Letter: Should we be Twinned with Guildford Australia?

Published on: 7 Sep, 2022
Updated on: 7 Sep, 2022

On the right, Guildford High Street, on the left Woodbridge House, Guildford Western Australia.

From: Keith Dean

In response to: A One-Year-Old Dragon (2013 article)

Just wondering if our Guildford is going to twin with the Guildford, in Australia. I have relatives over there and they have asked me.

We forwarded Keith Dean’s comment to Barbara Ford chair of the Guildford Twinning Association (GTA).

She replied:

It’s an appealing thought, and not the first time the question has come up, as there is indeed a historical link. That is, assuming Mr Dean is referring to the Western Australian Guildford (there are others in Australia) which was founded by Captain Sir James Stirling – who was both married and then, 42 years later buried, at St Joseph’s Church, in Stoke Road. 

There is no reason why a town should not have more than one twin – our own twin town Freiburg im Breisgau has 12, for example – but the important and more difficult part is to maintain and deepen each twinning. I know from my own experience as chair of Guildford Twinning Association that it takes a great deal of effort by a number of people in both twins, both volunteers and council officers, to make a twinning meaningful and to keep it so. 

If Mr Dean, or indeed anyone, can muster a decent number of enthusiasts in both Guildfords, that would be a start. He would need to bear in mind the additional challenges posed, in the case of UK/Australia twins, to exchange visits (the essence of twinning) by the great distance and the time difference.

I personally would be very happy to talk to him about it. And he might find it interesting to look at our website at: guildford twinning.uk to see the kind of thing we at the Guildford Twinning Association do (and to find my contact details).”

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