Toc H

[eric]

I've just been browsing through the book "Keighley in the War Years" and found several mentions of Toc H. Who or What were Toc H and where did they get such a odd name from? Anyone any ideas?

[barcroftlad]

Not 100% sure Eric but I suspect it was a form of a "lodge" or benevolent Society. It had a lamp for a symbol, the sort that you rubbed to make genie appear!!! It was always there but as kids we didn't really know what it was. Cheers.

[fsharpminor]

We had a neighbour (Norman Walton) in the 60's in Malsis Rd who was active in Toc H. He seemed to he heavily involved in charity work. I thought they were something similar to the Round Table or suchlike. I also recall quite a bit of the charity work was connected with hospitals

[Andy Wade]

I thought this sounded familiar. It is a benevolent society that originated during WW1 at Talbot House which is in Poperinghe in Belgium. I've actually been to the house, during a trip to photograph the war cemeteries around Ypres.

Click here for more information

And here for even more information

T H stands for Talbot House. It's expressed as Toc H because Army signallers sounded the letter T as 'Toc' and H is sounded as 'H', so 'Toc H' for T H.

[barcroftlad]

That's great Andy. What an interesting story. There really are some good people in the world and adversity brings out the best in them. Thanks for this link.Cheers.

[danewiss]

My early recollection of Toc H

It was a rather derisory comment (doubting the intelligence of someone) as being

"DIM AS A TOC H LAMP"

[Andy Wade]

Aug 29, 2009 8:48:02 GMT danewiss said:

My early recollection of Toc H
It was a rather derisory comment (doubting the intelligence of someone) as being
"DIM AS A TOC H LAMP"

I wonder if that's a reference to British escapees using the tunnel under the house/garden during WW2.

[Andy Wade]

Actually having visited the first link I posted, there's a reference to the 'Lamp of Maintenance' and also the 'Chain of Light' referring to lamps being lit to celebrate Tubby Clayton's birthday.

[alumpot]

My great aunt Violet Mackley was a member of TOC H for many years, they used to have a meeting room in a house on Holker Street, think it was next door to what used to be Dr Lintons surgery

[eric]

Thanks to all! What a wonderful memorial to "Tubby" Clayton!