred year leasing agreement with the National Trust who took over responsibility for Knole in 1946.
Tony Cole, a Society member, then gave details of an interesting link between Hildenborough and Knole.
The Earls of Derby owned several properties and land holdings in various parts of England, the family's principal seat being Knowsley Hall near Liverpool. In the nineteenth century a substantial part of the eastern and north eastern side of Hildenborough was in the estate of the Earls of Derby.
The link to Knole was as follows: in 1870 Edward Stanley, the 15th Earl of Derby, married Mary, a daughter of George Sackville-West, the 5th Earl de la Warr. Mary was the sister of Mortimer, 1st Lord Sackville of Knole. Edward was her second husband. The first was James Gascoyne-Cecil, the 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, by whom she had five children. A few years after James died she married Edward Stanley. Mary was then widowed a second time and died in 1900.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 19th July 2019 and will include a talk by George Gorham on the History of Garden Plants with extra material on the foundation of the Allotment Holders Society and the start of the annual village flower shows. It will also cover the impact on our gardens of the plant hunters and their sponsors, one of whom was the Rogers family of River Hill House.
END
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 18th January 2019
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 18th January 2019
Apologies for Absence: Tim Asquith, Mollie Brewer, Howard Dolling, Joy Dolling, Bob Duffin, Janet Foster, Elizabeth Myers, Eric Spender
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased so many members had attended the meeting and was sure they would enjoy the talk by Joe Thompson after the coffee break.
Open Forum:
Pat Davies (PD) was pleased that members have offered to research and write notes on eight out of the fifteen frames of photographs in the Jim England Room about which there is no background information. The notes will be put alongside the photographs in the frames. The hall would be free after the meeting if people wished to go in and look at the pictures.
The archive now holds all the copies of Keys Magazine from 1993-2018 apart from June 1993, June 2004 and October 2007 and PD asked if anyone might have copies of those issues which they would give to the Society to put in the archive.
PD is organising a social event open to the whole village, which will be held in the Village Hall on 14th September 2019. It will include the talk by Mary Smith, A Schoolgirl's War, which was most enjoyed last year, and a series of films on Rural Life. Tickets will cost £5. There will be nibbles, coffee and tea and attendees will be able to purchase a glass of wine. Priority will be given to members and they can bring one guest. A charitable donation will be made.
Anne Mills spoke about the importance of libraries and the consultation taking place on the provision of library services in Kent. The opening hours of libraries could be reduced – in Tonbridge by eighteen hours a week and in Hildenborough from twenty-three to fifteen hours a week. She urged members to look at the information on the KCC website or in the library and make their views felt.
CV gave details of the Plaxtol Local History Group meeting where Dr Janina Ramirez will give a talk on 'The Saintly Pull of Canterbury'. It will take place at 8.00pm in Plaxtol Parish Church on Tuesday, 12th February 2019. The fee for visitors is £2. If anyone wishes to attend, they should email [email protected].
Mick Brown spoke about alterations which will take place in the chancel area of St John's Church, Hildenborough, probably this year. The choir pews, screens and presumably the gates will be removed and a platform will be installed. The first five rows of pews will be removed and replaced with wooden chairs. Mr Brown reminded members that the church is open on Tuesdays between 9.00am and 11.00am, the same time as the Farmers' Market.
The Society has agreed to co-operate with the Parish Council in the production of a book on Hildenborough past and present that will also update the A-Z of Hildenborough. CV hopes there will be more information at the AGM.
Chris Rowley was at the meeting with copies of his recently published book, The Princess Christian Farm Colony and Hospital 1895 – 1995, on sale at £15 (probably £20 once in the shops).
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was pleased so many members had attended the meeting and was sure they would enjoy the talk by Joe Thompson after the coffee break.
Open Forum:
Pat Davies (PD) was pleased that members have offered to research and write notes on eight out of the fifteen frames of photographs in the Jim England Room about which there is no background information. The notes will be put alongside the photographs in the frames. The hall would be free after the meeting if people wished to go in and look at the pictures.
The archive now holds all the copies of Keys Magazine from 1993-2018 apart from June 1993, June 2004 and October 2007 and PD asked if anyone might have copies of those issues which they would give to the Society to put in the archive.
PD is organising a social event open to the whole village, which will be held in the Village Hall on 14th September 2019. It will include the talk by Mary Smith, A Schoolgirl's War, which was most enjoyed last year, and a series of films on Rural Life. Tickets will cost £5. There will be nibbles, coffee and tea and attendees will be able to purchase a glass of wine. Priority will be given to members and they can bring one guest. A charitable donation will be made.
Anne Mills spoke about the importance of libraries and the consultation taking place on the provision of library services in Kent. The opening hours of libraries could be reduced – in Tonbridge by eighteen hours a week and in Hildenborough from twenty-three to fifteen hours a week. She urged members to look at the information on the KCC website or in the library and make their views felt.
CV gave details of the Plaxtol Local History Group meeting where Dr Janina Ramirez will give a talk on 'The Saintly Pull of Canterbury'. It will take place at 8.00pm in Plaxtol Parish Church on Tuesday, 12th February 2019. The fee for visitors is £2. If anyone wishes to attend, they should email [email protected].
Mick Brown spoke about alterations which will take place in the chancel area of St John's Church, Hildenborough, probably this year. The choir pews, screens and presumably the gates will be removed and a platform will be installed. The first five rows of pews will be removed and replaced with wooden chairs. Mr Brown reminded members that the church is open on Tuesdays between 9.00am and 11.00am, the same time as the Farmers' Market.
The Society has agreed to co-operate with the Parish Council in the production of a book on Hildenborough past and present that will also update the A-Z of Hildenborough. CV hopes there will be more information at the AGM.
Chris Rowley was at the meeting with copies of his recently published book, The Princess Christian Farm Colony and Hospital 1895 – 1995, on sale at £15 (probably £20 once in the shops).
Proposed Trip to Chatham Dockyard in 2019:
CV thanked Howard Dolling (HD), who was unable to attend the meeting, for the detailed outline of the proposed trip he has prepared. The outing will take place on 1st May and details have been circulated to members. If you wish to visit Chatham Dockyard, please complete the reply slip and send it with a cheque to HD as soon as possible, but not later than 15th February.
Coffee Break and Raffle:
Following the coffee break the meeting welcomed Joe Thompson of the Weald and Downland Museum. Mr Thompson introduced himself as a carpenter, but like many craftsmen who use that simple ascription, his skills, reach and knowledge stretch far beyond that simple label as he amply illustrated during his talk.
Joe Thompson essentially project managed the removal of the barn at May Day Farm*. The barn was in the path of the road widening scheme of the A21 near Pembury in 2015. He took the meeting through the scoping of the project and the work done to establish that the barn had its origins in the 18th century before being extended in the mid 19th century (dating was aided by identifying the different type of nails used by Georgian and then Victorian craftsmen) before having an unlikely asbestos roofed lean-to added in the 20th century. He views the building as a 'Georgian' barn. It essentially housed a central threshing floor with two large grain storage bays on either side.
When his team began the project, the barn was still viable, although not altogether in good repair. Early timbers had been replaced in places and there was visible rot here and there. However, the Museum wanted to house the building and it was painstakingly evaluated, disassembled and transported to the Museum.
Before reassembly the team thoroughly explored the material they had gathered. Research showed that a number of the original beams and rafters had been sawn from a small number of oak trees – sometimes five or six rafters being cut from a single trunk. Not all the original timbers could be salvaged and where it was necessary these were replaced with 'new' oak felled from the estates surrounding the Museum.
The early reassembly work was done indoors, sometimes with the judicious use of very modern materials where reinforcement was necessary to sustain the original Georgian timber.
The barn was successfully reassembled at the Museum, including all the modifications made over the centuries, apart from the asbestos roof of the twentieth century lean-to addition which was discarded in favour of a galvanised iron one.
The meeting greatly appreciated the knowledge and insight Joe Thompson's professionalism brought to his account of this very valuable project as the wide range of perceptive questions amply illustrated.
CV thanked Howard Dolling (HD), who was unable to attend the meeting, for the detailed outline of the proposed trip he has prepared. The outing will take place on 1st May and details have been circulated to members. If you wish to visit Chatham Dockyard, please complete the reply slip and send it with a cheque to HD as soon as possible, but not later than 15th February.
Coffee Break and Raffle:
Following the coffee break the meeting welcomed Joe Thompson of the Weald and Downland Museum. Mr Thompson introduced himself as a carpenter, but like many craftsmen who use that simple ascription, his skills, reach and knowledge stretch far beyond that simple label as he amply illustrated during his talk.
Joe Thompson essentially project managed the removal of the barn at May Day Farm*. The barn was in the path of the road widening scheme of the A21 near Pembury in 2015. He took the meeting through the scoping of the project and the work done to establish that the barn had its origins in the 18th century before being extended in the mid 19th century (dating was aided by identifying the different type of nails used by Georgian and then Victorian craftsmen) before having an unlikely asbestos roofed lean-to added in the 20th century. He views the building as a 'Georgian' barn. It essentially housed a central threshing floor with two large grain storage bays on either side.
When his team began the project, the barn was still viable, although not altogether in good repair. Early timbers had been replaced in places and there was visible rot here and there. However, the Museum wanted to house the building and it was painstakingly evaluated, disassembled and transported to the Museum.
Before reassembly the team thoroughly explored the material they had gathered. Research showed that a number of the original beams and rafters had been sawn from a small number of oak trees – sometimes five or six rafters being cut from a single trunk. Not all the original timbers could be salvaged and where it was necessary these were replaced with 'new' oak felled from the estates surrounding the Museum.
The early reassembly work was done indoors, sometimes with the judicious use of very modern materials where reinforcement was necessary to sustain the original Georgian timber.
The barn was successfully reassembled at the Museum, including all the modifications made over the centuries, apart from the asbestos roof of the twentieth century lean-to addition which was discarded in favour of a galvanised iron one.
The meeting greatly appreciated the knowledge and insight Joe Thompson's professionalism brought to his account of this very valuable project as the wide range of perceptive questions amply illustrated.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will be the AGM and will include a talk by Gilly Halcrow on the History of Knole. It will take place on Friday, 26th April 2019. I hope you will be able to attend.
END
*May Day Farm was known as Burgess Farm when the barn was built in the 18th century, and then became Burgess Hill Farm before being renamed May Day Farm in the mid 20th century when Adana Romney bought it. Ms Romney was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1919, came to the UK as a child and trained at RADA . She was an actor and writer, particularly known for Corridor of Mirrors (1948), but also for Alibi (1942) and The Strangler (1941). During the early 1950's she was cast in a couple of BBC 'Plays for Today' and chaired a BBC programme that explored women's issues. She was married to John Woolf who, with his brother, founded the production companies Romulus Films and Remus Films. She died in 2002 in Santa Maria, California, USA
This will be the AGM and will include a talk by Gilly Halcrow on the History of Knole. It will take place on Friday, 26th April 2019. I hope you will be able to attend.
END
*May Day Farm was known as Burgess Farm when the barn was built in the 18th century, and then became Burgess Hill Farm before being renamed May Day Farm in the mid 20th century when Adana Romney bought it. Ms Romney was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1919, came to the UK as a child and trained at RADA . She was an actor and writer, particularly known for Corridor of Mirrors (1948), but also for Alibi (1942) and The Strangler (1941). During the early 1950's she was cast in a couple of BBC 'Plays for Today' and chaired a BBC programme that explored women's issues. She was married to John Woolf who, with his brother, founded the production companies Romulus Films and Remus Films. She died in 2002 in Santa Maria, California, USA
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 6th July 2018
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 6th July 2018
Apologies for Absence: Sue and Andrew Gidley, Ann Wood
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV) said it was amazing so many members had attended the meeting on
such a warm evening and hoped they found the room comfortable.
He apologised for not being able to attend the AGM as his wife was indisposed and was pleased to report that
she is now much better. CV thanked Pat Davies (PD) for standing in for him at the AGM.
He then thanked all the members of the committee for their continuing contribution to the work of the Society.
Open Forum:
Since the AGM two major events have taken place; the trip to the Weald and Downland Living Museum and
the unveiling of the plaque on the house where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC once lived.
CV hoped that members had enjoyed the trip to the Weald and Downland Living Museum and this was greeted
with a chorus of approval. There was a query about the trip being arranged to take place midweek.
As this has been so successful the Society is considering offering another outing next year and if any members have suggestions of possible destinations could they please contact Judith McQuillan at [email protected].
Howard Dolling (HD) was thanked for his help in organising the trip.
The unveiling of the plaque was a very special occasion, attended by many people, and CV hoped the end
result was what was hoped for. The owner of the house was very friendly and helpful, although CV wished
that the plaque could have been placed on the side of the house facing Mount Pleasant where it would be easier
to read. Brian Goodale's widow, Vera, wore her son's medals at the ceremony.
The Chairman read out a letter from Vera saying she and her son were very moved that the Society has
commemorated her husband's contribution to the Dambusters Raid in this way.
Photographs of the event will be put on the website.
HD was thanked for all the work he carried out on the project.
Archivist, Tracy Chandler, is seeking help with her project to put a list of the contents of the archive onto the
website which people will be able to access. Please contact her at [email protected] if you can help
with this for an hour or so.
Work is continuing on two booklets, one on Memories of Life in the Village, and the second on Notable
Buildings in Hildenborough. Some editorial assistance is needed with these projects and any help would be
appreciated. If you can help, please contact HD at [email protected].
PD will be organising a Quiz Night to be held on Saturday, 29th September and was asked to give more
information. He gave the following details:-
- the quiz will be held in the Village Hall starting at 7.30 pm
If you wish to raise a team, please contact PD at [email protected]
Joy Dolling has produced a booklet on shops in the village from 1940 – 2018 and would appreciate any
information or photographs, particularly of older shops, members might have. Please contact her at
[email protected].
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
Robin Oakley gave the evening's talk. He focused on the history of Oldhouse Farm and his experience of being brought up there in the 1940's and 1950's which also gave a socio/economic slant to his talk.
Oldhouse Farm exists today as an assembly of extensions to what was originally a Tudor farmhouse although Robin suggested there might have been an earlier, humbler dwelling on the site dating from the fourteenth century. Set in a small settlement on Philpots Lane, the farm originally had a number of outhouses, barns and cottages. His researches show that in the eighteenth/nineteenth centuries many of the adjacent farms and holdings were owned by a network of families, suggesting the area had its own focus and an identity separate from Leigh and Hildenborough. Most of the outhouses are now dwellings although the central barn was dismantled and moved to Stocks Green Road in the 1920's/1930's where it became the home of Commander Tomlinson's celebrated cream tea enterprise.
Robin's father bought Oldhouse Farm in the 1930's and it remained in the family until his father's death in 1960 – both parents are buried in St John's Churchyard. His father worked in London and Robin was born into a well-established middle class family – with a nanny (in fact his father's nanny), and a pony club. He went to boarding school in 1948. The Second World War was the critical event of his childhood. The land was farmed using traditional farming methods. The family had a pony and trap, kept poultry and cows and his father became an officer in the Home Guard. In 1950 his father bought more land.
On his father's death the farm was sold, although it was clear Robin is still psychologically attached to it.
The Chairman thanked him for his well-illustrated talk which was well received.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 26th October 2018 and will include a talk by George Buswell on Medieval Tonbridge including the castle.
I hope you will be able to attend.
END
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV) said it was amazing so many members had attended the meeting on
such a warm evening and hoped they found the room comfortable.
He apologised for not being able to attend the AGM as his wife was indisposed and was pleased to report that
she is now much better. CV thanked Pat Davies (PD) for standing in for him at the AGM.
He then thanked all the members of the committee for their continuing contribution to the work of the Society.
Open Forum:
Since the AGM two major events have taken place; the trip to the Weald and Downland Living Museum and
the unveiling of the plaque on the house where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC once lived.
CV hoped that members had enjoyed the trip to the Weald and Downland Living Museum and this was greeted
with a chorus of approval. There was a query about the trip being arranged to take place midweek.
As this has been so successful the Society is considering offering another outing next year and if any members have suggestions of possible destinations could they please contact Judith McQuillan at [email protected].
Howard Dolling (HD) was thanked for his help in organising the trip.
