Folkestone Memories Archive

Page 1

March 23rd 2014

08:37:49 AM

What is your name?Steve Marlow

Where are you from?Hawkinge but now live in Edinburgh

Please enter your comments?Thanks for all the great pictures of Folkestone in the 60's and 70's

March 14th 2014

05:53:03 PM

What is your name?kat

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?hi just been looking at the pubs section in the gallery, and you said that you'd seen the black bull boarded up again and you thought it was closing down for good, well the good news is the building is still there, bad news its not the black bull anymore its now the hungry horse bar and restaurant, but the building its self is still there, and the two bells pub on Canterbury rd is still boarded up although its been closed for nine years, its literally at the bottom of my street, and its not even up for sale or lease so im not sure what they're doing with it, the royal standard directly opposite is still open though :)

Christine - Website owner says:

Hi Kat, Thanks for the information about the Black Bull. It's very sad what is happening to all the Folkestone pubs, so many have gone by the wayside in the last few years. You must live very close to where I did when I was a child, I lived at 68 Canterbury Road, and went to George Spurgen. My mother worked in the fish & chip shop for a while, which I believe is still there, which is amazing because I am talking about the early 1950's.

Posted on : 2014-03-23 10:02:52

March 10th 2014

07:20:41 AM

What is your name?amelia smith

Where are you from?Hawkinge kent

Please enter your comments?i live near the aerodrome.i would like to know what my house is built on please i live in st michael's walk hawkinge. Also my grandad's and Uncles were in the war so have a link to the Aerodrome too.

Paul Seward says:

Sign up to the Kent History Forum - loads of pix and info on RAF Hawkinge! http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=6058.msg95492#msg95492

Posted on : 2014-03-10 12:24:38

March 4th 2014

02:34:32 AM

What is your name?Peter White

Where are you from?Hythe (now France)

Please enter your comments?Earliest memories are from Tyson Road in Folkestone then at the top of Horn Street when the houses in Roman Way were being built (around the end of the 1940s)After that we lived in Bartholomew Street in a big house called Brewery Building which was at one time a pub called "Prince of Prussia", during that time I went to school at St Leonards by The Green when Mr Skinner was head and Mr Vinson my teacher. The photo of The Hope pub brought back the memory of where I had my first pint of beer. Lovely memories of Hythe brought back to me by all the lovely photographs here. Thank you for the trip down memory lane. Who knows I may even live there again one day.

March 2nd 2014

09:07:59 AM

What is your name?Christine Warren - Website owner

Where are you from?Wpg, but originally Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I found it! Completely overlooked it the first time. It's under the one-legged man post. It's an interesting post too.

Still think i will look for a better guestbook though.

March 2nd 2014

08:46:41 AM

What is your name?Christine Warren - Website owner

Where are you from?Wpg, but originally Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I received notification this morning that someone had replied to a post. However, in their wisdom, Bravenet never tell me which post it was! I have looked back as far as mid 2012, but couldn't see anything new. So if the poster could give us an idea of what they were replying to, it would be very helpful.

This has decided me to look for a better guestbook than this one, as it's not user friendly, and is not viewable without Flash. If i find one though, i will leave this one up for reference only, as there are some great posts in here!

Mark Hourahane says:

Oh dear! Not good. Then there's that issue with the e-mail address on replies - I never did hear back from that lady regarding the girl who died in Cheriton with the mortar, sadly. You would probably be best off with a guestbook that runs on your site, but it would probably mean having PHP on your server, possibly a MySQL database and the technical know-how to set it up, of course! I'm not sure whether you'd be able to export the old guestbook, though.

Posted on : 2014-04-01 13:57:16

February 26th 2014

10:48:02 AM

What is your name?Christopher Booth

Where are you from?Rolvenden

Please enter your comments?Interesting site, my Grandfather had an Antique shop at 22 Bouverie road west until about 1965, and I spent quite a lot of time there, As a boy I spent a lot of time at the amusements near the harbour, I particularly remember the electric racing cars, but have never seen pictures of them. I have restored a car like these, but it was not one of the Folkestone ones.

February 19th 2014

06:32:54 AM

What is your name?Pete Savage

Where are you from?Sandgate

Please enter your comments?Hi - excellent pictures. Thanks very much. If anyone has any others of Sandgate, including the area where the current Castle Bay development is (behind Bar Vasa) I would be fascinated to see them.

Peter

Paul Seward says:

This is what you're looking for! http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw000144?search=sandgate&ref=15

Posted on : 2014-02-19 11:43:25

February 13th 2014

06:47:58 PM

What is your name?stephen

Where are you from?Dover Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Does any one remember a one legged veteran siting on the wall of my house 79 Cheriton Road in the period 1960-70 - who was the poor old boy?

Email

Christine says:

That is a lovely name Paul. Kind of reminds me of the word Ataxia, which means dizziness to the point of losing one's balance! LOL!!

Posted on : 2014-03-03 22:18:20

Paul Seward says:

Pedantic Paul says that Mrs. Perkins of the Shannon was Greek, not Italian. She had a daughter with the delicious name of Ephraxia. That's not one you see in the Births column every day!

Posted on : 2014-03-03 10:22:10

John Kedward says:

This is a wonderful story. The man must have had a huge spirit though I used to live below an old lady who would recite her prayers loudly which was a bit disconcerting, at times. She probably did it this way because she was going deaf! Anyway I'm posting here because I have memories of another one legged being, this time a Lady. She used to live in Hythe and was seen around the canal in the late 60's. I'm not sure of her age though she was elderly. One of those childhood memories of her slowly making her way on crutches independently. Regards to you Christina and thanks again for a terrific site.

Posted on : 2014-03-02 07:16:34

Stephen Andrews says:

Thankyou Chris - a brilliant reply - everything you say is just so true - a lovely man who found our garden wall just the right height to rest and watch the world go by. He gave me a book mark that I have subsequently understood to be of "Rosicrucian" background. Crosses and Roses etc. There was a big esoteric community in Folkestone at the time and I really want to find out more. (thankyou Christine) Stephen Andrews

Posted on : 2014-02-24 11:18:04

Christine - website owner says:

Thank you Chris, i wish we had a photo of this man, he sounds like he was a wonderful character, and should be on our People of Folkestone page. Makes you wonder what he had been through in his life, war veteran perhaps?

Posted on : 2014-02-24 10:20:43

Chris says:

REGARDING THE OLD MAN WITH ONE LEG... His name was GEORGE FORBES who lived at no 63a cheriton road, These were one room bedsits along with 71 cheriton road.they were owned by a Mrs Perkins who was an italian woman who also owned the Shannon hotel next door to 71 cheriton road. I lived in the next room to george in the early 70s, He was a very eccentric old man in his late 80s or early 90s who seemed to live on cold tinned food baked beans etc. He never cooked any hot food,never had his heating on and would sing hymns and recite passages from the bible everyday. Alas I don't know what became of him as I only lived there for a short time but can still recall his big white beard, His brown corduroy trousers tucked up on one leg and his very deep voice, He seemed very well educated and knew folkestone quite well and have often wondered if he was born there, Chris.

Posted on : 2014-02-24 05:52:17

February 9th 2014

02:12:43 AM

What is your name?Chris Peerless

Where are you from?Born Folkestone currently Perth,Australia

Please enter your comments?Born 1950 and lived in Folkestone/Cheriton until 1966 joined HM Forces for 24 years,lived at 50 Hollands ave,then 16 Plimsoll ave,Creteway estate,and then 16 Tudor rd Cheriton .Went to St Marys school,then Morehall School,Summers consisted of going over the hill down to the Warren,Little Switzerland then through the Warren to the Railway bridge across to the Warren beach up and down the Groynes.Other days would be sugar loaf hill ,Caesars camp and in the gap below in Holy-well where there was a tree swing ,great times every year,later down the rotunda and the the East cliff Pavilion to the Sands,evenings used to be 5-side football down at the Royal Pavilion by the Pebble Beach near the Royal Pavilion Hotel, 99 Air Cadets in ship street,plus the cubs and Scouts of course

January 31st 2014

08:09:14 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Liz Taylor

Where are you from?Folkestone Kent

Please enter your comments?I was born in Folkestone, went to All souls school then Harcourt in the early sixties. Belonged to a dance school and did Pantomimes at the Pleasure Gdns Theatre including Puss In Boots. My daughter was born at the Royal Vic in the early seventies. I remember when Tontine St was 2 way traffic!!!. Such a busy part of the town then. The church at the top of Tontine St was a lovely building too. Great to see these pictures.

