Winter 2014

Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society

2Front cover: Eridge Castle from Clifford’s 1832 Guide to Tunbridge Wells. see p. 10

We never really know how many of our members look at our web-site. Maybeyou didn’t even know we had one. It’s at: www.thecivicsociety.org. It was createdby Katharina and Daniel Bech back in 2004, and is managed by David Sandford.We decided it needed an update, so we have given it a new colour-scheme, newslogan, and re-arranged some of the pages. Please have a look and see what youthink. If you find that it looks just the same as before, then your browser may have‘cached’ the old pages. You can probably clear this by the old trick of switchingeverything off and then back on again, otherwise you might need to delve into thebrowser settings (or give us a call and we will see whether we can help).

We haven’t completely finished the new design. For example we must clear out alot of the old News items in the archive, and load up more details of our awardwinners. We are also looking for better ways of keeping you informed about eventsand changes in the town that need to be monitored. The new design has a pagecalled ‘Campaigns’ which provides a simple summary of such situations, but weperhaps need a more pro-active approach. As with everything else, we wouldappreciate your comments and suggestions.

A couple of years ago we had a brief experiment with ‘Facebook’, but it requiresa lot of effort to manage, and many people are suspicious and prefer not to use it. Wemust, though, try to re-engage - there are many benefits to be gained from the use ofsocial media. But we are old - our hair, you will have noticed (what we have of it) isexceedingly white - and everything is moving so fast. If there are any young thingsout there who would like to help, then please do get in touch.

One concern we have is that the design isn’t particularly suitable for phones andother devices with small screens. It is something that we will address in time, thoughwe are not sure at present how much of a problem it is. If there is anything, in thisarea or elsewhere, that you find especially difficult, then please let us know. CJ

Web-site re-design

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Personally Speaking ... 4

From the Planning Scrutineers by Alastair Tod ... 5

Chairmen’s Letter ... 6

Civic Society Awards 2014 ... 8

The Many Tunbridge Faces of Eridge Castle ... 10Dianne Brick and scenes of Eridge Castle on Tunbridge Ware.

History of the Central Station ... 13John Arkell outlines the development of the Central Station.

Nourish - Tunbridge Wells’ Foodbank ... 18Laurel Soden explains its objectives and operation.

Financial Summary 2014 ... 20

Mohammed Ali at Christ Church? ... 21Chris Jones looks at two residents of Herveytown.

Programme Notes ... 23

Forthcoming Events ... 24

Editor: Chris Jones. 52 St James Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2LBTel 01892 522025 Email clissold.jones@btinternet.comSecretary: Christo Skelton. 4 Caxton House, 19 Mount Sion, Tunbridge Wells TN11UB. Tel 01892 513241 Email christo.skelton@gmail.com

Contents

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by Chris Jones

Personally Speaking

News & Views

Quiz Questions ... Nobody responded to my question in the last edition. Maybenone of you knows the answer. More likely you just don’t like to show off yourknowledge. So here it is again (my thanks to Fiona Woodfield for telling me about itin the first place):

We all know the connection between Winnie the Pooh and Ashdown Forest,but what was the creative link between Tunbridge Wells and Paddington Bear?

You can’t say it isn’t topical, what with the new film about him. The new questionfor this edition is also topical:

The last of the ‘Mitford girls’ died recently. Their great-grandmother was anotable resident of Tunbridge Wells - who was she?

(No prizes, but honourable mentions for the first to respond - and maybe a prize ifyou can answer more than one - I have a few more lined up.)

An appreciative reader ... I’ve been meaning to mention this for some time, butthere was never space. Silly really, because its nice to get compliments. John Newmanrefers to us in the 2012 edition of Kent: West and the Weald (what we all probablystill think of as ‘Pevsner’). In the Introduction, he writes: "Outstanding are the bookletspublished by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society from 2002, short butcomprehensive monographs on architects and estates". The latest LHG publicationis not about artchitects or estates, but is nevertheless comprehensive - see the websitefor details of them all.

Another Question ... Not a quiz this time, just something that puzzled me. I wasreading about the disagreements over the creation of the Corn Exchange on thePantiles, and came across the phrase “no grindstone, no cheese”. The readers wereobviously expected to understand something from it, but it was beyond me. Hasanybody got any idea? (It didn’t actually refer to the Corn Exchange so it’s not theobvious connection.)

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From the Planning Scrutineers by Alastair Tod

We were pleased by the application by Skinners’ Schoolfor a substantial arts block beside the main school building.The new block presents an end to St John’s Road and is inmodelled brickwork which should make a suitable complement to the existing VictorianGothic building. The new building has now been approved and we will watch it withinterest.

