Thanks for visiting my website. Please leave your comments...
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| Name |
Comments |
| 106) |
Dale Komander  |
Location:
Germany |
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 Tuesday, 30 May 2017 07:39
Hello, I have just found your site and will earmark it for later! You have one photo of the School of Musketry with a row of houses to the right. Of course (and sadly) the SofM is no longer there, but the houses (Military Terrace, built mid-1800s) are still going strong. I believe they're now listed buildings. My mother lived in one of them up to her death in 1998. I know Hythe well as I used to live there (1960s) and when mum moved there again in 1986 we used to spend a lot of time there, so I'm thrilled to see these photos, many thanks!
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| 105) |
Tracey |
Location:
Hertfordshire |
 
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Monday, 29 May 2017 19:52
Hi Christine,
Found your site while researching my paternal grandfathers sister and family Leonard & Rosina Netherton nee Howard, I discovered lived in the Old Aerodrome Buildings, Dymchurch Road, West Hythe on the 1930 Electoral Register. Rosina died in 1931. The next mention of him and the airfield was in the Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald 04 February 1933 which noted that a Possession Order had been served on January 24th by the Council who declared it unfit for human habitation. By 1939 widowed Leonard was living with his single step daughter Rosina and another widowed lady called Emily Mount in Sunrise Cottage, Burmarsh Road which I found on Google Streetview although suspect the property has had some adaptions since then!
I was unable to find any information or photographs about the Dymchurch airfield on your site and thought you and readers might like to see what I found online about the old place. There is some interesting information at Pastscape
[ www.pastscape.org.uk]
and photographs of the airfield at the Kent History Forum.
[ www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk]
I would love to hear from any descendants of the Nethertons or anyone who has information on the family and why they lived on the old airfield.
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| 104) |
Tracey |
Location:
Hertfordshire |
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Monday, 29 May 2017 19:49
Hi Christine,
Found your site while researching my paternal grandfathers sister and family Leonard & Rosina Netherton nee Howard, I discovered lived in the Old Aerodrome Buildings, Dymchurch Road, West Hythe on the 1930 Electoral Register. Rosina died in 1931. The next mention of him and the airfield was in the Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald 04 February 1933 which noted that a Possession Order had been served on January 24th by the Council who declared it unfit for human habitation. By 1939 widowed Leonard was living with his single step daughter Rosina and another widowed lady called Emily Mount in Sunrise Cottage, Burmarsh Road which I found on Google Streetview although suspect the property has had some adaptions since then!
I was unable to find any information or photographs about the Dymchurch airfield on your site and thought you and readers might like to see what I found online about the old place. There is some interesting information at Pastscape
[ www.pastscape.org.uk]
and photographs of the airfield at the Kent History Forum.
[ www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk]
I would love to hear from any descendants of the Nethertons or anyone who has information on the family and why they lived on the old airfield.
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| 103) |
Amanda |
Location:
Toronto |
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Thursday, 4 May 2017 06:17
Just to add to previous message lol I went to st eanswyths had my pic in the paper for the harvest festival pointing at a marrow!! My grandfather is buried in the rose garden across the street in the church went back a couple of yrs ago Folkestone has changed but the memories never will loved the seaside and the caves on the beach getting the #@*%!les in bags with some vinegar 99 icereams on our way to the beach great memories and going on the ferry for day trips to le harve
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| 102) |
Amanda |
Location:
Toronto |
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Thursday, 4 May 2017 06:10
My grandparents had the Clarendon Hotel on tontine street spent many a happy summers there
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| 101) |
wingmandusty  |
Location:
Folkestone |
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Tuesday, 25 April 2017 12:55
I Have been in Folkestone all my Life and Love looking at Past Photo's
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| 100) |
Sonia Warren |
Location:
Courtenay, BC, Canada |
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Saturday, 1 April 2017 20:21
Wonderful website. I grew up in Folkestone before moving to Canada. My family were all from Folkestone. I've been researching our family and found my GGgran mother at 1 Battery Terrace in the 1881 Census but I can not find any trace of this road. Was it by The Bayle?
Paul Seward Sunday, 2 April 2017 09:16
It looks like it, Sonia. Bayle Terrace was to the north of the town ditch, which ran into the Bayle Pond.
