Folkestone Memories

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Folkestone Memories
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39) Jan Turner  Female
Location:
california
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Friday, 7 August 2015 00:36 Write a comment

My mum went to harcourt in the mid to late 40's..her best friend from that time lives in middlesex. Mum lived in folkestone with her mum down by the harbour, later married and moved to deal where she and my dad lived until she died in 2009. My grandmother lived there until she died about 43 years ago. They originally came from smarden.
I went to folkestone tech from 1966 until 1972. My granddaughter went to the same school, now folkestone grammer, until about 4 years ago....we have always loved folkestone and will always have deep connections to the town. I remember going to the swimming pool during the summer down by the rotunda...

Robin Eyers Friday, 21 August 2015 06:08
Pity you didn't give your Mum's full name, Jan. I too attended Harcourt primary between 1946 and 1950, then going on to the Harvey Grammar. I would have known her for sure. These days I live in Canterbury and have various functions in the cathedral.

Alan Hall Thursday, 30 August 2018 10:29
When you say "Folkestone Grammar", that must be the Girls Grammar school, since to the best of my knowledge, the Harvey Grammar (for boys) is still where it always has been - in Cheriton Road.
38) Ian Murton  Male
Location:
Needham Market , Suffolk
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Wednesday, 22 July 2015 08:03 Write a comment

some fabulous photos, I was born in Folkestone in 1950 and went to St Eanswythes and then Hillside, both Dover Road and Park road, the head master W A Parks was still head in the 1960's when I left to join the RAF. I left Folkestone when my father died in 1970, I have since returned a couple of times with John Bullard my old school mate and was a bit disappointed to see how the town had changed. still very happy childhood memories.

ian murton Wednesday, 22 July 2015 08:44
I forgot to add that my dad was born in Sydney street in 1911 and went to george Spurgeon school, my sister went to St Mary's school and my brother went to the grammar school. my mum worked in the Tatler Tea rooms in Church Street. Archies was the in place to be seen in the 1960's

Ian murton Wednesday, 14 October 2015 08:48
some more information on my family, i have since found out that my paternal grandmother Esther Hannah Murton was killed in her house 16 bridge Street on 03 July 1944 aged 63 by either a bomb or a doodle bug that went wrong.

Carolyn Sunday, 17 April 2016 20:50
I remember Archies - I think it's proper name was the Acropolis, but everyone called it Archies. The owner was always very grumpy, if I remember correctly. We all used to mosey on down there after Tofts Club - is that a place you went to as well?
37) Gareth Avard  Male
Location:
working in Saudi Arabia
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Thursday, 9 July 2015 07:31 Write a comment

Hi. What a fantastic site - many congratulations. Although we never lived in Folkestone (after my father retired from the army my parents bought a place near Deal)but we do have close connections. Dad ran a fishing charter boat out of the Inner harbor through the 80's and early 90's. The boat was "The Prince Albert" 37ft wood built (ex RN lifeboat-I think) with wheelhouse, which he bought from a man who ran hourly mackerel trips from the harbour. George (my dad)was well known among the other skippers, he was ex-REME and a wizard with engines. His brother Stan also ran a charter from his boat-Saga, although he gave it up before dad. "The Albert" was sold when dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and transported to Ireland. There are some photos somewhere of her being craned out of the harbour and onto a low loader. I'll dig them out next time I'm in the UK and mail them to you. I hunted your site for any photos of "Albert" - she was moored 3 arches down from the swingbridge- alas none I could find). George's ashes were scattered at sea, just off Sandgate (one of his favoured fishing sites, when he couldn't get out to the Varne which, given the winds and weather was often!!)
Once again, a great site. Kind Regards.Gary

Gareth Avard Thursday, 9 July 2015 07:48
Whoops. It was "The Albert" and not dad transported to Ireland. What a difference a comma makes. "Eats, shoots and leaves"!!! Love to hear from anyone with any memories. Gary
PS I was also a language teacher at Highcliffe House, Highclffe Gdns Folkestone for a couple of summers. The O'Cleas (?) were the owners.
36) Colin Green  Male
Location:
Hythe Kent
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Sunday, 7 June 2015 13:24 Write a comment

A few years ago on the beach at the East Cliff Folkestone I came across what I believe to be an old iron house name.
It reads "SCINDIA HOUSE".
I understand during and after World War 2 rubble from local bomb damage was tipped from the cliff and ended up on the beach.The sign was found roughly below the area where the putting greens and bowling club are.
Being interested in the Merchant Navy I am intrigued by this.Scindia was the name of a clan in an Indian state,but it was also the name of a large Indian shipping company.
Scindia employed many British officers and captains on their ships in earlier times.
I wonder if a retired sea captain had his house in Folkestone or nearby and named his house after the Company he was with?
Would love to know where SCINDIA HOUSE was!

