As mentioned previously an old song sheet headed up Tonbridge School Songs and underlined Not to be Taken Away, dropped out of an old book on Tonbridge which I acquired recently. Well I'm glad someone did take it away and it's all very stirring stuff, including this wonderful song by A.G. Earl, music by Herbert Brewer (not heard of them? neither had I.) With all this talk of citizenship around at the moment maybe all the people of Tonbridge under the age of 25 should unite to start their day by joining in with this rousing chorus:
Carmen Tonbridgiense
Gather round the standard raised in yore,
Rich in antique blazon won from honour’s store,
Ho! The flag of Tonbridge lifted high appears-
Bravely has it floated thrice a hundred years.
Ours to guard its fairness, ours to spread its fame,
Ours to keep the scutcheon free from stain or shame.
Here shall Tonbridge flourish, here shall manhood be,
Serving God and Country, ruling land and sea.
Tonbridge pluck and spirit, Tonbridge brain and heart,
In the world’s great battle still shall have a part.
Choose we for life’s weapon harp or sword or pen,
Perish every sluggard, let us all be men;
Sprung from such a mother, see we help to crown,
Tonbridge with the garland of her sons’ renown.
Then shall Tonbridge flourish, then shall manhood be,
Serving God and Country, ruling land and sea.
Here where white sea-horses Roman Eagles bore,
Sternly glittering westward to our Kentish shore,
Here where great Augustine preached the Holy Rood,
Faith and law and freedom first ruled English blood,
Where the past and present clasp the future’s hand,
Still in ‘Christo fratres’ we united stand.
So shall Tonbridge flourish, so shall manhood be,
Serving God and Country, ruling land and sea.
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