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More about us – a brief history of the Club

 

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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. Membership, and participation in rambles, was for men only, though wives did attend social events. This seems to have been normal in Victorian times; in the twenty-first century all are welcome.   

 

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.

 

In the early days social events played an important part in the life of the Club. 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. Although women did not attend the rambles, it is clear that this restriction did not apply to social events.

 

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.

 

The Club’s constitution rather quaintly states our object as “to organise and carry out short rambles to places tending to healthful and instructive recreation and antiquarian interest”, and we try to follow this principle when the opportunity arises.    

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. . . 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.

 

And are those actually women?!

 

 

Despite the ongoing social changes of the twentieth century, women were still barred from membership in the 1990s and only took part in an annual Ladies’ Day. A full Ladies’ Ramble was held for the first time in 1996 and the number of these events had increased to three a year by 1999. 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.

 

In earlier years most of our members were employed in small retail businesses and the rambles were always held on Thursdays, this being early closing day in many parts of London. Thursday is still our rambling day, but, 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.

 

As we approach our 125th anniversary in 2009, we invite you to come along and try out our mid-week rambles for yourself. You are assured of a warm welcome.

 

 

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