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| Name |
Comments |
| 202) |
Ian Murton  |
Location:
Suffolk |
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 Tuesday, 15 June 2021 14:46
Can anyone remember what blacksmiths there was in Folkestone in 1950, as my father was a blacksmith when I was born, and I was born in Folkestone in 1950
Christine Warren - site owner Tuesday, 15 June 2021 17:48
Hi Ian, I personally don’t remember a blacksmith, but I was just a child at the time. I have a 1949 Kelly’s Directory, but would need to know the name of the firm he worked for, and then they would have had to pay for a commercial listing. Either that or I would need to know the name of the street he worked on, then I could find the business.
I looked at the list of Private residents, and there are three Murtons, an Edward, Daniel and William. If your father was one of those, I can give you his home address, that’s all I have I am afraid. I wouldn’t have thought there were many blacksmiths left by the 50’s. Anyone know if Ovenden’s used blacksmiths?
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Christine - site owner Thursday, 17 June 2021 09:51
Hi again Ian, I have found a list of ‘Smiths, Blacksmiths & Farriers’ for the year 1949
Kemsley & Son, 100 Stanley Road, Cheriton Ph 85386.
Ovenden J & Son, 9 Radnor Street,
& The Stade, Folkestone,
Rolfe & Son, Forge Yard, Bradstone Road, Folkestone
Trowell ,Charles Henry, Chapel Street, Hythe
Wise, Percy William, 9 Cheriton Road, Folkestone.
Not sure how you would find out which of these employed your father, as I doubt any of them are still in business today
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Christine - site owner Thursday, 17 June 2021 10:25
I tried to let you know you have an answer here Ian, but the e-mail address you left is not valid, so I hope you come back.
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Ian Murton Friday, 18 June 2021 14:52
Hi Christine Edward was my father, William was my dads older brother and Daniel was his younger brother. I was born in Wear bay Crescent so I would expect my father to have worked close by, but having said that he was a scaffolder at Dungeness Power station before he died in 1971 whatever info you have I would be extremely grateful for. I have two cousins Robert and Peter who were Williams sons and Peter apparently lives in Warren road.
regards
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Christine - site owner Friday, 18 June 2021 19:13
Hi Ian, Edward was 63 Wear Bay Crescent, Daniel was 28 Ivy Way and William was 8 Ingoldsby Road.
The closest business to Wear Bay Crescent among those I listed above would have been Ovenden’s who was in both Radnor Street and on The Stade. He could have walked down the steps from The Durlocks, which would have taken him right to Ovenden’s in Radnor Street. I have no current directories, but I am sure you can track your cousins down online.
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Ian Murton Saturday, 19 June 2021 13:20
Many thanks Christine, loads of help
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Fred Elliott Monday, 21 February 2022 09:32
Just reading site and the question about blacksmith. Saw the name Percy William WISE. He was my great grandad.
I was born Royal Vic hospital. Most of time lived in Dallas Brett Cresent
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Christine - site owner Wednesday, 20 July 2022 08:22
Fred Elliott: If your family had been in Dallas Brett Crescent for many years, chances are they were originally moved from one of the Fenchurch Streets or Dover Street mentioned above, because they built Dallas Brett in order to move all the displaced residents when their houses were demolished. I was told they were given those houses with free rent for one year, but for many, when they had to start paying, they had great difficulty because the rents were much higher than they were used to paying in those old houses near the harbour.
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Wednesday, 19 May 2021 09:03
My Great Great Grandmother,Emily Britcher, lived at the Toll House Lower Sandgate Road and was the tollhouse keeper from 1881 -1901 (and possibly until her death in 1905 when 65) She lived there as a widow and with oldest daughter
Christine, site owner Wednesday, 19 May 2021 09:42
How lovely Dawn. The house of course is still there, but is now a private residence. Your Great Great Grandmother must have had to collect the tolls from mainly horses and carts or carriages. I can remember when they collected from cars, who else remembers that?