Christine - site owner Friday, 21 August 2015 13:19
I would love to know too Colin,I have never heard of Scindia House myself.
35) Terry Gillett  Male
Location:
Ireland, formerly Folkestone
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Saturday, 6 June 2015 22:15 Write a comment

Love your site, it brings back many memories. I lived there from 1950 to the late 90's. You can hardly recognise where the old Harcourt Primary School was situated with all the new building works at Pent Valley.
34) terry gillett  Male
Location:
ireland
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Saturday, 6 June 2015 15:44 Write a comment

Thank you for the photos posted on your website Christine, they bring back many memories - but only from the 50s onwards.
33) Jayne Watson nee Thompson  Female
Location:
Michigan USA
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Thursday, 4 June 2015 12:31 Write a comment

I lived in Cheriton till the late seventies then moved to Thanet. In 1996 I moved with my family to the USA. The website brings back many happy memories. I went to All Souls Primary then Harcourt Secondary till 1968.

David Connolly Tuesday, 7 March 2017 04:45
Hi Jayne, just wondering if you lived in Church Road near wellington Rd? If so , I lived just round the corner at 106 RMA.
32) Dave Butler  Male
Location:
Folkestone
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Tuesday, 2 June 2015 12:57 Write a comment

Hi,

I'd just like to point out that the fourth photo in The Hills section isn't of Ceasar's Camp at all, but is taken from Ceasar's Camp across the reservoirs westward toward the North Downs. The hills are north of the reservoirs, which would be to the right of the view in the photo.

Also, the hill in the photo entitled Flat Hill Adjoining Ceasar's Camp is Round Hill, through which the road tunnels you mention elsewhere in the section pass

Love your site.

Kind regards,

Dave.
31) Rich  Male
Location:
Folkestone
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Wednesday, 27 May 2015 14:08 Write a comment

My grandad was born in East st (harbour)to a large fishing family but sadly no longer with us.
He had many books of Folkestone and new hundreds of people over the years,he would have loved to have looked at this well documented and put together web site,I to have found this to be of great interest and fascinating look bk in time.congratulations on A professional And well thought out yesteryear folkestone site. cool
30) Bruce Lloyd  Male
Location:
Wollongong, Australia
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Saturday, 9 May 2015 01:51 Write a comment

Just rediscovered this site (it keeps moving). The photos bring back wonderful memories.

I lived in Folkestone from 1954 until 1966 but my parents lived there until about 1989 so obviously I visited.

Attended Christ Church primary and the Harvey.
29) paul salisbury  Male
Location:
Teesside
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Wednesday, 25 March 2015 16:02 Write a comment

I have good memories of church road and the C W G hall which was next to the magic also remember Fortuna and sunshine cafe's

paul salisbury Wednesday, 25 March 2015 16:06
Naffi not magic

David Connolly Friday, 10 March 2017 03:43
I had my 21st birthday bash at the CWG Hall, Church Road in April 1971. Re Paul's post, I believe it was the Navy, Army, Air Force Institutes (NAAFI).
28) Jerrian Dafou 
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Sunday, 8 March 2015 22:25 Write a comment

Hi there,

I find your site very interesting for anyone curious to learn about the history of Folkestone.

I have a query about a residential building : No 80 Bouverie Road West.

Amongst all the other buildings of the same street, this is the only one (re) built without the traditional bay windows.

The reason for that as stated by current owners is that the building was bombed in WWII

Could anyone give me some more information regarding the circumstances of this bombing? Date, scale of the damages, casualties and when was it re-built and why rebuilt without a bay window?

I would be grateful for any information supplied

Christine - website owner Sunday, 8 March 2015 22:26
I don't have any information on this Jerrian, but I am hoping someone here does, so keep checking back.