There has been a new proposal to develop a plot at Grosvenor Walk. Thedesign is suitable but the access, from Grosvenor Park, is very tight and developingthe plot will cost a number of valuable parking spaces. There is also a problem withproximity to neighbours, one of which is the former studio of the Tunbridge Wellsartist Charles Tattershall Dodd, in the garden of his home Grosvenor Lodge. Thereis strong objection to the present application from the area.

Two current applications confront the problem of developing near Bredbury onMt Ephraim. We reported recently on the proposal, now going ahead, to replace amodern office building at the rear with a care home, a project which requiredsuccessive designs before it was agreed. One current application, for land to thewest of Bredbury, is for a semi-detached pair of large villas in Victorian style. Goodof its kind we thought, but pastiche depends heavily on the quality of detail andmaterials.

The second current proposal on a plot to the east of Bredbury is very different, fora small house, oval in plan, behind an existing stone wall. The lower floor is belowstreet level and gives onto a sunken garden. The upper floor follows the curve of theoval and the green roof slopes up from ground level. The originality of this designappealed to us and again we will watch with interest. It will be interesting to comparethree very different responses to the challenge of such a strong building as Bredbury.

We objected to a retrospective application for a large timber shed in the frontgarden of a listed house in Cumberland Gardens close to the public footpath. Whenthe application was refused the owners appealed, retaining a consultant who arguedthat the shed enhanced the character of the area. The appeal was dismissed, andthe owners have now applied for a smaller shed slightly further from the footpath.As a design the proposal still has no merit whatever and we have objected again.

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Tunbridge WellsDecember 2014

Chairmen’s Letter

This is the first time you have had a letter from Chairmen, rather than aChairman, so a short explanation would seem sensible.

The Chairmanship of our Society has a two-year term of office. Our previousChairman, Alastair Tod, whose term ended in November, had already servedhis second term of two years and understandably did not wish to extend, orrepeat it. Unfortunately, there was no candidate waiting in the wings to replacehim. Hence, the present – we hope, temporary - solution of sharing the role ofChair between three current members of the Executive Committee:

• John Cunningham, who has lived in Tunbridge Wells since 1997, was afounder of the Local History Group within RTWCS in 2002, is still its Chairman,and was Chairman of the Society from 2005-2008;

• Chris Jones, who has lived in Tunbridge Wells since 1981 and has beenthe Editor of the Society’s Newsletter since 1999;

• Brian Lippard, who has worked in Tunbridge Wells since 1971and livedhere since 1981. He has been Chairman of the TW Bridge Club and joined theRTWCS Executive Committee in 2013.

There will be no fundamental changes in the way the Society operates. Wewill divide the Chairman’s responsibilities between us, reflecting our individualknowledge, interests, skills and experience. We will rotate the role of Chair ofthe Executive Committee meetings and Members’ Meetings. Above all we willpursue the aims of the Society as vigorously as has been the case in the past.

Matters for ReportOn November 9th the Society took part in Remembrance Sunday Services

marking the Centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. These were heldboth at the Town Hall War Memorial, at which we laid a wreath, and atHawkenbury Cemetery.

Our new monograph ‘The Shock of War. Tunbridge Wells: Life on the HomeFront 1914-1919’ was published on November 6th and, to date, about 600 havebeen sold. Sales to RTWCS members so far have been disappointingly low, soplease get your orders in. The cover price is £9.95, but members pay only£7.50. We were very pleased at the support from the Courier, which serialisedparts of the book over three weeks and also offered a £2-off coupon for use atWaterstones.

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At the instigation of Cllr. James Scholes, KCC has funded the supply of 4copies of ‘The Shock of War’ to 48 schools within the Borough. Members ofthe Executive Committee delivered these to every school in the middle ofNovember.

Back in 2006 we were instrumental in getting some fifteen plaques put up onhouses within Tunbridge Wells, commemorating distinguished people who hadlived in the town. These were funded by TWBC. This year they have agreed tofund a further tranche of twenty four. Sixteen are to be installed in Decemberand the remainder in the spring of next year.

However, while the above is very satisfactory, we must concentrate on themajor issues currently facing the town - issues which will dictate its style andnature for the next 60-100 years:

· The future ownership of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons· The development of the Cinema site· The future of the Civic Centre and the proposed ‘Cultural Hub’.· The future of the Town Hall.· The pedestrianisation of the upper part of Mount Pleasant.