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Paul Seward Thursday, 20 May 2021 12:55
Need you ask, Christine? Once a year the road was closed to prevent it becoming as public r
ight of way. Lord Radnor was a keen motorist and the Sunbeam Talbot Motor Club held annual speed trials down there. It made for good viewing at the bottom of the Zig Zag path, where there was a terrific bump in the road!
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Christine, site owner Friday, 21 May 2021 11:37
Ha ha, now we are both showing our age Paul. I didn’t catch the speed trials though. I think I once saw a price list of tolls, and it had a different price if you just had a motorcycle versus one with a sidecar. I don’t think you had to pay on a push bike though did you?
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| 200) |
Marjorie Smith (of Groncke)  |
Location:
Bartlesville, Oklahoma, USA |
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Friday, 23 April 2021 14:44
My Mother's aunt, Sophia Marie Caroline Groncke, lived at 14 Victoria Grove, Folkstone, in 1911. I've found a photo of the house but am looking for any stories about it. Apparently it may have been the home of Elizabeth A Duncombe, per the census. I've been told my great-aunt suffered from tuberculosis and was not able to travel to the US when her family came over in 1912. Would greatly appreciate any information anyone may provide! Thank you so very much!
Christine - site owner Saturday, 1 January 2022 20:30
Hi Marjorie, If you are on Facebook, may I suggest you post your question on the pages +++Blast from the Past+++ or Folkestone Past as you may have more luck getting a reply there. They have more readers than I do, and a notification method when you receive a reply. I hope you have some luck finding out about 14 Victoria Grove.
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| 199) |
Nick |
Location:
ESHER Surrey |
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Thursday, 15 April 2021 11:18
My last memory of sugarloaf is 1960/61/62.
My grandmother was Elsie Roach and lived in a cottage with a well on sugarloaf with her parents
In the early part of the century.
Is their any family? Or does anyone have any memories to share.
Was quite a Lady, she would sell tobacco and cigarettes along with alcohol to the passing ramblers.
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| 198) |
Nigel McGinley |
Location:
Chiswick |
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Thursday, 15 April 2021 06:20
Great to see some memories from my misspent youth in the 60s
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| 197) |
Sonia Warren |
Location:
Courtenay, BC, Canada |
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Thursday, 18 March 2021 15:28
I have a memory as a kid with my Mum. That we are standing outside a glass tank that was a swimming pool by the lifts by the Leas. I was small around 1967. My older sister was swimming and my mum telling me I would learn to swim, as she herself couldn't swim.
Sonia Thursday, 18 March 2021 15:30
Does anyone remember this?
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Christine - Site owner Thursday, 18 March 2021 21:48
Hi Sonia, underneath the Leas, near the lifts, there were two places for swimming apart from the sea. I suspect you might have been inside the Marina, the indoor pool. The outdoor pool was opposite, closer to the sea, but had no glass walls. Regrettably I have no photos of the inside of the Marina, but if you would recognise it from the outside, you will find pics on the West Beach page. The original name for it was The Bathing Establishment, but was The Marina in the period you are talking about. It’s demolished now, as is the outdoor pool.
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Gerald Stone Tuesday, 6 July 2021 06:16
I remember those swimming pools well. A few of us used to go for a swim in the indoor pool on a Sunday morning in the mid 50’s. It was known as the Rock Pool and was very warm and because of the humid air there was condensation running down the windows.
The outdoor pool was very cold though and was famous as a place where Sam Rocket trained for his Channel swims!
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| 196) |
Louise Nordestgaard |
Location:
Adelaide, South Australia |
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Sunday, 14 March 2021 00:12
Hi. I am seeking information on my GGG grandparents and family who were born in Folkestone but moved to Vlissingen in Holland for 18 years before returning to England and emigrating to South Australia in 1838. I'm wondering if it was a common thing for English to move across and whether they would have integrated or remained part of an English colony in Holland. Thomas Tapley was a baker in Vlissingen and moved later to Rotterdam where my GG grandfather was born. There is talk of them being involved in smuggling but I don't know whether that would be true. He was reputed to be a smuggler in South Australia. I wonder whereabouts in Folkestone the family lived and where the family hotel in Dover was-I think where the Premier Inn is now but I'm not sure. Any help would be appreciated.