Paul Seward Wednesday, 11 March 2015 13:47
No bombs fell on that stretch of BRW according to the map published with Frontline Folkestone. Some years ago I purchased a piano from No. 84 and the vendor told me that the properties suffered from damp due to an ancient stream on that stretch. I fancy the property may have had a structural problem, necessitating the removal of the bays.

Christine - website owner Wednesday, 11 March 2015 23:47
Thank you Paul, very kind of you to research it for Jerrian.
27) Jane Spall  Female
Location:
Suffolk
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Saturday, 28 February 2015 16:05 Write a comment

The top photograph of Mundela Primary shows my father, he is the little lad with the white bandage on his head. I'm guessing the year would have been about 1927/8 as he was born in 1923

Christine - website owner Saturday, 7 March 2015 11:12
Hi Jane: Thank you very much for the information, I have added it to the page, it's nice to have the date of the photo pinned down. Hope your father wasn't too badly injured prior to the photo being taken.
26) sharon webb  Female
Location:
United Kingdom
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Sunday, 1 February 2015 13:57 Write a comment

My Great Grand Uncle Arthur Edward Potten is listed as died on 5th oct 1940 he was a special police man on/off duty from at the time in air raids wonder if anyone knew anymore info

Paul Seward Tuesday, 10 February 2015 09:13
There were four visits to the town by the Luftwaffe on that day. A chance hit by a Dornier on a blockhouse being built on the Leas caused the instantaneous death of five workmen, probably employed on the task by Otto Marx, a well-known local builder. The blockhouse formed part of the defences of the Mill Point Battery, situated to the south of Clifton Crescent. A, very grainy, photograph of the aftermath appears in Frontline Folkestone, published by the Herald after the war.
25) BRIIAN JOHNS  Male
Location:
ashford kent
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Friday, 30 January 2015 15:57 Write a comment

Hi i am trying to trace old bikers from the Sunshine cafe in cheriton high street in 1963 to 1970

ricky flood Thursday, 23 April 2015 08:22
Malcom hammill would be the one to call
ex morehall school like myself

Rich Wednesday, 27 May 2015 14:42
David guest
Harry brunt
Still living in folkestone..

Dick Tym Tuesday, 18 August 2015 17:28
Hi just found your post. In the early 60s I used to ride down to the Shine from Ashford virtualy every night. I remember having a really bad accident on the 21st May 66 whilst riding back to The Shine after a visit to the Trap at Sandwich. I'm now 68 and bikes are still my only means of transport

graham cann Thursday, 23 August 2018 11:43
hi.i used to go there a lot when i was 16 a long time age i am 63 now.had some great days there.i also went to moorhall the head master there then was nicknamed taz

graham cann Thursday, 23 August 2018 11:43
hi.i used to go there a lot when i was 16 a long time age i am 63 now.had some great days there.i also went to moorhall the head master there then was nicknamed taz

Lenny Sunday, 2 December 2018 05:29
Hi all, I just uploaded a picture of my dad with his friends at the sunshine cafe and came across this page in google... my dad and his brothers were bikers there too, I believe he and his older brother went to morehall also!! Would love to chat for more info or swap photographers if you have any..
24) Andrew Day 
Location:
Isle of Wight
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Thursday, 22 January 2015 17:51 Write a comment

(24) My family holidayed in Folkestone in 1966. Here is a picture of me with my mother. How's that for a salute?
I have a clip of 8mm cine film converted to digital if you're interested.

Christine - site owner Thursday, 22 January 2015 21:41
Hi Andrew, that's a fabulous photo. May I add it to the website please?

If you have your film on You Tube, we could add a link to it there.

Lesley Finlay Friday, 13 March 2015 07:42
Hi Andrew Would it be possible to use this image in the Folkestone Herald?
Best wishes
Lesley Finlay
23) Britta Von Zweigbergk  Female
Location:
UK/ Kent
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Tuesday, 13 January 2015 16:37 Write a comment

Ps from yesterday and correction re not noticed error in typing . It was of course Miss Blayney , the English teacher at Harcourt School and she was quite inspirational , also Miss Main the Geography teacher. She lived along the Esplanade in Sandgate . Lovely to read others memories of Folkestone and surrounding area.