The unveiling of the plaque was a very special occasion, attended by many people, and CV hoped the end
result was what was hoped for. The owner of the house was very friendly and helpful, although CV wished
that the plaque could have been placed on the side of the house facing Mount Pleasant where it would be easier
to read. Brian Goodale's widow, Vera, wore her son's medals at the ceremony.
The Chairman read out a letter from Vera saying she and her son were very moved that the Society has
commemorated her husband's contribution to the Dambusters Raid in this way.
Photographs of the event will be put on the website.
HD was thanked for all the work he carried out on the project.
Archivist, Tracy Chandler, is seeking help with her project to put a list of the contents of the archive onto the
website which people will be able to access. Please contact her at [email protected] if you can help
with this for an hour or so.
Work is continuing on two booklets, one on Memories of Life in the Village, and the second on Notable
Buildings in Hildenborough. Some editorial assistance is needed with these projects and any help would be
appreciated. If you can help, please contact HD at [email protected].
PD will be organising a Quiz Night to be held on Saturday, 29th September and was asked to give more
information. He gave the following details:-
- the quiz will be held in the Village Hall starting at 7.30 pm
- entry will be £8 per person and eighteen teams of six players will compete over ten rounds
- at half time, supper will be served and you are invited to bring your own drink and nibbles
If you wish to raise a team, please contact PD at [email protected]
Joy Dolling has produced a booklet on shops in the village from 1940 – 2018 and would appreciate any
information or photographs, particularly of older shops, members might have. Please contact her at
[email protected].
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
Robin Oakley gave the evening's talk. He focused on the history of Oldhouse Farm and his experience of being brought up there in the 1940's and 1950's which also gave a socio/economic slant to his talk.
Oldhouse Farm exists today as an assembly of extensions to what was originally a Tudor farmhouse although Robin suggested there might have been an earlier, humbler dwelling on the site dating from the fourteenth century. Set in a small settlement on Philpots Lane, the farm originally had a number of outhouses, barns and cottages. His researches show that in the eighteenth/nineteenth centuries many of the adjacent farms and holdings were owned by a network of families, suggesting the area had its own focus and an identity separate from Leigh and Hildenborough. Most of the outhouses are now dwellings although the central barn was dismantled and moved to Stocks Green Road in the 1920's/1930's where it became the home of Commander Tomlinson's celebrated cream tea enterprise.
Robin's father bought Oldhouse Farm in the 1930's and it remained in the family until his father's death in 1960 – both parents are buried in St John's Churchyard. His father worked in London and Robin was born into a well-established middle class family – with a nanny (in fact his father's nanny), and a pony club. He went to boarding school in 1948. The Second World War was the critical event of his childhood. The land was farmed using traditional farming methods. The family had a pony and trap, kept poultry and cows and his father became an officer in the Home Guard. In 1950 his father bought more land.
On his father's death the farm was sold, although it was clear Robin is still psychologically attached to it.
The Chairman thanked him for his well-illustrated talk which was well received.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 26th October 2018 and will include a talk by George Buswell on Medieval Tonbridge including the castle.
I hope you will be able to attend.
END
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 20th April 2018
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on 20th April 2018
Welcome: Pat Davies (PD), standing in for the Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), whose wife had been taken to hospital, welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Apologies for Absence: Tracy Chandler, Howard and Joy Dolling, Sue Gorham, Ken and Sigi Lester, Charles Vignoles
Review of Past Year:
PD outlined a number of items and events of current or future interest to members.
Tim Asquith is researching the Gaza bunker which was large enough to hold two hundred people and will be
reporting back his findings.
A notice board for use by the Society has recently been put up in the Village Hall in the corridor downstairs.
It is considered by some to be too small and not easily visible to people using or visiting the hall but there is nowhere else to put it. PD is to enquire to see if we can have a board double the width but the same height.
The Green Room, where the Society's archives are stored, has been refurbished and is open this evening if
members would like to see it.
PD was sad to announce the death of Ian Walters, who co-founded the Hildenborough Road Races (formerly
known as Hildenborough Fun Run). This year's events for both children and adults will take place on Monday
7th May and he hoped members will enjoy them.
Our Webmaster, Mellie, receives enquiries from all over the world, a recent one being from the Kent
Archaeological Society seeking information on a WW2 pill box in the back garden of the house at
44 Stocks Green Road. If anyone has any knowledge of it, could they please contact Mellie.
A smaller coach has been hired for the trip to the Weald and Downland Museum on Wednesday, May 9th and
Pat hopes it will be an enjoyable day out.
A quiz night is proposed for Saturday 29th September and more details will be given at the next quarterly
meeting.
Members were reminded about the exhibition at the Seaside Museum Herne Bay until 19th May on the
Dambusters’ Bouncing Bomb.
The English Civil War Society will be staging a re-enactment of the Battle of Hilden Bridge 1643, referred to
in 'What's on in Tonbridge' as the Battle of Tonbridge Castle, on 5th and 6th May.
Janet Foster said how pleased she was to see Liz Toy, who has been involved in church and parish matters for so many years, at this evening's meeting.
Webmaster, Steve Corbett (Mellie), then gave details of the latest additions to the Society's website:-
a) Details of businesses trading in Hildenborough from the 1891 and 1918 editions of Kelly's
Directories which he accessed at Sevenoaks Library.
b) Old newspaper cuttings from the 1930's, 1940's and 1960's, given to him by Tim Asquith, about Hilden
Manor, with one from 1948 advertising dinner dances and a swim afterwards. It was a very popular
venue for coach trips.
c) A cutting from the 1860's, also from Tim Asquith, about an assault in a beer house for navvies working on the railway, which could possibly have been at the crossroads in Noble Tree Road.
Mellie showed a black and white photograph of the barn at the Plough public house on Powder Mill Lane/Leigh Road. He is trying to find out if this is a photograph of the original barn or one brought in from Surrey or Sussex to replace it which either collapsed or was burnt down in 1972/73. Please get in touch with Mellie if you can help or have any photographs of the barn. (See additional information in footnote at the end of the minutes.)
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
Copies of the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2018, which have been audited, had been emailed to members and copies were also available at the meeting.
As the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), was unable to attend the meeting, the notes he had prepared to the accounts were read out by Geoff Calderhead (GC). See below. Please make sure you read the final paragraph about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and get in touch if you do not want the Society to hold your contact details.
The accounts show a surplus of £567.74, however, if you take out of the equation the pre-payment towards the
Weald and Downland Museum trip, we would have made an actual loss of over £200. Most of this is
attributable to the cost of the Brian Goodale memorial, which in spite of our numerous appeals has
resulted in a shortfall of approximately £400. Speaking of which it is still not too late to make a donation.
Fortunately due to the hard work of your committee members at the main meetings by providing refreshments,
running raffles and collecting visitors' fees we have been able to mitigate some of this. So a warm vote of
thanks to those involved.
You will note that the amount collected from subscriptions does not equate to the number of current members.
The reason for this is that some members paid an annual subscription when they joined in the three months
prior to our year end. It did not seem reasonable to then charge them again for the current year, i.e. their
subscription lasted for fifteen months. We currently have sixty-eight members, a net loss of two.
You will notice an amount of £75 paid to BALH, The British Association for Local History. This is a national
charity which promotes local history. The main reason for our membership is that it provides an insurance
scheme, which covers us for public liability and activities such as meetings, walks, talks, visits/trips to places
of interest etc.
I would like to record our grateful thanks to our auditor David Haugh for his continuing help to the Society in
auditing our accounts. He has kindly said he will continue to do so and I would ask that we formally accept
his offer by a show of hands if you are in agreement.
You will notice that there is no amount for the rent of this room for our quarterly meetings. This is because I
have not received an invoice. I have sent an email to the HVHMC treasurer asking him for one.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on the 25th May 2018. As a small non
profit voluntary organisation we are not overly affected. However, we do keep records of your name, address,
telephone number and email address. All this is to record who our members are and how we can contact them
to inform them of our meetings and activities. This information is never divulged to third parties. We will
assume that you agree to us keeping this data unless you specifically tell us that you do not want this
information kept. You will need to do this in writing. A copy of this note will appear in the minutes of this
meeting so that all members are informed before the 25th May 2018.
Acceptance of the accounts was proposed by Andy Wheeler, seconded by Malcolm Baker and agreed by a show of hands.
Election of Officers:
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee:
The proposed Committee Members were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Webmaster Steve Corbett (a.k.a. Mellie)
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Janet Foster
Sue Gorham
Appointment of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor and this was endorsed by members with a show of hands.
Any Other Business: No matters were raised.
After the coffee break, the evening concluded with a talk by Mary Smith who retired as head of Maidstone Grammar School for Girls in 2014. In 2013 two exciting discoveries were made at the school. The first was a set of tunnels complete with benches, which had been used as classrooms during air raids during WW2. The second, found in the school's archive, was a beautifully illustrated MGSC War Diary 1939/46 compiled by the school's art teacher during the war, Helen Keen, who died in 2005. The paintings depicted girls in the tunnels, running to get into the tunnels, climbing trees with their gas masks hanging from a branch, some of teachers and finally girls removing white sticky paper from the school's windows at the end of the war. These two discoveries motivated Mary Smith to carry out more research and to try to locate 'old girls' who had been at the school during the war, She found fifty-three and it was from interviews with a number of them, together with slides of Helen Keen's paintings, that she constructed her interesting talk which was very, very well received. Comments from 'old girls' such as 'When I was asked whether I wished to study Latin or German, I decided on German in case we lost.' added to the enjoyment.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 6th July 2018 and will include a talk by Robin Oakley on memories of growing up at Oldhouse Farm in the 1940's and 1950's and on the history of the farm.
END
Footnote from Mellie about the barn at the Plough public house:-
It has now been 99% confirmed that it IS the original barn. Since the meeting I've made contact with the son of the owners, Mick and Jenny Bettell, who bought it in 1980 (and still own it today) who confirm that it was repaired and not replaced. Also ex-Hildenborough resident, Rosemary Gould, has been in touch. She used to work for the council planning department and supplied me with a copy of the various planning applications over the years. In the 1970's two separate applications were made to demolish the barn. Permission was refused both times. Plans were then submitted to convert the barn into a restaurant and function room. This was approved (with conditions) and there it is today.
Apologies for Absence: Tracy Chandler, Howard and Joy Dolling, Sue Gorham, Ken and Sigi Lester, Charles Vignoles
Review of Past Year:
PD outlined a number of items and events of current or future interest to members.
Tim Asquith is researching the Gaza bunker which was large enough to hold two hundred people and will be
reporting back his findings.
A notice board for use by the Society has recently been put up in the Village Hall in the corridor downstairs.
It is considered by some to be too small and not easily visible to people using or visiting the hall but there is nowhere else to put it. PD is to enquire to see if we can have a board double the width but the same height.
The Green Room, where the Society's archives are stored, has been refurbished and is open this evening if
members would like to see it.
PD was sad to announce the death of Ian Walters, who co-founded the Hildenborough Road Races (formerly
known as Hildenborough Fun Run). This year's events for both children and adults will take place on Monday
7th May and he hoped members will enjoy them.
Our Webmaster, Mellie, receives enquiries from all over the world, a recent one being from the Kent
Archaeological Society seeking information on a WW2 pill box in the back garden of the house at
44 Stocks Green Road. If anyone has any knowledge of it, could they please contact Mellie.
A smaller coach has been hired for the trip to the Weald and Downland Museum on Wednesday, May 9th and
Pat hopes it will be an enjoyable day out.
A quiz night is proposed for Saturday 29th September and more details will be given at the next quarterly
meeting.
Members were reminded about the exhibition at the Seaside Museum Herne Bay until 19th May on the
Dambusters’ Bouncing Bomb.
The English Civil War Society will be staging a re-enactment of the Battle of Hilden Bridge 1643, referred to
in 'What's on in Tonbridge' as the Battle of Tonbridge Castle, on 5th and 6th May.
Janet Foster said how pleased she was to see Liz Toy, who has been involved in church and parish matters for so many years, at this evening's meeting.
Webmaster, Steve Corbett (Mellie), then gave details of the latest additions to the Society's website:-
a) Details of businesses trading in Hildenborough from the 1891 and 1918 editions of Kelly's
Directories which he accessed at Sevenoaks Library.
b) Old newspaper cuttings from the 1930's, 1940's and 1960's, given to him by Tim Asquith, about Hilden
Manor, with one from 1948 advertising dinner dances and a swim afterwards. It was a very popular
venue for coach trips.
c) A cutting from the 1860's, also from Tim Asquith, about an assault in a beer house for navvies working on the railway, which could possibly have been at the crossroads in Noble Tree Road.
Mellie showed a black and white photograph of the barn at the Plough public house on Powder Mill Lane/Leigh Road. He is trying to find out if this is a photograph of the original barn or one brought in from Surrey or Sussex to replace it which either collapsed or was burnt down in 1972/73. Please get in touch with Mellie if you can help or have any photographs of the barn. (See additional information in footnote at the end of the minutes.)
Treasurer's Report and Adoption of Accounts:
Copies of the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2018, which have been audited, had been emailed to members and copies were also available at the meeting.
As the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), was unable to attend the meeting, the notes he had prepared to the accounts were read out by Geoff Calderhead (GC). See below. Please make sure you read the final paragraph about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and get in touch if you do not want the Society to hold your contact details.
The accounts show a surplus of £567.74, however, if you take out of the equation the pre-payment towards the
Weald and Downland Museum trip, we would have made an actual loss of over £200. Most of this is
attributable to the cost of the Brian Goodale memorial, which in spite of our numerous appeals has
resulted in a shortfall of approximately £400. Speaking of which it is still not too late to make a donation.
Fortunately due to the hard work of your committee members at the main meetings by providing refreshments,
running raffles and collecting visitors' fees we have been able to mitigate some of this. So a warm vote of
thanks to those involved.
You will note that the amount collected from subscriptions does not equate to the number of current members.
The reason for this is that some members paid an annual subscription when they joined in the three months
prior to our year end. It did not seem reasonable to then charge them again for the current year, i.e. their
subscription lasted for fifteen months. We currently have sixty-eight members, a net loss of two.
You will notice an amount of £75 paid to BALH, The British Association for Local History. This is a national
charity which promotes local history. The main reason for our membership is that it provides an insurance
scheme, which covers us for public liability and activities such as meetings, walks, talks, visits/trips to places
of interest etc.
I would like to record our grateful thanks to our auditor David Haugh for his continuing help to the Society in
auditing our accounts. He has kindly said he will continue to do so and I would ask that we formally accept
his offer by a show of hands if you are in agreement.
You will notice that there is no amount for the rent of this room for our quarterly meetings. This is because I
have not received an invoice. I have sent an email to the HVHMC treasurer asking him for one.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on the 25th May 2018. As a small non
profit voluntary organisation we are not overly affected. However, we do keep records of your name, address,
telephone number and email address. All this is to record who our members are and how we can contact them
to inform them of our meetings and activities. This information is never divulged to third parties. We will
assume that you agree to us keeping this data unless you specifically tell us that you do not want this
information kept. You will need to do this in writing. A copy of this note will appear in the minutes of this
meeting so that all members are informed before the 25th May 2018.
Acceptance of the accounts was proposed by Andy Wheeler, seconded by Malcolm Baker and agreed by a show of hands.
Election of Officers:
The proposed officers were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Chairman Charles Vignoles
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee:
The proposed Committee Members were re-elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Webmaster Steve Corbett (a.k.a. Mellie)
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Janet Foster
Sue Gorham
Appointment of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor and this was endorsed by members with a show of hands.
Any Other Business: No matters were raised.
After the coffee break, the evening concluded with a talk by Mary Smith who retired as head of Maidstone Grammar School for Girls in 2014. In 2013 two exciting discoveries were made at the school. The first was a set of tunnels complete with benches, which had been used as classrooms during air raids during WW2. The second, found in the school's archive, was a beautifully illustrated MGSC War Diary 1939/46 compiled by the school's art teacher during the war, Helen Keen, who died in 2005. The paintings depicted girls in the tunnels, running to get into the tunnels, climbing trees with their gas masks hanging from a branch, some of teachers and finally girls removing white sticky paper from the school's windows at the end of the war. These two discoveries motivated Mary Smith to carry out more research and to try to locate 'old girls' who had been at the school during the war, She found fifty-three and it was from interviews with a number of them, together with slides of Helen Keen's paintings, that she constructed her interesting talk which was very, very well received. Comments from 'old girls' such as 'When I was asked whether I wished to study Latin or German, I decided on German in case we lost.' added to the enjoyment.