PLEASE NOTE: The Executive Committee has decided to change thepublished programme for our February meeting in order to discuss the futureof Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons. We are proposing to have a panelof 4-5 speakers from all sides of the issue, who will give their views, answerquestions and debate. More information will be circulated when the structureof the meeting is finalised.

Finally, may we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Chris Jones Brian LippardJohn Cunningham

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The Society’s annual awards werepresented this year by the Mayor, Cllr.

Julian Stanyer.

Opposite Page (top to bottom, left toright)• Sankey’s Oyster Bar• 5 Clanricarde Gdns (commendation)• Blue Cedars, Langton Rd.• 5 Chapel Place (public art)• Velohouse Cycle Cafe• Bills, Fiveways (shop-front award)• CAU Upper Mt Pleasant (shop-frontaward).

This Page (top to bottom, left to right)(like when you have your eyes tested)• Skinners Kent Academy• Spa Meadows, Ramslye• 18, Victoria Rd.• Oakfield Lodge, Camden Hill.

No Picture. Mr Edward Gilbert -Community Contribution Award for hisweb-site:www.allabouttunbridgewells.com.

Awards 2014

Pics: David Wright, Bryan Senior.

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Without doubt Eridge Castle is widelyrepresented on Tunbridge Ware. It hasbeen estimated that around thirty differentversions exist, with all the major 19th

century makers contributing at least onerendering of the view. Consequently,collectors of topographical TunbridgeWare find the question of Eridge anintriguing one and are often challenged,when attempting to attribute examples tospecific makers.

Several reasons can be suggested forsuch frequent representation of the view.The Abergavenny family and the Eridgeestate were especially important andinfluential in the local area both in the 19th

century, when Eridge Castle was beingdepicted on Tunbridge Ware and also inearlier times. From its inception in 1606,Tunbridge Wells was closely associatedwith Eridge.

The Eridge estateowned much ofTunbridge Wells and itwas on their land thatLord North discoveredthe chalybeate spring. Itwas also the Aber-gavenny family, whosunk the well and

prepared the site for visitor use. With theconstruction of the castle by Henry Nevillin 1789, Eridge increasingly became thefocus of attention for important visitors.For example, during the 1870s and 1880sthese included the Prince Imperial (theson of Napoleon III), Leopold, King ofthe Belgiums and Edward, The Prince ofWales. Visitors of such importance helpedto fuel public interest in Eridge, andencouraged Tunbridge Ware makers tocontinue to produce different versions ofthe view.

Ease of access, both to printed materialwith views of the castle and to theparkland itself, no doubt also encouragedTunbridge Ware makers. From the 1840sthey based their designs on prints ofEridge Castle produced in Clifford’s (seefront cover) and Colbran’s (below) guide

The Many Tunbridge Facesof Eridge Castle

In the Summer 2013 Newsletter Dianne Brick looked at variousimages of Tunbridge Wells on Tunbridge Ware. In this article she

considers how Eridge Castle was portrayed.

Eridge Castle, from Colbran’sGuide to Tunbridge Wells.

1840

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books for Tunbridge Wells. By the lateryears of the 19th century they may wellhave also been able to view the outsideof the building itself. Pelton’s Guide toTunbridge Wells in 1874 advertises thepark as “the chief ornament of theneighbourhood”, which from footpaths“commands excellent views of the castle,lake and richly wooded heights”.

A further reason contributing to thenumber of versions of Eridge Castle inTunbridge Ware is likely to have been thedesign challenge, which the buildingpresented. Colbran’s guide referred toEridge as an “irregular edifice” and thefollowing description by Rupert Gunnis inEridge Castle & the Family of Nevillhighlights its unusual architecturalfeatures.

It was “chiefly built of brick, coveredwith a grey cement, which was prone toflaking, revealing the brickworkunderneath. At every angle there was acircular tower, crowned with battlements.Scattered all over the towers and wallsof Eridge Castle was a wealth ofheraldry, depicted in white and highlightedin gilt”.

Not surprisingly there seems to havebeen a fascination for such a strange

building. This resulted in many TunbridgeWare interpretations, which were madein mosaic from the 1840’s until thetwentieth century. Different treatment ofdistinguishing features can be observed.For example the number of towers, whichappear on the building can vary as canthe treatment of the subject matter.

The fine example by HumphreyBurrows in the 1840’s (top left) showstwelve towers whereas a later versionfrom the 1870’s by Thomas Barton (topright) has thirteen.