Christine - website owner Wednesday, 14 January 2015 22:46
Yes Britta, Miss Blayney (or was it Blainey?) was my home room teacher as well as my English teacher. I remember Miss Main too.
If you look towards the bottom of the People page, you will see clickable sections of a large school photo, I am sure you will recognise many of the teachers if not the pupils.
22) Courtney  Female
Location:
Hythe
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Monday, 8 December 2014 08:27 Write a comment

(22) I believe the crumbling Martello tower you have towards the bottom of the Hythe Page may in fact be Martello number 17, as the more recent tower you have displayed underneath is in fact martello tower 19, which is seen in the photo I have posted still standing. I'm not sure when the photo was taken though however :) Great page though, it's helping me alot with my photography research!

Courtney Wednesday, 14 January 2015 03:59
Just an update after doing some more research:

A report from the Times Newspaper in 1899 reads that "the tower near the redoubt at Dymchurch been split into 2 by the action of the sea sucking away the shingle from the base". Remains of tower 17 and adjacent tower 16 were visible into the 1970's event though they started to collapse in 1899 and the Autumn of 1938. Between towers 18 and 19 used to also stand a 6 gun battery fort known as Fort Moncrief, however this was claimed by the sea in 1873. I have also managed to find an aerial view of Martello tower 19 dating back to 1947, found on this website: [www.britainfromabove.org.uk]

I don't know if this is useful or not, I found it very interesting though :)

Courtney

Christine - website owner Wednesday, 14 January 2015 22:42
Thank you Courtney, that is indeed very interesting. I have added your comments and your photo to the bottom of the Hythe page.
Thanks again. big grin
21) Liz Riddalls  Female
Location:
Canada
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Friday, 10 October 2014 21:33 Write a comment

What a great website, and what a lot of fond memories it stirs. Like you I was raised in Cheriton (Biggins Wood Road), went to Harcourt Secondary, and now live in Canada. I can't even calculate how many times as a kid I explored the woods, fields and hills behind our house. The vacant ground, brick kiln and quarry were particularly exciting places to play in....as long as Mum didn't find out! Now of course, the whole area is beneath the Eurotunnel workings.

Thanks for the extraordinary amount of work it must have taken to compile the content of this wonderful trip down memory lane.

Christine (site owner) Saturday, 11 October 2014 01:32
Thank you Liz, it's very kind of you to say.

Which years were you at Harcourt? I left in 1959.

Liz Saturday, 11 October 2014 03:24
I was at Harcourt from 1962 -1968
It was Miss Main the geography teacher in one of the prefab buildings there, who inspired my determination to come to Canada. Her sister lived in BC and there were piles of Beautiful BC magazines in the classroom...I've been here now since 1972

Christine (site owner) Saturday, 25 October 2014 01:45
Miss Main was there at the same time I was too, but I remember Miss Blainey the most. We had her for English. Of course Miss Ashdown was headmistress. I too now live in Canada, in Winnipeg.

ricky flood Tuesday, 28 April 2015 11:23
do you remember Helen flood im her brother

JAYNE L WATSON Saturday, 11 March 2017 15:15
Hi Ricky
I remember Helen, she was in my class,Mrs Laming was our teacher.

Linda Rose Monday, 22 January 2018 11:43
I went to Harcourt too.

Miss Ashworth was headmistress. Miss King was our teacher, then Mr. Norman. I remember Miss Maine, Miss Laming, Miss Washer (I still LOVE gardening).
20) Janet Scott nee Gaynor  Female
Location:
Nangkita South Australia
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Sunday, 28 September 2014 05:04 Write a comment

How lovely to see pictures of dear old Hythe. I grew up in Hythe during the 50s and early 60s and whilst born in London always call Hythe my home town. I left U.K. to live in Australia in 1966 and have only been "home" a few times over the years. I married a Cheriton Boy, Peter Scott in Perth Western Australia in 1970.
During the summer my family would spend hours on the beach, at tea time my father would walk along to the four winds cafe to get a tray of tea for us to enjoy on the beach. Tea pot, milk, sugar, cups and saucers, spoons, the works. I can still see my Dad walking back along the sea front, grinning from ear to ear, as he returned to us with his tray of refreshments. Life was so uncomplicated and simple pleasures such a joy.

Susan Saturday, 27 January 2018 07:31
I remember a Janet Gaynor! I went to St. Mary's Convent, would that be the place we met? I was Susan Gough then.
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