Folkestone Then & Now Guestbook

Christine,
Brilliant website. I have been looking here for many years. I read you lived at Court at Street at one time. Could I ask whether you took the school bus from there in the late 1950s early 1960s when somebody used to ride their motorbike passed the school kids queuing for the bus every morning?

If so I know who that motorcyclist was (gulp). Sorry!!

I moved to Cheriton in 1956 when I was eleven and after living in London it was an exciting place to move to, much difference to what it is now.

I went to All Souls School for no more than two month and was in the class room next to the main road, I remember small tanks and brengun carriers coming out of Risborough Lane from the military camp to Folkestone west Rail station, the noise they made was so loud you couldn't think and the building shook.

The boy who sat behind me was Peter Kirksher who later in life played drum for Status Quo when they performed at Live Aid in the 1980's, Pete went to the Harvey Grammar School and I went too Morehall, the chimneys and the wall that were mentioned I believe were still there and I remember leaning against the wall eating an ice cream, that was the late 1950's.

There was a road bridge by the Star Inn which went over the old Elham Valley line which was demolish along with the pub to make way for the M20 motorway.

The pond at the bottom of Cherry Garden Avenue we called the Mill Pond and was there until they built the bypass (Churchill Avenue).

The picture of the Sanitary Steam Laundry may have been Fosters in the past but in the 1960' Fosters were at the bottom of Ashley Avenue and the one in the picture is the Advance Laundry in Stanley road, I worked there as a driver and at that time the Houses were occupied by the guys who maintained the machines and the site.

Anyone interested in music past in Folkestone can see many of the locals here

[kentbeat.uk]

Did anyone go to school or remember Carolyn Lesley Brook who was born and lived in Folkestone until about 1985/6. She would be 77 this year.

Congratulations! Such an interesting site! I am particularly fascinated by the pictures of the fishing folk.
I was born in Folkestone (Wiliam Harvey Hospital) in 1948, I only briefly knew my grandfather who originated from Brenchley near Tunbridge Wells; but family research reveals that in 1901 he married Emily Kate May from Folkestone who ran a fish shop on the Stade. Her father Edward was described as 'mariner'. They lived in Great Fenchurch Street that I believe was bombed out during WW2 and Harvey Street. The 'May' family tree can be traced back several generations and was very extensive. I enquired at the Fishing Museum to be told that sadly the Mays had moved away and were no more part of the local community. I left a copy of my grandparents' wedding certificate just in case to add to their records. No doubt several of my ancestors are depicted in this wonderful collection of photographs.

Lived in Cheriton for years and moved around country quite a bit. Now retired back to Folkestone.

What a fascinating site! Although I have never lived in Folkestone, I am aware that generations of my ancestors lived on North Street and were associated with the fishing industry. My earliest ancestor, Richard Hart, was recorded as being a ffolkestone ffisherman"" on his marriage to Elizabeth Penny in 1691. My Great Grandfather, John Fraser Hart (1888 - 1957) was the auctioneer and fish salesman on the Stade and my Grandfather, John William Hart, was his Clerk until he was killed in 1940 while serving with the Royal Naval Patrol Service. I have written an illustrated "Partial History of Some of The Hart Family" and am happy to provide a .pdf version, free of charge, if anyone is interested.

What a fascinating site! Although I have never lived in Folkestone, I am aware that generations of my ancestors lived on North Street and were associated with the fishing industry. My earliest ancestor, Richard Hart, was recorded as being a ffolkestone ffisherman"" on his marriage to Elizabeth Penny in 1691. My Great Grandfather, John Fraser Hart (1888 - 1957) was the auctioneer and fish salesman on the Stade and my Grandfather, John William Hart, was his Clerk until he was killed in 1940 while serving with the Royal Naval Patrol Service. I have written an illustrated "Partial History of Some of The Hart Family" and am happy to provide a .pdf version, free of charge, if anyone is interested.

I inherited a lot of old photos and negatives from a ~distant relation who was a keen photographer living in Trimworth Road Cheriton. Many of the photos are of Folkestone and surrounding area. The attached one is Sandgate Road/Castle Hill Avenue, and I think it is the clock tower of Christ Church at the far end of the grand building (which is no longer there) Guessing it was taken late 1950s early 1960s. Any idea what that building was?

I have just been having a nostalgic look through the photos of Hythe and Folkestone and was thrilled to see the photo of the Four Winds Restaurant in Hythe. In 1963 I was a student at Folkestone Grammar School for Girls and at weekends and holidays I had job at Four Winds. My maternal grandparents lived in Ormonde Road, Hythe and my paternal grandparents at Capel-Le-Ferne. An aunt and uncle owned the John Dory Fish shop in Bouverie Square.

Christine - thanks for compiling such a marvellous pictorial history of Folkestone.

A couple of snippets which might interest you. I worked at Seeboard in Hythe in the early 1980s; there was a book containing records of all war damage for both 20th century wars (bombing, of course, disrupted the electricity supply). One of the first records showed that a WW1 bomb destroyed two houses in the High Street, numbers 7 & 8 (looking up the street at the top on the left-hand side); they weren't rebuilt; the last time I was there (probably 30 years ago) the space contained an advertising board.