Jane Marshall Wednesday, 5 January 2022 08:56
It was common for movement between Kent and the Netherlands to occur. You can find a lot of information on this excellent website
[ www.openarch.nl]
Type in Tapley and quite a few names pop up.
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| 195) |
Richard Hunt |
Location:
Norwich |
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Sunday, 7 March 2021 13:27
Recently discovered my father was born at 77 Marshall Street, Folkestone in 1918. He moved to Tyson Road later on
Daphne Jay Sunday, 4 April 2021 16:07
What was your fathers name? My mother was born at 2 Princess Street in 1921, so very near Streets and birth dates.My Mother is still very well and just had her 100th birthday. I see you live in Norwich, so does my Mother.
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| 194) |
Richard Hunt |
Location:
Norwich |
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Sunday, 7 March 2021 13:27
Recently discovered my father was born at 77 Marshall Street, Folkestone in 1918. He moved to Tyson Road later on
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| 193) |
Richard Hunt |
Location:
Norwich |
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Sunday, 7 March 2021 13:27
Recently discovered my father was born at 77 Marshall Street, Folkestone in 1918. He moved to Tyson Road later on
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| 192) |
P Cook |
Location:
Bedfordshire |
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Monday, 22 February 2021 04:51
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.
Christine - site owner Thursday, 18 March 2021 22:08
Hello P. Cook,
My first thought is that the hotel in question might have been the former St. Andrews Convalescent Home, that took on another life as the W.T.A. Guesthouse in the 50’s and 60’s. This was a hotel for the use of Union employees, and was on the East Cliff overlooking the harbour, and the sands with the arches are directly below. The building is still there, but has been converted into flats. You can find photos of it on the Buildings page.
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| 191) |
Chris Collingwood |
Location:
Spain |
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Tuesday, 16 February 2021 05:00
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.
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| 190) |
Alan H |
Location:
Ashford |
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Sunday, 31 January 2021 12:48
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.
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| 189) |
Alan H |
Location:
Ashford |
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Sunday, 31 January 2021 12:42
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.
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| 188) |
Pam Wraight nee Sutton |
Location:
Capel le Ferne nr Folkestone |
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Saturday, 5 December 2020 10:56
I have just come across this site, absolutely fascinating, spent hours going through everything. Born here in 1947. Excellent.
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| 187) |
robert beer |
Location:
newcastle australia |
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Monday, 30 November 2020 23:16
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.
John Clough Tuesday, 3 January 2023 09:17
Hi Robert, just seen your note. I remember Thanet Gardens too. I am about the same age as you and used to live on the East Cliff in the 1960s. Do you remember the Co-op on the corner of Thanet Gardens? Mum used to send me there to buy things. Her Co-op number was 7007. At the far end of Thanet Gardens there was a building raised above a wall with "London Knitwear Company" on the front of it, if I remember correctly. And then, on Warren Road, there was a grocer's (Rolf's?), a Post Office and an off-licence.
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| 186) |
Graham Hale |
Location:
Reading Berks |
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Thursday, 26 November 2020 11:02
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.
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| 185) |
Andrew Lock |
Location:
East Sussex |
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Tuesday, 10 November 2020 08:52
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.
Christine - site owner Thursday, 18 March 2021 22:31
Hi Andrew, I vaguely remember tanks of fish in the back room of the Shell Shop on The Stade, but I am not sure if it was called The Shell Shop back then. He used to have a grotto, that contained tanks of fish, and it was very dark in there. They are the only tanks of fish that I remember.
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| 184) |
Nina |
Location:
Folkestone |
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Friday, 30 October 2020 08:02
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?
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| 183) |
Andi Markos |
Location:
Spain |
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Sunday, 18 October 2020 12:03
Did anyone here work at Bowketts bread shop in Guildhall Street in 1967 or the Versatile flooring shop oppposite the Helping Hand Agency shop?
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