Christine - website owner says:

Not sure why you made your message private Liz, but your life was very similar to mine, except my days at Harcourt were in the late fifties, and i had a son at the Royal Victoria in the late sixties. Plus i didn't dance in any pantomimes. :-). You are right though, Folkestone was so much better in those days, busy and bustling with holidaymakers all summer, the seafront was such a fun place to be, and lots for kids to do. Thanks for your memories.

Posted on : 2014-01-31 08:53:15

January 30th 2014

02:20:15 PM

What is your name?Sara Pass

Where are you from?Currently in Essex

Please enter your comments?Some excellent pictures. Thanks for sharing. I am a descendent through my nan of Vollee Maree aka Joseph Milton, one of the crew of the Four Brothers which was involved in a seabattle with the Badger Revenue cutter. My great grandparents had a specially built house in South Street, with hiding places for contraband. It was damaged during WW2 early one December morning by a landmine. On the spot now stands a memorial to people killed on that night. I have always wanted to obtain a photograph of their house, but it is always out of view in harbour shots. All I have is a sketch of the layout drawn by my aunty. As family still live in Dover I have been visiting Folkestone for 55 years now, and have my own collection of historic postcards. I always think to myself "my nan or grant or great grandparents or great aunts and uncles might be in that picture". I very much enjoyed your collection.

January 18th 2014

02:12:00 PM

What is your name?Julie Webb

Where are you from?Hythe / Central Point Oregon USA

Please enter your comments?Love reminiscing! Thanks for the great site. I grew up in Hythe and every now and then enjoy looking at pictures and reading about the past from where I am from.

January 4th 2014

03:20:06 PM

What is your name?Francesca Caroline Anna Debenham

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?i love seeing picture of the town i live in

December 6th 2013

11:45:52 AM

What is your name?fred hayes/ransley

Where are you from?folkestone / toronto

Please enter your comments?someone asked if it was snow or a bad picture, probably a bad picture, i can rember snow maybe once a year and if you did not go sleding before noon it was gone. as for the tank traps they were much bigger as we used to ride our bikes on them and it was not easy climbing out of them to reach the top.

December 5th 2013

11:17:52 AM

What is your name?Colin Charman

Where are you from?Tenterden

Please enter your comments?Spent many happy annual holidays in the 50's in Folkestone staying in B&Bs in the Wear Bay area and remember watching the ferries and trips on RHDR. My grandmother(Ena Dayne) was the last licensee of the Royal Oak in Sandgate and my father was the licensee of the Prince Albert over the winter of 62/3 - a disaster the place was a dump! Pleased to see the town coming up again after having been "let go" for many years - places like "Rock Salt" are great and are starting to improve the town no end.

December 3rd 2013

01:29:40 PM

What is your name?clayton

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?Nice to see the old mural from the star inn, my granddad toby was always in there, shame they knocked it down

November 27th 2013

02:07:09 PM

What is your name?graham clarke

Where are you from?gillingham kent

Please enter your comments?my names graham I lived at 3 Ethelbert road from 1954-1964 and was in the lifeboys at the Baptist church I can always remember collecting pennies from the rotunda after swimming in the outdoor pool and buying penny bags of rock from rolands rock shop what a treat

November 24th 2013

06:49:43 AM

What is your name?fred hayes

Where are you from?folkestone / toronto

Please enter your comments?just looked at the toll house, you dont mention whow or who started it. stories from my childhood mention a family member starting a toll gate with house on sandgate road because he could (they were a dishonest bunch)is it that house, i have no way of checking

fred hayes says:

thanks for the reply to my post. my reletives were crooked in every way posible so they probaly did not own the property thy put the toll on.i have photos from the late 40 to the mid 50s if i can get them scaned i will send them to you. again great site.

Posted on : 2013-11-27 10:40:06

Christine - website owner says:

Yes Fred, as Paul says, the Toll House on my pages is the one owned by Lord Radnor in the Lower Sandgate Road. I hadn't heard of anyone just starting one because they could, but I guess anything is possible if you go far enough back in history. However, I would think any road that was built, whether it was dirt track or otherwise, would have belonged to the person(s) who built it, and they would be the only ones entitled to collect a fee for using it, and would have had something to say if anyone else did so.

Posted on : 2013-11-25 00:00:11

Paul Seward says:

I'm presuming you mean the one at the bottom of Sandgate Hill rather than Lord Radnor's on the Lower Sandgate Road. The former would have been a turnpike to fund maintenance of the road, a common practice in days of yore. Nowadays the money from say, Dartford Tunnel, goes heaven only knows where but certainly not on road maintenance!

Posted on : 2013-11-24 09:25:16

November 24th 2013

06:37:31 AM

What is your name?fred hayes/ransley

Where are you from?folkestone / toronto

Please enter your comments?loved the pictures, remember some of the hotels from my childhood. left folkestone in 1957 have been back once in 1972.i remember my mother talking about a family named warren her name was emily hayes ransley i was born on lindon cres.

Christine - website owner says:

Hi Fred, I am glad you have been enjoying the website. I am afraid I gained my surname from my husband who was a Canadian. The history of his name lies in Warren, Ontario, although I believe they originally came from the UK, but not Folkestone.

Posted on : 2013-11-24 23:54:15

Page 2

November 15th 2013

02:37:49 PM

What is your name?Nicky Vines

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?When was the Rotunda built please...Was it 1953...Thanks

Paul Seward says:

Britain from above pix bear out Christine's reply. No sign in 1933 but there in 1946. Try http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/

Posted on : 2013-11-16 05:42:02

Christine - website owner says:

I think it was earlier than that Nicky. I believe Folkestone had some form of amusements on the seafront as early as the 1920's, but the Rotunda building itself was built around 1938. The funfair was gradually added to over the years until it became the large park it was at the time of demolition. I could be wrong on this, but it is what I have read. I moved to Folkestone in 1948 and it was there then, so I know it was before 1953.

Posted on : 2013-11-15 16:01:31

October 4th 2013

05:07:25 AM

What is your name?penny shillibeer

Where are you from?Rainham kent

Please enter your comments?I used to live at 195 canterbury road, moved when i was 9. there used to be an old man that sold home made lollies opposite the library,1/2p 1p 2p, but no one could eat a 2p one :-) my childhood was AWESOME in Folkestone

Christine - website owner says:

Just imagine being able to buy a lollypop so big you couldn't eat it all for 2p, or rather 2d as it probably was back then! Sad thing is, he probably wouldn't be allowed to sell them at all these days due to health & safety regulations etc. Thanks for sharing your memories.

Posted on : 2013-10-04 09:26:28

September 7th 2013

01:39:32 AM

What is your name?michael dale

Where are you from?Brisbane Australia

Please enter your comments?What a great discovery this website is. I lived in Folkestone 1946 -1958 and have many,many memories some of which I hope to share with you but for now it's just Hallo !

Jo Barnes says:

My father came from Folkestone and you have a photo of my grandfather's Smith and Engineering works on Radnor Street looking East from the harbour branch line archway. My great great grandfather (1771-1846) was a blacksmith in Folkestone and the business was carried on until my cousin sold the business in the 1980s (I think). The building is still there with the same name.

Posted on : 2013-09-15 22:19:35

Christine (Website owner) says:

Hello Michael, glad you found us, and that we managed to stir up a few good memories for you. Hope you visit often :-)

Posted on : 2013-09-07 07:24:57

August 7th 2013

01:32:38 PM

What is your name?Catherine archer

Where are you from?England

Please enter your comments?My grandparents were married in Sandgate in 1919. They gave their address as Praetoria Lodge Folkestone. I was interested in the picture of Praetoria School. Does anyone know if there was a lodge attached or can anyone tell me where Praetoria Lodge was in Folkestone ? My grandfather was a valet. I have searched many websites but no luck. Love all the photographs and the way they are presented.

July 16th 2013

08:31:57 AM

What is your name?Caz Elliott, (Tina Hislop when I lived in Hythe.)

Where are you from?Derby, but, I spent my first 21 years in Hythe, Kent.

Please enter your comments?I would love to go back to Hythe, but, I don't have the money.

During WW2 my dad's, (who was born in at the Hope Inn, Stade Street, Hythe, on Saturday 21 February 1920 his parents owned the place,) family were evacuated to Derby, where my dad met my mum, (she was born in Derby.)

After they married on Wednesday 21.6.44 at Peet Street Church, Derby they went back to Hythe to live in 70, Park Road, for 29 years then at, 65, St. Leonard's Road, for 5 years, until returning to Derby, (when dad married mum, he made her a promise to bring her back to die in Derby, in 1978 he kept his promise.)

Dad died in 2003 & mum died in 2007

When we lived in Hythe, I used to work at the Hythe, Romney & Dymchurch Light Railway Café.