From the Folkestone Herald 23.08.30
"About The Bayle Gun. When the Corporation men dug up the old Shakespeare gun (Guildhall Street specimen), and was discovered it dated back to the aforesaid Tudor period a squad of excavators cast their eyes on the “gun” which was placed on The Bayle. But soon after the pickaxes set to work the Lady of the Priory (the late Mrs. Napier Sturt), through a representative, caused the work to stopped. The gun stood, and still stands on private property. Had this not been the case the piece of ordnance would probably have had a place amongst the old iron at the dust destructor. But stay. Perhaps this particular gun was once included in the armament of the Battery, which once had place on The Bayle. This battery, the site of it. is still in existence. Hence Battery Terrace and Battery Gardens."
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Sonia Warren Sunday, 2 April 2017 10:01
Thanks for the info Paul. I'll have to see if I can find an old map on-line. It's been fun tracing the family history through Folkestone and looking at the streets now and still finding the houses the family lived in. Can't find any trace of them in 1891. But the search will continue.
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Mark Hourahane Sunday, 2 April 2017 10:10
You won't find a map to that scale online, Sonia... because you're looking for a row of houses, not a road. There's a 50 feet to the mile OS map that's quite old in the library - that'll have your terrace. I will check next time I'm there.
I suspect it is where Bayle Court is now in Bayle Parade. That was marked as "Misn. Ho." on the 1907 25 inches to the mile OS map.
It is definitely on The Bayle as there's reference to it online.
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Paul Seward Sunday, 2 April 2017 15:37
Herald - 16.11.1907 :- Leasehold houses for sale by Banks and son 28,32,34 and 38 The Bayle - formerly Battery Terrace
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Christine Tuesday, 4 April 2017 13:48
Hi Sonia, Mark has been doing a little sleuthing for us, and has come up with these pics, first showing Battery Terrace on a map, then showing the row of houses as it is today. We are not sure if the building itself has been replaced, and I do feel it had to have been longer originally, as we have found addresses from No. 1 to about 38, but this is the site of Battery Terrace, although it is possible it was once on both sides of the street. (I had to put it onto a web page, because each time I tried to post the pictures here, it accused me of using a bad word!) [ www.warrenpress.net]
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Sonia Warren (nee Johnson) Thursday, 6 April 2017 20:50
Wow! Thank you so much guys for your sleuthing and pictures. Very much appreciated. So interesting to be able to put the pieces together. The family moved from Battery Terrace to The Bayle, Thanet Gardens, Peter Street, Dallas Brett Cres then my home at Brabner Close. I wish I had started this when my parents were alive. My Dad played for Folkestone FC too. Makes me want to come home for another visit. Is it possible to get copies of the the pictures and map on the website?
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Mark Hourahane Sunday, 30 April 2017 15:01
As you may have heard, my original thoughts were incorrect. Battery Terrace runs from the pond to the corner opposite the British Lion.
It's possible they were there when the change occurred, so The Bayle address and the Battery Terrace address are one and the same. It is now 28-40 The Bayle, numbered evenly (I guess two of them had been sold in Paul's discovered announcement above).
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Mark Hourahane Sunday, 30 April 2017 15:05
By the way, the map is the 50 inches to the mile map in the library upstairs. It's in the left cabinet.
You can ask them to copy an A4 section for 10p, although it'll just be on a photocopier so not that great a copy. They're huge, old maps... so a little awkward to get on the photocopier! As you can see, it's right on the edge of one sheet.
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| 99) |
ken white |
Location:
wasagabeach ontario canada |
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Friday, 10 March 2017 10:03
HI.WE LIVED IN CHERITON FROM 1939 TO 1965 MAUREEN BAILEY WAS MY WIFE HAD TWO KIDS. I WENT TO MOREHALL AND SHE WENT TO HARCOURT SCHOOL.I USED TO WORK ON RAILWAY AT THE JUNCTION
caroline smith Friday, 10 March 2017 13:49
I did see the ebay photo, but it was after the sale had ended, contacted the seller to see if I could buy it as it was unsold but didn't hear back, which is a shame. With regards to the garden, unfortunately when we bought it, it was so overgrown we had to have 28 trees cut down and clear everything except trees with TPO's, give me a few years and I promise I will start to make it look like a garden again! Still renovating the house....its taking some time!! Two years in, hopefully be finished by the end of this year.
