Folkestone Then & Now Guestbook

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."

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.

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.

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

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]

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?

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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!

Christine Friday, 10 March 2017 13:24
I was browsing E-bay on the off chance there might be an old photo of your house, and found this, dated 1930. Unfortunately, the photo is sold, and the listing ended, but this is probably how it looked when first built, I imagine the garden looks a lot nicer these days with maturity. It looks to be a beautiful home, I am very envious of you Caroline!

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]

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

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.

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.

Christine Friday, 17 March 2017 13:25
Thank you for checking this Paul, it's so nice to be proved right!

Nicola dyos Wednesday, 14 February 2018 01:37
Hi leas crag was owned by my great aunt Mrs Lena
Leducq my mum has very fond memories of Holiday there I believe i might have some pictures of it somewhere I will find them and post to you

Pat Saturday, 24 February 2024 11:55
Hi Nicola. Was your great aunt Lena Leducq married to Alphonse Louis Leivin August Leducq? Her maiden name would have been McCarthy. If so her father was my great uncle.

Christopher Jack Cooper Sunday, 2 July 2017 17:28
My grandfather was Jack Setterfield! Thought you might be interested.

Michael - Canada Monday, 19 November 2018 13:32
I attended Brockhill CSS from 1954 until 1960. Jack Setterfield was Principal. Mr. Dalton was Vice Principal. Sam Biggs was gardening teacher, and Bill White was music teacher. A wonderful school! Great fun learning.

David Connolly Tuesday, 28 May 2019 06:22
Thanks for the post Christopher. Your Grandfather (Jack Setterfield) was the heart and sole of Brockhill. I have fond memories of him, not only as the Principal, but as Captain of the Army Cadet Unit.

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)

Tim Sharp Friday, 19 May 2017 14:54
Hi ,
I am Ted Sellens Grandson, been back in Folkestone for 30+ years now

Paul Seward Wednesday, 1 March 2017 11:40
Hi Linda

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.

Christine - site owner Friday, 6 October 2017 12:07
Hi Paul

Do you know if there are any drawings or paintings in existence of the Pavilion Gardens? I have heard of them before, but never seen them.

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.

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!!

Jean Friday, 6 October 2017 08:32
My husband Keith was in the resident band, The Playboys. Remember the gigs you mention very well. Doris Toft would have had a fit if she had known we were drinking vodka in the dressing room.

Susan Saturday, 27 January 2018 07:15
Yes I was a regular 'up' Tofts. But my last bus home was 10.30 so I think I missed the best bits. How innocent it all was, no alcohol, maybe a purple heart or two, but I never saw them.

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.

Christine - Site owner Saturday, 8 August 2020 12:37
Hi Roger, I have now found an artist's impression of the Meyrick Court Hotel, and have placed it on Page 2 of the Hotels section.

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!

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.

Paul Seward Thursday, 12 January 2017 15:34
Best available is at
[www.britainfromabove.org.uk]
zoom in to see the properties in 1931.

barry sands Friday, 5 April 2019 11:50
Mick, remember those days well, great times,fond memories, Now 76, same wife Sue, 2 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren, living back near Folkestone. regards Barry Sands your old mate.

John C Tuesday, 11 April 2023 12:02
Did you do a bit of water skiing as well Ian?

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

Christine- website owner Thursday, 1 December 2016 20:04
Ha a, that's funny. It wasn't me though, I didn't ever catch the bus from there, I used to ride my bike to Newingreen, leave it in the garage there, and catch the bus into Folkestone for school.