Date of the Next Quarterly Meeting:
This will take place on Friday, 6th July 2018 and will include a talk by Robin Oakley on memories of growing up at Oldhouse Farm in the 1940's and 1950's and on the history of the farm.
END
Footnote from Mellie about the barn at the Plough public house:-
It has now been 99% confirmed that it IS the original barn. Since the meeting I've made contact with the son of the owners, Mick and Jenny Bettell, who bought it in 1980 (and still own it today) who confirm that it was repaired and not replaced. Also ex-Hildenborough resident, Rosemary Gould, has been in touch. She used to work for the council planning department and supplied me with a copy of the various planning applications over the years. In the 1970's two separate applications were made to demolish the barn. Permission was refused both times. Plans were then submitted to convert the barn into a restaurant and function room. This was approved (with conditions) and there it is today.
Minutes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society – Winter 2018
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 19th January 2018
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday, 19th January 2018
Apologies for Absence: Gillian Bumstead, David Chambers, Howard and Joy Dolling, Bob Duffin, Sue and Andrew Gidley, Anne Mills
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was so pleased to see that so many people had braved the weather to attend the meeting.
Open Forum:
Unfortunately the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), was unable to attend the meeting and CV took his place to speak about the project, and appeal to raise funds, to place a plaque on the house on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Riding Lane where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC, who took part in the Dambusters Raid, lived. HD produced a detailed article for the January issue of Keys Magazine which he hoped had been read. The Chairman hoped that people would attend the ceremony to unveil the plaque, which will take place on 17th May 2018, the 75th anniversary of the raid. The Society's Committee agreed that, although the cost of the well-designed plaque was high, it was a worthwhile way of using some of its funds, but is seeking donations towards the cost. CV would be delighted if members could contribute. Pat Davies (PD) would collect donations during the evening or they could be sent to HD. CV was grateful to the Parish Council for its donation to the appeal.
Webmaster, Steve Corbett (Mellie), then gave details of the latest additions to the Society's website:-
a) An article all about the Hilden Manor added to the list of Hildenborough's pubs. Mellie would like to add a photograph of the swimming pool that used to be at Hilden Manor and asked if anyone in the audience could help.
b) An article by Tim Asquith and Janet Foster on Frank Woolley's Cricketing School and Badminton Club held in a pavilion on Stocks Green Road in the early 1930's. It was also used as a practice club for cricketers of all ages. The pavilion was taken over by the Johnsen and Jorgensen Glassworks at the beginning of the Second World War.
c) An article by Geoff Calderhead on the Hitchcock family who moved to Hildenborough in the mid 1800's. Members of the family were cricket ball makers, initially employed by Robert Dark at his ball-making shop at Watts Cross. In 1875 Horace Hitchcock built a new cricket ball workshop/factory in Mount Pleasant opposite the village green. The family took an active part in village affairs, serving on the Parish Council, setting up the village fire brigade and cricket club. The cricket ball factory passed out of the family’s ownership in 1937. The last member of the family, Cicely, (married name Calderhead) died in 1999.
d) An article by Tim Asquith on Guy Anson Maunsell, a civil engineer, who during World War Two designed army and navy sea forts, Maunsell Forts, to defend the Thames Estuary. Seven forts were constructed and the three installed in the estuary north of Whitstable proved their worth, their anti-aircraft guns shooting down twenty-two enemy aircraft and thirty V1 doodlebugs heading for London. He also worked on the design of the famous Mulberry Harbours which were constructed and deployed to assist the Normandy landings in 1944. Guy Maunsell moved into Hilden House (demolished in the 1960's) opposite Hilden Manor in 1936 and in 1939 his family moved to Selby's Farm on Leigh Road where he had a herd of Jersey cows for milking and breeding. He retired in 1959, sold the farm and moved to Southborough. He died on 20 June 1961 and is buried in Southborough cemetery.
e) Memories and photographs from the daughter of a previous resident of Hilden Hall who now lives in Hadlow.
The Chairman hoped that members had received the email about the proposed trip to the Weald and Downland Living Museum which is situated in a beautiful area of the South Downs near Chichester. Wednesday, 9th May 2018 is the date of the proposed trip with a cost of £30 to cover coach travel and entrance fee. He asked how many in the audience might be interested and counted fifteen raised hands. A further email with detailed information would be sent to members who should contact HD or the Secretary, Judith McQuillan, if they were interested. The speaker for the Quarterly Meeting in January 2019 will be the Reconstruction Manager of the museum who will speak about the reconstruction of the barn at Mayday Farm on the A21.
PD gave details of a quiz night comprising teams of eight people with an entry fee of £8 per person which will include supper, to raise funds for the Society. The event will take place on Saturday 29th September 2018 in the Jim England Room in the Village Hall. He would be appealing for help with various aspects in the run up to the quiz night.
The Chairman ended by mentioning that Sue Gorham (SG) produces flyers giving details of quarterly meetings which she displays at the Farmers' Market and if any members would be willing to distribute any round the village please contact her.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
The evening's speaker was Mrs Pat Mortlock, who gave a neatly structured, nicely illustrated history of Ightham Mote. She delivered her talk with humour and the insight that comes from long association with her subject and time spent assiduously working in its archive. Interestingly, she shared with members the fact that nothing is known of the original owner of the house, but from that point on she explored its history through the families that owned it, tracing its many adventures. She also pointed out the important part the stream fed moat had played in porting the sewerage, dumped into it from the garderobes, downstream away from the house – the garderobes having been uncovered during recent renovations. The presentation was very well received. The Chairman warmly thanked her at the close.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will be the Annual General Meeting and will take place on Friday, 20th April 2018.
The speaker will be Mary Smith, former head teacher at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls on
A Schoolgirl's War, which include a selection of artworks by the art teacher at the school during WW2, who set out to document in paint and pencil the lives of school children as the war unfolded. Mary Smith's presentation will also include anecdotes of a number of “old girls” who were at school during the war, on disrupted schooling, air raids, doodle bugs and underground lessons in shelters.
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), was so pleased to see that so many people had braved the weather to attend the meeting.
Open Forum:
Unfortunately the Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), was unable to attend the meeting and CV took his place to speak about the project, and appeal to raise funds, to place a plaque on the house on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Riding Lane where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC, who took part in the Dambusters Raid, lived. HD produced a detailed article for the January issue of Keys Magazine which he hoped had been read. The Chairman hoped that people would attend the ceremony to unveil the plaque, which will take place on 17th May 2018, the 75th anniversary of the raid. The Society's Committee agreed that, although the cost of the well-designed plaque was high, it was a worthwhile way of using some of its funds, but is seeking donations towards the cost. CV would be delighted if members could contribute. Pat Davies (PD) would collect donations during the evening or they could be sent to HD. CV was grateful to the Parish Council for its donation to the appeal.
Webmaster, Steve Corbett (Mellie), then gave details of the latest additions to the Society's website:-
a) An article all about the Hilden Manor added to the list of Hildenborough's pubs. Mellie would like to add a photograph of the swimming pool that used to be at Hilden Manor and asked if anyone in the audience could help.
b) An article by Tim Asquith and Janet Foster on Frank Woolley's Cricketing School and Badminton Club held in a pavilion on Stocks Green Road in the early 1930's. It was also used as a practice club for cricketers of all ages. The pavilion was taken over by the Johnsen and Jorgensen Glassworks at the beginning of the Second World War.
c) An article by Geoff Calderhead on the Hitchcock family who moved to Hildenborough in the mid 1800's. Members of the family were cricket ball makers, initially employed by Robert Dark at his ball-making shop at Watts Cross. In 1875 Horace Hitchcock built a new cricket ball workshop/factory in Mount Pleasant opposite the village green. The family took an active part in village affairs, serving on the Parish Council, setting up the village fire brigade and cricket club. The cricket ball factory passed out of the family’s ownership in 1937. The last member of the family, Cicely, (married name Calderhead) died in 1999.
d) An article by Tim Asquith on Guy Anson Maunsell, a civil engineer, who during World War Two designed army and navy sea forts, Maunsell Forts, to defend the Thames Estuary. Seven forts were constructed and the three installed in the estuary north of Whitstable proved their worth, their anti-aircraft guns shooting down twenty-two enemy aircraft and thirty V1 doodlebugs heading for London. He also worked on the design of the famous Mulberry Harbours which were constructed and deployed to assist the Normandy landings in 1944. Guy Maunsell moved into Hilden House (demolished in the 1960's) opposite Hilden Manor in 1936 and in 1939 his family moved to Selby's Farm on Leigh Road where he had a herd of Jersey cows for milking and breeding. He retired in 1959, sold the farm and moved to Southborough. He died on 20 June 1961 and is buried in Southborough cemetery.
e) Memories and photographs from the daughter of a previous resident of Hilden Hall who now lives in Hadlow.
The Chairman hoped that members had received the email about the proposed trip to the Weald and Downland Living Museum which is situated in a beautiful area of the South Downs near Chichester. Wednesday, 9th May 2018 is the date of the proposed trip with a cost of £30 to cover coach travel and entrance fee. He asked how many in the audience might be interested and counted fifteen raised hands. A further email with detailed information would be sent to members who should contact HD or the Secretary, Judith McQuillan, if they were interested. The speaker for the Quarterly Meeting in January 2019 will be the Reconstruction Manager of the museum who will speak about the reconstruction of the barn at Mayday Farm on the A21.
PD gave details of a quiz night comprising teams of eight people with an entry fee of £8 per person which will include supper, to raise funds for the Society. The event will take place on Saturday 29th September 2018 in the Jim England Room in the Village Hall. He would be appealing for help with various aspects in the run up to the quiz night.
The Chairman ended by mentioning that Sue Gorham (SG) produces flyers giving details of quarterly meetings which she displays at the Farmers' Market and if any members would be willing to distribute any round the village please contact her.
Any Other Business:
No matters were raised.
The evening's speaker was Mrs Pat Mortlock, who gave a neatly structured, nicely illustrated history of Ightham Mote. She delivered her talk with humour and the insight that comes from long association with her subject and time spent assiduously working in its archive. Interestingly, she shared with members the fact that nothing is known of the original owner of the house, but from that point on she explored its history through the families that owned it, tracing its many adventures. She also pointed out the important part the stream fed moat had played in porting the sewerage, dumped into it from the garderobes, downstream away from the house – the garderobes having been uncovered during recent renovations. The presentation was very well received. The Chairman warmly thanked her at the close.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will be the Annual General Meeting and will take place on Friday, 20th April 2018.
The speaker will be Mary Smith, former head teacher at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls on
A Schoolgirl's War, which include a selection of artworks by the art teacher at the school during WW2, who set out to document in paint and pencil the lives of school children as the war unfolded. Mary Smith's presentation will also include anecdotes of a number of “old girls” who were at school during the war, on disrupted schooling, air raids, doodle bugs and underground lessons in shelters.
Minutes of the Quarterly Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society – Autumn 2017
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 20th October 2017
held in the Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 20th October 2017
Apologies for Absence: Tim Asquith, Malcolm and Jennifer Baker, Joy Dolling, Janet Foster, Maurice Nairne, Liz Toy, Ann Wood.
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), explained that he would not be giving a report. Instead he hoped it would be an opportunity for members to share news and raise questions. Also committee members would have the chance to report any news of relevance to the Society. CV asked for suggestions for future speakers or topics in the wider field the Society might explore. (Someone in the audience suggested Anthony Wil...? He is not listed in the Kent History Federation's list of speakers.)
Webmaster, Steve Corbett (Mellie), then reported that he has transcribed onto the website details of shops and businesses trading in Hildenborough, listed alphabetically in the 1903, 1934, 1948 and 196l Kelly's Directories, the forerunner to Yellow Pages.
He also talked about Martyn Sherwood, a very interesting character he found through a Kelly's Directory. He lived at Oakhurst Farm, a pig farm, in Bank Lane and died in 1980. He fought in both the First and Second World Wars. He was a commander in the Royal Navy in the Second World War and won two DSO's for gallantry. During 1933-34 he was a crew member in the voyage of the Tai Mo Shan, a 234 ton sailing vessel, from Hong Kong to Dartmouth.
Mellie has a copy of Commander Sherwood's autobiography, written in 1946 and will be carrying out further research. He will be creating a page on the website. If anyone has information or memories of Commander Sherwood, please get in touch with Mellie.
Anne Mills interestingly contributed the fact that she had recently met a woman in the library who said that a member of her family, an army officer, had been involved in rounding up the crew of a German plane which had been shot down over Hildenborough.
The Society's current project, undertaken by Howard Dolling (HD), is to raise funds to place a plaque on the house on the corner of Riding Lane and Mount Pleasant where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC lived. He was a wireless operator who took part in Operation Chastise, the Dambusters Raid by RAF 617 Squadron, which took place on 16-17 May 1943. The 75th anniversary will be in 2018. HD will be writing an appeal for funding to appear in the
January 2018 issue of Keys Magazine.
Research into interesting properties in the village is also being carried out, but this is very time consuming and if any members would be willing to help, it would be much appreciated.
At the last meeting Tim Asquith gave an extraordinarily interesting talk on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church and CV was sure the talk to be given this evening by George Gorham would be much enjoyed. His subject, Scouting in Hildenborough, would be divided into two sessions with a twenty minute coffee break and raffle between them.
The Chairman then gave details of the speakers for the next quarterly meetings and hoped members would attend and also bring their friends with them.
19th January 2018 – Pat Mortlock – Ightham Mote: history and conservation.
20th April 2018 – Mary Smith – A schoolgirl's war.
13th July 2018 – Robin Oakley – Memories of growing up at Oldhouse Farm in the 1940s and 1950s and the history of the farm.
26th October 2018 – George Buswell – Medieval Tonbridge including Tonbridge Castle.
18th January 2019 – Joe Thompson, Manager for Reconstruction at the Weald and Downland Museum – most probably on the reconstruction of the barn at Mayday Farm on the A21.
CV concluded by saying that a trip to the Weald and Downland Museum and a guided tour of the site was being considered and he would have more information at the next meeting.
George Gorham (GG) gave an absorbing talk on the history of Scouting in Hildenborough. Framing his talk within the context of scouting at a national and international level he stepped the evening through the movement's local presence largely using his personal involvement with the institution as the lens – a position wonderfully underlined by presenting the talk in his Scout Leader's uniform. GG first joined the movement as a boy in Sevenoaks impressively gaining his King Scouts badge before eventually becoming a Scout Leader and Assistant Commissioner.
The Hildenborough scout troop was founded in 1936 becoming the 2nd Hildenborough. There had apparently been an earlier troop founded in the village but that had withered on the vine some time earlier: this original incarnation was taken to be the 1st Hildenborough. Nothing is currently known about this earlier troop. However, through re-organisation at a county or national level, the village troop metamorphosed into the 8th Tonbridge, thus following many other local village troops into this larger formation. Currently, some one hundred young village girls and boys are involved in scouting.
It was clear from GG's talk that the troop has always been active, not just locally, but also taking part in international jamborees and events. Currently the troop meets in its own purpose-built hall in Riding Lane. This is the second hall on the site; the first having been a large, poorly constructed timber building which gently decayed despite a re-fit carried out by young people on a Government YOP (Youth Opportunities Programme) scheme in the 1980's. However, Geoff Calderhead, speaking from the floor, suggested that when he was a boy in the early 1950's the troop met somewhere in Foxbush.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeeting: 19th January 2018
Welcome from the Chairman:
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), explained that he would not be giving a report. Instead he hoped it would be an opportunity for members to share news and raise questions. Also committee members would have the chance to report any news of relevance to the Society. CV asked for suggestions for future speakers or topics in the wider field the Society might explore. (Someone in the audience suggested Anthony Wil...? He is not listed in the Kent History Federation's list of speakers.)
Webmaster, Steve Corbett (Mellie), then reported that he has transcribed onto the website details of shops and businesses trading in Hildenborough, listed alphabetically in the 1903, 1934, 1948 and 196l Kelly's Directories, the forerunner to Yellow Pages.
