Formed in January 1875 under the title of ” The Tonbridge Angling Club & Fish Preservation Society ” it’s avowed objectives were to provide sport for it’s members and to prevent poaching and netting of the Medway. It’s waters were from Powder Mill Lock to Hartlake Bridge and subscription, one guinea, entitling the holder to a family ticket. No Sunday fishing was allowed!

In 1879, the Society prosecuted two people for illegal fishing, both were fined, one 10/ and 6/9d costs or 14 days’ hard labour.

An agreement with the Tonbridge Skating Club for a joint lease of the Old Ballast Pit was entered into in 1882. Some years later it came under the sole control of the Society and in 2008 it was purchased outright. The Society was reorganised in 1891, changing it’s name to the Tonbridge and District Angling and Fish Preservation Society – it’s present title. The extent of it’s waters were from East Lock to Ensfield Bridge and with the addition of the more recently dug gravel pits and farm ponds, it controls basically the same water today.1894 saw the allowance of Sunday fishing from the Racecourse, now the Sportsground. The following winter was exceptionally hard, with the river from Tonbridge to Maidstone frozen, this was the downfall of the then Secretary, who drowned whilst skating.

By 1903, the supply of fish for re-stocking was, despite appeals, drying up and the Society had to start a re-stocking fund, a principle which continues today.

While the Society had, following the war years, been able to strengthen it’s financial position, come 1925, it met with hard times. One effect of those was that it had to dispense with the services of it’s bailiffs. This was in keeping with the economic state of the country, but by 1930 they were reasonably stable.

In 1930 the Society became affiliated to (the now disbanded) NFA and fished the first ‘All England Championships’ – later called the National Championships’ in the same year. Local matches generally started at 8am or earlier and finished with a weigh-in at some pre-arranged place in the town at 8pm. The Society had much trouble with pollution during the next few years, both from the sewage and the gas works.

Much has been written recently about environmental issues, but the Society has been at the forefront of the anti-pollution battle for years. 1952 saw the Society’s financial position rocked by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, coming as it did at the start of the new season. The floods of September 1968 are well remembered and in 1970, the Society’s waters once again suffered from serious pollution at Cannon Bridge. After legal action and protracted negotiations, compensation was secured and the waters restocked.

During the 1980’s, the much awaited flood prevention barrier became a feature above Tonbridge, however, much of the Old Weir pool and Shallows were lost as a result of it’s construction. As compensation, gravel extraction provided new waters and Haysden , Longfield and Barden lakes came under Society control. In 1983, a short stretch of the Wallers Haven near Pevensey was acquired and is now a shared water with P.A.C.E.S.

Much of the area between Haysden Lake and Barden Lake was developed by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council to form the Haysden Country Park, formally opened in 1988, with marked improvements In the facilities available for the Society.

In recent years, a section of the River Eden, a farm pond at Pippins Farm and Weirwood Resevoir have been added to the Society’s portfolio to further compliment the variety of fishing provided by the Society. This puts the Society in a strong position for the future among the largest clubs in the South and aims to continue offering the tremendous value for money that it has always done.