The towers themselves are also treatedin a different manner. Some versionsshow a clock face and some have flagpoles and weather vanes. Examples madeat the end of the 19thand in the 20th

century tend to lack definition and detail.

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Similarly doors and windows are alsorepresented in different ways. This viewattributed to the Burrows family shows aprominent, pointed doorway and simpleslit windows ...

... whereas aversion byEdmund Nyeshows a roundarch to the doorand glazing barsto the windows.

Attempts were also made to depict theheraldic emblems on the castle. This mid19th century version by Edmund Nye hintsvaguely that such embellishments werepresent on the masonry and also showsivy growing up the walls.

As the 19th century progressed andpresumably as the shrubbery encroached

further, its presence became a moreprominent feature. This exampleattributed to Henry Hollamby, dating circa1880, shows ivy half way up the wallsand trees surrounding the castle.

A slightly later version, attributed toBoyce, Brown & Kemp, suggests that theivy is virtually covering the building.

Hopefully these examples go someway to illustrate the many variationswhich occur on Tunbridge Warerepresentations of Eridge Castle but thefinal mention is reserved for a particularlypuzzling version, which features a cat.Look closely at the flagpole on this mosaic,where a cat canbe seen climbingupwards. This isa very rareexample but notunique. To dateno one has beenable to explain itssignificance. DB

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Proposed disruption to services through London Bridge reminds ushow important the railway is to the town. John Arkell outlines its

development and, in particular, the history of the ‘Central’ station.

History of the Central Station

The South Eastern Railway opened asfar as Tonbridge in 1842 and by 1844 hadopened to Dover. Various schemes tobuild lines to the south had been putforward as early as 1836, but during April1844 the SER was considering a routefrom Penshurst to Hastings. A deputationurged them to build the line via TunbridgeWells. Peter Barlow, the engineer incharge, produced a plan and on 28th Maythe SER decided to go ahead with it. Acontract for construction was let and byAugust the SER was buying up landbetween Tonbridge and Robertsbridge –all this before any authorisation fromParliament. The haste was necessary tostop penetration eastwards by the rival

Brighton Company who were intent onreaching Hastings and possibly Ashford.The SER’s Tunbridge Wells branch wasauthorised by Parliament in the 1844-45session.

The first Tunbridge Wells station wasa temporary one, constructed atJackswood Springs, at the end of what isnow Good Station Road. It opened on 20th

September 1845. The contractor wasdelayed in the construction of The WellsTunnel (and therefore the main station)by not being allowed to dig shafts andexcavate the tunnel up the shafts. Workwas only permitted from each end, as thespoil would otherwise have had to becarted through the town. An early benefit

Tunbridge Wells station in 1847. Reproduced by permission of Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery

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of railways was the carriage of coal, as thecost was much lower. The MedwayNavigation Co. opened a private siding(or ‘coal wharf’) at Jackswood in 1846.

What is now Tunbridge Wells Stationfinally opened on 25th November 1846and Jackswood Springs became the goodsstation. The new station was central andconvenient to the town but far from idealfrom a railway point of view, being on acurve between two tunnels, and with aroad bridge across the centre of the site.The watercolour of 1847 (previous page)shows the original form of the stationbuildings. Note the arched colonnade andhow the chimney stacks and windowsappear to be central in the end elevation.The colonnade and the two front wingswere later demolished, though therepaired brickwork can still be discerned.

Tunbridge Wells acted as a passenger

terminus for five years while constructionof the line proceeded southwards. Onweekdays (incl Sat) there were seventrains from London Bridge to TunbridgeWells; and eight in the reverse direction.Of these, two trains up to London andone down were 1st class expresses. Twomore in each direction were 1st and 2nd

class only; while 3rd class passengers hadonly four trains each way. On Sundays,there were only four trains each way, allof which took all three classes. Thefastest journey time for the 1st classexpress trains was 1hr 25mins, at a fareof 10s6d. The early morning all class‘parliamentary’ train took two and aquarter hours and the 3rd class fare was3s10d. At that time an agricultural workermight earn about 10s a week .

Meanwhile work continued. Grove HillTunnel was completed by March 1848 and

Tunbridge Wells, early 1850s. Lithograph by John Cooke Bourne. Image reproduced by courtesy ofthe Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

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Bourne and depicts Tunbridge Wellsstation in the early 1850s as there arepassengers on the Down platform. Theplatforms are very short and not oppositeeach other (presumably the Downplatform was reached via a ramp fromGrove Hill Road). There is no shelter forpassengers to Hastings except under theroad bridge. To the left, where the carpark is now, there are sidings, though theonly means of access seems to be viaturntables. Carriages are being shuntedby hand - a porter was killed in 1856 doingjust this sort of work.