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| 98) |
Caroline Smith |
Location:
Sandgate |
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Tuesday, 7 March 2017 23:58
I have recently moved to Sandgate, into a house called Leas Crag, Radnor Cliff Crescent. Have been trying to find out some history on it but can’t find anything other than it was built by Otto Marx in the early 1930’s.
My house runs along the footpath; ending from Radnor Cliff Crescent up to The Leas. Its the footpath where the old tram used to run from Sandgate Hill which closed around the end of the second world war if that helps.
Be great if anyone has any history for me.
Paul Seward Wednesday, 8 March 2017 05:46
A good place to start is with the Deeds of your property. Leas Crag was built for Alderman R.G. Wood, sometime Mayor of Folkestone. He was, ex officio, a Justice of the Peace and the proprietor of a Gents' Outfitters at the top end of Tontine Street.
The house was built in the southwest corner of a Sports Ground stretching all the way to the Metropole. It incorporated a nine-hole golf course. The railway ran from the end of the Leas on the opposite side of the path. The bridge abutments on Radnor Cliff Crescent are still in situ.
All I can find out from the local paper is that he had trouble with the heron visiting the pond at the bottom of your garden. From personal memory I believe that the property may have offered residential accommodation to elderly people in the early 70s.
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Christine- website owner Wednesday, 8 March 2017 08:35
That's great Paul, I had nothing on that house. Seems to me I remember R.G. Wood, and the shop, do you know the years he was in office? I was looking at the area on Google Street View yesterday, and was looking closely at those abutments, they almost look like castle walls. I didn't know that the railway had gone across a bridge there. I love days when I learn more about my home town - thank you, and thank you Caroline for asking the question.
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Paul Seward Wednesday, 8 March 2017 11:47
R G Wood - Mayor of Folkestone 1935-41, followed by George Gurr. I should have made clear that the Sports Ground had the Golf Course and not the house! The course was roughly where Cliff Road is now. Good pix on Britain from Above.
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Christine Wednesday, 8 March 2017 12:12
Oh, then I don't remember him, I am not quite that old!  I have come across his name many times though.
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caroline smith Thursday, 9 March 2017 16:15
I am so delighted that you have some news on my house, thats the first bit of information that I have managed to receive! My husband is delighted, yet sad that there was a golf course at the rear of the house, but not longer there!! Have tried to find deeds but they no longer exist. Also, there is a strange concrete bunker about four feet to the side of the house, have asked structural engineers, architects, the council, we are all bemused, even a friend of mine who is very interested in strange structures......no one can work it out! Be great if anyone has any ideas, almost looks like a pigsty but walls are very thick and have a ramp leading up to the?? Am so delighted that I have heard back from you, thank you so so much!!
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Christine Thursday, 9 March 2017 22:29
I believe Wood Avenue was named after R G Wood wasn't it Paul?
No idea about the bunker, does it have a top on it? Is it big enough for people to get inside? Wondering if he had his own air raid shelter built.
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caroline smith Friday, 10 March 2017 11:17
HI Christine, Yes, the bunker/pigsty has a roof, and room for about ten people, so long as they crouch down! I absolutely love this site, both you and Paul have been so helpful, I finally have some history for the house! Thank you, be great if there is any more info out there!
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Christine Friday, 10 March 2017 13:32
Looking again at that listing, it appears the photo didn't sell, so if you are interested, you might still be able to buy it if you contact the seller. The listing is here: [ www.ebay.co.uk]
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caroline smith Friday, 10 March 2017 14:02
caroline smith 11 minutes ago
I did see the ebay photo, but it was after the sale had ended, contacted the seller to see if I could buy it as it was unsold but didn't hear back, which is a shame. With regards to the garden, unfortunately when we bought it, it was so overgrown we had to have 28 trees cut down and clear everything except trees with TPO's, give me a few years and I promise I will start to make it look like a garden again! Still renovating the house....its taking some time!! Two years in, hopefully be finished by the end of this year
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Paul Seward Sunday, 12 March 2017 16:40
Wood Avenue indeed named after Alderman R.G. Wood in a similar gesture as George Gurr Crescent, Penfold Road and others. I'm very interested in Caroline's mention of a bunker as I know that there is a similar construction not far away. More anon on that one.
