The Lambert & Foster Timeline
Lambert & Symes and Ambrose & Foster were two firms of traditional auctioneers and valuers, both established in the early 1900s who merged in 1981 to form Lambert & Foster. Since then we have developed the breadth of our business to offer a wide range of property services to our ever expanding client base.
Travel back in time with Lambert & Foster as you see the changes through the ages back to the 1900s. We are fortunate that a long history brings a wealth of experience which we call upon for all our clients. Whatever the future may bring, we hope to still be helping our clients with the same level of professional service and trusted advice we have succeeded in doing for over 120 years.
Dan Page, BSc (Hons) PGDipSurv MRICS FAAV MBIAC
As a RICS registered valuer, qualified surveyor, member of the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants and member of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, Dan’s contributions to Lambert & Foster and Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners were always going to be professional and well informed. Dan has been contributing to the success of the firm’s wider service provision in Sussex since he joined at the beginning of lockdown in 2020. Dan takes on the formal day to day management of the Wadhurst office, which has been going from strength to strength since it was opened in September 2020.
In August 2021 we opened our new Hythe office which offers considerably more convenience for our existing clients in the area, and also for new clients looking to benefit from our wide range of professional and agency services.
In October 2020 Lambert & Foster and Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners were delighted to announce the opening of a new office in Wadhurst, East Sussex. Helix House on the High Street becomes our Sussex base for all things property and planning related.
Remote working and special measures put in place to deal with COVID restrictions whilst still providing our clients with the services they require.
Lambert & Foster in collaboration with Bloomfields publish a quarterly newsletter which feature the latests property and planning news. To read the latest edition click here >
Lambert & Foster are delighted to announce the expansion of their management team with the appointment of four new Directors.
Within the rural team, Chartered Surveyors Katie Hurley and Jon Booth are promoted to the position of Director. Katie heads up the rural valuation team. She has been with the firm for 7 years and her experience in the rural sector is enviable. Jon, looks after the firm’s estate management and lettings alongside advising on valuation, diversification and subsidy and grant issues.
Joining the main Lambert & Foster board from Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners (the planning arm of Lambert & Foster) are Tom Ogden and Gary Mickelborough, who also continue their Director role for Bloomfields. Tom and Gary oversee the day to day management of Bloomfields and recently supervised the expansion of services via the firm’s Sussex office.
Gary was made a Director of Bloomfields in 2016. Then also became a Director of L&F in 2018.
Bloomfields is the trading name for Lambert & Foster (Bloomfields) Ltd, the planning arm of Lambert & Foster and a firm of Chartered Town Planners providing planning and development consultancy services. Bloomfields has an excellent reputation for providing a first class professional, friendly and cost effective service. They work for individuals, limited companies, residents’ groups, local authorities and other public bodies.
Tom was made a Director of Bloomfields in 2015. Then also became a Director of L&F in 2018.
Katie was made a Director of L&F in 2018.
Rightmove is the UK's number one property portal. All of Lambert & Foster's properties can be found here.
Tim joined Lambert & Foster in 1994 and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1996. He studied at De Montfort University, having been educated at Lancing College. Born in Tenterden and having lived all his life in East Sussex and more recently Kent, he knows the local area well. Tim originally trained as a building surveyor and specialises in planning and development work. He is an RICS Registered Valuer.
In the 1990s, the Cranbrook Office was opened.
Nick joined in 1984 and made Parnter in 1992. He later became a consultant in 2019.
Alan is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS), a RICS Registered Valuer and a fellow of the Central Agricultural Association of Valuers (CAAV).
From a farming family in East Kent, Alan joined Lambert & Foster in 1986. He leads the Farm Agency and Auction teams as well as undertaking specialist rural valuations for lending, tax and litigation purposes.
The addition of Tenterden and Maidstone offices. Tenterden office pictured.
Paddock Wood became the main office of Lambert & foster. An office in Staplehurst was also opened.
Staplehurst office pictured above. Paddock Wood office pictured below.
In 1981 the two companies merged to form the name we know today - Lambert & Foster. The original partners of the company were John Butler, Hugh Chalcroft and Richard Hillier.
At 20 years old, John Butler, the longest standing member of Lambert & Foster, joins the team. He was recruited by Charles Hillier whose son later became one of the partners involved in the merge.
The glorious days of hand hop picking finally came to an end during the 1960's after a period of intensive agricultural mechanisation that had begun during the second world war.
Pauline Chalk (married to Major Chalk) was the only female auctioneer around at the time. She made Senior Partner of Hatch & Waterman which was based in Tenterden.
Hatch & Waterman later became part of the Countrywide Group which L&F periodically became apart of before leaving to retain their independence.
Up to 10,000 lambs were sold on the Horsmonden cricket pitch each sale. The foot-and-mouth crisis which began on 21st February 2001 effectively stopped it in 2001 and it sadly never re-opened.
The largest fruit auction which covered Kent and Sussex. Apples, pears and cherries. Originally it had over 1000 acres and 120 lots. The sale gradually got smaller over time with the last one being just 30 lots. John Butler was involved for over 30 years!
Eddie Lambert opened the practice, based in Paddock Wood with business partner Douglas Symes. The building Eddie Lambert built still stands today on the high street and continues to be Lambert & Foster's main Kent office. Originally the building consisted of a residential dwelling at the back with the office at the front.
Sadly Douglas Symes passed away in World War I.
Ambrose & Foster was a partnership between Dick Foster and David Benson. They managed the livestock auction in the 1900s, more commonly known as the Maidstone Market.