The 1866 OS map below shows anumber of changes. Passenger buildingshave been added to the Down platform -a canopy, booking office, waiting room,and stairs. The carriage shed at the far

end is now accessed from thenorth end.

By 1866 the LBSCR hadarrived in the town at the Weststation and the SER station wassuffixed ‘Central’. This namelasted until 1986 when the WestStation was closed. Aconnecting line was built in 1867between the West Station andGrove Junction just south ofGrove Tunnel though initially itwas used for freight only. A

Strawberry Hill Tunnel a few weeks later.The line to Robertsbridge was opened onthe 1st September 1851. The first trainwas a special to the Great Exhibition. Badweather and poor ground conditionsdelayed the final opening to Hastings untilFebruary 1852.

Cutting through to the Grove Hill Tunnelnecessitated the destruction of shops atthe corner of Grove Hill Road and theHigh St. A map at CKS (not reproducedhere) identifies them - they includeSaltmarsh, ‘Artists repository’, still inbusiness in Tunbridge Wells today afterseveral changes of site and owner. An1845 picture of them can be seen in PhilipWhitbourn’s 2011 booklet aboutTattershall Dodd.

The print opposite is by John Cooke

Ordnance Survey town plan of 1866.Note the school (ChristChurch)where Morrisons is now, andcottages occupying most of thepresent site of Hoopers.

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regular passenger shuttle between thetwo stations did not start until 1876.

In April 1875 the Magpie, a local paper,started to voice complaints that the stationwas wholly inadequate for a town the sizeof Tunbridge Wells. A visitor enteringfrom the Great Hall side and descendingtwenty-five steps to the booking officewould be told that it was ‘the other sidefor London’. With his train due to starthe had to climb the same steps and run243 yards around to the Up side to catchhis train. A foot crossing for passengerswas not permitted because of thecurvature of the tracks.

In 1878 the Local Board made a formalcomplaint. Fares were too expensive (therailway reduced the 1st class single toLondon from 14s 6d to 13s). The Boardwanted season ticket prices reduced too,

as they were the same as from Hastings.They also wanted better connections withRedhill and improvements inaccommodation for 3rd class. This musthave rattled the South Eastern becauseimrovements were soon forthcoming:longer platforms and canopies, a coveredfootbridge - and the building of GrosvenorBridge. New rails were laid on the line toHastings - the old ones no longerconsidered suitable for express traffic.

There were further changes twentyyears later. During 1906 and 1907 theVale Road Bridge over the station wasreplaced with a new structure. (More onthis in the next issue - Ed.) The newbridge was opened on 16th May 1907, andis shown in the postcard below.

The picture can be fairly easily datedas the footbridge still has open sides. On

Tunbridge Wells Central in 1907.

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August 27th 1909 the Courier reportedthat further improvements were nearlyfinished. The platform had beenwidened and had stone coping with aconcrete finish instead of brick paving.New girder work was in place for theUp side canopy which was to haveglass panels. An enlargement of theparcels office was in hand and thefootbridge was being glazed.

It was at this time that the colonnadeand wings were removed from thefront of the buildings on the Up side,and a canopy added to this elevation.

The postcard also shows the oldclock-tower above the Down platform,probably dating from the 1860s. Thiswas replaced in 1912, with a new rangeof “Wren-style” buildings, right, byBlomfield - Alfred or Reginald,depending upon whom you ask - includingSladen Chambers and a parade of shops.

The picture, left, shows thetimber extension to the Upplatform, installed in 1928 whenthe sidings and signal box wereremoved. The timber platformwas rebuilt in brock andtarmacadam in 1957 for theintroduction of the ‘Hastings’diesels. And then there were allthe changes in 1986 when the linewas electrified, but you probablyremember them yourselves. JA

Schools class locomotive ‘Wellington’at the southern end of the station,c.1938.

New station buildings above the Down platform- designed by Blomfield in 1912.

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Laurel Soden has been helping with this worthwhile initiativeA few years ago they were unknown -

now it seems every town in the UK hasone. Just as the recession has transformedthe high street – with new discount super-markets challenging the big chains – sofoodbanks have transformed the charitylandscape. Yet it’s surprising how little isknown about them. Established in the USin the 1960s, the first UK foodbank wasset up by the Trussell Trust in Salisbury in2000. The Trust, which is only one of manysuch initiatives, now has around 420. In2013/14 it distributed food parcels to almostone million people, a third of them children.Why do people turn to foodbanks?