He also talked about Martyn Sherwood, a very interesting character he found through a Kelly's Directory. He lived at Oakhurst Farm, a pig farm, in Bank Lane and died in 1980. He fought in both the First and Second World Wars. He was a commander in the Royal Navy in the Second World War and won two DSO's for gallantry. During 1933-34 he was a crew member in the voyage of the Tai Mo Shan, a 234 ton sailing vessel, from Hong Kong to Dartmouth.
Mellie has a copy of Commander Sherwood's autobiography, written in 1946 and will be carrying out further research. He will be creating a page on the website. If anyone has information or memories of Commander Sherwood, please get in touch with Mellie.
Anne Mills interestingly contributed the fact that she had recently met a woman in the library who said that a member of her family, an army officer, had been involved in rounding up the crew of a German plane which had been shot down over Hildenborough.
The Society's current project, undertaken by Howard Dolling (HD), is to raise funds to place a plaque on the house on the corner of Riding Lane and Mount Pleasant where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC lived. He was a wireless operator who took part in Operation Chastise, the Dambusters Raid by RAF 617 Squadron, which took place on 16-17 May 1943. The 75th anniversary will be in 2018. HD will be writing an appeal for funding to appear in the
January 2018 issue of Keys Magazine.
Research into interesting properties in the village is also being carried out, but this is very time consuming and if any members would be willing to help, it would be much appreciated.
At the last meeting Tim Asquith gave an extraordinarily interesting talk on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church and CV was sure the talk to be given this evening by George Gorham would be much enjoyed. His subject, Scouting in Hildenborough, would be divided into two sessions with a twenty minute coffee break and raffle between them.
The Chairman then gave details of the speakers for the next quarterly meetings and hoped members would attend and also bring their friends with them.
19th January 2018 – Pat Mortlock – Ightham Mote: history and conservation.
20th April 2018 – Mary Smith – A schoolgirl's war.
13th July 2018 – Robin Oakley – Memories of growing up at Oldhouse Farm in the 1940s and 1950s and the history of the farm.
26th October 2018 – George Buswell – Medieval Tonbridge including Tonbridge Castle.
18th January 2019 – Joe Thompson, Manager for Reconstruction at the Weald and Downland Museum – most probably on the reconstruction of the barn at Mayday Farm on the A21.
CV concluded by saying that a trip to the Weald and Downland Museum and a guided tour of the site was being considered and he would have more information at the next meeting.
George Gorham (GG) gave an absorbing talk on the history of Scouting in Hildenborough. Framing his talk within the context of scouting at a national and international level he stepped the evening through the movement's local presence largely using his personal involvement with the institution as the lens – a position wonderfully underlined by presenting the talk in his Scout Leader's uniform. GG first joined the movement as a boy in Sevenoaks impressively gaining his King Scouts badge before eventually becoming a Scout Leader and Assistant Commissioner.
The Hildenborough scout troop was founded in 1936 becoming the 2nd Hildenborough. There had apparently been an earlier troop founded in the village but that had withered on the vine some time earlier: this original incarnation was taken to be the 1st Hildenborough. Nothing is currently known about this earlier troop. However, through re-organisation at a county or national level, the village troop metamorphosed into the 8th Tonbridge, thus following many other local village troops into this larger formation. Currently, some one hundred young village girls and boys are involved in scouting.
It was clear from GG's talk that the troop has always been active, not just locally, but also taking part in international jamborees and events. Currently the troop meets in its own purpose-built hall in Riding Lane. This is the second hall on the site; the first having been a large, poorly constructed timber building which gently decayed despite a re-fit carried out by young people on a Government YOP (Youth Opportunities Programme) scheme in the 1980's. However, Geoff Calderhead, speaking from the floor, suggested that when he was a boy in the early 1950's the troop met somewhere in Foxbush.
Date of Next Quarterly Meeeting: 19th January 2018
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 21st July 2017
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 21st July 2017
The Chairman, Charles Vignoles (CV), welcomed everyone to the meeting and promised an interesting evening.
Apologies for Absence: Robin Ballard, Pat Davies, Bob Duffin, Maurice Nairne, Eric Spender.
Liz Toy is in hospital and a get well card will be sent to her.
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Friday 21st April 2017:
CV has made an executive decision that the minutes of the 2017 AGM should be read at the next AGM as they cover the business of the whole year. Little time would be spent on them at this evening's meeting.
Chairman's Report:
The Chairman praised the hard work carried out by members of the Committee. Thanks to Tracy Chandler the archives were going from strength to strength. He praised Steve Corbett (Mellie) for all the hard work he has put in on the website.
Mellie then told the audience how he has been researching old newspapers stored on microfiche in the library and making copies of articles about Hildenborough. In the 1940's, the Tonbridge Spitfire Fund was set up to raise money to purchase a Spitfire fighter plane to bear the name of Tonbridge. Hildenborough was the first of the villages in the Rural area to set up a collection scheme to assist the Fund and the first donation of £33.13.1d was made in September 1940. Dr Beaufort Fraser donated £5,000 to Lord Beaverbrook, the Minister of Aircraft Production, to buy a Spitfire in memory of his brother and asked that the plane be named Eric.
He then told of a crippled German bomber which crashed in a field at Tanyard Farm, Hadlow Road, Tonbridge. One of the crew, air gunner Corporal Heinrich Agel, bailed out and landed on the roof of the Boiling Kettle Cafe (now the site of the BP garage in Hildenborough). Two years ago his daughter, Cornelia (Conny) Loh got in touch, sent photographs and more information. She is coming to Hildenborough to see the places connected to her father for a long weekend on 3rd August.
The press cuttings will be put in the archives and for more information also visit the website.
The Chairman thanked Howard Dolling (HD) for his excellent work as the Society's treasurer. CV then spoke of the Society's next project, which HD will be co-ordinating, to erect a plaque on the house on the corner of Riding Lane and Mount Pleasant where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC once lived. He took part in Operation Chastise, the Dam Busters raid, which took place on
16-17 May 1943. The 75th anniversary will be in 2018. HD will be writing an article for the August issue of Keys Magazine and launching an appeal for funds in the January 2018 issue.
HD is seeking help with his research on notable buildings in the village.
The Society has joined the British Association for Local History and copies of its Local History News and The Local Historian will be placed in the archives where they will be available to members.
The Chairman's proposal for an outing to the Weald and Downland Museum and a talk at a future meeting by a speaker from the Museum on the house removed from Bough Beech to the Museum during the construction of the reservoir was received with interest.
Any Other Business: No matters were raised.
The evening's speaker was Tim Asquith whose presentation was divided into two parts with the coffee break and raffle between them. He gave a comprehensive and engaging talk which surveyed the history and organisation of the graveyard of St John's Church, Hildenborough and how it has been extended over the years. He identified a number of “residents” in the graveyard and stepped through the history of a number of “departed” villagers. It was heartbreaking to learn that the first burial was of a very young child.
The talk, which was well illustrated and showed the depth of his research, was warmly appreciated.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place on Friday 20th October 2017 and will include a talk by George Gorham on Scouting in Hildenborough.
Apologies for Absence: Robin Ballard, Pat Davies, Bob Duffin, Maurice Nairne, Eric Spender.
Liz Toy is in hospital and a get well card will be sent to her.
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Friday 21st April 2017:
CV has made an executive decision that the minutes of the 2017 AGM should be read at the next AGM as they cover the business of the whole year. Little time would be spent on them at this evening's meeting.
Chairman's Report:
The Chairman praised the hard work carried out by members of the Committee. Thanks to Tracy Chandler the archives were going from strength to strength. He praised Steve Corbett (Mellie) for all the hard work he has put in on the website.
Mellie then told the audience how he has been researching old newspapers stored on microfiche in the library and making copies of articles about Hildenborough. In the 1940's, the Tonbridge Spitfire Fund was set up to raise money to purchase a Spitfire fighter plane to bear the name of Tonbridge. Hildenborough was the first of the villages in the Rural area to set up a collection scheme to assist the Fund and the first donation of £33.13.1d was made in September 1940. Dr Beaufort Fraser donated £5,000 to Lord Beaverbrook, the Minister of Aircraft Production, to buy a Spitfire in memory of his brother and asked that the plane be named Eric.
He then told of a crippled German bomber which crashed in a field at Tanyard Farm, Hadlow Road, Tonbridge. One of the crew, air gunner Corporal Heinrich Agel, bailed out and landed on the roof of the Boiling Kettle Cafe (now the site of the BP garage in Hildenborough). Two years ago his daughter, Cornelia (Conny) Loh got in touch, sent photographs and more information. She is coming to Hildenborough to see the places connected to her father for a long weekend on 3rd August.
The press cuttings will be put in the archives and for more information also visit the website.
The Chairman thanked Howard Dolling (HD) for his excellent work as the Society's treasurer. CV then spoke of the Society's next project, which HD will be co-ordinating, to erect a plaque on the house on the corner of Riding Lane and Mount Pleasant where Flying Officer Brian Goodale DFC once lived. He took part in Operation Chastise, the Dam Busters raid, which took place on
16-17 May 1943. The 75th anniversary will be in 2018. HD will be writing an article for the August issue of Keys Magazine and launching an appeal for funds in the January 2018 issue.
HD is seeking help with his research on notable buildings in the village.
The Society has joined the British Association for Local History and copies of its Local History News and The Local Historian will be placed in the archives where they will be available to members.
The Chairman's proposal for an outing to the Weald and Downland Museum and a talk at a future meeting by a speaker from the Museum on the house removed from Bough Beech to the Museum during the construction of the reservoir was received with interest.
Any Other Business: No matters were raised.
The evening's speaker was Tim Asquith whose presentation was divided into two parts with the coffee break and raffle between them. He gave a comprehensive and engaging talk which surveyed the history and organisation of the graveyard of St John's Church, Hildenborough and how it has been extended over the years. He identified a number of “residents” in the graveyard and stepped through the history of a number of “departed” villagers. It was heartbreaking to learn that the first burial was of a very young child.
The talk, which was well illustrated and showed the depth of his research, was warmly appreciated.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place on Friday 20th October 2017 and will include a talk by George Gorham on Scouting in Hildenborough.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 21st April 2017
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 21st April 2017
Welcome: The Chairman Janet Foster (JF) welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Apologies for Absence: Jenny and Malcolm Baker, Kate Izzard, Bryan Winter.
Minutes of the General Meeting held on 27th January 2017: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
JF began her final report as chairman of the Society by reminding the audience that
Pat Davies (PD) had the idea of forming a local history group after setting up an exhibition of historical photographs of the village in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall in 2009. With his encouragement and influence a small group of people got together to create a local history group.
The first meeting of the Hildenborough History Society was held on 10th October 2014 when the constitution was adopted, officers elected and membership forms handed out. The first talk was given that evening by George Gorham on his research into the names on the War Memorial.
At the Parish Council meeting on 19th March 2015 PD was thanked for starting the history group.
JF then thanked all the officers and members of the committee for their enthusiasm and commitment.
Janet said how much she had enjoyed helping to nurture the Society through its early days and contributing to the emerging programme of activities, for example, identifying the two ceremonial trees in the Recreation Ground, the plaque at the Half Moon in 2015 in memory of Flight Lt John Romney Mather, whose Spitfire crashed behind the pub in October 1940, and the restoration in 2016 of the gravestone to the two railwaymen, George Upton and James Goldsmith, killed in an accident on the railway line below Hildenborough Station in 1898.
She also said how pleased she was that the Society was flourishing and wished it well in the future.
A final note, Tim Asquith will be giving a talk at the next General Meeting on July 21st 2017 on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church and if anyone has any queries, let him know and he will try to answer them.
PD and Joy Dolling (JD) then presented JF with a flowering plant and a bouquet to thank her for her sterling work as the Society's first chairman. She has played an important role in the development and growth of the Society. We are very pleased that Janet will continue to serve as a member of the committee.
Treasurer's Report:
Copies of the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2017, which have been audited, had been e-mailed to members and copies were also available at the meeting.
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), reported that the Society currently has seventy-three members compared to fifty-nine in 2016. The accounts show subscriptions from sixty-seven members, some paid in advance the previous year.
The income for the year amounted to £3,753.99 with expenditure of £2,857.12 giving a surplus of £896.87. Details of the Railwaymen's Appeal are shown with an income of £2,646.00 and expenditure of £2,422.12 which includes the donation of £600 to Woking Homes, leaving a balance of £223.88. This will be held as a Memorial Fund for a future project. The printer very generously did not make a charge for printing the leaflets.
PD was thanked for organising the successful production of Oceans of Cream in November 2016 which yielded £160 for the Society after expenses and donations to Hospice in the Weald and Leigh Historical Society were taken into account. Will McQuillan was thanked for organising the bar which produced a net balance of £92.
PD and the Village Hall Committee were thanked for their generosity in charging only £24 per year, half the going rate, for use of the Finzi Room. This will continue up to September 2017.
Maurice Nairne and the Parish Council were thanked for allowing the Society to receive £1 for each copy of the Parish Council publication, Tales from a Kent Village – Hildenborough, bought by a member. The accounts show that the Society received £27.
The accounts were seconded and agreed.
As funds are reasonably healthy, subscriptions will remain at £5 for adults and £2.50 for juniors.
The auditor, David Haugh, was thanked for his prompt auditing of the accounts.
HD reported that a further project was being considered, possibly to commemorate the Dambusters Raid, the seventy-fifth anniversary of which will be 16-17th May 2018, but more of this at a later date.
He drew attention to the timeline he has prepared showing how the Society has progressed since its formation in October 2014 which was on display.
JF thanked HD for his meticulous work keeping the accounts in order.
Amendment to the Constitution:
The amendment to Paragraph 4b of the Constitution to read, “The Committee shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, webmaster, archivist and four other voting members” was endorsed without opposition by a show of hands.
It was agreed that JF should seek election as a voting member of the committee.
Election of Chairman:
Charles Vignoles (CV) was elected without opposition by a show of hands.
CV was very pleased to be elected as chairman. It was a great privilege and it would be a hard act to follow JF.
CV then took over the election of officers and committee.
Election of Other Officers:
The proposed officers were elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Webmaster Steve Corbett
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Election of Committee:
The proposed committee members were elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Janet Foster
Sue Gorham
Election of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor and this was endorsed by members.
Any Other Business: No matters were raised.
After the coffee break, when raffle tickets were on sale, with prizes provided by members of the Committee, the evening concluded with a talk given by Bob Ogley about the way the Great Storm had impacted on his life. Bob Ogley at the time was the editor of the Sevenoaks Chronicle and he recounted how difficult it was to reach Sevenoaks from his home as all the roads had been made impassable by hundreds of fallen trees. His first task had been to find a way of adequately reporting the extent of the storm's damage throughout West Kent and beyond. To do this he had to hire a 'plane from Biggin Hill aerodrome to take aerial photographs – this was the only way of scoping the disaster sufficiently well to make the paper's deadline. These photo's were to trigger a major change in his life when he set up a publishing business that traced the impact of the storm on the County.
Bob Ogley turned out to be an accomplished storyteller, who used insight and humour to great effect. The audience was enraptured by his account.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place on 21st July 2017 and will include a talk by Tim Asquith on his research on the graveyard of St John's Church, Hildenborough.
Apologies for Absence: Jenny and Malcolm Baker, Kate Izzard, Bryan Winter.
Minutes of the General Meeting held on 27th January 2017: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
JF began her final report as chairman of the Society by reminding the audience that
Pat Davies (PD) had the idea of forming a local history group after setting up an exhibition of historical photographs of the village in the Jim England Room of the Village Hall in 2009. With his encouragement and influence a small group of people got together to create a local history group.
The first meeting of the Hildenborough History Society was held on 10th October 2014 when the constitution was adopted, officers elected and membership forms handed out. The first talk was given that evening by George Gorham on his research into the names on the War Memorial.
At the Parish Council meeting on 19th March 2015 PD was thanked for starting the history group.
JF then thanked all the officers and members of the committee for their enthusiasm and commitment.