July 15th 2013

01:56:10 AM

What is your name?Sandra Leng

Where are you from?Benalla, Vic, Australia

Please enter your comments?Loving the site. I remember going "Wooding" I believe it was called up in the hills behind Folkestone. We used to walk everywhere. No getting car lifts then. Used to gather bluebells, primroses & something called "katkins". My mum worked for a time in the kiosk at the skating rink. Must have been about 1955. Her name was Meg Holder. I guess anyone who would remember is dead now. Also remember going to an evening Show with an aunt at the Marine Pavilion. Did anyone ever go door to door carol singing? The Punch & Judy Show at the sands used to scare me. I also belonged to a group called the Sunbeams, with a uniform similar to Brownies. I think we were fortunate to be children in the 1940's - 1960's. Although money was scarce we made our own fun, used our imaginations, played in the street, travelled pretty much where we wanted.

John Ashby says:

I used to go skating at the rink on Saturday afternoons in the 1953 period, so I must have known your Mother. And I am not dead yet (1943 baby)! I only went to be near to Monica Dombrick with whom I was in terrible love. That started at the Tontine St Congregational church - then run by Rev Henry Cooper. I lived at 54 Downs Rd and Monica at Foord Rd in the houses near to Brandstone Rd and now replaced. Monica never knew of my love. I too used to go wooding. We would bike up to the Black Horse and the White horse and have a Vimto and Smiths crisps. Bluebells and primroses. So many memories - perhaps worth writing down?

Posted on : 2013-11-23 15:02:00

July 13th 2013

06:51:00 AM

What is your name?Mo

Where are you from?Lyminge now Portsmouth

Please enter your comments?Great site, brings back lots of good memories, went to Harcount Sec Modern. I remember the old high street with its rock shops and coffee bars, 3 cinemas (Elvis Presley films) with my friend Pat, seeing the Stones at the Odean,zig zag path, beach, skating, swimming pools, racing cars, the Leas, Sunshine cafe in Cheriton. The town was a lot better in the sixtys well so it seened to me. Visit family and usually drop in to Folkestone.

Christine (website owner) says:

Hi Mo, Your memories are exactly the same as mine. I have a sister named Pat too, who was/is a Rolling Stones fan. We lived in Surrenden Road, Cheriton in the 60's, and hung out at the Sunshine Cafe quite a bit. Loved the jukebox there.

Posted on : 2013-07-13 08:59:12

July 9th 2013

12:54:33 AM

What is your name?Sandra Leng

Where are you from?Benalla Victoria Australia

Please enter your comments?Just sending my email address again as I don't think it was quite correct. Am enjoying the site. Such nostalgia.

July 8th 2013

09:36:23 PM

What is your name?Sandra Leng

Where are you from?Benalla, Vic, Australia

Please enter your comments?I was interested if anyone remembered prefab houses which I believed were in Hollands Ave. I believe they were only temporary housing after the war. I went to the old St. Marys primary school in Dover Road, which doesn't appear to be there any more. Our family left for Australia in 1956, so my memory is not so good. My parents had a shop in Tontine St for a short while called "The Spot", selling I believe model aircraft. I used to go to a Café a few doors up for a roast potato for lunch. I know the owner's daughter was called Winnie. I also used to go up the High Street to watch the rock making. The only other place I have seen it made is Montville, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. It took me back to my childhood. I also remember shellfish being sold from carts from near the Metripole Hotel which was empty whilst we lived there. Also went roller skating at the Rotunda, I think it was. My parents are dead now, my maiden name was Holder. Would be pleased to hear from someone who can help me.

fred hayes says:

hi christine, sorry for the long delay in answering but lost track of time, my mothers name was emily matilda hayes, nick name lili, lived at 80 linden cres.

Posted on : 2013-12-06 11:34:30

Christine -website owner says:

Hi Fred: my mother used to own the Ensign in Tontine Street. I think we sold up around that time, but what was your mother's full name? Either I, or my older sister might remember her.

Posted on : 2013-11-27 12:58:12

fred hayes says:

sandra. i rember watching them make rock in the windowof rowlands, my mother was a waitress at the caffe i think was called the ensign.left there in 1957 for canada and like you my mother has passed so cant ask her any more questions.

Posted on : 2013-11-27 10:52:54

michael dale says:

East or West? Some difference of opinion as to the location of the roller skating rink but circa 1950 the skating rink was definitely in the Marine Pavilion east of the Rotunda but later (mid fifties) an open air skating rink was built west of the Rotunda - so for a time there were two.

Posted on : 2013-11-13 05:03:42

George.Hills. says:

The skating moved from where Paul said to where Christine remembers it later on.There were also prefabs behind Langdon rd where i lived up till the war came.We used to go out of our back gate and across the fields to the downs.How things change.

Posted on : 2013-10-04 14:51:59

Christine (Website owner) says:

Sandra might also have meant the Marine Gardens Pavilion for roller skating Paul, which is East of where the Rotunda used to be. This is where the rink was when I was a child. Incidentally, many years ago, I had visions of starting up a rock business here in Canada with a view to selling it to businesses as promotional items. Mr. Brickell very kindly sent me detailed instructions on how to make it - pages of them! I don't remember the exact process now, but it sounded so complicated, I knew I wasn't up to the job, and ditched the idea! It was all done by hand, and each letter was inserted lengthways with white strips filling in the gaps of each letter, then finally wrapped in a circle of white, then a thin layer of the pink or other colour. All the while being rolled, and it had to be done quite quickly before it was too cold to manipulate, then it was pulled out to the thickness required and cut into lengths. It was an absolute art, and I am not surprised there wasn't anyone able or willing to take over his business when he died.

Posted on : 2013-07-12 22:11:29

Paul Seward says:

This excellent link will explain where the school is now. [http://www.stmarysfolkestone.com/history/founding-of-the-school The rock shop was Rowlands. I still can't understand how they got the lettering in there! I fear that you have the wrong hotel. It would have been the Royal Pavilion near where the shellfish barrows were and still are. The roller skating rink was to the west of the Rotunda, nearer the open-air swimming pool. Sad to say that all is now demolished.

Posted on : 2013-07-12 12:19:14

July 3rd 2013

07:44:53 AM

What is your name?Patricia Randall nee Goldfinch

Where are you from?Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.

Please enter your comments?Lived in Cherry Garden Lane Cherriton 1961 to 1965 with my older sister Christine and mother and father. Remember going to Harcourt but also to Biggins Wood Junior School yet can't find reference to it anywhere. Sure I have the name correct. What happened to it I wonder?? I remember a sweet shop up Surrenden Road, and a stream called The Penny Pot. The indoor and outdoor swimming pools down on the seafront and a swimming teacher called Miss Hazel I think. Since we lived near Caeser's Camp,we regularly used to walk up the old unmade road to the bottom or play in the rec! Such a long time ago. Love all the pictures

George.Hills says:

Mark is correct in his summing up I used to deliver the school meals to harcourt school after i retired from work.As a matter of interrest i used to live in what was the chocolate box sweet shop at the bottom of Blackbull rd where the Pent stream came up from underground and ran alongside our wall and behind what in those day's used to be Public baths.Later to become if i remember rightly the now defunt Silver Springs Mineral Water Co.Where it first started.

Posted on : 2013-10-04 15:09:01

Mark Hourahane says:

Harcourt Primary is in Biggins Wood Road, although there was no school there in the early Sixties and Harcourt Primary itself was located in Surrenden Road. Living in Cherry Garden Lane, you would most likely mean the Pent Stream, which runs from what is now the industrial estate on the Dormobile land through Morehall Recreation Ground, behind the hospital and comes out by the ice cream shop at the harbour.

Posted on : 2013-07-15 04:02:52

Christine (website owner) says:

Hi Patricia, I don't remember a Biggins Wood School, and can find no reference to it. Was it right in Biggins Wood Road? My Kelly's Directory for that era only lists All Souls in Stanley Road and St. Martin's in Horn Street as a primary schools in that area. There was also Sir John Moore up on Shorncliffe Camp. Harcourt was a primary school in the 50's as well as a secondary school. Also, the only Pennypot I remember is Pennypot Estate in Hythe, named after Pennypot Farm that once stood on the site. Could you possibly be remembering the Pent Stream, which runs through Folkestone both above and below ground?

Posted on : 2013-07-04 21:27:59

July 1st 2013

01:18:47 PM

What is your name?Carol Evans

Where are you from?Hereford

Please enter your comments?Christine....have just seen the photo of your mother outside the Ensign Café in Tontine St. I remember her so well..I worked in Allans the pawnbrokers opposite the café...I used to go and get the toast for our morning tea break...Michaels was on our side of the road further down....next door to us....we were a double shop...the other half being a mens outfitters.....was a second hand book shop run by a white haired man who had several children.....on your side was a pram shop an alleyway and then the post office......goodness how the memories flood back,after nearly 60 years

Christine - website owner says:

It's also a great comfort to find someone who remembers my mother. Sort of gives validity to her time there, and that her existence mattered to someone apart from me. :-) Thank you Carol.