A survey into their use was publishedby the Church of England and Oxfam lastmonth. ‘Emergency Use Only: Under-standing and reducing the use of foodbanks in the UK’ found that c.60% ofpeople turn to them after a suddenunexpected loss of family or personal

income. This might be caused by ill health,the breakdown of a relationship orredundancy. Bereavement is also a cause,from a sudden drop in family income, orbecause the person seeking help has togive up work to care for their dyingrelative. Less common, but alsosignificant (c.40%), are people whohaven’t experienced a particular crisis butwhose income is generally too low tomake ends meet. They may have poorlypaid work, insufficient hours or be self-employed with an unpredictable income.

A picture emerges of rising food and fuelcosts and stagnating wages. While familyand friends help out, many people lacksupport. Some struggle to understand thebenefits system, seeing it as complicated,remote and intimidating. Some use creditcards or short-term loans to pay foressentials such as food or rent, storing upproblems for the future. Nevertheless thereport describes how people see foodbanksas a last resort: describing going to a charityfor food as ‘shameful’, ‘embarrassing’ or‘unnatural’.

Why Tunbridge Wells?It’s against this background that

Nourish was founded, late in 2012, tocover Tunbridge Wells, Southborough,Tonbridge, Wadhurst and Crowborough.Despite its affluent image, this area stillhas pockets of deprivation: govermentstatistics show one in six households inthe borough living in poverty.

Nourish’s records show that changes

Nourish - Tunbridge Wells’Community Foodbank

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or delays to benefits account for 37% ofreferrals, unemployment and redundancy12%, debt problems 11%, domestic abuse10% and illness 9%. The impact of therecession and the personal shocksdescribed in Emergency Use Only havehit Kent and Sussex just as they have therest of the country.

How does Nourish work?Food collected at churches, super-

markets and events is taken to our storageunits at Tunbridge Wells. Here volunteersprepare packs of dried and tinned food,plus vouchers for fresh food that can beexchanged at local shops and cards withmenu ideas. Volunteers then take thepacks directly to people’s homes toensure confidentiality.

Nourish is committed to the higheststandards of accountability. Recipientsmust be referred by a GP, social worker,police officer or voluntary agency, suchas the CAB or Age UK, to ensure they’rein genuine need. It also recognises thatproviding food aid can only ever be ashort-term solution. Clients are limited inthe number of packs they can receive.Food aid gives them a period of respite.During this time we work closely withother agencies to find long-term support:help with looking for a job, training toincrease skills or advice with budgetingor nutrition.

Where next?We have built up an extensive network

of donors, sponsors and volunteers in justtwo years. Sainsburys, Tesco and Asdahave all contributed through donations orfood collections (Asda customers alone

donated three tons of food in 2013). Localbusinesses and agencies have beengenerous in their support: AXA PPP,Creaseys, AJ Bell, Town & CountryFoundation and TWBC. Big Yellowprovides storage for the food; churches,scout groups and schools help with foodcollection; and more than 60 volunteerscontribute through food collection,distribution, fund raising and support.

Last year Nourish provided food tomore than 700 recipients. We’re nowlooking to expand the area we serve. Ifyou’re interested in supporting our work– as a volunteer, trustee or driver; orthrough arranging a food collection; ordonating money – find out more at: www.nourishcommunityfoodbank.org.ukor email us at: office@nourishcommunityfoodbank.org.uk.You can also tweet @NourishFoodbank.

Even with the economy growing oncemore, the need for foodbanks isn’t likelyto diminish soon. We’d really appreciateyour support to ensure that no one inTunbridge Wells goes hungry.

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2014 2013UNRESTRICTED FUNDS (see Note below)

£ £ £ £INCOMING RESOURCES

From generated funds:Voluntary Income 6,125 4,366Investment Income 15 17

From charitable activities:Sales 3,006 2,195Events for members 1,464 759

Total Incoming Resources 10,610 7,338

RESOURCES EXPENDED

Charitable activities:Costs relating to sales 2.554 1,139Events for members 2,376 1,156Newsletter 1,430 1,401Support costs 2,870 2,000Community activities 352 321

Total Resources Expended 9,582 6,017

NET INCOMING RESOURCES 1,028 1,321

FUNDS BROUGHT FORWARD 12,034 10,713

FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD £13,062 £12,034

Note: From 2007, income and expenditure relating to Heritage Open Days have been separatelyidentified as Restricted Funds. These sums are not included in the figures shown above. TheRestricted Fund figures are as follows:

RESTRICTED FUNDS

Restricted Income: £1,900 £1,800Restricted Expenditure: £1,808 £1,838Net Restricted Incoming Resources: £92 (£38)

Restricted Funds brought forward: £2,584 £2,622Restricted Funds carried forward: £2,676 £2,584

TOTAL FUNDS

Funds carried forward: £15,738 £14,618

Financial Summary to 31st August 2014

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Mohammed Ali at Christ Church?In 1841 there were certain parts of

town where poorer people lived. Theywere the sort of people who made thewhole Tunbridge Wells thing possible: thelaundresses, gardeners and so on. Oneof those areas was Herveytown. Thereis hardly any of it left now, just thoserather charming little shops opposite themassive back side of the Crescent. Thehouses were small, but researching acouple of names from the census showsthat the lives of the residents could be asfascinating as any in the town.

Thomas Dudley was from a BlackCountry family, though his parents hadmoved to central London before he wasborn. His father was a locksmith, butswitched to the manufacture of buckles,where he patented a design that couldaccommodate the flexing of the foot. Hewas successful for a while but ‘fickle andcapricious’ fashions change, and buckleswere suddenly out. Everybody wantedshoe laces, so Dudley senior (William)turned instead to bell-hanging.

Thomas, meanwhile, was trained byAlexis Decaix, a neighbouring bronze andormolu maker. In those days Soho was acentre for small scale manufacturers suchas Dudley and Decaix. One benefit wasthe proximity to the homes of the wealthy.Decaix is best known today for a pair ofblue-john vases, designed by thefabulously wealthy Thomas Hope, withmountings by Decaix. They were valuedin 2011 at half a million pounds.

The Dudleys, father and son, also hadwealthy clients. They hung the bells inWarwick House, home of Princess

Charlotte, and later at Claremont, hermarried home. Thomas’ skills with bronzebrought him into partnership with ThomasGoodwin, veterinary surgeon to GeorgeIV, in developing a new process formanufacturing horse-shoes. The newenterprise failed, Dudley blaming aninstruction to Goodwin ‘from above’ thatinvolvement in commerce wasinconsistent with his position at CarltonHouse. Dudley was made bankrupt in1826.

Meanwhile, Dudley’s sister Mary, whohad won a silver medal at the Society ofArts in 1811 for a ‘drawing of a sleepingboy’, married a Persian engineer calledMohammed Ali Chakhmagsaz. Shereturned with him to Persia, where shetaught English to the daughters of PrinceAbbas Mirza. This Persian connectionprobably explains the other name in theHerveytown census: Thomas MohammedAli Dudley, aged 20. Could it be Mary’sson, back in England, and working withhis uncle?

What they were doing in Herveytownis not clear. The two men, aged 50 and20, are shown as ‘bell-hangers’, and wereprobably living there as temporary lodgers.They don’t otherwise appear in TunbridgeWells records. As ‘bell-hangers’ oneassumes that they were involved withchurch bells, and as Christ Church wasconscrated in 1841 it’s easy to make theconnection (it had a single bell, cast bythe Whitechapel Bell Foundry theprevious year).

It may, however, be an incorrectassumption. In 1828, two years after his

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bankruptcy, Dudley published a bookcalled ‘The Tocsin, or A Review of theLondon Police Establishment, etc’. It’s afascinating piece of social history. Heuses his experience as a parish constableto point out shortcomings in the currentpolicing arrangements, and much elsebesides. One wonders whether his viewson banking and credit might have beencoloured by his bankruptcy. The relevantbit, though, is his advice to house-holderson preventing burglary. Certainly he hasuseful ideas, for example that servantsshould sleep with a stout oak cudgelbeside them, with a dirk inside it; but themain drift is that the house be properlysecured. Windows and doors should have

locks and bars, and bells are neededeverywhere. One remembers that houseshad bells to ring for servants (have a lookin your roofspace, you may still find anetwork of wires and levers), but he alsohas them attached to window shutters tosound the alarm if the shutters are forced.

Is this a clue to the role of a bell-hanger? It was a nice idea thatMohammed Ali might have beeninstrumental in calling the faithful toprayer at ChristChurch, but perhaps heand his uncle(?) were simply burglar-proofing the houses on the new Calverleyestate. CJMy thanks to Ed Gilbert, Mike Fradd, andGeoff Copus for help with this research.