Janet said how much she had enjoyed helping to nurture the Society through its early days and contributing to the emerging programme of activities, for example, identifying the two ceremonial trees in the Recreation Ground, the plaque at the Half Moon in 2015 in memory of Flight Lt John Romney Mather, whose Spitfire crashed behind the pub in October 1940, and the restoration in 2016 of the gravestone to the two railwaymen, George Upton and James Goldsmith, killed in an accident on the railway line below Hildenborough Station in 1898.
She also said how pleased she was that the Society was flourishing and wished it well in the future.
A final note, Tim Asquith will be giving a talk at the next General Meeting on July 21st 2017 on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church and if anyone has any queries, let him know and he will try to answer them.
PD and Joy Dolling (JD) then presented JF with a flowering plant and a bouquet to thank her for her sterling work as the Society's first chairman. She has played an important role in the development and growth of the Society. We are very pleased that Janet will continue to serve as a member of the committee.
Treasurer's Report:
Copies of the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2017, which have been audited, had been e-mailed to members and copies were also available at the meeting.
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), reported that the Society currently has seventy-three members compared to fifty-nine in 2016. The accounts show subscriptions from sixty-seven members, some paid in advance the previous year.
The income for the year amounted to £3,753.99 with expenditure of £2,857.12 giving a surplus of £896.87. Details of the Railwaymen's Appeal are shown with an income of £2,646.00 and expenditure of £2,422.12 which includes the donation of £600 to Woking Homes, leaving a balance of £223.88. This will be held as a Memorial Fund for a future project. The printer very generously did not make a charge for printing the leaflets.
PD was thanked for organising the successful production of Oceans of Cream in November 2016 which yielded £160 for the Society after expenses and donations to Hospice in the Weald and Leigh Historical Society were taken into account. Will McQuillan was thanked for organising the bar which produced a net balance of £92.
PD and the Village Hall Committee were thanked for their generosity in charging only £24 per year, half the going rate, for use of the Finzi Room. This will continue up to September 2017.
Maurice Nairne and the Parish Council were thanked for allowing the Society to receive £1 for each copy of the Parish Council publication, Tales from a Kent Village – Hildenborough, bought by a member. The accounts show that the Society received £27.
The accounts were seconded and agreed.
As funds are reasonably healthy, subscriptions will remain at £5 for adults and £2.50 for juniors.
The auditor, David Haugh, was thanked for his prompt auditing of the accounts.
HD reported that a further project was being considered, possibly to commemorate the Dambusters Raid, the seventy-fifth anniversary of which will be 16-17th May 2018, but more of this at a later date.
He drew attention to the timeline he has prepared showing how the Society has progressed since its formation in October 2014 which was on display.
JF thanked HD for his meticulous work keeping the accounts in order.
Amendment to the Constitution:
The amendment to Paragraph 4b of the Constitution to read, “The Committee shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, webmaster, archivist and four other voting members” was endorsed without opposition by a show of hands.
It was agreed that JF should seek election as a voting member of the committee.
Election of Chairman:
Charles Vignoles (CV) was elected without opposition by a show of hands.
CV was very pleased to be elected as chairman. It was a great privilege and it would be a hard act to follow JF.
CV then took over the election of officers and committee.
Election of Other Officers:
The proposed officers were elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Webmaster Steve Corbett
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Election of Committee:
The proposed committee members were elected without opposition by a show of hands.
Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Janet Foster
Sue Gorham
Election of Auditor:
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor and this was endorsed by members.
Any Other Business: No matters were raised.
After the coffee break, when raffle tickets were on sale, with prizes provided by members of the Committee, the evening concluded with a talk given by Bob Ogley about the way the Great Storm had impacted on his life. Bob Ogley at the time was the editor of the Sevenoaks Chronicle and he recounted how difficult it was to reach Sevenoaks from his home as all the roads had been made impassable by hundreds of fallen trees. His first task had been to find a way of adequately reporting the extent of the storm's damage throughout West Kent and beyond. To do this he had to hire a 'plane from Biggin Hill aerodrome to take aerial photographs – this was the only way of scoping the disaster sufficiently well to make the paper's deadline. These photo's were to trigger a major change in his life when he set up a publishing business that traced the impact of the storm on the County.
Bob Ogley turned out to be an accomplished storyteller, who used insight and humour to great effect. The audience was enraptured by his account.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will take place on 21st July 2017 and will include a talk by Tim Asquith on his research on the graveyard of St John's Church, Hildenborough.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 27th January 2017
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 27th January 2017
The Chairman, Janet Foster (JF) began by welcoming everyone to the meeting, including several new members. Sadly, one of our members, Bob Duffin, is seriously ill and a card has been sent to him on behalf of the Society.
George Gorham would be giving an illustrated talk, which was sure to be most interesting, on the Natural History of Hildenborough. It would be divided into two thirty-five minute sections with a coffee break and raffle between them.
She introduced Steve Corbett (Mellie) who has set up and manages the Society's excellent website and asked how many members of the audience have looked at the website. The answer was about twenty-five percent of the approximately fifty attendees.
Apologies for Absence: John and Mary Standing.
Minutes of the General Meeting held on 21st October 2016: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
JF began her report by saying that Maurice Nairne had order forms for the forthcoming Parish Council publication, Tales from a Kent Village - Hildenborough, which costs £10. Copies of Hildenborough from A-Z can also be purchased from Mr Nairne.
The talk by Ian Beavis on Tunbridge Ware at the October 2016 meeting had been greatly enjoyed and he had been gratified to see the fine pieces which had been brought to the meeting.
Howard Dolling has written to the owners of the fifty-sixty of what he felt were the most interesting properties in the village for information about their houses and hopes this will provide sufficient material to produce three booklets each covering up to twenty notable properties.
The Society's membership has increased from sixty-seven to seventy-two and it is in a much better position financially.
More than one hundred tickets were sold for the production of Oceans of Cream, staged and hosted by the History Societies of Hildenborough and Leigh on Saturday 26th November 2016. It had been a great success, enjoyed by everyone, the only caveat being that the play had not been long enough! After expenses had been deducted there was a profit of £400. Of this, £80 was donated to Hospice in the Weald and the remaining balance divided equally between the two Societies. In addition, the bar produced a net balance of £92.
Bob Ogley will be speaking at the AGM on 21st April 2017 about the Great Storm in 1987, and in July 2017 Tim Asquith will give a talk on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church, Hildenborough. JF was sure these talks would be most interesting and hoped as many members as possible would attend.
Any Other Business:
Mellie has added to the website details of the crash of a Hurricane during the Battle of Britain which was well documented, but not where. He has found a reference suggesting that it crashed in Hildenborough. He would like to know if anyone remembers the incident, and if so, where it happened.
He has also added a piece about Hollanden Park/Hildenborough Hall, now the Raphael Centre on Coldharbour Lane. During the Second World War it was used as a teacher training college after the college had been evacuated from premises in London. From 1945-1954 it was a Young People's Christian Centre which Billy Graham once visited.
Could you please contact Mellie if you have any photos or memories of the building. His email address is [email protected].
Anne Mills raised a query on behalf of a neighbour in Ashley Road, off Brookmead. Does the Craft Cast business, Jones and Harvey, still exist or what happened to it? From what she remembers Craft Cast wanted to extend the estate over the site now occupied by Stocks Green School and later houses: they wished to sell more of their houses to Tonbridge Rural District Council which turned them down. Was there a fence or hedge set up between the bungalows on Ashley Road when they were first built?
If you can help with this query, please email Anne Mills at [email protected].
George Gorham has suggested bringing a large street map of the village and surrounding area to a meeting and then to ask members to indicate where they live and volunteer to carry out research in the area, for example, the floods in Brookmead. JF asked the members of the audience if this was a good idea. There was a positive response.
The greater part of the evening was given over to an accessible and scholarly survey of the Natural History of Hildenborough given by George Gorham. He looked at the way the village and its environs have changed over the past five or six centuries driven by forces such as the propensity of the river and its contributing streams to flood (as happened as recently as 2013), as well as changes in economic need, agrarian practices and technological change. All of these, he argued, have in turn, and sometimes conjointly, had a profound impact on the natural history of Hildenborough.
The talk was innovatively illustrated and well researched. Members greatly appreciated GG's contribution to the evening.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will be the AGM and will take place on 21st April 2017 and will include a talk by Bob Ogley on The Great Storm.
George Gorham would be giving an illustrated talk, which was sure to be most interesting, on the Natural History of Hildenborough. It would be divided into two thirty-five minute sections with a coffee break and raffle between them.
She introduced Steve Corbett (Mellie) who has set up and manages the Society's excellent website and asked how many members of the audience have looked at the website. The answer was about twenty-five percent of the approximately fifty attendees.
Apologies for Absence: John and Mary Standing.
Minutes of the General Meeting held on 21st October 2016: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
JF began her report by saying that Maurice Nairne had order forms for the forthcoming Parish Council publication, Tales from a Kent Village - Hildenborough, which costs £10. Copies of Hildenborough from A-Z can also be purchased from Mr Nairne.
The talk by Ian Beavis on Tunbridge Ware at the October 2016 meeting had been greatly enjoyed and he had been gratified to see the fine pieces which had been brought to the meeting.
Howard Dolling has written to the owners of the fifty-sixty of what he felt were the most interesting properties in the village for information about their houses and hopes this will provide sufficient material to produce three booklets each covering up to twenty notable properties.
The Society's membership has increased from sixty-seven to seventy-two and it is in a much better position financially.
More than one hundred tickets were sold for the production of Oceans of Cream, staged and hosted by the History Societies of Hildenborough and Leigh on Saturday 26th November 2016. It had been a great success, enjoyed by everyone, the only caveat being that the play had not been long enough! After expenses had been deducted there was a profit of £400. Of this, £80 was donated to Hospice in the Weald and the remaining balance divided equally between the two Societies. In addition, the bar produced a net balance of £92.
Bob Ogley will be speaking at the AGM on 21st April 2017 about the Great Storm in 1987, and in July 2017 Tim Asquith will give a talk on his research on the graveyard at St John's Church, Hildenborough. JF was sure these talks would be most interesting and hoped as many members as possible would attend.
Any Other Business:
Mellie has added to the website details of the crash of a Hurricane during the Battle of Britain which was well documented, but not where. He has found a reference suggesting that it crashed in Hildenborough. He would like to know if anyone remembers the incident, and if so, where it happened.
He has also added a piece about Hollanden Park/Hildenborough Hall, now the Raphael Centre on Coldharbour Lane. During the Second World War it was used as a teacher training college after the college had been evacuated from premises in London. From 1945-1954 it was a Young People's Christian Centre which Billy Graham once visited.
Could you please contact Mellie if you have any photos or memories of the building. His email address is [email protected].
Anne Mills raised a query on behalf of a neighbour in Ashley Road, off Brookmead. Does the Craft Cast business, Jones and Harvey, still exist or what happened to it? From what she remembers Craft Cast wanted to extend the estate over the site now occupied by Stocks Green School and later houses: they wished to sell more of their houses to Tonbridge Rural District Council which turned them down. Was there a fence or hedge set up between the bungalows on Ashley Road when they were first built?
If you can help with this query, please email Anne Mills at [email protected].
George Gorham has suggested bringing a large street map of the village and surrounding area to a meeting and then to ask members to indicate where they live and volunteer to carry out research in the area, for example, the floods in Brookmead. JF asked the members of the audience if this was a good idea. There was a positive response.
The greater part of the evening was given over to an accessible and scholarly survey of the Natural History of Hildenborough given by George Gorham. He looked at the way the village and its environs have changed over the past five or six centuries driven by forces such as the propensity of the river and its contributing streams to flood (as happened as recently as 2013), as well as changes in economic need, agrarian practices and technological change. All of these, he argued, have in turn, and sometimes conjointly, had a profound impact on the natural history of Hildenborough.
The talk was innovatively illustrated and well researched. Members greatly appreciated GG's contribution to the evening.
Date of Next Meeting:
This will be the AGM and will take place on 21st April 2017 and will include a talk by Bob Ogley on The Great Storm.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 21st October 2016
held in the Margaret Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 21st October 2016
The Chairman, Janet Foster (JF) was pleased to see so many people, current members, new members and visitors and hoped they would enjoy the evening. She welcomed and introduced
Ian Beavis from Tunbridge Wells Museum who would speak about the history of Tunbridge Ware.
Apologies for Absence: Steve ‘Mellie’ Corbett, Eric Spender.
Minutes of the Meeting held on 22nd July 2016: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
(JF) opened her report by first pointing out that in the adjoining room some old maps and photographs were on display and which were interesting to look at.
Also she asked that if members had any information, memories or photographs of the village, could they please get in touch. Suggestions for future speakers would also be appreciated.
JF gave the following details of the additions to the website which Mellie had made since the July meeting and thanked him for his continuing superb work on the website.
Photograph of Geoff Calderhead as a seven year old lad – added to Memories of Hildenborough School, under Tales of Yesteryear/ Memories 1.
A Eulogy to Jim England, by Pat Davies also two photographs – added to Tales of
Yesteryear/ Memories 2.
A Brief History of the Johnsen & Jorgensen Factory in Stocks Green Road, courtesy of
Tim Asquith – added to Notable Buildings.
Details and photographs of the ceremony to unveil the newly restored headstone and a
commemorative plaque to the two railway workers killed near Hildenborough station in
1898 – appended to the original story under Historic Events/ Railway Accident....
Two photographs added to the Photo Gallery/ Places page, of the Oak Cottage Tea Rooms
(now Easdale Cottage) and Oaklands in Vines Lane (now Alexander House), both courtesy
of Tim Asquith.
Memories of Hildenborough by Robin Oakley, including photographs - added to Tales of Yesteryear/ Memories 2.
Tickets for Oceans of Cream, staged and hosted by the History Societies of Hildenborough and Leigh, about the life of Commander A W Tomlinson and his tourist attraction, The Old Barn, were on sale and JF hoped that people would be tempted to purchase them.
Volunteers to act as 'interventionists' during the performance were also sought.
Raffle tickets were on sale, with prizes provided by members of the Committee. The draw would take place during the coffee break.
Any Other Business: There was nothing to report.
The evening concluded with a talk given by Ian Beavis of the Tunbridge Wells Museum on Tunbridge Ware. The talk traced the origins of the industry as a response to the growth as a tourist destination of Tunbridge Wells in the eighteenth century, through its height in the nineteenth to its lingering death in the twentieth century. Mr Beavis showed how the industry grew both through technical and marketing innovations. An excellent presentation, beautifully illustrated and elegantly structured which was well received as the generous applause at its end, indicated.
Several members brought examples of the craft to show to Mr Beavis.
Speakers' Programme:
January 2017 - George Gorham will speak on the Natural History of Hildenborough.
Date of Next Meeting: 27th January 2017.
Ian Beavis from Tunbridge Wells Museum who would speak about the history of Tunbridge Ware.
Apologies for Absence: Steve ‘Mellie’ Corbett, Eric Spender.
Minutes of the Meeting held on 22nd July 2016: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
(JF) opened her report by first pointing out that in the adjoining room some old maps and photographs were on display and which were interesting to look at.
Also she asked that if members had any information, memories or photographs of the village, could they please get in touch. Suggestions for future speakers would also be appreciated.
JF gave the following details of the additions to the website which Mellie had made since the July meeting and thanked him for his continuing superb work on the website.
Photograph of Geoff Calderhead as a seven year old lad – added to Memories of Hildenborough School, under Tales of Yesteryear/ Memories 1.
A Eulogy to Jim England, by Pat Davies also two photographs – added to Tales of
Yesteryear/ Memories 2.
A Brief History of the Johnsen & Jorgensen Factory in Stocks Green Road, courtesy of
Tim Asquith – added to Notable Buildings.
Details and photographs of the ceremony to unveil the newly restored headstone and a
commemorative plaque to the two railway workers killed near Hildenborough station in
1898 – appended to the original story under Historic Events/ Railway Accident....
Two photographs added to the Photo Gallery/ Places page, of the Oak Cottage Tea Rooms
(now Easdale Cottage) and Oaklands in Vines Lane (now Alexander House), both courtesy
of Tim Asquith.
Memories of Hildenborough by Robin Oakley, including photographs - added to Tales of Yesteryear/ Memories 2.
