Any Pea-Nut Club members out there? Thought per aps researchers on the list with both Irish and English roots might enjoy this snippet that I typed up for an English list. In an open letter to the "Post Bag," in June 1998, "Best of British, Past & Present" magazine, Miss M. C. L. LONGLEY, T/Wells, Kent wrote: "I refer to the article "Clubbing Together" in "Best of British" May 1998 in which the statement that the Pea-Nut Club was a Golden Wonder sales promotion is incorrect. It all began with a joke. Local journalists produced a fun paper at a special event to raise money for the Kent & Sussex Hospital, Tunbridge Wells. One young journalist, signing herself "Aunt Agatha," promised a bag of peanuts to any child who donated a dozen "bun" pennies to the cause (a "bun" penny was one bearing Queen Victoria when she wore her hair in a bun). One child did just that, so Mr. W. R. MURRAY, Managing Dir. of the "Kent and Sussex Courier," decided others could do the same and so the Pea-Nut Club was born. I was a made a member (no. 2087) in April 1932. Every week for many years "Aunt Agatha" wrote a letter to the children of the Pea-Nut Club in the! "Kent and Sussex Courier." She went on to become Mrs. Gordon CLEMETSON, Editor-in-Chief of the same paper. To celebrate 25,000 pounds being raised for the Kent & Sussex Hospital since the club began in May 1930, a Service of Thanksgiving was held in Christ Church, T/Wells, 6 Sept 1942. So many people were expected to want to attend that it had to be by ticket only. I still have the service sheet and my ticket. Not only did children become members, but also their relatives, friends and pets - in fact anyone and anything so long as the membership money was paid! My father made his bicycle a member, calling it "Old Faithful" as he used it day and night to get him to and from work. HMS "Revenge" was the first ship to help in a big way, raising 500 pounds to buy a hospital cot. Several RAF Squadrons also joined. Eventually the club became so large that it it had to have two paid staff. At one time the Pea-Nut Club kept the "Magic Cupboard" on the children's ward stock! ed with books, puzzles, games, etc., and when child patients were discharged they received a present from it. After the war Sir Archibald McINDOE asked for the interest to be revived to work for the plastic surgery unit at the East Grinstead Hospital. I regret I do not know whether the club is still in existence, but I know that at one time there were at least 350,000 members all around the world." Miss M. C. L. Longley, T/Wells, Kent.