Warners Solicitors

General information

Warners Solicitors was established in 1785 by Thomas Bowdler. Thomas moved from Shrewsbury to settle in Tonbridge in 1783 (the exact reason for his relocation is not clear but it was probably to take advantage of the booming town after the river Medway was made navigable).

In 1797 George Lingard took over the Firm, he bought a large house in Tonbridge from Frank Austen (Jane Austen’s uncle). This house was 180 High Street and it remained the main place of business for the Firm (that was to become Warners) until 2007.

William Gorham was taken on as a clerk in 1831, and after qualifying he became a partner. During his working life William became clerk to the Medway Company, clerk to the Turnpike Trustees and secretary to the Tonbridge Water Works Company. He was a great benefactor and supporter of the poor in Tonbridge and like his predecessor John Carnell served as a trustee for the parish who were overseers of the poor house.

The poor house was provided by a trust set up by Sir Andrew Judd (benefactor of Tonbridge School on land in Back Lane (now Bank Street). The poor house became disused in 1840 when the Poor Law Union built a new large workhouse at Pembury (Pembury Hospital). The building in Bank Street then became the National School.

The first member of the Warner family to join the Firm was George D. Warner, he became a partner in 1857 and the Firm became Carnell Gorham & Warner. The Firm went through various name changes with the coming and going of different partners, however there was always a member of the Warner family in the Firm. In 1955 the Firm’s name changed to Warners and it has stayed the same since. The last member of the family to become a partner was Charles Warner in 1978.