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Paul Seward Friday, 17 March 2017 13:07
Having visited the bunker I reckon that it is an air raid shelter. It has a six-inch thick concrete roof, with the entrance facing the house. Being built on sloping ground, Leas Crag was probably not suitable for an Anderson. The construction close by has been blocked off but I have arranged with the owner to open it up again at some stage. It is boarded up at the end but the accessible sides are constructed of railway sleeper interspersed with brick, so probably another homemade shelter.
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Christine Friday, 17 March 2017 13:25
Thank you for checking this Paul, it's so nice to be proved right! 
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| 97) |
David Connolly |
Location:
Canberra Australia |
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Tuesday, 7 March 2017 03:35
Greetings from sunny Canberra in Australia. My connection with Folkestone started in 1956 when my family moved to Cheriton (RMA) from Australia. I attended Sir John Moore Primary School and benefitted greatly from the dedicated teachers like Mrs Clayton, Ms Hollis and Mr Elsemore. Two of my siblings and their families remain residents in the area. After leaving Primary School in 1961, I attended Brockhill CSS in Saltwood until 1966. I have many fond memories of this school especially travelling to school by steam train from Folkestone West to Sandling. Jack Setterfield was the Principal at the time. (more memories to follow).
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| 96) |
Linda Allen |
Location:
East Sussex |
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Wednesday, 1 March 2017 04:25
Looking at the photos, have realised that dad's best friend was Ted Sellen, son of Jesse.
Paul Seward Wednesday, 1 March 2017 11:26
No doubt you've been on GSV, where, at No. 67 Canterbury Road, the painted advert is still visible (just)
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Tim Sharp Friday, 19 May 2017 14:54
Hi ,
I am Ted Sellens Grandson, been back in Folkestone for 30+ years now
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| 95) |
Linda Allen |
Location:
East Sussex |
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Wednesday, 1 March 2017 04:19
loved your website. brought back so many happy memories. My dad, Henry Herbert Thomas Allen, was born and raised in Folkestone and was head boy at Sidney Street School (lived next door). His best friend was Jesse Sellen, the butcher, and we would visit him when we came to Folkestone to stay with my aunt in Ingoldsby Road each year. I was actually searching for a photo or reference to the Pavilion laundry where my nan worked when I discovered your wonderful site.
Paul Seward Wednesday, 1 March 2017 11:40
Hi Linda
Clicked the wrong reply button - see the article below
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| 94) |
Penny Ansell |
Location:
Yorkshire |
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Wednesday, 22 February 2017 09:30
Does any one remember going to TOFTS for dancing and listening to bands in the 60's We used to get really good ones there Like Geno Washington, Georgie Fame etc.,
Ruth Clampitt Tuesday, 28 February 2017 09:10
Yes every Friday and Sunday, Saturdays usually went to the Leas Cliff Hall. Saw Rufus Thomas at Gifts, great memories.
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Paul Seward Wednesday, 1 March 2017 11:38
Folkestone Herald - 27.04.29
The demolition of the old Pavilion Laundry, in later years called the Reliance, reminds us of the time when the Royal Pavilion Hotel was owned by the South Eastern Railway. The laundry was exclusively devoted to the washing from the hotel, and this gave employment considerable number of hands. Hereabouts, too, were the Pavilion Gardens where vegetables and flowers were also grown for the hotel use. The Pavilion piggeries—models of cleanliness —were also included in this area. These members of the porcine breed served double purpose in the fact that they gobbled the hotel “wash” (sic) together with an added supply of barley meal, with the result the Pavilion Hotel could boast that the pork supplied its customers was fed and bred its own farm. The land on which the laundry and the gardens stood at one time to the South Eastern Railway. This was, in later years, acquired by a syndicate who erected on part of the site Watkin, Russell and Bonsor roads, after three successive chairmen, viz., the late Sir Edward Watkin, Sir George Russell, and Mr. Cosmo Bonsor. The old Pent stream meandered, too, through here. There was plenitude of foliage, a pretty little cottage and a rustic bridge filled in the picture. This all belongs to the past, but the names have mentioned, together with Pavilion Road, perpetuate the connection with the South Eastern Railway and the hotel.
