Folkestone Then & Now Guestbook

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.

My nan, nee Lily Milton, b1901,grew up in South Street where her father had a small wet fish shop. Her best friend was Noelia Skegia whose family ran the restaurant.
I would LOVE to be able to have copies of the two old pictures of South Street. It is so frustrating to have heard all my nan's old stories, but not to be able to see where they happened. Those pictures are just not available anywhere to buy.

Looking to find a Jenifer Sharp who lived in Cheriton near the Nail Box pub.I used to go out with you in the early 70s

My grandmother ran a shop called Kate's store, she was Dorothy Wenham, this was in the 60s or 70s

Hi I am looking for my dad's brother (Ronnie Collins), his dad (John Alfred Collins) owned the local grocer's on Marshall street in 1970 and passed away in 1984, just wondering if anyone remembers him at all?

Many thanks.

Hi
My wife grew up in Hawkinge, I in Lyminge.
We both went to school and later worked in Folkestone.
We have several photos that may be of interest, particularly of the Cat at Paddlesworth, our local for many years and through 3 Landlords.

Can anyone enlighten me as to where Fenchurch Street was in Folkestone, as my Grand mother Esther Hannah Standing according to the 1901 census lived at No 51, I have goggle mapped it but nothing comes up. grateful for any help.

Hi!
My paternal family all lived in Marshall Street from the 1900's and I have many memories of a childhood spent there.

I am now trying to help my great great- Aunt who is the last of her siblings alive to see if anyone has any photos of times gone by - sadly hers were all lost a few years back and she has none now, not even her wedding pictures.

She talks about (and I vaguely remember)the Marshall Street residents association or committee which was probably late 60's to late 80's maybe? Does anyone else remember this?

hi.does anybody remember me from morehall school in cheriton in the 70s

Hello everyone.
I’ve enjoyed looking at the pictures of your fabulous town. I’m hoping someone might remember the name Ivie Harrington? She lived with her husband Colonel Harrington, sons Henry and John in Kelston Lodge Pointon Road and then 19 Grimston Gardens. She died in 1971 aged 88. They would have been a wealthy possibly influential family. Certainly the Colonel was a member of the golf club in the 1930s.
With thanks
Felicity

Hi Guys
I am writing a history booklet of the house I live in Eastbridge House built 1877 1 East Street Hythe in 1952 in was re-configurated into 4 flats called Eastbridge Court address now 2 Station Road red brick building behind the trees on the roundabout at Aspendos in Hythe. I am desperate for an old photograph or architects drawing of the old house before it was changed Anybody's family lived there got old papers tucked away in a drawer ? reward for successful response
regards

Robert 07748658323

Hello,
Does anyone remember a William Saunders (fisherman), who also took people from the pebble beach, in Folkestone, in a tour boat around the harbor, in the early fifties. I was his daughters friend.
I'm trying to find a connection between him and my grandmother's brother George Knox (Dodger) a blind fisherman who repaired nets. He died in 1943. Fingers are crossed. Angela

Hi I was born in Folkestone at the Royal Victoria Hospital and have lived here all my life. I lived in Cheriton from 1951 till 1970 when I moved to Folkestone.

The Library in Cheriton was there in the 1950's and way before then, but not sure about the date. I remember the CO-OP on the corner in those days it was two storeys as upstairs was where I bought my first pair of heeled shoes So have seen a lot of changes in this town and not all for the good!!!
Liz Taylor

My mother and her sister, both under 10 years travelled by themselves by train from Reading to Folkestone on 19th March 1938. They stayed at St. Andrews convalescent home to help their bronchitis I believe. Maybe they were collected at the station? Mum had a difficult time with the nuns and her dislike lasted for many years afterwards.A big memory was they both suffered with splinters from the rough wooden flooring.
I would like to find out how long the stay was and if there is a register of 'attendees'

Hi Christine,
Glad to see the site is still going strong. Lovely job.
Best wishes.

Does anyone have any photos or memories of Folkestone Croquet Club that was situated in the Pleasure Gardens until the Magistrates Court was built over it in the 1970s?
We are trying to save the club’s trophies from being sold off by the administrators of The Grand so any information about them would also be very useful.

Hi, I am looking for bequests and heirs of Austen Hurgon, died 1942 Folkestone.

Can you help me please ?
I am looking for the next Emmerich Kalman lost werk :
The Blue House. Musical „Laundriette“(A Farcical Musical Comedy) in 1 act, Text: Austen Hurgon

Uraufführung: Hippodrome (Edward Moss & Frank Allen), London, 28. Oktober 1912 – Conductor: Julian Jones, Director: J. Galbraith, Production: Austen Hurgon, Stage: Ryan, K: Lucile & Jays, Singers: Bert Coote (The Hon. Chippendale St. Arch, Proprietor), Cyril Clensy (Major Claude E. Starkey), Elsa Trepess (Lady Anastasia Dilling), Gerald O‘ Brien (O‘ Connor, Linkman), Shirley Kellogg (Cornelia Van Huyt of U.S.A.), Hippodrome Beauty Chorus of 40, The 12 Pinafored Babies, Augmented Orchestra of 45 Instrumentalists

KA: keine Druckausgabe!

Autographe: Verschollen

I would be very grateful for all useful information.

Thank you very much.

Best regards

Gabor Balint