Home

 Programme

F o r e s t   R a m b l e r s’   C l u b

F o u n d e d   1 8 8 4

 

w a l k i n g   i n   t h r e e   c e n t u r i e s

 

 

More about us – a brief history of the Club

 

Click to enlarge

The year is 1890.

Here we are in Epping Forest, a worthy

band of Victorian gentlemen  . . .

 

The Forest Ramblers’ Club was formed in November 1884 by a group of North-East London businessmen headed by Mr J H Porter, who became our first Secretary and Treasurer.

 

One of the Club’s first aims was to keep a watch on Epping Forest. After 15 years of legal struggles against the lords of the manors, the Forest had in 1878 become a public open space under the management of the City of London Corporation, so it was essential to make sure the Corporation were advised of any unlawful damage or encroachments.

 

Because of the Club’s connexion with Epping Forest, the chief officer was – and still is – known as the Ranger, and there were up to 15 Verderers, each responsible for a particular area. This latter office is long since defunct.

 

The Club soon began to explore footpaths on all sides of London, continuing to look out for any obstructions by landowners.

 

Membership was limited to men, but the old ramble programmes shew that in the Club’s early years Ladies’ Days were held at frequent intervals, especially during the summer months. These often took the form of river trips or visits to places of interest, with transport by trap or brake included where appropriate.

 

Evening social events also played an important part in the life of the Club in those early days. An annual soirée, consisting of an evening of music and dancing, was held from 1886 until about 1897, when dinners and social evenings found more favour. During this period there were also extended visits to places well beyond the Club’s usual area, such as Devon, Derbyshire, Cornwall, Paris and the Ardennes, and there seems to have been a considerable interest in natural history amongst members.

 

Some notable personalities have been members of our Club in the past. These include the author of rambling booklets E S Taylor (alias “Walker Miles”), Sir Lawrence Chubb, Secretary of the Commons, Open Spaces & Footpaths Preservation Society (“Pathfinder” of the Star newspaper), Percy Lindley, author of travel books, and Charing Cross Road booksellers William and Gilbert Foyle.

 

Rambles have been held continuously throughout the year since 1884, except during a few months in the Second World War when bombing was intensive. Only one walk is known to have been totally abandoned – at Cassiobury Park, Watford, on 12th February 1953, when the group was caught in a violent blizzard. During the 2001 foot and mouth crisis a complete substitute programme of walks, mainly in London, was arranged at short notice.

                               

                                              Click to enlarge

 

. . . and here we are again, this time in 2007 at Stopham Bridge in Sussex.

 

But, oh dear, whatever has become of the smart waistcoats and bowler hats?

Not to mention most of the beards and moustaches.

 

Click to enlarge

Where are the hats of yesteryear? 

Ladies’ Day in about 1900

 

Towards the end of the twentieth century the Forest Ramblers’ Club had acquired a certain notoriety in that not only was membership limited to men, but the number of Ladies’ Days had long ago been reduced to one a year and (apart from making the tea at the AGM!) this was the only event that women could attend. We are currently searching the Club’s archives in an attempt to establish when, and, if possible, why, women’s participation was so drastically reduced during the twentieth century in spite of contemporary social trends.

 

In 1996 it was at last decided to hold a Ladies’ Ramble and by 1999 the number of these events, which were proving to be successful and popular, had increased to three a year. In 2000 the Committee, now under new leadership, decided informally that women could be invited to all rambles and in 2001, as a further step, members’ wives were admitted as full members. In 2002, at long last, the Annual General Meeting voted overwhelmingly in favour of equal membership rights for all and the Constitution was reworded in non-gender specific terms.

 

As we have already remarked, in earlier years many of our members were employed in small retail businesses and the rambles were held on Wednesdays and Thursdays, these being early closing days in different parts of London. Nowadays we walk only on Thursdays and, owing to social changes and the gradual abandonment of early closing, our walks now tend mostly to attract retired people, who particularly benefit from the late starting times and availability of the London Freedom Pass and Senior Railcard.

 

We should like to extend to you a cordial invitation to come along and try out our mid-week rambles for yourself. You are assured of a warm welcome.

 

Home

Programme