Folkestone Then & Now Guestbook

I was after some information about an old victorian hotel I used to stay at with my family in the later 60's. It was on a hill overlooking the sea with decorative ironwork balconies. Each floor was painted a different colour inside and it had a ballroom and dining room. I remember I could see the cranes of the harbour and we walked down to a beach with arches at the back. I was only 5 or 6 so don't remember the name of it. Would be interested if anyone remembers it.

As a child I live with my parents in military housing at Reachfields on the very edge of the army training grounds.
The military ranges at Hythe were each lettered, A, D, E and F. The towers locate at the far ends of the ranges were similarly lettered. I do not recall either a 'B'or 'C' range.

Does anyone remember a dance band from the 1930s known as G-D-B. Thought to be the Grove Dance Band. Any information would be very helpful.

Does anyone remember a dance band from the 1930s known as G-D-B. Thought to be the Grove Dance Band. Any information would be very helpful.

I have just come across this site, absolutely fascinating, spent hours going through everything. Born here in 1947. Excellent.

many happy times spent at grans 1960 to1966 at thanet gdns playing on the beach and the mud in the harbour also four names on tontine street gotha bombing are beers i am also related to george lester family so many happy times i'm 65 now.

I was born in Dover but lived in Folkestone and Hythe from 1953 until 1962. Whatc A great web-site I posted on here in 2018. I hope more people find this.

Was there ever a public aquarium in the town in the 1960's? I remember whilst on holiday going down some stairs to a basement with tropical fish tanks.

Hello! What a fabulous website!!

Many of my family came from around Folkestone. My Great Great Grandmother owned the Model Hand Laundry in Cheriton (Mrs Susan Fowler, was Bailey)

I'm trying to find out about a confectionery shop at in Grace Hill? I know my Great Aunt worked there in the 30s and my Grandad says it was owned by Auntie Frances. I have found 2 Frances' in the family, by the surname Bailey or Cutter. I'm just not sure if it was owned by them or just some random lady they called auntie...

I notice someone left a comment about Charles Crescent, my great grandmother lived there, her name was Nina Fowler, I wonder if you remember her?

Did anyone here work at Bowketts bread shop in Guildhall Street in 1967 or the Versatile flooring shop oppposite the Helping Hand Agency shop?

A lovely website. Thank you for sharing.

Happy memories from 80s and 90s childhood visits to Folkestone grandparents in the summer and games of air hockey in the dome/rotunda

Folks with an interest in the history of Folkestone, and in geneology might enjoy a to visit this 2004(!) blog: [freepages.rootsweb.com]

Apologies for not responding for a while. This page is supposed to notify me each time someone leaves a message, but the feature is more miss than hit!

Thanks to everyone who has said nice things about my website, I really appreciate it.

Those wondering about me, it’s no mystery, I grew up and married in Folkestone, emigrated to Canada in 1968, as had started a family and found it hard to make a living there on one wage. Being homesick, I started collecting old postcards and was so thrilled to see how lovely Folkestone had looked in Edwardian times that I wanted to share the images with other Folkestonians. Hence my website.

I am 76 now with grandchildren & great-grandchildren here, so will never return except for visits, but my roots will always be deeply buried in Folkestone, and I care very much what they do to it. The past is important to us all, and should always be respected as we move into the future.

What a wonderful website but, coming from the area (Folkestone and Hythe) it would be lovely to know who you are!!! Give yourself some credit ... maybe it's there and I can't see it? Have passed it round family and friends - talk about nostalgic. Congratulations.

Grew up in Acrise, left in the 60's, have no clue about the funfair's name, I'm 74 now, give me a break! But what a great job you've done. Just figured it out.

A lovely site, and good to know people have happy memories of Folkestone and the area.

Does anyone remember, in the 60s to 70s(where nos 14 and 16 Grove rd have now been built) a walkthrough that went under the tracks to the Railway club?
I'm specifically interested in any info about a yard that was there, with big, double black gates with a smaller step-through door in them, it possibly had something to do with brewery or maybe a dairy as there was a bottle washing area there.
Thanks for any info and help

Hi all. Great site. I found it when looking for pics of Folkestone in the 70s and 80s, which is when I used to go there on holiday. I still have one relative left in Folkestone. Also, my late uncle Trevor Crump used to work in, and run the Shoreline chippy in Tontine Street. I loved the area of the old High Street, Harbour/Beach and Tontine Street. Great memories, I'm glad I was there when it was still fab.

A few more snippets, this time for your transport page. On about the 14th row of photos the picture at Seabrook of the EK depot looks to be when it was new (1931) - it was built on the site of the old 'Sandgate' station on the branch to Sandling. It was never used as an alternate to the new Bus Station as it was only a garage, mainly for coaches but for some buses up to the mid-50s. The reason for buses using the square was because they had to move up from the pre-war terminal for country services which was at the harbour up till then, moving up due to threat of bombing/shelling. Buses would never be stabled there overnight - there was a large garage at Kent Road, Cheriton established from 1916. I can locate the date of the photo on the right even closer. The bus came to Folkestone (from Dover) in May 1962 and the Shorncliffe service was revised in June 1966 and would no longer stop where pictured. On the next row the phot on the far right is near certain to be at Herne Bay garage as this was the only depot to use 'Garage Only' display. Lastly, the centre photo of FFN 446 is owned by a friend of mine and is still active and I was driving it only just over a year ago! I may have also worked with your former husband as I was a conductor at Folkestone many moons ago. Small world! Hope this info helps

Interesting selection of photos of 'old' Hythe. We lived in St Nicholas Terrace and then Palmbeach Avenue at Palmarsh. A couple of points - the first photo of the partially collapsed tower on the ranges has answered a question I have posted on the Dymchurch Martello tower site. The two towers remaining once had A & D painted on their side (these were numbered 14 and 15) but these have long gone and no-one has any recollection of the letters. Your picture confirms the letters as you can see 'E' on the side. I think this was tower 19 which has now collapsed as you can see in the other photo. It does pose the question - why the gap between A and D? There were no other intermediate towers. Grove House is interesting as at one time one of the joint owners of Dymchurch fair lived there - one Ken Marks. His brother, Robin, lived somewhere off Twiss Road. As for the donkeys pictured on the beach these were kept in stables in Prospect Road and run by a Miss Twyman. I see you also went to Tofts! I have some tickets somewhere from gigs I went to in the 60s!

This image is thought to date from 1905-1915 and features a group of school children embarking onto a ferry from the south railway pier. The large number of spectators on the promenade marks this out as a special occasion. Please can anybody comment on the event and date?