Other societiesReaders may be interested in the following events that have been advertised by

other societies. It would be wise to confirm details and any prices beforehand.Saturday 31st January. “Music in the Chapels Royal of Charles I and his

Queen” by Prof. John Harper of the University of Birmingham. King Charles theMartyr. 2.30.

Friday 27th February. “Alive or dead or the workhouse?” a lecture on Victorianmedecine by Dr John Ford, for the Friends of Woodbury Park Cemetery. CamdenCentre. 7:30.

Society NewsAnnual General Meeting 2014. The Chairmen’s Report on page 6 has already

explained the biggest change to arise from the Annual General Meeting - that theSociety now has three ‘co-chairman’. Christopher Nevill, the Marquess, wasconfirmed as President for a further three years. Christo Skelton remains as Secretary.Nigel Price has agreed to serve as Treasurer for another year. Peter Clymer stooddown as Vice Chairman, but both he and Alastair Tod, the retiring Chairman, joinedthe Committee. John Forster and Helen Featherstone chose not to stand again at theend of their terms as Committee members, and were replaced by Lorna Blackmoreand David Bartholomew. Gill Twells came to the end of her term as Vice President.We are grateful for the contribution made over the years by Gill, John and Helen.

23 www.thecivicsociety.org

Roger Joye previews our talks for the coming quarter.Programme Notes

At the time of writing (December 2014) we are reasonably hopeful that ourprogramme of talks for members in 2015 will be accommodated wholly at the TownHall, but we do recommend that, in case there is a late change of venue as the yearprogresses, you should keep an eye open for relevant messages in the newslettersand – much nearer each date – our website and your email inbox.

The season begins on 8th January with one of the Society’s most regular speakers,Fiona Woodfield, whose thoroughly researched “History of Powder Mill Lane”takes us from the Iron Age to the 21st century. Tracing the route of one of thelocality’s oldest roads and, many centuries later, the adjacent railway line, we shallfind out about three different proposals for a Southborough by-pass and learn abouta whole variety of industries which flourished by exploiting the natural resources ofthe wooded valley: medieval farming, a Tudor forge, gunpowder manufacture fromthe 18th century, a 19th century corn mill. We shall also hear about a wide range ofpeople – criminals on the run, worshippers at a non-conformist chapel, primary schoolpupils, and bomb disposal officers – and find out more about the buildings, workplacesand other facilities along the length of the lane: a mansion, a rubbish tip, a burialground, an abattoir, a sand pit, shops, refreshment rooms and an award winningnature reserve.

There has been a change to our plans for the following meeting. On 12th Februarywe are hoping to host a debate on the future of Tunbridge Wells and RusthallCommons. Please check emails and website for further details.

On 12th March we go back again in time and across two county boundaries forMarilyn Greatorex’s talk about “Standen: Life in a Victorian Household”. Manymembers will have visited this National Trust property situated just outside EastGrinstead and built in the early 1890s for the Beale family who commissioned PhilipWebb as architect/designer of the new building and employed William Morris’s firmfor interior decoration materials. Our guided journey through the house, room by

room, not only considers itsarchitectural and design features butalso brings it to life as a home throughthe use of anecdotes about membersof the Beale family (the children wereaged between 9 and 24 when theymoved in), their servants (over 40 ofthem), and the involvement of all ofthem in the local community. RJ

Standen. Photo by David Iliff. Lic: CC-BY-SA 3.0

CIVIC SOCIETYForthcoming Events

Meetings start at 7.30pm on the second Thursday in the month (unlessotherwise stated) in the Town Hall or the Royal Wells Hotel. Remember tobring your membership card. Suggested £2 donation from non-members.

The views expressed in this Newsletter are those of the named author or of the editorand do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Society.

Published by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society.Registered Charity No. 276545

www.thecivicsociety.org

Mar12th

Jan8th

Entrance to the Town Hall is via the main door. If you are late and find that itis locked, please ring the bell and wait to be admitted.

‘Standen - Life in a Victorian Household’Marilyn Greatorex on this Arts & Crafts property near

East Grinstead, designed by Philip Webb and furnished byMorris & Co.Town Hall

A forum to discuss the future of the Tunbridge Wells andRusthall Commons.

Please note that this is a change to the programme.Town Hall

Feb12th

Apr9th

‘Romney Marsh and its Medieval Churches’ an illustrated exploration by John Hendy from the Romney

Marsh Historic Churches Trust..Town Hall

‘A History of Powder Mill Lane’An ilustrated talk by Fiona Woodfield about this under-

appreciated road at the northern edge of town.Town Hall