On the first day of Bromley’s War Weapons week, the borough had raised an impressive £202,434 towards the fund, and by the following Saturday they had doubled their figure. However, not wanting to be outdone, their close neighbours, Beckenham, managed to surpass this figure mid-week! These figures appeared in the Kentish Times on Friday 28th 1941.
The final score for the weeks were Beckenham £460,968 15s and Bromley £440,730. Making that a total for the Constituency of £1,944,698 in just two weeks!
Orpington was aiming for £100,000 when they held their war weapons week.
And as this small article reminds us, this lighthearted rivalry meant that the ‘losing’ borough’s Mayor would pay for a savings certificate for EVERY baby born within the two weeks in both of the boroughs.
“But Beckenham have already taken pride of place and the Mayor of Bromley will have to “privilege” in consequence of buying a Savings Certificate for every baby born in the two boroughs during the fortnight over which the two Weapons Weeks have been spread.”
Source:
Bromley & Kentish Times, 28th February 1941