Posted on : 2013-11-27 13:04:41

Christine - website owner says:

I don't know why it's such a comfort John, but we all love to do it. Reading other people's memories,I find myself picturing those streets and those things along with you.

Posted on : 2013-11-25 08:27:26

John Ashby says:

Hey, this is triggering too many memories. You mentioned the alley steps that went up between the Post Office and the Pram shop. In about 1948 - I was then 5, I have a vivid memory of my mother standing outside that Post Office talking to another person. The Post Office was clad in black shiny marble-effect material and much later on I remember doing one of those Harry Worth half person tricks there. The pram shop sold those amazing Silver Cross machines (another branch was by the Guildhall St train arch, just across from the old gas works). I looked into the pit of the old gas works recently. Lorries used to back up to the doors there and unload coal to the floor about 30 feet below. One could see the amazing ovens roaring. And that wonderful sifting machine that graded the coke, round on the side of Ship St. Must have been awful living close to that. And Bert Nuttall who carried coke round Folkestone on a barrow. He had epileptic fits sometimes. His mother was a little old lady called Vi who lived in Mead Rd in what would now be called a slum house. Why is looking back of such comfort? Selective memory I expect. John

Posted on : 2013-11-25 05:15:48

June 24th 2013

07:42:39 AM

What is your name?Carol Evans

Where are you from?Cheriton now in Hereford

Please enter your comments?I lived in Stanley Rd.with my grandparents and younger brother....almost opposite our house was the Advance Laundry.....I remember the railings taken down from the park and from the houses for the war(ww)

At the age of 3years my nan sent me to a little private school which was run by 2 maiden ladies called Miss Quested and Miss Routledge....this was in the top half of a house in Quested Rd.....just up from the Baptist Church but on the opposite side of the road...at the age of 6 I went to All Souls Primary School....where I helped the teacher to teach my class mates to knit.....coming from a family of knitters I have always knitted...nan taught me before 3years old with match sticks and crochet thread....at the bottom of Stanley Rd going into Shaftsbury Ave....was a corner shop owned by a blind man....along further was another corner shop...I think they were Italian...from memory there were 3 sisters surname Spelzene....

I also went to Harcourt Sec. school..Miss Ashdown was my headmistress.....I started there in 1949...

June 15th 2013

01:26:38 PM

What is your name?Edna and Ken Ogden

Where are you from?now living in North Wales

Please enter your comments?So pleased to find this treasure trove of memories. We owned the Gresham Hotel in Clifton Crescent during the 1980's, which I understand has now been turned into flats. I often wonder if, as it was a listed building, all the fantastic marble fireplaces were kept when the hotel was changed into flats. We are now 92 and 84, enjoying a peaceful life in a wonderful little village in North Wales. These pictures have evoked emotional memories of our time in Folkestone so we thank you for this unexpected experience.

May 27th 2013

12:02:04 AM

What is your name?Ian Gordon

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Folkestone churches. Some great pictures here, thank you. Two comments: the sign on the the old Parish Church of SS Mary & Eanswythe which you disliked so much was put there for the Millennium as appeared on most church es across the UK. The gravestone for tax rebel Rebecca Rogers is now inside the church on the south wall of the south aisle.

April 29th 2013

08:48:20 AM

What is your name?Sandra Johnson

Where are you from?Southampton

Please enter your comments?It was great looking at the pictures of Folkestone and Cheriton, I used to visit Folkestone loads as a child.

I remember standing at the Rock Shop for ages watching them make rock

My Dad (Ron Johnson) was born in Darlington Street, and later moved to Dallas Brett Crescent, his mum was May and his dad was Charles Johnson.

My Mum (Margaret Haben) was born at Military Avenue, Cheriton, her mum was Enid and her dad was John who was in the Tank Regiment, and is buried at Shornecliffe Military Cemetary.

Will try very hard to hook out some photos (have loads) and send them to you.

Thank you again for the great site

Sandy x

April 29th 2013

03:29:48 AM

What is your name?mrs stephanie hinchliffe

Where are you from?folkestone kent

Please enter your comments?loved all pictures and my family name is paine and our family have lived here for very many years my ancestors were even mention in the local papers as being killed by a runaway horse which went over cliffs on the leas also my granma sfather was killed on his first day at new job by a horse and car her maiden name was gardner and my mothers family are also folkestions born and bred her family name is anslow

Christine says:

Hi Stephanie, By coincidence, in my class at school there was a Christine Gardner and a Frances Anslow. I wonder if they are related to you? If so, I don't think they knew they were related to each other. Christine - website owner http://www.warrenpress.net/FolkestoneThenNow/FolkestoneThen_Now.html

Posted on : 2013-04-30 00:10:35

April 27th 2013

03:40:03 AM

What is your name?Chris McBrien

Where are you from?Aberdeen, Scotland

Please enter your comments?My Grandmother, Francis Forster, lived at Hawkinge in a house called 'Te Whare'. She died in 1944. I believe that house is now called 'The Lion House' and is on the Canterbury Road, at the northern end. Any information gratefully accepted.

Regards.... Chris.

April 21st 2013

12:52:37 PM

What is your name?cristina

Where are you from?italy

Please enter your comments?hi, my name is cristina and my grandfather was in the warcamp 33.he stayed in the warcamp for 7 years and gone in her little town, in the south of italy in 1945/46. he died very young..only 52 years old.. i'll try to find some information about the camp and the persons that known my grandad.war is terribile but i hope that some english people were friendly with him....

Christine says:

I don't know very much about POW camp 33 except that it was located at Shorncliffe Camp on St. Martin's Plain. I think generally the POW's in Britain were treated well, far better than the British POW's in other countries. I was very young at the time, and living in Buckinghamshire, but have a memory of two German POW's coming to our house on a regular basis, they used to read me stories. Now this might have been after the war ended, because I don't think they were released until some time later, but possibly the restrictions were relaxed after the war was over. I do hope your Grandfather was treated well anyway.

Posted on : 2013-04-21 21:45:56

Post a Reply

April 3rd 2013

09:57:45 AM

What is your name?Sharon

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi, I am trying to find out history on Grimston Avenue any photo's or information please? Thank you.

Mark Hourahane says:

If you're local, a visit to the Heritage Room upstairs in the library on Grace Hill would be a good idea. You'll find photographs and information there.

Posted on : 2013-04-21 14:53:10

Paul Seward says:

http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=1957.0

Posted on : 2013-04-10 15:13:54

Sharon Brown says:

Hi Paul, thank you for your comments. I am interested in number 12 Grimston Avenue. Could you let me know where I can find the eye witness accounts please? Thank you.

Posted on : 2013-04-10 15:04:38

Paul Seward says:

Many of the properties in the stretch from Bouverie Rd. W. to Shorncliffe were originally embassies/consulates. No 33 or 35, for instance, has a beautifully carved wooden panelled entrance hall and was originally the Bolivian consulate. No. 1 is on the buildings page, with comment from Christine. The bottom stretch, left hand side, was the playing field of St. Margaret's School, hence Schoolfield House in Godwyn Road . Not sure how much history you're looking for but the area suffered bomb damage 25.05.17 and you can find detailed eye witness accounts on the web from pedestrians in Grimston Avenue at the time.

Posted on : 2013-04-04 10:49:27

March 26th 2013

03:59:30 PM

What is your name?Kayley Sherwood

Where are you from?Dover, originally Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine,

Noticed Cliff Sherwood has taken quite a few photos.

Cliff Sherwood is my dad I remember him and I driving around Folkestone taking these pictures.

Is so interesting to see Folkestone back in the early 1900s compared to what it looks like now. xx

Christine says:

Thanks for posting Kayley. I hope you were not offended that I suggested that maybe your Dad was on a pub crawl when he took those pics! It was all in fun.