Tickets for Oceans of Cream, staged and hosted by the History Societies of Hildenborough and Leigh, about the life of Commander A W Tomlinson and his tourist attraction, The Old Barn, were on sale and JF hoped that people would be tempted to purchase them.
Volunteers to act as 'interventionists' during the performance were also sought.
Raffle tickets were on sale, with prizes provided by members of the Committee. The draw would take place during the coffee break.
Any Other Business: There was nothing to report.
The evening concluded with a talk given by Ian Beavis of the Tunbridge Wells Museum on Tunbridge Ware. The talk traced the origins of the industry as a response to the growth as a tourist destination of Tunbridge Wells in the eighteenth century, through its height in the nineteenth to its lingering death in the twentieth century. Mr Beavis showed how the industry grew both through technical and marketing innovations. An excellent presentation, beautifully illustrated and elegantly structured which was well received as the generous applause at its end, indicated.
Several members brought examples of the craft to show to Mr Beavis.
Speakers' Programme:
January 2017 - George Gorham will speak on the Natural History of Hildenborough.
Date of Next Meeting: 27th January 2017.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Margery Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 22nd July 2016
held in the Margery Finzi Room of the Village Hall on Friday 22nd July 2016
The Chairman, Janet Foster (JF), was pleased to see that so many people had attended the meeting on such a hot evening. She thanked Geoff Calderhead for being on hand to collect any outstanding membership subscriptions. The evening's speaker, Roy Ingleton, was welcomed.
Apologies for Absence: Janice Browning, Howard and Joy Dolling, Carol Miller, Evan Portlock, Carol Walters.
Minutes of the AGM held on Friday 22nd April 2016: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
The Society now has sixty-five members, of whom only ten are involved in any research project. If any member would like to take part, would they please contact the Project Manager, Pat Davies (PD).
The ceremonies at the station and the churchyard for the two railwaymen killed in an accident on the line toward the end of the nineteenth century were well attended and the unveiling of the headstone by Judith Upton, the great granddaughter of one of the victims, was filmed for BBC South East. Excellent refreshments were served in the Church Hall where a donation of £600 was made by Howard Dolling to Richard Evans, the representative from Woking Homes, a care home for elderly railway workers. (Photographs of the ceremonies were on display in the hall and will be put into the archive). Howard Dolling, Nigel Simpkins and Maurice Nairne were thanked for all their hard work on this project which has been so successful. Any surplus after meeting all the costs of the appeal will be kept to support a future project.
JF reported that PD has produced notes on the reconstruction of the swimming pool at Hildenborough Church of England Primary School which have been put on the website. The swimming pool, which regrettably is no longer used and has an uncertain future, was originally constructed in a wooden frame which collapsed. The present structure was rebuilt in the 1970's by members of the PTA. PD is seeking more information on the people involved and on the 1970's project itself. His email address is [email protected].
The Society's exhibit at the Flower Festival at St John's Church to celebrate the Queen's ninetieth birthday was admired by the many visitors. Joy Dolling had organised the display for which Steve Corbett had produced photographs of the Queen during her ATS days. They were thanked for all they had done.
Keith Dyer was thanked for giving two files of information on floods in Brookmead in 2000 to the Society's archive.
Any Other Business:
With the membership of the Society rising and the capacity of the Margery Finzi Room being reached, PD is seeking members' views on possibly holding future meetings downstairs in the Jim England Room.
Date of Next Meeting: 21st October 2016
Speakers' Programme:
October 2016 – Ian Beavis from Tunbridge Wells museum will speak on the history of Tunbridge Ware.
JF then introduced the evening's speaker. Roy Ingleton, who had agreed to speak at very short notice, is a former superintendent in the Kent County Constabulary, with a Master's Degree in policing who since his retirement has been fully occupied as a speaker, writer and translator. Tonight, after a short break for refreshments, he gave an illustrated talk on Burglary, Brothels, Brawls and Bestiality – Crime and Punishment in Bygone Kent.
The talk focused on the way society at different periods in our history matched punishment to particular crimes. This ranged over a largely retributive response in the fourteenth century to monstrously draconian punishments as the nineteenth century approached.
Apologies for Absence: Janice Browning, Howard and Joy Dolling, Carol Miller, Evan Portlock, Carol Walters.
Minutes of the AGM held on Friday 22nd April 2016: These were approved.
Chairman's Report:
The Society now has sixty-five members, of whom only ten are involved in any research project. If any member would like to take part, would they please contact the Project Manager, Pat Davies (PD).
The ceremonies at the station and the churchyard for the two railwaymen killed in an accident on the line toward the end of the nineteenth century were well attended and the unveiling of the headstone by Judith Upton, the great granddaughter of one of the victims, was filmed for BBC South East. Excellent refreshments were served in the Church Hall where a donation of £600 was made by Howard Dolling to Richard Evans, the representative from Woking Homes, a care home for elderly railway workers. (Photographs of the ceremonies were on display in the hall and will be put into the archive). Howard Dolling, Nigel Simpkins and Maurice Nairne were thanked for all their hard work on this project which has been so successful. Any surplus after meeting all the costs of the appeal will be kept to support a future project.
JF reported that PD has produced notes on the reconstruction of the swimming pool at Hildenborough Church of England Primary School which have been put on the website. The swimming pool, which regrettably is no longer used and has an uncertain future, was originally constructed in a wooden frame which collapsed. The present structure was rebuilt in the 1970's by members of the PTA. PD is seeking more information on the people involved and on the 1970's project itself. His email address is [email protected].
The Society's exhibit at the Flower Festival at St John's Church to celebrate the Queen's ninetieth birthday was admired by the many visitors. Joy Dolling had organised the display for which Steve Corbett had produced photographs of the Queen during her ATS days. They were thanked for all they had done.
Keith Dyer was thanked for giving two files of information on floods in Brookmead in 2000 to the Society's archive.
Any Other Business:
With the membership of the Society rising and the capacity of the Margery Finzi Room being reached, PD is seeking members' views on possibly holding future meetings downstairs in the Jim England Room.
Date of Next Meeting: 21st October 2016
Speakers' Programme:
October 2016 – Ian Beavis from Tunbridge Wells museum will speak on the history of Tunbridge Ware.
JF then introduced the evening's speaker. Roy Ingleton, who had agreed to speak at very short notice, is a former superintendent in the Kent County Constabulary, with a Master's Degree in policing who since his retirement has been fully occupied as a speaker, writer and translator. Tonight, after a short break for refreshments, he gave an illustrated talk on Burglary, Brothels, Brawls and Bestiality – Crime and Punishment in Bygone Kent.
The talk focused on the way society at different periods in our history matched punishment to particular crimes. This ranged over a largely retributive response in the fourteenth century to monstrously draconian punishments as the nineteenth century approached.
Notes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 22nd January 2016.
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 22nd January 2016.
The Chairman, Janet Foster (JF), welcomed everyone, members, new members and visitors to the meeting and hoped they would enjoy the talk on the Greenhouses at Foxbush to be given by
George Gorham.
Apologies for Absence:
Jenny Baker, Robin Ballard, Steve Corbett, Sue Gorham, Anne Mills
Minutes of the General Meeting held on 23rd October 2015:
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising:
The ceremony at the Half Moon to unveil the plaque in memory of Flight Lt John Romney Mather was very well attended, including by a passing motorist who had stopped to ask what was going on. A collection on behalf of the RAF Association raised £450 and in the pub itself £100 was collected for Help for Heroes. The event was well reported in the local press. Howard Dolling (HD) was thanked for conceiving the idea and carrying out all the work which had resulted in such a joyful and successful conclusion. The Society was also grateful to Jill and Alan Mackie, landlords of the Half Moon for their generous contribution.
The Society has agreed to take responsibility for organising an appeal for donations towards the cost of restoring the headstone in St John's Churchyard, which was funded by public subscription, to the two local railwaymen killed in an accident on the line near Hildenborough on 1st April 1898. A minimum of £1,400 will be needed.
Nigel Simpkins, who with Maurice Nairne has been researching the tragedy and its aftermath, reported that £300 has already been raised, including £100 from the Gardeners' Society and £50 from the HHS. A detailed article will appear in the February 2016 issue of Keys Magazine.
Maurice Nairne and Nigel Simpkins were thanked for bringing the state of the headstone to the Society's attention.
Chairman's Report:
JF reminded the audience that copies of This is Hildenborough from A-Z (£1.50 of each sale will go the the Society) and Notes from Hildenborough Parish Council Minutes 1938-1952 were available to buy at the meeting.
A query has been received from Anne Mills as to whether any research is being carried out on Pembroke Lodge, Tonbridge Road. The owners, the Nevards, might be willing to look into its history.
Several items, some from the archive, were on display in the adjoining room:-
Project Manager's Report:
The Vice-Chairman, Pat Davies (PD), gave the following update:-
The Website Manager, Steve Corbett, who was unable to attend the meeting had sent the following information on new additions to the website:-
Howard Dolling (HD) told the meeting that the Society was considering producing a booklet on interesting houses in Hildenborough, possibly divided into categories and would welcome any suggestions. He would contact Anne Mills and also the owners of Pembroke Lodge.
A short break then followed with refreshments served by JD who was thanked by the Chairman for doing this.
At the end of the meeting George Gorham gave a wide- ranging and detailed presentation looking at the history and development of the country house greenhouse. He drew on his considerable experience and research of these intriguing structures. Mr Gorham, who ran a business designing, researching, and building/restoring many country house greenhouses, used these materials to illustrate his talk. He showed how he painstakingly pieced together the reconstruction of an important greenhouse at Arundel Castle and more immediately, he demonstrated how, using his methodologies, it was possible to show how the various horticultural buildings that once adorned Foxbush, might have looked. A well thought through presentation which was well received and provoked a lively discussion. Splendid.
Date of Next Meeting:
Friday, 22nd April 2016, the AGM, which will feature a talk by Chris Rowley on the History of Princess Christian's Home.
END.
George Gorham.
Apologies for Absence:
Jenny Baker, Robin Ballard, Steve Corbett, Sue Gorham, Anne Mills
Minutes of the General Meeting held on 23rd October 2015:
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising:
The ceremony at the Half Moon to unveil the plaque in memory of Flight Lt John Romney Mather was very well attended, including by a passing motorist who had stopped to ask what was going on. A collection on behalf of the RAF Association raised £450 and in the pub itself £100 was collected for Help for Heroes. The event was well reported in the local press. Howard Dolling (HD) was thanked for conceiving the idea and carrying out all the work which had resulted in such a joyful and successful conclusion. The Society was also grateful to Jill and Alan Mackie, landlords of the Half Moon for their generous contribution.
The Society has agreed to take responsibility for organising an appeal for donations towards the cost of restoring the headstone in St John's Churchyard, which was funded by public subscription, to the two local railwaymen killed in an accident on the line near Hildenborough on 1st April 1898. A minimum of £1,400 will be needed.
Nigel Simpkins, who with Maurice Nairne has been researching the tragedy and its aftermath, reported that £300 has already been raised, including £100 from the Gardeners' Society and £50 from the HHS. A detailed article will appear in the February 2016 issue of Keys Magazine.
Maurice Nairne and Nigel Simpkins were thanked for bringing the state of the headstone to the Society's attention.
Chairman's Report:
JF reminded the audience that copies of This is Hildenborough from A-Z (£1.50 of each sale will go the the Society) and Notes from Hildenborough Parish Council Minutes 1938-1952 were available to buy at the meeting.
A query has been received from Anne Mills as to whether any research is being carried out on Pembroke Lodge, Tonbridge Road. The owners, the Nevards, might be willing to look into its history.
Several items, some from the archive, were on display in the adjoining room:-
- a modern copy of a tithe map of the Hollanden Estate;
- a photograph of the 1946/47 Hildenborough Football team; and
- a photograph of a Home Guard company and names and addresses of a second company
- material from Tim Asquith's research on St John's Churchyard.
Project Manager's Report:
The Vice-Chairman, Pat Davies (PD), gave the following update:-
- a number of villagers have been approached for personal memories;
- Joint Project Manager, Joy Dolling (JD), has produced details of village shops and would appreciate any information on old shops;
- help is also needed to identify the subjects and people in the large photographs in the Jim England Room in the Village Hall; and
- the Society is very grateful to Liz Toy for the loan of her father's papers so that they can be listed, sorted into categories and details recorded in the archive.
The Website Manager, Steve Corbett, who was unable to attend the meeting had sent the following information on new additions to the website:-
- a new page on maps, so far a 1964 map and an 1842 tithe map to follow;
- Marshall Browning's memories of life in the village;
- the story of the two railwaymen and an appeal for funds to renovate the headstone
- a new page on pubs, including brief histories and an appeal for more information particularly about the Blue Anchor, the Ho John Barleycorn, and the Toby Philpott;
- Geoff Calderhead's research on Percy 'Dummy' Parker, the cobbler who had premises near the Flying Dutchman
- photographs of the celebration at The Half Moon for the unveiling of the plaque in memory of Flight Lt John Mather (they were also on display at the meeting.)
Howard Dolling (HD) told the meeting that the Society was considering producing a booklet on interesting houses in Hildenborough, possibly divided into categories and would welcome any suggestions. He would contact Anne Mills and also the owners of Pembroke Lodge.
A short break then followed with refreshments served by JD who was thanked by the Chairman for doing this.
At the end of the meeting George Gorham gave a wide- ranging and detailed presentation looking at the history and development of the country house greenhouse. He drew on his considerable experience and research of these intriguing structures. Mr Gorham, who ran a business designing, researching, and building/restoring many country house greenhouses, used these materials to illustrate his talk. He showed how he painstakingly pieced together the reconstruction of an important greenhouse at Arundel Castle and more immediately, he demonstrated how, using his methodologies, it was possible to show how the various horticultural buildings that once adorned Foxbush, might have looked. A well thought through presentation which was well received and provoked a lively discussion. Splendid.
Date of Next Meeting:
Friday, 22nd April 2016, the AGM, which will feature a talk by Chris Rowley on the History of Princess Christian's Home.
END.
Notes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 23rd October 2015
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 23rd October 2015
The Chairman, Janet Foster (JF), thanked everyone, members and visitors, for coming to the meeting and hoped they would enjoy the talk on Windmills in Kent to be given by Dr Alan Heyes.
Apologies for Absence
Tim Asquith, Tracy Chandler, Sue Gorham, Diana Hawkins, Julia Whitehead
Minutes of the Meeting held on 24th July 2015
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
Chairman's Report
JF began with the sad announcement of the death of a long-time member of the Society, Mrs Patricia Woodgate. A card and condolences have been sent to her family.
The audience was reminded that copies of ‘This is Hildenborough from A-Z’ and ‘Notes from Hildenborough Parish Council's Minutes 1938-1952’ were available to buy at the meeting.
The Tree Ceremony held at the Recreation Ground on Wednesday, 12th August 2015 was well attended including several people who had been at the original ceremonies. There was a report of the event in the Town Crier magazine.
Geoff Calderhead's research on the cobbler who once had premises near the Flying Dutchman and his (GC's) memories of Hildenborough Church of England Primary School has been added to the website.
Tim Asquith is working on a plan of the graveyard at St John's Church and a copy of his work so far is on view in the adjoining room.
The role of Project Manager to a) identify research projects, b) match a project to a member who is willing to carry out the task, and c) to give help and support where needed or requested, will be filled by Vice Chairman, Pat Davies (PD) and Committee Member, Joy Dolling (JD). They will welcome suggestions of topics and volunteers to undertake the work. PD and JD were thanked for taking on this role.
Following concerns about the stairs to, and the acoustics of, the Finzi Room, Committee Member Sue Gorham has made enquiries about the availability and cost of hiring the Family Room at the Church Hall for meetings. Although the Family Room might be available, the cost would be much higher than that of the Finzi Room at the Village Hall, thanks to the very reasonable annual rental from the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee negotiated by PD. It is therefore, sadly, unlikely that the meeting venue will be changed.
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD) was thanked for conceiving and delivering the installation of a plaque at the Half Moon pub to Pilot Officer John Romney Mather, whose Spitfire crashed behind the pub on 27th October 1940. He has also arranged the ceremony which will take place on Sunday, 25th October 2015 when the plaque will be unveiled by Wing Commander Andrew Simpson of the RAF Association. A tremendous effort. The Society is also very grateful to Jill and Alan Mackie, landlords of the Half Moon, for their important and generous contribution to the cost.
