There are not many businesses in Maidstone that can claim to be 125 years old and still going strong, but Brachers is one.

The law firm that now has its head office at Somerfield House in London Road, Maidstone, was first founded in 1895 by Henry James Bracher.

Mr Bracher, originally from Church House, West Malling, had moved to Clock House, Linton, on taking up a position as clerk to the guardian of the Hollingbourne Union workhouse.

He operated from premises at 33 Earl Street, and that was where he established his firm - in what is now the Cafe Rouge.

He was married to Marian (nee Neale) and the couple had four sons and a daughter Marjorie.

In 1912, he expanded the firm to take in his eldest son Guy, then aged 23, and his son-in-law - Marjorie's husband - Frank Miskin, and the practice became known as Bracher, Son and Miskin.

Guy had been educated briefly at Maidstone Grammar School and then at Malvern College. At the outbreak of the First World War, Guy signed up, initially as a Private, before being promoted to Corporal and finally granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant. He was serving with the East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) when he was killed in action at Albert in France on June 3, 1916. He was only 27.

In 1923, Guy's brother Philip Bracher, joined the firm, which moved to new premises at Star House in Pudding Lane in 1930.

In 1935, Gordon Brown (not that one) joined the firm as an articled clerk to Frank Miskin, introducing a third family to the practice.

Frank Miskin's son Michael joined in 1942, while Mr Miskin himself was appointed a board member of the Council of the Law Society of England and Wales in 1948, a position he held until 1959.

Continuing the dynasty, Philip Bracher's son, George Bracher, joined the firm in 1955, after graduating from Oxford, while his father became president of the Kent Law Society.

Gordon Brown's son Chris Brown joined the firm in 1970, but with business continuing to grow, the law firm was forced for the first time in 75 years to look outside the three families of Bracher, Miskin and Brown and appoint new partners.

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In 1977 George Bracher took over the role previously held by his father as president of the Kent Law Society and in 1980 he was appointed senior partner of the firm.

In 1985, the practice purchased a new office in Earl Street, on the corner with Pudding Lane, and in 1987 the name was changed to Brachers.

The same year saw the death of another tradition - the ritual daily post-opening with all the partners, with the firm bowing to the weight of modern technology.

The law firm bought its current headquarters in 1987, but they required extensive renovation and extension. The building was finally opened in 1990 with a ceremony attended by the then Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Mary Black, and the Lord Lieutenant of Kent who also happened to be Governor of the Bank of England, Robin Leigh-Pemberton.

In 1991, George Bracher stepped down from his managing partner role and an executive board was established to operate the firm.

Subsequent managing partners have included Peter Prince (1992), Geoff Dearing (1996), John Sheath (2004) and Philip Cunningham.

George Bracher retired in 1998 and when he was followed by Chris Brown in 2003, the firm finally lost its connection to the original family members.

In 2013, Joanna Worby was named Brachers managing partner – breaking through the glass ceiling to become the first female managing partner of a law firm in Kent. She is still in charge.

The firm, which took over the College Road-based Watson Neville practice in 2015, continues to grow and now employs 205 people.

It achieved a record turnover of £13.5m in 2018.

Since 2017, it has become widely known as the sponsor of the annual Leeds Castle classical concerts.

Mrs Worby said: “Our anniversary year gives us the opportunity to give back to the people of Kent who have been so loyal to us. During the year we will be sponsoring community initiatives including the Elmer Elephant art trail which will be held in Maidstone in the summer, and there are plans under way to plant 125 trees across the county.”

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