Posted on : 2013-03-26 20:09:31

Page 3

March 4th 2013

05:35:39 AM

What is your name?Adrian Musgrave

Where are you from?Southport

Please enter your comments?I'm trying to locate any photographs, info or details about the Musgrave family who lived in Folkestone and operated a business - Musgrave & Co Drapers at 26, 28 and 30 Sandgate Road from around 1865 to 1960. Head of family was Joseph John Musgrave, wife Sarah Anne Lebutt and between 1870 and 1883 they had 6 children (between 1862 and 1870 Joseph John also had 5 children with 1st wife Grace, died in 1870). From about 1900, the business was managed by William Robinson Musgrave (eldest son) and then from around 1930, by his son Reginald Brady Musgrave. Many of the family lived at various addresses in and around Folkestone and I am interested to find out if there are any records, photographs or stories about the Musgrave children's early life at school and growing up in Folkestone. Anything about George Clarke Musgrave (1874 - 1832) would be particularly welcome

Christine - Website owner says:

Hi Adrian, unfortunately i have no photographs, but found Musgrave & Co listed in my 1958 Kelly's Directory at 28 & 30 Sandgate Road, telephone No. 3041. I have one other Kelly's dated 1964, but by that time the premises were occupied by Lyons & Lyons, also Drapers. The only other reference I have is in Catherine Dunk's diary on my People page. Catherine wrote in her diary that she bought a sewing machine from Musgraves for 4 pounds 10 shillings in 1877. I personally remember Musgraves being there, but I don't think I ever went inside.

Posted on : 2013-03-06 00:55:27

February 28th 2013

01:55:17 PM

What is your name?Pauline Fitzpatrick

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?My moter and uncles were born in Folkestone at the beginning of the last century but I was brought up in London. I retired to Folkestone and it was lovely to see how it was in their day as my grandma etc are all gone now.

February 20th 2013

05:58:15 AM

What is your name?william welsh

Where are you from?Folkestone original, now Colchester Essex

Please enter your comments?I am sorry to disappoing Irene Saunders adn Graham Lindsey on the picture Folkestone Fishermen bringing in ther catch.

it is not your relations, one was my Father Alfred Welsh (the one in the pink jumper) the other was a guy nicknamed Pepper, how do I know? I was the young boy standing by the water and I have this photo framed in my home and have had for many years. Sorry but it's my Dad, he had the best fresh water fish shop in Folkestone at the time.

William (then Billy) Welsh

February 19th 2013

04:16:58 AM

What is your name?Keith Robert Savage

Where are you from?New Zealand

Please enter your comments?Do you know anything about the 'Damer Dawson' Memorial Home which opened around 1920 at 2 Beaconsfield Terrace, Hythe

Christine says:

Thanks George. How nice to hear from you! :-) Hope you are keeping well.

Posted on : 2013-03-20 21:09:19

George Hills says:

Hi Christine,as Paul say's Danehill Lodge is still where he say's, it's now owned by a solicitor,or was in 2006 when i visited her. regards George.

Posted on : 2013-03-20 10:09:36

Christine says:

Beaconsfield Terrace was a row of houses in Marine Parade, I have a card dated Sept 1918 that looks almost the same as the one you link to Mark. I haven't added it to my site yet, but did send a copy to Keith. It is written on the back by someone called Archie, who says "The hotel in the distance. This shows part of promenade". I think the hotel he refers to was Moyle Tower, which was originally built in 1877-8 as a hotel. Alan Taylor told me it was left unfinished for many years until the Holiday Fellowship took it over in 1923, but perhaps it was indeed used as a hotel at some period between those years.

Posted on : 2013-02-23 00:34:31

Mark Hourahane says:

Yes indeed, Christine. It seemed to be there at least since the 1890s, as I've seen a photograph from then. I'm not sure if it was ever a road - I think it's more like a name for a building group. I'm sure someone can correct me on that, though! What I'd like to know is whether 2 Beaconsfield Terrace is in fact 2 Marine Parade. Certainly, the Pike's Directory entries for that time list Marine Parade as starting from the Twiss Road end (i.e. Beaconsfield Terrace). Looking at Google Maps, the cul-de-sec end of Twiss Road looks to be Beaconsfield Terrace. There is a postcard allegedly of the correct era for sale here: http://postcards.delcampe.co.uk/page/item/id,101370725,var,BEACONSFIELD-TERRACE-HYTHE-c1920s-OUR-REF-286,language,E.html

Posted on : 2013-02-22 16:25:08

Christine says:

I have discovered that Beaconsfield Terrace was in Marine Parade, right on the seafront. I don't know the year you are interested in Keith, but I will send you a copy of it from 1910.

Posted on : 2013-02-21 21:56:28

Mark Hourahane says:

e-mailed you both. For anyone else interested, the home was indeed opened in 1920 and cared for babies and (young) mothers who were in need of support, due to poverty or abuse. Miss Damer Dawson ran a similar operation, The Elms, from late 1918 to early 1920, when the property was sold, in Aldington.

Posted on : 2013-02-21 15:19:46

Christine says:

Mark, send a copy to me too please.

Posted on : 2013-02-21 13:56:20

Mark Hourahane says:

Keith, I'll e-mail you the information I have on the memorial home later this evening.

Posted on : 2013-02-21 13:23:54

Paul Seward says:

Christine This is Danehill, on B2067 going west from Lympne, just past the entrance to the Wildlife Park. Looks substantial enough to be the Danehill Lodge referred to? Nothing else shown on old maps, apart from a lodge at the entrance to the Park. That is too small to be her home, I think. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=lympne&hl=en&ll=51.078249,0.99926&spn=0.000844,0.002642&sll=47.73855,12.508828&sspn=29.404284,86.572266&t=h&hnear=Lympne,+Kent,+United+Kingdom&z=19

Posted on : 2013-02-21 12:08:54

Keith Robert Savage says:

Hi Paul, Many thanks for your prompt reply and the link! Please don't think me ungrateful but I am aware of Margaret Damer Dawson's background, my interest is specifically the Babies Home or Hospital at 2 Beaconsfield Terrace, Marine Parade, Hythe, Kent. My mother spent the first eleven months of her life there before being moved to a girls home in London! My understanding is that the Babies Home was opened in memory of Margaret Damer Dawson after her death in 1920? I am interested to learn what type of institution it was, what the criteria was for entry and if any records exist in Library Archives? Kind Regards Keith

Posted on : 2013-02-21 02:22:52

February 16th 2013

01:02:53 PM

What is your name?Roger Booton

Where are you from?Birmingham

Please enter your comments?What an absolute disgrace what they have done to this town

What happened to all the redevelopment that was supposed to happen I'm originally from Birmingham and moved down here in 2009 to be near our Grandkids. We used to visit regular before we moved and i remember the old Rotunda and fair. I find it disgusting taking all that recreation away from the people. All it is now is concrete and flat concrete @ that

Mark Hourahane says:

The Rotunda was privately owned - it's a shame it was decided to pull it down in a hurry before it became a listed building. If you follow the goings on in The Herald, you'll see there were lots of complications and issues regarding the sale and redevelopment of the land. Ultimately, you can't blame the town but the private entities involved - i.e. the owner and the potential developers. I guess in a way, although it's a shame there's not much going on down there any more, it's nice that we actually have a bit of our coast that hasn't been used to put up some ugly monstrosity!

Posted on : 2013-02-19 06:34:56

Christine says:

and graffiti Roger, last time I was down on the Rotunda site, there was lots of that too. :-( It's sad. They say it's lack of money. But there is not a lot to spend money on in the town any more. Vicious circle, no businesses, no tax money.

Posted on : 2013-02-16 14:12:28

February 14th 2013

01:52:05 PM

What is your name?Peter Rowbotham

Where are you from?55 Wear Bay Road (holiday flat)

Please enter your comments?What a wonderful collection of pics covering the East Cliff and Warren Park. I walk these cliffs whenever I can enjoying the spectacular views. Regards

February 13th 2013

09:22:47 PM

What is your name?Jim Garner

Where are you from?Ottawa, Canada

Please enter your comments?I am trying to interest the Canadian Legion magazine in the Tontine Street raid, and I'd be grateful if anyone can direct me to a source of pictures that would be relevant. Also, I would like to get some info on one of the civilian casualties, Agnes Curren Macdonald, described as "a Canadian lady stenographer,22, waiting to go to France for ambulance work". I haven't been able to trace the birth of any such person in Canada; does anybody know anything more about her?

Christine - Folkestone Then & Now says:

Hi Jim, I am sorry you still haven't found any more information on Agnes, I know you were looking here in December of 2011. As I said before, I have no further information than that which is on my website. I have found her listed on a couple of other sites. On this one, http://royeastland.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/the-great-folkestone-air-raid-1917-tontine-street.jpg, although it is very hard to read, it looks as if she went under the name of Madge, also her date of death on that page looks to be June 2nd, not June 1st. The other place I found her was http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~folkestonefamilies/Tontinestreet.htm This one has her date of death as June 1st, and also states that she lodged with the Jackman family at 12 Connaught Road, Folkestone. Neither gives her a place of burial, so I don't know if she was returned to her family, or was buried in Folkestone. Are you a relative of hers?

