TONBRIDGE LIONS CLUB 

The Early Days

The summer of 1949 saw the beginnings of Tonbridge Lions Club

During the 1939/45 war a Tonbridge hairdresser CWH Addy was often in touch with servicemen from the United States and Canada. He heard many stories about the Lions and the aims and objects of Lions Clubs, and decided that he would try to organise a club in Tonbridge.

In 1947 he wrote to the headquarters office of the Lions International for advice and as a consequence was able to advise that office in 1949 that he had contacted enough interested men in Tonbridge to form a Lions Club.

The official formation of Tonbridge Lions Club followed on the 9th February 1950, though it had been operating as a club for some months prior to that date.

Barrell Organ Collection 1952

The founder members of Tonbridge Lions were:-

ADDY,       C.W.H                                President

ADAMSON,   D.B.                                Estate Manager

BOURNE   F.W.                                   Master Butcher

BROOKER,  G

BURKE, A.G.                                        Doctor

GARDNER,  B.T.                                  

GRAVES,  J.A.                                     Bank Manager

HANSON,  W.G.                                  Fire Chief

HOOKER, H.V.                                    Journalist

LETT  F.G.W.                                       

LONGHURST,  J.H.                             Farmer

PARKS  J.G.                                        Electrical Engineer

PIERCE,  W.                                        Watchmaker

PORTLOCK                                         Greengrocer

WRIGHT,  L.P.                                    Builder