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JAYNE L WATSON Saturday, 11 March 2017 14:48
I remember Tofts well, Fridays and Sundays, sure I saw T Rex there once. Saturdays the Leas, Amen Corner!!
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Friday, 27 January 2017 03:40
does anyone have any pictures of 8-10 Trinity Crescent - the old Meyrick court Hotel?
Paul Seward Friday, 27 January 2017 16:40
Hoi Roger
I believe Danny Hallett is still in town - he should be able to help you.
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| 92) |
Evan Owen |
Location:
Welsh Wales |
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Monday, 9 January 2017 11:12
I saw the photos of Queen Alexandra House in Earls Avenue, Folkestone.I was wondering if anyone has any old pics of 24-26 Earls Avenue.
Paul Seward Tuesday, 17 January 2017 10:12
A much better angle on this one
[ www.britainfromabove.org.uk]
Note how every available open space has a tennis court or two!
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Friday, 23 December 2016 07:59
I think the car being hoisted onto or off a boat in the harbour was crossing on the Autocarrier. As far as I remember it just carried cars and presumably their drivers - it was rather small compared with the ferries but there probably wasn't much motor traffic. My father was CID officer on the harbour 1946-51. One day when I was perhaps 8 yrs old my father and I were on the Canterbury and he was chatting to the captain I noticed we were moving and that was my first trip to Boulogne. I remember the harbour there still in ruins.
Paul Seward Friday, 23 December 2016 11:31
I'm sure you're right, Tony. One day the rope broke, depositing the vehicle unceremoniously onto the quayside. The Monte Carlo Rally cars used to call into Autopilots for a quick service before going over.
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| 90) |
Michael Ford |
Location:
Sydney , Australia |
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Sunday, 18 December 2016 22:33
Our family owned and operated the Devonshire Hotel from 1958 to 1962, Leslie & Marjorie Ford my parents arrived from Australia late 1957. Our neighbours were the Rockett family next door including their labrador dog who I used to play with.I have fond memories of the High St.and the coffee bars including Mick who owned El Toredo's, Acropolis (Archie), Morellis, That cinema at the top of the High St(we used to sneak in for free), camping at the Warren, dancing at Toffs Jazz Club, I also used to work on the cross channel ferries across the road during the school holidays, which was fun. I could go on! but it would take too long. Its a Great resource you have created and I will drop in again.
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| 89) |
Ian Tyler |
Location:
Hythe |
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Tuesday, 6 December 2016 15:04
Folkestone rock pool
I knew the rock pool well as I swam there from 1957 until 1964 Ish with Folkestone swimming club. Sam Rockett trained me to swim the channel but Life moved on and never achieved my goal. I knew Janet Rockett more than her brother as we did life saving training in winter on the wooden floor. I have a photo of Folkestone swimming club in the rock pool from the newspaper about late 50's
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| 88) |
Ian Tyler |
Location:
Hythe |
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Tuesday, 6 December 2016 15:03
Folkestone rock pool
I knew the rock pool well as I swam there from 1957 until 1964 Ish with Folkestone swimming club. Sam Rockett trained me to swim the channel but Life moved on and never achieved my goal. I knew Janet Rockett more than her brother as we did life saving training in winter on the wooden floor. I have a photo of Folkestone swimming club in the rock pool from the newspaper about late 50's
Penny Ansell Wednesday, 22 February 2017 09:14
Hi Ian, I have just seen your reply to my question about the rock pool. I would love to see the photo that you have if possible. You can email me at penansell@gmail.com
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| 87) |
Steven West |
Location:
Plymouth, Devon, UK |
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Tuesday, 6 December 2016 06:42
I was born 200 yards from the Clifftop Cafe in Capel, so some fond memories of running up and down the Warren as a kid when visiting grandparents. My father used to work at the cafe when it was owned by a man called Vic and tells of going up and down the warren daily, selling ice creams on the beach. Used to be a very busy place. There are two cave like areas in the cliffs, off the paths, that were gun placements in WW2 and these are not too far below the cafe, but no doubt now overgrown. Its been years since I have walked down there, but am there this Christmas so may go down and have a look.....
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