Posted on : 2013-02-13 23:04:10

February 1st 2013

09:26:19 PM

What is your name?Mark Hourahane

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?To all that I've been trying to contact, e.g.:

Christine - regarding the grenade incident in Cheriton

Delma - regarding the Bean family

there's an issue on this guestbook whereby it doesn't leave an e-mail address when you reply, so here's my e-mail address. Please e-mail me and I'll get the relevant information to you that you requested.

Carol Evans says:

My recollection of the grenade incident was it was Patsys (as Kathleen was known) older brother Micky who died along with a friend called Ivan or Ivor Warne....Ivan/Ivor had 2 younger brothers Ian and Guy....they lived in Shafsbury Ave...just off Stanley Road....the Donoqhues lived in Somerset Road....I was about 6 years old at the time....but don't remember hearing any more of that family and now wonder if they moved away

Posted on : 2013-06-27 09:21:22

February 1st 2013

10:24:13 AM

What is your name?John Tassell

Where are you from?Hythe

Please enter your comments?I was born in Hythe in 1938 and lived there troughout the war - the photo of Church Hill Hythe brought back memories as we lived on the hill and troops were billetted in the large houses near Saltwood . In the evenings soldiers would walk down the hill to the pubs but because of the hobnails in their boots there was no grip and they would end up falling over and rolling all the way down .I went to the Harvey grammar School , worked on the boats on the canal during the holidays . I played footaball for Hythe fo a couple of years after National Service

Your photographs of Hythe and Folkestone certeinly brought back many memories !

Regards to anyone who rembers me

John Tassell

Peter says:

I remember you John (I think). I have a photograph of the Hythe Youth Club football team, taken about 1958/59, I am pretty sure you are in it.

Posted on : 2014-03-04 02:43:32

Paul Seward says:

John - I presume you've read the book "The Real Dad's Army"? A fascinating diary of happenings in Hythe and Saltwood during the war with mentions of people who were probably known to you.

Posted on : 2013-02-02 04:12:42

January 28th 2013

08:24:15 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Reprinted message

Please enter your comments?Does anyone remember the grenade accident which occurred in Cheriton on one of the last days of January 1944? It´s difficult to find any reference to what happened and Kathleen Patricia Donogue isn´t on the roll call of civilian casualities. She was only five years old, playing with her doll´s pram in a garden when she was hit fatally by shrapnel from the grenade. Are there any surviviors of that accident? I would so much like to hear their memories of that terrible event. She was my half-sister.

Christine: Mark has been trying to leave his e-mail address and website for you, but the reply box doesn't retain it, so I have put them into the slots below this message, so you can contact him.

Mark Hourahane says:

I spoke to Bravenet, too - they said that was always the behaviour but they've passed my comments on to the development team for consideration in future. Hopefully Christine will see this message and e-mail me - I have a fair bit of information to send her!

Posted on : 2013-02-20 16:16:03

Christine (website owner) says:

Oh dear, Bravenet doesn't seem to be working properly at all. This is about the 6th attempt at fixing this.

Mark: I have notified Bravenet about the e-mail and URL not being retained in the replies, hopefully they will fix it. In the meantime, after trying unsuccessfully to add clickable links to your replies, I have placed them both under Christine's reprinted post above. Hopefully she will return here and find them.

Posted on : 2013-02-01 21:28:18

Mark Hourahane says:

Ahh, I'm not sure what happened there - I did fill out the e-mail field, as have I now. Let's hope it works this time! I've filled out the e-mail field and also added a link to a contact page on my website. Christine the first (website Christine!) - I e-mailed you earlier regarding this, too. Hope that found its way to you OK!

Posted on : 2013-02-01 21:15:34

Mark Hourahane says:

Hmm, there seems to be a Bravenet issue whereby it doesn't link e-mail addresses when you reply to a comment - the form on that link will go to my inbox if you want to contact me, Christine or Christine! ;)

Posted on : 2013-02-01 19:37:16

Mark Hourahane says:

I have all the information on this. If the original poster wants to e-mail me, I can give you the details.

Posted on : 2013-02-01 11:45:39

Christine says:

Christine: I have reprinted your message up here, so it will get noticed more. You entered it as a reply to someone else's post further down, so is not visible unless it is clicked on. I know someone who had a vague recollection of children being injured in Cheriton, but I don't know if this would be the same incident. I seem to remember him saying it was in Ashley Avenue, but I could be mistaken. I will try to find out. Christine Warren

Posted on : 2013-01-28 20:29:45

January 21st 2013

04:45:44 AM

What is your name?Lydia Stanners

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?James Stanners died in 1989. The Mill Bay factory is still affectionately known as "The Glassworks" and, along with the old Pickford Buildings has been transformed into an extention of South East Kent College by Roger De Haun. My Dad may well have thought women should not have to work when they got married but of course that rapidly changed. Perhaps he thought that way because his own mother had to work so hard to support the family. Most of his employees had great affection for him, and there are still a few left. The site brought back all my childhood memories growing up in Folkestone. Well don

Christine says:

I worked for him for a few years when I first left school, and moved with them from Tontine Street to Mill Bay. I remember you working with me in the office for a short time too Lydia. That staircase caused a few problems for us girls. We were not allowed to wear trousers, and the men were inclined to stand underneath as we climbed them. We complained, but the only solution was that the men were told not to do it. Didn't stop them if Mr. Stanners was out though!

Posted on : 2013-01-22 00:42:52

Paul Seward says:

I don't think many people knew him as James, more popularly Jock, for obvious reasons when he spoke to you. An astute businessman, who enjoyed the greatest respect of the townspeople. I can remember the magnificent glass staircase in the showroom in Mill Bay. It was, I believe, the first ever constructed.

Posted on : 2013-01-21 23:57:38

January 18th 2013

09:02:43 AM

What is your name?Delma McDonald

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Sorry, meant to say in my last post that the surname of my parents was BEAN , if anyone has any info on this family I would love to hear from you

Mark Hourahane says:

For anyone put off e-mailing Delma by my previous comments, I tried again and it seems to have gone through - must have been a temporary error!

Posted on : 2013-02-03 07:41:29

Mark Hourahane says:

Hi Delma, I am unable to e-mail you - the listed address bounced back. If you'd like to contact me, either via the contact form on my website (click on my name) or the e-mail address on the new post I'm about to make, I'll get back to you!

Posted on : 2013-02-01 21:23:18

Mark Hourahane says:

Hi Delma, I was in the library today and had a look through some old Kelly's Directories of Kent. It's not a whole lot, but I'll e-mail you with what I found.

Posted on : 2013-02-01 19:41:57

January 18th 2013

08:59:48 AM

What is your name?Delma McDonald

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?What a great site !! My Father was born in Folkestone 1904 and came to Australia as a very young boy in 1910 and lived the rest of his life here. I visited Folkestone several years ago as a tourist ,but just didn't have the time to do too much research so am always interested to see photos / hear as much as possible about this place and as the familky seemed to move about , love to hear about Kent in general. My Grandparents rented Eastling Down Farm from the Earl of Guildford and I would very much like to get some history of this farm , I see it on the internet and have tried to email the occupiers but have not had a response, Can you help ? I did get to the road gate when I was over there, I have old photos of this farm and I also have a school photo taken in Bishopsbourne , anyone interested ?

Paul Seward says:

One good way forward is to join the Kent History Forum. It abounds in people with much local knowledge.

Posted on : 2013-01-19 22:28:25

January 8th 2013

03:08:37 PM

What is your name?Ian Burgess

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I remember Tyre Stockists in Cheriton as my mother Vi Radford used to work there, also am i correct in saying Jackie Cass and Ivy Voakes worked there aswell? .Did,nt Darkie live near Folkestone race course?

Christine says:

Hi Ian, Darkie was my step-father, and I worked for him for a while in the mid 60's in Ilex Road, just off Cheriton Road. My mother Anne and I both worked in the office at that time. When he first moved there from Foord Road, he was living just behind the business in Surrenden Road, but later moved out to Connaught Lodge, Stone Street, which backed onto the racecourse. There are photos of Connaught Lodge linked from the People page on my website. I remember hearing the name of Vi Radford, and vaguely remember Ivy Voakes, but I can't remember Jackie Cass at all. But then, it was an awfully long time ago! I left Tyre Stockists in 1967 to have my first child at the beginning of 1968, then emigrated to Canada in September of that same year.

