Toc H (an abbreviation of Talbot House) was styled as an “Every Man’s Club”, where all soldiers were welcome, regardless of rank. Founded in 1915, by Neville Talbot, a then senior army chaplain, and the Reverend Philip Thomas Byard (Tubby) Clayton, it became a soldiers’ rest and recreation centre, with an aim to promote Christianity. It was named in memory of Neville’s brother Gilbert Talbot, who had been killed at Hooge in July 1915 Talbot House soon became known by its initials TH, and then by the radio signallers’ phonetic alphabet of the…
Category: WW2
Rowntree’s Cocoa: Advert from 1943
Rowntree’s is a British confectionery business founded at Castlegate, York by Henry Isaac Rowntree, when he purchased the already established Tukes’ cocoa and chocolate business. As a teetotal Quaker, he was able to add to the social side of the business: chocolate drinks were promoted as an alternative to alcohol for the working man. In 1869 he was joined in business by his brother Joseph, who developed Rowntree’s Elect Cocoa in 1887. Marketed as ‘more than a drink, a food’, it proved extremely popular, resulting in the firm having to move to larger premises. Throughout much…
Food Facts: Mother & Child
Government advice given to Expectant Mothers, during th Second World War, on the food they should be trying to eat to help with their health, and the health of their growing baby. How has the advice changed today? Mother and Child Of course you are anxious to do everything in your power for your baby’s well-being both before he is born and afterwards. The Government wants to help expectant mothers on the important matters of diet. There’s no need to worry about special food, the expectant mother wants a good…
Gunner Horace Charles Baldwin
One fears for the prisoners taken by the Japanese. Gunner Baldwin was being held in Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia). Gunner Baldwas was the son of of Henry Charles and Martha Baldwin and grew up in Farnborough, Kent. He was married to Winifred Elizabeth Maria (nee Carter) and had one son, Colin. Sadly Horace did not survive the war. He was a prioner of war onboard the Tamahoko Maru when it sank on the 24th June 1944. He was 31 years old. The ship had been part of a Japanese convoy leaving Koshiki…
Mortimer Family
The Mortimer Family Notable Family Record Father and Seven Sons Serving Mrs Mortimer, of 120 Homesdale Road, Bromley, gave to a Kentish Times reporter some particulars of her family’s exceptionally fine record of service for King and Country. Mr and Mrs Mortimer lived in Croft Road for nearly 20 years. They have had 13 children, and there are 11 living – seven sons and four daughters. The two eldest are twin sons, Horace Mortimer (who has a family of nine children), and Leslie Mortimer (who has 10 children). Three other…
Penny-a-Week fund
One of the most successful ways of obtaining money during World War 2 was through the Penny-a-Week fund. The fund was set up through a joint venture between the British Red Cross and St Johns to raise vital funds. The scheme worked by a voluntary contribution by wage earners of one penny per week, to be deducted from their pay. During the Second World War the average weekly wage was about £10. The funds was then supplemented by collecting cards and house-to-house collections. Within six months of the scheme being…
The Durling Sisters
It wasn’t only sons who helped fight the war in WW2. Many families with girls were also proud of their daughters achievements. This feature from the Bromley and District Times promotes the efforts of three sisters from Bromley. Two in A.T.S. and one in Land Army Many parents speak proudly of their sons in the Forces, but Mr and Mrs G. Durling, of 72 Martins Road, Bromley, are proud of their three daughters in the Services. Before the war Joan and Dorothy worked at Morris’s of Bromley, and Margaret was…
Put Some Beef into it
Torox Cubes was a lesser known beef bouillon brand made in England by Hugson & Co. Ltd. Manchester (“Manufacturers of “Atora’ Beef Suet). The story of Hugson & Co began in 1893 when Gabriel Hugon, a French engraver living in Manchester, noticed that his wife was having difficulty cutting-up blocks of suet in the kitchen. He saw an opportunity, and setup the first ever factory to manufacture shredded suet, in Manchester, UK. Although ‘Atora’ was no doubt its most popular and well-known product (still available today), they no doubt attempted…
William Noel Hickmott
Lance Bombardier William Noel Hickmott was the son of Thomas William and Beatrice Hickmott of Bromley. He married Amy Rabbeth in 1932 and had four children; William (1932), Sheila & Maureen (1935) and Ann (1937). William was part of the Royal Horse Artillery, 2 Regiment (Servie no. 1089687). He died on the 9th May 1943 and is buried at Massicault War Cemetery in Tunisia. After William’s death, Amy married Timothy O’Brien in 1945. Lance-Bombardier W. N. Hickmott Mrs W. N. Hickmott, 19 Mosul Way, Bromley Common, has been notified that her husband,…
RAF “Presents” for Hitler
By the mid end of the Second War World, Britain began using larger ‘giant’ bombs against the enemy. They were nicknamed the ‘blockbuster bomb’ by the press and referred to a bomb which had enough explosive power to destroy an entire street or large building through the effects of blast in conjunction with incendiary bombs. By informing the reader of the weapons being used upon the Germans during the Second World War, was this a form of propaganda to scare the enemy? This small feature appeared in the local newspaper in May 1943,…