Toc H was established in 1915 in Poperinge, Belgium (or pops as the soldiers called it) for soldiers operating in the Ypres salient. Its founder was the Rev. PB (Tubby) Clayton, an army padre, who opened a centre, or rest house, to provide both material & spiritual comfort for troops away from the frontline.
He chose a house, temporarily vacated by its owner, to use as his base, paying rent of 150 francs a month. It opened on 11th December 1915 & he called it Talbot House after a senior Church of England chaplain in the British army.
Talbot House soon became known by its initials T H, and then, in the radio signallers parlance of the day as Toc H.
The symbol of Toc H was an oil lamp with the Cross of Lorraine & it became known as The Lamp of Maintenance, each branch of Toc H throughout the world had such a lamp & it was lit on various occasions including every year on Tubby Claytons birthday.
The Ashby De La Zouch branch Toc H lamp was 1st lit by HRH the Duke of Kent on 27th July 1936