Posted on : 2013-01-13 01:34:15

January 7th 2013

12:49:21 PM

What is your name?David Johnston

Where are you from?Near Philadelphia USA

Please enter your comments?I note with interest your explanation of the Connaught Lodge residence of the Majors. I have an oral history of one William Colby Reesor who was with Roland Major when the 7th British Columbia arrived from Canada on the Plain in 1916 and Roland recognized his house, and left camp to go have breakfast there. My Grandfather was with Roland Major when he died, and regretted he did not have the opportunity to come and see his parents (he was pretty shot up and ended up marrying a young woman who became my grandmother who worked in a hospital near Leeds I would be happy to provide a tape of the exploits of the young men who came to fight. I have seen Roland (it is also listed as Ronald in some records) Major's name on the Vimy monument. Thanks for the posting.

December 30th 2012

12:02:56 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Sam Lloyd

Where are you from?Port Lympne

Please enter your comments?I have set up a page on Wikipedia entilted Port Lympne Mansion - would you be able to add the fab photo of Philip Sassoon presenting the Mother Tank (I also used to work at the Imperial War Museum), as I'm hoping in the New Year to put up some photos on it - love your work Sam

December 28th 2012

06:19:47 AM

What is your name?Doug Craig

Where are you from?Originally Windsor, now Virginia

Please enter your comments?Our family, aunts, uncles, cousins used to stay at Mrs Groom's Boarding House in the early mid-50's (possible earlier - I have no memory of this) which was within walking distance of all, (near a pub called The Cannon if memory serves). Dad and uncles played Bowls most days, i think on the Leas. I have very fond memories of the Guinness Clock; P&J (of course) and the weird lift from the beach to the top of the Leas (?). One thing that i REALLY remember about Folkestone was the smell of what I thnk was Rosemary from the huge bushes above the front. My bush in the garden brings back happy memories of Folkestone.

Paul Seward says:

Hi Doug Try this link for the clock :- http://aljwhite.com/?p=18 It was situated just over the road from the bottom of the lift. I don't think that bowls was ever played on The Leas, more likely at Radnor Park (see "Britain from above" website for a pic) or Cheriton Road. The Groom at 168 was a Hearing Aid specialist so I fancy that, as Christine says, you were in Victoria Grove, quite handy for Bowls at the Park.

Posted on : 2013-01-03 17:21:24

Christine says:

Hi Doug, Glad you have good memories of Folkestone. I don't know of a pub called The Cannon, however, The Gun Tavern had a cannon on its sign, so possibly that was it. The Gun was located at 13 Cheriton Road, which I believe is now part of Shellon Street, as things have changed a lot in that area. I am not familiar with the Guinness Clock, was that possibly a floral display on The Leas? The weird lift as you call it is still there, but only one side is working. The rosemary bushes were planted all down the Road of Remembrance, the steep hill leading up to the Leas from the harbour. They were planted in honour of the troops who had marched down there to sail away to the front during the war. To be honest, I am not sure if they are still there, last time I was there, it all looked quite overgrown. As for Mrs. Groom's boarding house, I have a 1958 Kelly's Directory, and there are 2 'Groom's' in there, one at 168 Sandgate Road, and one at 26 Victoria Grove. The latter would not have been far from The Gun Tavern, so possibly that is where you stayed. That being said, the Bouverie Arms pub was right at the end of Victoria Grove at 33 Cheriton Road, which would have been closer than The Gun, but their sign was a couple of griffins or something.

Posted on : 2012-12-28 11:04:30

December 6th 2012

03:34:35 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?J.P. ANTOINE

Where are you from?Belgium

Please enter your comments?Hello

What a wonderful site !!! congratulations !!

i am writing a book about belgian soldiers in WW1.

At 1914, our soldiers were verry tired of wounded after the first battle in Belgium (Anvers fortifications...)

They came on boats from belgian or french coast . The english governement and people have reserved the best for them (flours, meats, rooms, trains, hospitals, hotels, ...and beautiful nurses...)

It would be interessant reading olds stories about this time.

Can you help me ? Is it possible to send to me the picture "Belgian soldiers with cycles..." in the part "Military and Wartime" ?

It's easier to read your in french langage .

Already thank you

j.p. antoine

September 27th 2012

05:35:35 PM

What is your name?Ian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Sharron Hotel - is situated at 50 Earls Avenue and as implied was run by a Christian couple. My parents - Doug & Audrey Fell - owned the building next door at 52 - The St.Germain Private Hotel - from 1962 till 68 (approx). St.Germain had 14 bedrooms and majored in the early days of Golden Rail holidays together with Sydney de Haan's Saga trips from Newcastle etc. The Sharron closed in the 70s, probably as a result of the Fire Precautions Act of 1972 which brought about the closure of numerous Folkestone hotels as the required expenditure came about at the same time as the start of the downturn in trade caused by package holidays overseas and made trading unprofitable.

September 2nd 2012

01:38:36 AM

What is your name?Andrew

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?have you any photos of shellons street before Lydles ?

Mark Hourahane says:

Other than Alan (who, no doubt, may very well have something!) you can pop along to the Heritage room upstairs at Grace Hill library - just down the road from LIDL! They have an archive of photos and can search keywords for you.

Posted on : 2013-02-05 07:21:08

Paul Seward says:

If you ask Alan Taylor of Folkestone Local History Society he maybe able to help you. He has pix, not necessarily of the street itself, but certainly of the Drill Hall which stood on the site to the east of St. Eanswythe's Terrace

Posted on : 2012-09-02 22:53:38

Christine says:

I am afraid I don't have any photos of Shellons Street, it's not an area I have seen on a postcard. Someone else here might have one though.

Posted on : 2012-09-02 03:25:25

Page 4

August 25th 2012

10:47:14 PM

What is your name?G COLDHAM

Where are you from?Sussex

Please enter your comments?One line of my genetic ancestry held the Manor of HAWKINGE and Capel-Le-Ferne in feudal times. If there are any HAWKINS's from this part of Kent who'd like to take a YDNA self-test I really recommend the YDNA-37 at www.ftdna.com (We are probably ancient cousins!) It's simple and quick, but addictive stuff---for a 1-time fee (DANGER WARNING !

August 25th 2012

09:48:28 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Caroline

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi, I have worked out that the last photo of Sugar Loaf Hill (where the lovely house is) must be where I live now. Where can I get this photo? Many thanks from Caroline.

August 25th 2012

05:13:29 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Caroline

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Do you think the toll house on canterbury road facing the sugar loaf hill, in the photo, could be where wood avenue is now?

August 25th 2012

04:06:44 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Caroline

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?A very interesting website, I am looking for photos of Canterbury Road, where the victorian bus shelter and toilets are, Wood Avenue. Does anyone know what used to be where wood avenue is or the library, I would love to know, thank.

August 15th 2012

06:17:00 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Rene

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?i notice that you have omitted one pub from the list that is the clarendon in sandgate would you like me to forward a bit of history about it for you

regards Rene.

August 10th 2012

08:19:17 PM

What is your name?Marilyn Wheeler ( nee Ashman)

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?In the 50s l Iived in the new police houses at Church Rd Cheriton. We used to play over on the army stadium grounds, sliding down the huge ridge tents, and played at a place called the forage barn which was just a field in those days. They later built the Ambulance station on that land and now that is all boarded up. The school was built on the field where we used to go potato picking to earn a few coins. The boys always earned more as they carried the heavy sacks. We liked to go to the army camp to visit the horses, and I have great memories of climbing the trees opposite our house.

Paul Seward says:

Hi Marilyn. You must surely be the daughter of PC Ashman who was based at No.6 area Traffic Centre at Seabrook in the 60s. He was the scourge of all those with a heavy right foot! As I recall they used to use Austin Westminsters and Triumph Bonneville bikes. Happy days, but so sad to see it all demolished now.

Posted on : 2013-02-21 04:11:31

August 10th 2012

05:03:10 PM

What is your name?John

Where are you from?Canterbury

Please enter your comments?Hi. I stumbled across your website while looking up Folkestone Parish Church and the wall paintings (Jesse Tree etc). I have some amazing photographs of the church interior from 1892, which I will shortly be posting on my 'Kent & Sussex History Boards'. Feel free to use anything you find on my site for your own purposes!

John

July 23rd 2012

04:03:09 AM

What is your name?Sarah Skeldon (nee Maycock)

Where are you from?Isle of Wight

Please enter your comments?Sorry, meant to add to my last post: One of my great-uncles was named Percival Aqua Maycock, the "Aqua" coming (allegedly) from the fact that when he was born (in 1876) Church Hill in Hythe was flooded and the doctor who delivered him arrived in a boat!

July 23rd 2012

03:58:04 AM

What is your name?Sarah Skeldon (nee Maycock)

Where are you from?Isle of Wight

Please enter your comments?Oh my goodness! I have just seen two photo's which brought back some memories passed-on by family members! The photo of Church Hill, Hythe, shows (2nd house up on the left) the house where my grandfather was born. The picture of the ossuary at St Leonard's Church reminds me of the story my father used to tell of his father, a choirboy at St Leonard's, playing football with his fellows after choir practice: down in the crypt with the skulls!

