The Annual Dinner

Friday 14^th October saw the Friends get together for the Annual Dinner at the TW Golf Club where the excellent speaker was Fiona Woodfield.  Fiona is a local historian who writes regularly for example for the Civic Society in a way that brings her subject matter to life in an engaging yet informative way.  She proved to be an equally compelling speaker.  Her subject, Southborough Common and its people, was one of immediate interest.

Fiona gave breadth and perspective by looking at the professions, classes and dwellings that have been a part of Southborough’s past. As befits a dinner this included reference to drinking and eating venues such as the Hand and Sceptre which appears to go back to 1731.  The past that Southorough enjoyed seems to have been grand and colourful to say the least – Southborough apparently being notorious for its  high life, with even references to a bawdy house.  Fiona described how in the early part of the 20^th century a skeleton was discovered under the floor of a house at Modest Corner.  It was suggested that this might be the remains of a gambler who disappeared without trace in past centuries!  Rather less surprisingly the Common was the site of dancing both around the Maypole and also the Bounds Oak. Cricket balls manufactured in Southborough were used as recently as the 1951 England v S. Africa test match.  Naturally her talk culminated with reference to the glorious building that is St Peter’s Church.  The Church when it was built in 1830 to the design of Decimus Burton marked the setting up of Southbrough as a new parish separate from Tonbridge.

It was pleasing to note, from an answer to a question to Fiona, that the fact that the Commons are effectively owned and run by politicians has not been seen to be in any way detrimental. Whilst bringing back grazing on the Common has been a topic that has been mooted it seems that the hurdles in the way of this may prove insurmountable.

If anyone has any suggestions for future speakers please let a Committee Member know.

John Barber