HD explained that it was suggested at the last meeting after the talk by Malcolm Pettit and Geoff Calderhead that a memorial plaque should be put up for the pilot. He had checked that permission was not needed to do this, approached the landlords of the pub who were very enthusiastic and have made the largest contribution to the cost of the plaque. Steve Corbett (SC), Website Manager, also helped with the project.
Maurice Nairn has brought to the Society's attention the state of the headstone in St John's Churchyard to the two local railwaymen, George Upton and James Goldsmith, who were killed in an accident on the line between Tonbridge and Hildenborough on 1st April 1898. Nigel Simpkins has a photograph of the inscription taken before it crumbled away. The headstone was funded by public subscription and Maurice Nairn and Nigel Simpkins wonder whether the Society might support financing either a new headstone or a restoration of the inscription. (This was put to the audience and no objections were raised.) Estimates of the cost of both options will be obtained. Approval from the church will be sought and it is hoped that it may be possible to find relatives of the two men and if anyone can help, please get in touch. The photograph of the inscription and
Mr Nairn's note on the subject were on display in the adjoining room.
Before the coffee break PD asked the members of the audience to fill in the following short questionnaire:-
When did you come to the village?
Did your parents live in the village in their earlier years and from what date?
Did your grandparents live in the village and from what date?
It is hoped the answers will be a guide as to who should be approached for reminiscences.
A short break then followed with coffee and biscuits served by JD who was thanked by the Chairman for doing this.
The evening ended with a most informative and well illustrated talk on Windmills in Kent by Dr Alan Heyes. He covered the history of windmills and their wide variety of forms starting from the general and then funnelling down through those in Kent to our lost windmill in particular. A member of the audience noticed that the illustration of the Hildenborough mill which Dr Heyes had taken from the Windmill Society's data base was not that of the Mill Lane windmill. Overall Dr Heyes provided the meeting with an absorbing journey through the history, technology, economics and development of these historically important machines with insight and erudition. Splendid.
Date of Next Meeting
Friday, 22nd January 2016 and will feature a talk by George Gorham on the History of Foxbush.
Apologies for Absence
Tim Asquith, Tracy Chandler, Sue Gorham, Diana Hawkins, Julia Whitehead
Minutes of the Meeting held on 24th July 2015
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
Chairman's Report
JF began with the sad announcement of the death of a long-time member of the Society, Mrs Patricia Woodgate. A card and condolences have been sent to her family.
The audience was reminded that copies of ‘This is Hildenborough from A-Z’ and ‘Notes from Hildenborough Parish Council's Minutes 1938-1952’ were available to buy at the meeting.
The Tree Ceremony held at the Recreation Ground on Wednesday, 12th August 2015 was well attended including several people who had been at the original ceremonies. There was a report of the event in the Town Crier magazine.
Geoff Calderhead's research on the cobbler who once had premises near the Flying Dutchman and his (GC's) memories of Hildenborough Church of England Primary School has been added to the website.
Tim Asquith is working on a plan of the graveyard at St John's Church and a copy of his work so far is on view in the adjoining room.
The role of Project Manager to a) identify research projects, b) match a project to a member who is willing to carry out the task, and c) to give help and support where needed or requested, will be filled by Vice Chairman, Pat Davies (PD) and Committee Member, Joy Dolling (JD). They will welcome suggestions of topics and volunteers to undertake the work. PD and JD were thanked for taking on this role.
Following concerns about the stairs to, and the acoustics of, the Finzi Room, Committee Member Sue Gorham has made enquiries about the availability and cost of hiring the Family Room at the Church Hall for meetings. Although the Family Room might be available, the cost would be much higher than that of the Finzi Room at the Village Hall, thanks to the very reasonable annual rental from the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee negotiated by PD. It is therefore, sadly, unlikely that the meeting venue will be changed.
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD) was thanked for conceiving and delivering the installation of a plaque at the Half Moon pub to Pilot Officer John Romney Mather, whose Spitfire crashed behind the pub on 27th October 1940. He has also arranged the ceremony which will take place on Sunday, 25th October 2015 when the plaque will be unveiled by Wing Commander Andrew Simpson of the RAF Association. A tremendous effort. The Society is also very grateful to Jill and Alan Mackie, landlords of the Half Moon, for their important and generous contribution to the cost.
HD explained that it was suggested at the last meeting after the talk by Malcolm Pettit and Geoff Calderhead that a memorial plaque should be put up for the pilot. He had checked that permission was not needed to do this, approached the landlords of the pub who were very enthusiastic and have made the largest contribution to the cost of the plaque. Steve Corbett (SC), Website Manager, also helped with the project.
Maurice Nairn has brought to the Society's attention the state of the headstone in St John's Churchyard to the two local railwaymen, George Upton and James Goldsmith, who were killed in an accident on the line between Tonbridge and Hildenborough on 1st April 1898. Nigel Simpkins has a photograph of the inscription taken before it crumbled away. The headstone was funded by public subscription and Maurice Nairn and Nigel Simpkins wonder whether the Society might support financing either a new headstone or a restoration of the inscription. (This was put to the audience and no objections were raised.) Estimates of the cost of both options will be obtained. Approval from the church will be sought and it is hoped that it may be possible to find relatives of the two men and if anyone can help, please get in touch. The photograph of the inscription and
Mr Nairn's note on the subject were on display in the adjoining room.
Before the coffee break PD asked the members of the audience to fill in the following short questionnaire:-
When did you come to the village?
Did your parents live in the village in their earlier years and from what date?
Did your grandparents live in the village and from what date?
It is hoped the answers will be a guide as to who should be approached for reminiscences.
A short break then followed with coffee and biscuits served by JD who was thanked by the Chairman for doing this.
The evening ended with a most informative and well illustrated talk on Windmills in Kent by Dr Alan Heyes. He covered the history of windmills and their wide variety of forms starting from the general and then funnelling down through those in Kent to our lost windmill in particular. A member of the audience noticed that the illustration of the Hildenborough mill which Dr Heyes had taken from the Windmill Society's data base was not that of the Mill Lane windmill. Overall Dr Heyes provided the meeting with an absorbing journey through the history, technology, economics and development of these historically important machines with insight and erudition. Splendid.
Date of Next Meeting
Friday, 22nd January 2016 and will feature a talk by George Gorham on the History of Foxbush.
Notes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 24th July 2015
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 24th July 2015
The Chairman, Janet Foster (JF), welcomed everyone, members, new members and visitors to the meeting and was pleased that so many people had attended.
Apologies for Absence
Robin Ballard, Steve Corbett, Bob Duffin, Sue Gorham, Evan Portlock, Eric Spender
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 24th April 2015
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
Chairman's Report
JF reminded the audience that copies of This is Hildenborough from A-Z and Notes from Hildenborough Parish Council's Minutes 1938-1952 were available for sale at the meeting and would also be available at future meetings.
Maurice Nairne was thanked for the copy of his latest summary of Parish Council Minutes (1924-1938) which will be placed in the archive.
The Society was grateful to Geoff Brooks for the auctioneers' details of a number of important houses and estates in Hildenborough and Tonbridge.
Janice Browning was thanked for the PA system she has given the Society, which hopefully will improve the audibility of speakers.
JF reminded the audience of the Tree Ceremony which will take place in the Recreation Ground at 2.00pm on Wednesday, 12th August and hoped that many people will attend.
Treasurer's Report
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), reported that the Society now has forty-nine members and hoped that more visitors might join during the interval.
A digital projector has been purchased using the balance of the KCC grant. The bank balance currently stands at £389.
Progress on the Website since the AGM
Unfortunately, Steve Corbett (Mellie), the Website Manager, was unable to attend the meeting and had sent a progress report. JF said how much she appreciated the work Mellie has done to create and maintain the website. Memories of Hildenborough Church of England Primary School by Geoff Calderhead have recently been added.
Visit to Fosse Bank School
Anne Mills presented a report on the recent visit of a group of members to Fosse Bank School to meet the three boys who have been carrying out research into the history of the house, formerly Mountains, and to be given a detailed tour of the house and grounds. Carole Boyce, the boys' teacher, was thanked for arranging the visit, which was most interesting. Ann Mills' note on the visit will be placed in the archive.
JF thanked her and stressed how important it was to make local contacts.
Matters Raised by Members
The building of a seat in the church wall for bus passengers in 1929 and the recent ceremony for the Parish Council to pay the final one shilling yearly rent to the church was described by Maurice Nairne. The vicar of St John's at the time, the Reverend L G Chamberlen, who was also an active parish councillor, pressed for the seat to be built. He was also a strong supporter of buying land for the recreation ground. He served as a chaplain in the First World War and was awarded the Military Cross. Mr Nairne suggested that further research into the life of the Reverend Chamberlen might be interesting.
Any Other Business
Pat Davies, Vice Chairman, proposed that profiles of two prominent villagers of the past, Anita Fleming and Fred Balcombe, should be prepared. Adam Wingfield, the great grandson of Fred Balcombe has agreed to carry out the research.
JF closed the meeting, reminding anyone with information about persons, buildings or events in Hildenborough to get in touch with a member of the Committee.
Members then enjoyed a short break with coffee and cake served by Joy Dolling. The Chairman thanked Mrs Dolling for her work before introducing the evening's speakers.
The evening's talk was given by Malcolm Pettit and Geoff Calderhead, although focusing on the Spitfire which crashed at the back of the Half Moon during World War 11, the talk covered a much wider view of the history of allied aircraft disasters during the war. Mr Pettit shared his passion and comprehensive knowledge of the subject with the audience. The presentation was enthusiastically received.
Date of Next Meeting – Friday, 23rd October 2015
Apologies for Absence
Robin Ballard, Steve Corbett, Bob Duffin, Sue Gorham, Evan Portlock, Eric Spender
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 24th April 2015
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
Chairman's Report
JF reminded the audience that copies of This is Hildenborough from A-Z and Notes from Hildenborough Parish Council's Minutes 1938-1952 were available for sale at the meeting and would also be available at future meetings.
Maurice Nairne was thanked for the copy of his latest summary of Parish Council Minutes (1924-1938) which will be placed in the archive.
The Society was grateful to Geoff Brooks for the auctioneers' details of a number of important houses and estates in Hildenborough and Tonbridge.
Janice Browning was thanked for the PA system she has given the Society, which hopefully will improve the audibility of speakers.
JF reminded the audience of the Tree Ceremony which will take place in the Recreation Ground at 2.00pm on Wednesday, 12th August and hoped that many people will attend.
Treasurer's Report
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), reported that the Society now has forty-nine members and hoped that more visitors might join during the interval.
A digital projector has been purchased using the balance of the KCC grant. The bank balance currently stands at £389.
Progress on the Website since the AGM
Unfortunately, Steve Corbett (Mellie), the Website Manager, was unable to attend the meeting and had sent a progress report. JF said how much she appreciated the work Mellie has done to create and maintain the website. Memories of Hildenborough Church of England Primary School by Geoff Calderhead have recently been added.
Visit to Fosse Bank School
Anne Mills presented a report on the recent visit of a group of members to Fosse Bank School to meet the three boys who have been carrying out research into the history of the house, formerly Mountains, and to be given a detailed tour of the house and grounds. Carole Boyce, the boys' teacher, was thanked for arranging the visit, which was most interesting. Ann Mills' note on the visit will be placed in the archive.
JF thanked her and stressed how important it was to make local contacts.
Matters Raised by Members
The building of a seat in the church wall for bus passengers in 1929 and the recent ceremony for the Parish Council to pay the final one shilling yearly rent to the church was described by Maurice Nairne. The vicar of St John's at the time, the Reverend L G Chamberlen, who was also an active parish councillor, pressed for the seat to be built. He was also a strong supporter of buying land for the recreation ground. He served as a chaplain in the First World War and was awarded the Military Cross. Mr Nairne suggested that further research into the life of the Reverend Chamberlen might be interesting.
Any Other Business
Pat Davies, Vice Chairman, proposed that profiles of two prominent villagers of the past, Anita Fleming and Fred Balcombe, should be prepared. Adam Wingfield, the great grandson of Fred Balcombe has agreed to carry out the research.
JF closed the meeting, reminding anyone with information about persons, buildings or events in Hildenborough to get in touch with a member of the Committee.
Members then enjoyed a short break with coffee and cake served by Joy Dolling. The Chairman thanked Mrs Dolling for her work before introducing the evening's speakers.
The evening's talk was given by Malcolm Pettit and Geoff Calderhead, although focusing on the Spitfire which crashed at the back of the Half Moon during World War 11, the talk covered a much wider view of the history of allied aircraft disasters during the war. Mr Pettit shared his passion and comprehensive knowledge of the subject with the audience. The presentation was enthusiastically received.
Date of Next Meeting – Friday, 23rd October 2015
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 24th April 2015.
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 24th April 2015.
The Chairman, Janet Foster (JF), began by welcoming everyone to the meeting and was pleased to see so many attending including four new members.
Apologies for absence. Sue Gorham and Charles Vignoles
Minutes of the Meeting held on 20th February 2015
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising
There were no Matters Arising.
Chairman's Report
JF gave details of ongoing areas of interest.
She also thanked the members of the Committee for their support.
Secretary's Report
The Secretary had nothing to report.
Treasurer's Report
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), presented the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2015 which showed an income of £1,190 made up of subscriptions and a grant of £1,000 from KCC obtained with the help of our County Councillor, Valerie Dagger. The loan of £635 from the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee to cover the cost of installing a new storage facility for the archive has been repaid, using part of the KCC grant, leaving a balance of £555. The rest of the grant i.e. £365 will be used to purchase a digital projector which will be beneficial to the Society.
Annual membership subscriptions will remain at £5 for adults and £2.50 for juniors. There are now 43 members.
Nigel Simpkins asked about the rental of the hall for our meetings. HD replied that the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee have agreed a moratorium up to 30th September 2015, based on the Society meeting 4 times a year for approximately 2 hours per meeting (8 hours per annum). The normal tariff would be £6 per hour, but we have been offered a 50% discount. Therefore a rental of £24 will be paid in September 2015 and appear in this year's accounts. The HVHMC's offer was acknowledged as being very generous. The Treasurer’s report was seconded and agreed.
David Haugh, the auditor, was thanked for his prompt auditing of the accounts.
Website Manager's Report
Steve Corbett, Mellie, was praised for his wonderful work in setting up and maintaining the website. Details of work on the website since the last meeting in February 2015 include the following:
Archivist's Report
The Archivist had nothing to report.
JF has obtained from KCC Library Section in Maidstone a microfiche reader and eighteen empty boxes. More boxes are available if needed.
Election of Officers
The proposed Officers were re-elected on a show of hands with no opposition.
Chairman Janet Foster
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee
The proposed Committee Members were re-elected on a show of hands with no opposition.
Website Manager Steve Corbett
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members:
Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Sue Gorham
Amendment to the Constitution
The proposal to add the following sentence to the objectives of the Society, “together with presentations on subjects of both county and national interest”, was agreed by a show of hands.
Election of Auditor
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor and this was endorsed by members.
Any Other Business
A number of items from the Society's archive were on display in the adjoining room including the 1954 plan of the drill hall, since replaced by the current Hall, an old map of Hildenborough, two medals to celebrate the planting of the trees in the recreation ground planted to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary and the coronation of King George VI and a 1969 Hildenborough School PTA Newsletter which mentions the birth of a baby to Joy Dolling (JD).
A reminder that any information on the history and development of the current Fosse Bank School's site, formerly Mountains, will be gratefully received by the three pupils at the school who are involved in the research project there.
At the end of the AGM, members enjoyed coffee and cake which were served by JD. Before moving on to the second part of the evening the Chairman thanked Mrs Dolling for her work.
The AGM was followed by an excellent talk that traced the life of the artist John Frederick Herring Snr. Herring lived in Hildenborough during the second half of his life and is buried in St John's graveyard. The lecturer, Ron Huggins, walked us through John Herring's life and the development of his career as a notable painter of horses and country scenes. Mr Huggins' talk was richly illustrated, well constructed and very warmly received.
