The Choir was formed in 1904 by Francis Foote, the first concert being a performance of Brahms Requiem in the Great Hall in Tunbridge Wells. The second concert was also at the Great Hall and the third was at the Opera House.

In July 1919 Francis Foote conducted a Peace Concert in Calverley Grounds with 2000 children and 200 adults taking part. At the Silver Jubilee of George V the choir gave an open-air performance of Merrie England.

The Assembly Hall was opened in 1939 and since the Second World War most of our concerts have been held there.

Conductors since that time have included Robin Miller, Dr. Harold May, Trevor Harvey and Myer Fredman who was Head of the Music Staff at Glyndebourne and lived in Tunbridge Wells. After Fredman was appointed a conductor in Adelaide in 1973, Derek Watmough, who had been Fredman's assistant, then became our Musical Director until our Centenary Concert in 2004 when he retired after 30 years with the choir. He was succeeded by Richard Jenkinson in 2005.

During our long history all the major choral works have been performed. Carol Concerts have also been a feature of the RTWCS. In recent years it has become a tradition to have a concert of singing and instrumental music in December at the beautiful parish church of St. Mary's, Goudhurst. Additional informal concerts are held from time to time.

Since 1985 there has been a choral link with our twin town of Wiesbaden. Members of the Choral Society have travelled to Wiesbaden on several occasions to join forces with Lutherkirche Choir or "Bach Chor". The German Choir with their conductor Klaus Uwe Ludwig have sung with us seven times in Tunbridge Wells, including our Centenary Concert in 2004. Our most recent exchange was in 2007 when we performed Elgar's "The Kingdom" in Rochester Cathederal (in May) and the Lutherkirche, Wiesbaden (in November).

For further details of the history of RTWCS and its events, see our Archive Section.