During WW2 a flying bomb hit and slid along the embankment (travelling westwards) by the Guildhall Street railway arch, destroying greenhouses and a number of houses in Brockman Road, as well as damaging houses in Coolinge Road (some which subsequently needed to be demolished).
I don't believe that this particular bomb destroyed the houses in Darlington Street (I believe that the electricity supply was undamaged), but, as I have been unable to find any photos of Darlington Street, I can't be sure. If you do come across any pictures of Darlington Street, I'd be very interested to see them.
Chris

I was born in 1943 and lived in Kings Road. Went to All Souls and The Harvey GS.
Cheriton Library I frequent as a child. Over the door you can see 1938 in structure. So I would guess this w as the date it was built.

My great grandfather ran a grocer shop in Dover Street at No 119. I am seeking any information on this. Thank you.

My great grandfather ran a grocer shop in Dover Street at No 119. I am seeking any information on this. Thank you.

Hi - stumbled across you great site when I was searching for photographs of Folkestone Warren. My family lived in Wear Bay road from about 1949 to the early 60's. That was before any of the houses and the Phizer factory was built and the road was only roughly surfaced - whereas Stanbury Crescent was just shingle surface. I was at St Eanswythe's school in the town until 1951 when I went to the Harvey. The head at the primary school was a Mr. Williams who was probably one of the most brilliant teachers I've ever met! So a belated (very) thank you to him. My whole childhood was spent playing in and around the Warren - long before it became a caravan site. Finding fossils at Copt Point, scrambling up the chalk cliffs - how we didn't kill ourselves I don't know! I was a bit of a bird-watcher in my teens, and I can remember counting 11 nightingales singing in the Warren one April in about 1953.
My summer job when I was at college was as a deckchair attendant on the Leas - military band every afternoon and most evenings, and the whole of the grass area on the Leas would have been littered with deck chairs. Moved away from the town about 60 years ago - but still visit occasionally when we're down that what. Miss the cross channel ships but what they have done to the old harbour arm looks promising! Memories!

Re. the image of F. Gilbert's shop with the Langleys van - the two people are Frank Gilbert, the proprietor (my great-grandfather), and his daughter, Margery Gilbert. I remember Margery when she was in her 90's - I believe she died in the 1990's. She never married. Her youngest sister was my grandmother.

Born in Folkestone in 1958 and lived in Folkestone since, spent many a childhood hour playing at the hills and fishing in the mill pond that was filled in to facilitate the M20 and is now the roundabout at the bottom of the hills. Nice to see the photos as it once all was prior to the channel tunnel and shopping estate. Progress they say.

I was born in Folkestone and lived there for a mere seven years before we
moved to Dover. Of course we carried on visiting the place,
and I have fond memories.

I went to Robin Nursery School from the age of 2, run by a Miss
Gregory. I still have a board game of Sorry that she gave me. The nursery
was situated somewhere near Kingsnorth Gardens. After that school I
joined my sisters at St Margaret's and enjoyed the music, dancing
and speech and drama they were so good at. The school produced
pantomimes that were performed in the Winter Gardens Theatre.
My sister, four years older, was in charge of tkaing me home by bus. We
walked past a farm in Jointon Road, to the bus stop and then
rode up to the Black Bull Pub, and on home in Dolphin's Road
Continued below....

Continued from above
Before those days, my mother took me to the sandy beach with those
arched alcoves on hot days. These was a smell there, like fish and
salt and urine. A few years ago I revisited and that smell was still there!

Once, my mother said I could go and meet my eldest sister from school.
I misunderstood her and walked all the way to Radnor Park by
the back roads asI remembered the route from the one time we had gone by
foot to school. I played in teh concrete culvert there, which
I had never been allowed to do, then thought my sister might have passed
by without my seeing her, so went back home to find my parents
distraught and on the verge of phoning the police. They said I was
lost, but i said I wasn't because I knew where I was!
To be continued below...

Cont. from above...
Another time, when living at Dover, and I think I was about 11, I went
with a friend on the bus to the seawater swimming pool in Folkestone.
I can't remember if we swam, but I was never allowed to go in the
Rotunda Amusement Arcade so we thought we would. I remember going
in the over 18 "What the butler Saw" section which had flippy postcards
of ladies getting undressed. I didn't get the over 18 bit as I saw my
mother dressing and undressing all the time! We went on the penny
machines, meaning to not touch our bus fare home, but inevitably we did.
I like to think my friend was the one who ate into her fare first then
we kept trying to get it back but lost the lot in the end. We had to walk
all the way back to Dover, in our sandals. Luckily we were not bothered
by any "offers of lifts". Then a little visit to watch aniseed twist
being made in Andy Amos's and home. I didn't tell my parents about that
adventure for many years!

Thank you for this opportunity for sharing these memories. If anyone
remembers Miss Gregory and knows whether she kept the Robin
School going, I would love to know. I had a happy time there.