Date of Next Meeting
Friday 24th July 2015
Apologies for absence. Sue Gorham and Charles Vignoles
Minutes of the Meeting held on 20th February 2015
These were satisfactory and therefore accepted as correct.
Matters Arising
There were no Matters Arising.
Chairman's Report
JF gave details of ongoing areas of interest.
- Tim Asquith is preparing a list of possible future projects which will be summarised and put on the website.
- Carole Boyce, a teacher at Fosse Bank School, has been in touch about a project on the history and development of the school's building and grounds. The house was formerly known as Mountains.
- Fidelity's archivist in Boston has provided photographs of old Oakhill which have been put in the archive.
She also thanked the members of the Committee for their support.
Secretary's Report
The Secretary had nothing to report.
Treasurer's Report
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling (HD), presented the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2015 which showed an income of £1,190 made up of subscriptions and a grant of £1,000 from KCC obtained with the help of our County Councillor, Valerie Dagger. The loan of £635 from the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee to cover the cost of installing a new storage facility for the archive has been repaid, using part of the KCC grant, leaving a balance of £555. The rest of the grant i.e. £365 will be used to purchase a digital projector which will be beneficial to the Society.
Annual membership subscriptions will remain at £5 for adults and £2.50 for juniors. There are now 43 members.
Nigel Simpkins asked about the rental of the hall for our meetings. HD replied that the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee have agreed a moratorium up to 30th September 2015, based on the Society meeting 4 times a year for approximately 2 hours per meeting (8 hours per annum). The normal tariff would be £6 per hour, but we have been offered a 50% discount. Therefore a rental of £24 will be paid in September 2015 and appear in this year's accounts. The HVHMC's offer was acknowledged as being very generous. The Treasurer’s report was seconded and agreed.
David Haugh, the auditor, was thanked for his prompt auditing of the accounts.
Website Manager's Report
Steve Corbett, Mellie, was praised for his wonderful work in setting up and maintaining the website. Details of work on the website since the last meeting in February 2015 include the following:
- The family of a Luftwaffe airman, who parachuted out of his stricken aircraft onto the roof of the Boiling Kettle in 1940,visited Hildenborough in the 1970's after an article appeared in the Courier, to try to get in touch with people who had helped the airman. His daughter has now sent his life story, photographs, letters and postcards, most of which have been put on the website. There is also a copy of a painting, owned by Tonbridge Collectables, of the downed German aircraft on the website.
- There is now a feature on the Village Players and the research project, The Miser's Bargain.
- A page has been added giving links to Leigh, Plaxtol and Tonbridge local history groups and they have been asked to reciprocate. A similar arrangement will be sought with the Village Hall, Parish Council and Church websites. Local history information currently held on the Church website, including a list of all the vicars, has been transferred to ours and the task of transferring information from the Parish Council website remains to be done.
- Material on the Old Barn has yet to be added.
- Chris Rowley, Chairman of Leigh Local History Group, is writing a book on Princess Christian's Home and has agreed to write a summary for the website.
- HD is to attempt to scan a publication on Hildenborough Church of England Primary School which can then be put on the website.
Archivist's Report
The Archivist had nothing to report.
JF has obtained from KCC Library Section in Maidstone a microfiche reader and eighteen empty boxes. More boxes are available if needed.
Election of Officers
The proposed Officers were re-elected on a show of hands with no opposition.
Chairman Janet Foster
Vice-Chairman Pat Davies
Secretary Judith McQuillan
Treasurer Howard Dolling
Election of Committee
The proposed Committee Members were re-elected on a show of hands with no opposition.
Website Manager Steve Corbett
Archivist Tracy Chandler
Other Committee Members:
Geoff Calderhead
Joy Dolling
Sue Gorham
Amendment to the Constitution
The proposal to add the following sentence to the objectives of the Society, “together with presentations on subjects of both county and national interest”, was agreed by a show of hands.
Election of Auditor
David Haugh has agreed to continue in the role of auditor and this was endorsed by members.
Any Other Business
A number of items from the Society's archive were on display in the adjoining room including the 1954 plan of the drill hall, since replaced by the current Hall, an old map of Hildenborough, two medals to celebrate the planting of the trees in the recreation ground planted to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary and the coronation of King George VI and a 1969 Hildenborough School PTA Newsletter which mentions the birth of a baby to Joy Dolling (JD).
A reminder that any information on the history and development of the current Fosse Bank School's site, formerly Mountains, will be gratefully received by the three pupils at the school who are involved in the research project there.
At the end of the AGM, members enjoyed coffee and cake which were served by JD. Before moving on to the second part of the evening the Chairman thanked Mrs Dolling for her work.
The AGM was followed by an excellent talk that traced the life of the artist John Frederick Herring Snr. Herring lived in Hildenborough during the second half of his life and is buried in St John's graveyard. The lecturer, Ron Huggins, walked us through John Herring's life and the development of his career as a notable painter of horses and country scenes. Mr Huggins' talk was richly illustrated, well constructed and very warmly received.
Date of Next Meeting
Friday 24th July 2015
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hildenborough History Society
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 20th February 2015.
held in the Hildenborough Village Hall on Friday, 20th February 2015.
Janet Foster JF, Chairman, began by welcoming everyone to the meeting and apologised that the meeting scheduled to take place in January had been postponed.
Tracy Chandler, Steve Corbett, Ron and Norma Huggins and Nigel Simpkins were unable to attend.
Minutes of the Meeting held on 10th October 2014
The Minutes were satisfactory and signed by the Chairman.
Matters Arising
The Vice Chairman, Pat Davies PD, reported that following the identification of the trees planted in the Recreation Ground to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary and the Coronation of King George VI, plaques were to be placed on the trees. Eric Spender, Nevil Goad, Geoff Calderhead and Bob Duffin, who identified the trees, would be invited to attend the ceremony.
Chairman's Report
The Committee had met in January and Committee Members were thanked for their hard work.
Sadly, a member of the Society, Alan Mankelow, had died recently and the Chairman has sent condolences on behalf of the Society to the family.
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling HD and Vice Chairman were invited to bring the meeting up-to-date.
HD reported that the Society now had thirty four members, but more were needed. A successful application had been made to KCC with support from County Councillor, Valerie Dagger. The £1,000 grant would be used partly to repay the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee the £635 for the cost of installing a new storage facility for the archive material. The balance will be used to cover other archival needs. Letters had been sent to James Harman and Valerie Dagger thanking them for their support.
As the Website Manager was unable to attend the meeting, PD reported that the website has been widely accessed, including hits from Australia, Germany and Canada. Information has been received from the daughter of the Luftwaffe airman who parachuted down at the Boiling Kettle. The article in the Kent and Sussex Courier about the incident was not accurate.
Also added to the website are photographs of various football and cricket teams and of special police. Whilst the names of Committee Members have been added to the website no decision has yet been made on how to provide contact details.
JF was pleased to report that more work has been carried out on indexing and cataloguing the archive and some of the photographs and papers have been put into plastic sleeves for long-term protection. It will be some time before open access can be offered to those making enquiries. PD volunteered to investigate how access might be made available.
Bulletin 1 was professionally produced and well received. The Chairman said she was looking forward to Bulletin 2.
Tracy Chandler, Steve Corbett, Ron and Norma Huggins and Nigel Simpkins were unable to attend.
Minutes of the Meeting held on 10th October 2014
The Minutes were satisfactory and signed by the Chairman.
Matters Arising
The Vice Chairman, Pat Davies PD, reported that following the identification of the trees planted in the Recreation Ground to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary and the Coronation of King George VI, plaques were to be placed on the trees. Eric Spender, Nevil Goad, Geoff Calderhead and Bob Duffin, who identified the trees, would be invited to attend the ceremony.
Chairman's Report
The Committee had met in January and Committee Members were thanked for their hard work.
Sadly, a member of the Society, Alan Mankelow, had died recently and the Chairman has sent condolences on behalf of the Society to the family.
The Treasurer, Howard Dolling HD and Vice Chairman were invited to bring the meeting up-to-date.
HD reported that the Society now had thirty four members, but more were needed. A successful application had been made to KCC with support from County Councillor, Valerie Dagger. The £1,000 grant would be used partly to repay the Hildenborough Village Hall Management Committee the £635 for the cost of installing a new storage facility for the archive material. The balance will be used to cover other archival needs. Letters had been sent to James Harman and Valerie Dagger thanking them for their support.
As the Website Manager was unable to attend the meeting, PD reported that the website has been widely accessed, including hits from Australia, Germany and Canada. Information has been received from the daughter of the Luftwaffe airman who parachuted down at the Boiling Kettle. The article in the Kent and Sussex Courier about the incident was not accurate.
Also added to the website are photographs of various football and cricket teams and of special police. Whilst the names of Committee Members have been added to the website no decision has yet been made on how to provide contact details.
JF was pleased to report that more work has been carried out on indexing and cataloguing the archive and some of the photographs and papers have been put into plastic sleeves for long-term protection. It will be some time before open access can be offered to those making enquiries. PD volunteered to investigate how access might be made available.
Bulletin 1 was professionally produced and well received. The Chairman said she was looking forward to Bulletin 2.
Current Projects
Molly Brewer began the task of summarising the Minute Books of the Social Club and Judith McQuillan and Pat Woodgate are working on two more volumes.
Will McQuillan has interviewed Geoff Brooks of Trench Farm – transcript awaits revisions.
Pat Davies is in the process of interviewing Nevil Goad, a special constable, footballer and cricketer and Eric Spender.
Geoff Calderhead is researching the role cricket has played in the village, including the manufacture of cricket balls, the strike at the factory and Frank Woolley's Cricket School and Club.
Nigel Simpkins is continuing his project on Club Cottages.
Pat Davies and Mick Brown have received help from Shipbourne Local History Group with their research on the Fairhill Estate.
Anne Mills is continuing her research on the history of Foxbush House, now Sackville School.
Sue Gorham is building up information on houses in the village.
Maurice Nairne is continuing his sterling work summarising Parish Council Minutes and Parish Meeting Minutes from 1894-1958 and has only one more volume, 1924-1938, to summarise.
New Projects
Hildenborough C of E Primary School Swimming Pool Reconstruction 1977/78 – Pat Davies.
(A cookery book and footpath map produced to raise funds were shown and placed in the archive).
Summary/description for each “Historic Hildenborough” exhibit in the Village Hall – Joy Dolling.
Elliot & Spears' Lampshade Factory, now Fidelity – Tim Asquith.
JF agreed to draft a letter to Fidelity requesting photographs or other information.
War Memories – all members are invited to contribute.
Volunteers are sought to undertake research on the following projects:-
Home Guard
Percy Norman, village blacksmith and grandfather of Kelly Holmes
Johnson & Jorgenson's Glass Factory – originally Frank Woolley's indoor cricket training school
Story of the Village Hall construction
Molly Brewer began the task of summarising the Minute Books of the Social Club and Judith McQuillan and Pat Woodgate are working on two more volumes.
Will McQuillan has interviewed Geoff Brooks of Trench Farm – transcript awaits revisions.
Pat Davies is in the process of interviewing Nevil Goad, a special constable, footballer and cricketer and Eric Spender.
Geoff Calderhead is researching the role cricket has played in the village, including the manufacture of cricket balls, the strike at the factory and Frank Woolley's Cricket School and Club.
Nigel Simpkins is continuing his project on Club Cottages.
Pat Davies and Mick Brown have received help from Shipbourne Local History Group with their research on the Fairhill Estate.
Anne Mills is continuing her research on the history of Foxbush House, now Sackville School.
Sue Gorham is building up information on houses in the village.
Maurice Nairne is continuing his sterling work summarising Parish Council Minutes and Parish Meeting Minutes from 1894-1958 and has only one more volume, 1924-1938, to summarise.
New Projects
Hildenborough C of E Primary School Swimming Pool Reconstruction 1977/78 – Pat Davies.
(A cookery book and footpath map produced to raise funds were shown and placed in the archive).
Summary/description for each “Historic Hildenborough” exhibit in the Village Hall – Joy Dolling.
Elliot & Spears' Lampshade Factory, now Fidelity – Tim Asquith.
JF agreed to draft a letter to Fidelity requesting photographs or other information.
War Memories – all members are invited to contribute.
Volunteers are sought to undertake research on the following projects:-
Home Guard
Percy Norman, village blacksmith and grandfather of Kelly Holmes
Johnson & Jorgenson's Glass Factory – originally Frank Woolley's indoor cricket training school
Story of the Village Hall construction
New Material
History of the Old House, (Originally Marden's Farm), in Hildenborough, Kent, by Geoffrey Barber, September 2014. (Barber points out – p6 - that there is an error in the A-Z of Hildenborough about the property.)
Barber alias Nynne, Five Hundred Years of Family History in Rotherfield, Tonbridge and Brighton, by Geoffrey Barber, 2014.
Interview with George King recorded at his home on 2nd June 2014. (George King was born in Hildenborough and lived in the village until the age of nine or ten – this is essentially a war time boyhood.) Interviewer Will McQuillan
The Women's Fellowship Hildenborough, Photograph album of Ida Clark Lawrence who died in 1982. From the late Joan Dash.
Matters Raised by Members re Chairman's Report
The Chairman's Report was positively received.
Any Other Business Raised by Members
Maurice Nairne suggested that the A-Z of Hildenborough needed updating. Copies of the current edition, which costs £9.50, are available at the Farmers' Market, through Pam Gow, Clerk of the Parish Council and will also be on sale at the Annual Parish Meeting on 18th March 2015.
He also stressed the importance of the County Council consultation on the future of libraries in Kent and urged members to obtain a copy of the document and complete and submit the questionnaire it contains to KCC. Copies can be obtained from any library and the consultation runs to 8th April 2015.
Anne Mills asked whether meetings could be held more frequently. It was agreed that this should be put to the AGM.
Date of Next Meeting - 24th April 2015. This will be the Annual General Meeting.
Speakers' Programme
April meeting – Ron Huggins will speak about the painter John Frederick Herring Snr., who lived at Meopham Bank.
July meeting – Malcolm Pettit and Geoff Calderhead will speak about the excavation of the Spitfire which crashed behind the Half Moon during the war.
The evening ended with three informative and interesting talks by Tim Asquith and David Hunter who were thanked by the Chairman.
The Rise of the Players, by Tim Asquith
The Miser's Bargain, by David Hunter
Gaza Barracks, by Tim Asquith
End
History of the Old House, (Originally Marden's Farm), in Hildenborough, Kent, by Geoffrey Barber, September 2014. (Barber points out – p6 - that there is an error in the A-Z of Hildenborough about the property.)
Barber alias Nynne, Five Hundred Years of Family History in Rotherfield, Tonbridge and Brighton, by Geoffrey Barber, 2014.
Interview with George King recorded at his home on 2nd June 2014. (George King was born in Hildenborough and lived in the village until the age of nine or ten – this is essentially a war time boyhood.) Interviewer Will McQuillan
The Women's Fellowship Hildenborough, Photograph album of Ida Clark Lawrence who died in 1982. From the late Joan Dash.
Matters Raised by Members re Chairman's Report
The Chairman's Report was positively received.
Any Other Business Raised by Members
Maurice Nairne suggested that the A-Z of Hildenborough needed updating. Copies of the current edition, which costs £9.50, are available at the Farmers' Market, through Pam Gow, Clerk of the Parish Council and will also be on sale at the Annual Parish Meeting on 18th March 2015.
He also stressed the importance of the County Council consultation on the future of libraries in Kent and urged members to obtain a copy of the document and complete and submit the questionnaire it contains to KCC. Copies can be obtained from any library and the consultation runs to 8th April 2015.
Anne Mills asked whether meetings could be held more frequently. It was agreed that this should be put to the AGM.
Date of Next Meeting - 24th April 2015. This will be the Annual General Meeting.
Speakers' Programme
April meeting – Ron Huggins will speak about the painter John Frederick Herring Snr., who lived at Meopham Bank.
July meeting – Malcolm Pettit and Geoff Calderhead will speak about the excavation of the Spitfire which crashed behind the Half Moon during the war.
The evening ended with three informative and interesting talks by Tim Asquith and David Hunter who were thanked by the Chairman.
The Rise of the Players, by Tim Asquith
The Miser's Bargain, by David Hunter
Gaza Barracks, by Tim Asquith
End