Folkestone Then & Now Guestbook

I lived in Folkestone from 1952 until 1961. I moved from Dover when my parents bought a new house in Wear Bay Road. I attended St Nicholas School in Wiltie Gardens. It was a private school with around 90 pupils (it is now a nursery school). I would like to find anybody still residing in the area who attended the school. I left in 1960. I moved to Hythe and attended Brockhill Secondary School in Hythe for a year before I moved with my Father to London. I remember the Head Mistress was Miss Squires (also taught Music), there were teachers called Miss Fry (Taught Art and English) and Miss Williams(Taught us Geography) and Miss Nicholls(taught us French) who lived in the adjacent house to the school. I really enjoyed my time there and learned so much with excellent teachers. We used to go to Radnor Park for sports playing Cricket & Rounders as I remember. I have a school photo taken in the Garden at the rear of the house; I could scan and send this for the site if you think it would be appropriate.

Other memories are the Department stores Bobby's and Plummer's. There was also Rowlands Rock in Tontine Street (I went to school with one of their children).

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In the field behind our house there were Roman Remains; I think it was a villa with most of the foundations showing and a natural spring. The land was adjacent to a Pfizers warehouse. I used to go for walks around the harbour watching the Channel Ferries docking. Also my Father used to fish from the breakwater. On the Sea Front there was an Amusement Arcade and a Funicular Railcar which dated back to Victorian Times.

My Grandparents lived in Shorncliffe. My Grandfather was Manager of the Dover Labour Exchange during WW2 and received an MBE from King George for his service there during the War Years. My Father attended the Harvey Grammar School along with his Brother in the 1930,s

I am sure I have more memories of Folkestone. If I can assist in research from the 50's I would be happy to help. I now live in Reading Berkshire; but would like to revisit the town.

Lived at 18-24 Old High St( Milletts)from 1989-1982, my husband was manager. It looks very different now.

Recently discovered this site - and what an excellent site it is too! So - let's see if I can jog a few memories and perhaps hear from some old pals - and neighbours.

1. Schools: Attended All Souls Primary, 1954-1961; Morehall Sec. Mod., 1961 - 1966; Harvey Grammar, 1966 - 1968.

2. Born and raised in the bungalows, Cheriton. Lived there until they were demolished, circa. 1967.

3. During school summer holidays, 1966 - 1968, worked at the Boating Pool near the Rotunda. (Helping people get in & out of boats and other things to 'keep the show on the road'.)

5. Anyone recall Kingsnorth Gardens, 1950 - 1967? My father - Mr. Albert Hall - was the foreman there for that period.

6. I am related to the Bowyer family; my maternal grandmother's sister (surname Austen) lived in Somerset Road, Cheriton (circa mid- 1950's.). I am also related to the Noble Family.

7. And finally, does anyone recall the T.V and Radio repair workshop in Morehall Road, Cheriton? Originally trading under the name of Bayley and Duke. Tony Duke became a very good friend of mine and was the initiator of my life-long career in Radio and Electronics. Sadly, Mr. Bayley died from an accident circa. 1963 and then Tony passed away several years ago. He and I used to be in regular postal correspondence.

And finally - My parents passed away several years ago, and I haven't visited Folkestone since I attended the funeral of my mother, a Mrs. Rose Mary Hall. (Died aged 93 years).

Born in 1949; left in 1968. Childhood spent in the bungalows in Cheriton until 1966 when they were demolished. Schools: attended All Souls primary, Morehall Secondary, Harvey Grammar. There a few questions in the Photo Gallery that I can answer, so if anyone would like to enquire, please do so.
And if anyone remembers me (!), please get in contact - thank you.

Hi - I am trying to find out if anyone else remembers a mosaic floor and well in the hills above hill road, George gurr crescent area. I have strong memories of playing there as a child of about 7 or 8, so I guess around 1956-57. I can't find any reference to it on maps etc so any information would be of interest.

hi,does anyone remember the sunshine cafe cheriton a haunt for me in my younger days.i went to moorhall school had some good mates then.the corner shop used to sell cigs in a small bag for 10p.i think the head was nick named taz

The first harbour picture is post 1940 WW2. Part of the clearance of the Beach district has been done, but the remains of bomb damaged South Street where my great grandpa had his shop are still there. I'm not certain how soon after the parachute mine damage occurred that the demolition commenced. My great grandparents had to leave their home because of the damage.

Sorry forgot to put Warren In front of Halt.Senor moment.

. Hi,Christine,
looking at the Romney Hythe light Railway site today and seeing the one you mention about approaching the Warren,i think you will find this to refers to the halt just before New Romney where there is a halt by the A259 for the visitor centre.It was built a few years ago so folk could use the train as well as car or bus.
I am pretty sure this is called the Halt.Not to be confused with Folkestone
George.

The pictures and postcards of Hythe are fascinating - particularly those of the Martello Tower. It was my great grandfather, Arthur James Glock, who first converted it in 1928. I would be very interested to see any additional pictures or documents that you might have. Please may I have a copy of the older photo of the tower?
Thank you

Anyone have any memories of Westbrook House School, Athelstan School or Feltonfleet School?

Anyone have any memories of Westbrook House School, Athelstan School or Feltonfleet School?

My great uncle, Alfred George Enderby, a gunner with the Canadian Field Artillery was stationed in the Ross Barracks at Shorncliffe Camp during the Spring of 1916. He was enrolled in the School of Musketry in Hythe.

At the moment, I am transcribing his diary that records his impressions of leaving Vancouver, British Columbia, travelling by train across Canada, crossing the North Atlantic on the HMS Missanabbie, and arriving in Plymouth in March of 1916.
He writes in detail about his impressions of Folkestone and the surrounding countryside.
He receives a weekend pass to visit his mother (my great-grandmother) in Leicester. She also comes to visit him on Easter weekend , 1916, and stays at Moore's hotel. They spend time walking around Folkestone.
Uncle Alf was only 25. Sadly, he was killed in action in Belgium in 1917.

I went to St. Mary's Convent, no longer there and was a regular at The Acropolis, Archie's, we called it. I went out with Archie for a time, my Dad not happy! Lived in the country, Lyminge, so Folkestone was exotic to me!! Anyone else remember Archie?

I went to St. Mary's Convent, no longer there and was a regular at The Acropolis, Archie's, we called it. I went out with Archie for a time, my Dad not happy! Lived in the country, Lyminge, so Folkestone was exotic to me!! Anyone else remember Archie?

I am the daughter of the late Jim (James) Fitzgerald who was caretaker and lollipop man at St Mary's school, Dover Road, Folkestone for 40 years. I would love to hear anyone's memories of my dad as he knew so many generations of Folkestone families.

Hello everybody from Folkestone,

I am from the Netherlands and browsing through some of the photos from my deceased grandfather I found an interesting one. He apparently participated in a "dance match" held in Folkestone in 1951.
The photograph shows a large advertisement reading "Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone represented by Barbara Morley's team Vs. The Hague".

My grandfather was from The Hague, The Netherlands.

The ad further reads: "Adjudicators include Guy Howard and Stella Williams - Friday 3rd August, 1951. Leslie Baker and his Music with Joyce Clark".

It would be great if somebody has more info about this event, I am guessing dance events like this one were held more often in your town. I am hoping pictures from that day survived the test of time showing my grandfather..

many thanks in advance.

Marvellous site.

Interested to find this site, I live in Cheriton 1950-1970. Was wondering about 26 Grimston Gardens as being an address referred to on a birth certificate. I know we never lived there - was it a nursing/birth unit before it became a language school?

So sad to see the open air swimming pool closed and concreted, I can remember swimming there in October!

David