Christine says:

Does anyone remember the grenade accident which occurred in Cheriton on one of the last days of January 1944? It´s difficult to find any reference to what happened and Kathleen Patricia Donogue isn´t on the roll call of civilian casualities. She was only five years old, playing with her doll´s pram in a garden when she was hit fatally by shrapnel from the grenade. Are there any surviviors of that accident? I would so much like to hear their memories of that terrible event. She was my half-sister.

Posted on : 2013-01-28 14:54:28

July 23rd 2012

03:08:46 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Sarah Skeldon

Where are you from?Isle of Wight

Please enter your comments?This is a fantastic "resource" website for those of us with family history in the Folkestone area. My Maycock family have lived here and hereabouts since about 1670-odd (although my grandfather left Hythe to join the Army, so I've never visited - yet!) and seeing all the old photo's, especially the one of the Maycock newsagent/barber shop is really wonderful. (If there would be ANY chance of a copy, it would make my day - the chap in the doorway looks so much like my late father, he's got to be a fairly close relative: it's pretty much a given that any Maycocks in Kent are related to me, as the Men of Kent are a branch originating from elsewhere in the UK.) Thank you very much for putting so much work into such an interesting site.

July 5th 2012

04:47:28 AM

What is your name?Maureen McCormack

Where are you from?Mullingar, Westmeath, Eire

Please enter your comments?I visit Folkestone and Hythe once a year because I have family living there. I want to retire to Hythe as I just love the place. The Rotunda picture is my favourite and I would love a copy hanging in my home

July 3rd 2012

04:59:50 PM

What is your name?Tricia

Where are you from?Bridgend, Wales

Please enter your comments?Hello - thank you for an excellent web-site. I was born in Folkestone in 1945 and lived there until the late 1960's. The pictures here brought back fond memories. I have been back to visit quite a few times and always enjoy seeing the harbour and beaches - although was saddened to see the demolition of the Rotunda and all the 'amusements' such as the boating lake, etc! Anyway, thank you again for the site and pictures

June 27th 2012

07:26:04 PM

What is your name?Pauline

Where are you from?wales

Please enter your comments?lovely old pictures of Folkestone.mygran was aservant at 8 shorncliffe rd on the 1911 census.although i never knew her,asin1919 she put my mother ina homes in Newington close to folkestone.the man she was married to was from pavillion rd.makes you wonder if they appeared on any of those old photo,s. she was kathleen winifred Wheatley. and her husband was Albert henry Reader.any one out there who knew them i,d love to hear.

June 27th 2012

04:27:24 AM

What is your name?Ken Goodburn

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I found all these pictures of the the town so interesting and brought back many happy memories of my days spent in Folkestone from 1937 thru to 1961 when I left to work and live in London. I still manage to keep in touch with some old school friends like Sally and Ann who both lived opposite me when I lived in Victoria Grove. Both Sally and Ann were with me when attending Christchurch Primary 1947. Later (myself) going onto Dover Road Secondary School. Yes, once again, so many, many fond memories of life in Folkestone :-)

June 23rd 2012

06:50:52 PM

What is your name?Ann

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Congratulations on a brilliant site! I have been researching my family tree and have discovered that my grandfather was a Sergeant in "The Buffs" at Shorncliffe. In February 1914 my father was born at the hospital at the camp. I have really enjoyed looking at all the 'photos of the camp and Folkestone, and reading the amazing history of the area.

Once again, well done!

Christine says:

Thank you for taking the time to post Ann. It's people like you that keep me at it! It's nice to hear that your efforts are appreciated.

Posted on : 2012-06-23 22:37:36

June 14th 2012

05:01:40 AM

What is your name?Don Murray

Where are you from?New Zealand

Please enter your comments?A great site,very interesting.I am currently researching the Army File of

22276557 E.M.DIX Pte who did his basic trainning at Shorncliff Camp in 1949

June 7th 2012

01:21:24 AM

What is your name?Ann

Where are you from?Crawley West Sussex

Please enter your comments?just found this site today wow i am impressed,my maternal family the Clouts are all from folkestone,and i am currently researching my family tree,my great grandfather and his brother were all fishermen,lived in Dudley road and sandgate raod.Would there be any one who would kindly send me any photo's from around the early 1900's.I would be very greatful and if there is any one who is related to William James Hall born 1871 and died 1957 would be great to hear from you.Alot of work has gone into this site i will visit many times im sure

ann says:

hello i have not come across a Vera Clout in my family as of yet sorry

Posted on : 2012-06-12 19:20:31

Rita Douglas (Allchin) says:

Ann, Are you related to Vera Clout who lived in Keyes Place?

Posted on : 2012-06-08 23:30:34

June 3rd 2012

02:46:42 AM

What is your name?Simon Arnold

Where are you from?Petworth West Sussex

Please enter your comments?Alistair Duncan was my Plt Corporal instructor when I was in IJLB back in 1981, my training year ran from August 1980 to August 1981. Regards Simon.

Plt Sgt was first Sgt Davison then Sgt Bell

June 1st 2012

06:12:11 AM

What is your name?Dave Caplan

Where are you from?Petham Village, Canterbury, UK

Please enter your comments?Firstly let me congratulate you on a magnificent website, so interesting and informative. I got here through doing a bit of research on a nice pair of silver sugar tongs which I bought from a second-hand market stall in Canterbury last Sunday.

Engraved on the top were the words 'Hundert's Hotel'.

That was only the tip of a fascinating iceberg, which has, with a little research, proved very interesting.

Max Hundert was a German Jew, but he took British citizenship on 26th May 1903. He was a bit of a rogue and always in minor trouble with the local authorities. His name was even brought up in the houses of parliament during WW1 because he kept showing lights during the blackout, even though he was repeatedly asked to draw his curtains at night in case his light guided German aircraft to drop bombs on Folkestone.

There is a lot more info but I haven't sorted it out yet.......and all this from a pair of sugar tongs !! Let me know if you want a photo of the tongs for your page.

Regards,

Dave Caplan

May 22nd 2012

07:17:47 PM

What is your name?Roger Dobson

Where are you from?Oxford

Please enter your comments?A very pleasant site devoted to old Folkestone. Where was the Conamur School (Marine Parade?) which appears disguised as Gaudeamus in Jocelyn Brooke's memoirs "The Orchid Trilogy"? I've read somewhere that it later became a hotel. Has it been demolished? If so, what now stands on the site?

Christine says:

I believe the original name of the hotel was the Marine Hotel. I didn't know it was the same one that became the Riviera though, thanks Paul. I am working on updating the Sandgate page currently, and have a couple of photos to put up regarding Conamur. One is an ad for the school when it was run by the Misses Pennycuick. This shows a small photo of the school. The other is a photo of the pupils, all looking very splendid in their uniforms with the school behind them. Unfortunately I don't have a year for it.

Posted on : 2012-05-24 12:45:47

Paul Seward says:

The school was at the western end of the Riviera at Sandgate. It became a Hotel, final name being, surprisingly enough, the Riviera Hotel. Demolished some while ago to be replaced by Zarena Court flats. Coincidentally, talking recently to a resident who lives on the hillside above, he mentioned that the large house behind his, East Cliff Lodge, 1 Radnor Cliff Crescent,was used as dormitory accommodation for the school.

Posted on : 2012-05-22 22:24:17

Page 5

May 17th 2012

01:50:23 PM

What is your name?Trevor Page

Where are you from?Ashford, England

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine, as I said in an earlier post, I was born in Folkestone, in 1943.

In the 50's, my mum used to look after a boy, while his mother was at work.

His mother worked in the Ensign & his name was Michael Oakley.

I don't think that the boy in your photo of your mum, you & sister Pat, is him. I remember him being curly haired, possibly ginger. He would have been about my age.

May 15th 2012

10:56:59 PM

What is your name?Trevor Page

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Sorry, Christine, forgot to say how brilliant your site is.

May 15th 2012

10:52:09 PM

What is your name?Trevor Page

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Born in Folkestone, in 1943 I now live in Ashford, about 20 minutes up the M20. But, between all that, lived in Hythe, Kent, on the site of a one time small arms training school. The school closed in the 1960's & was redeveloped.

My wife's parents lived in Nova Scotia, Canada. We went out there for a visit in the early 1990's. On our first outing we visited a tourist attraction, I spotted a bookstall & went to have a look. The very first book that I picked up was entitled Hangman's Beach. That looks like it might be a good read, I thought. Turned it over to look at the back for plot/author info, to read that the author was born in Hythe, Kent. I later found out, that his father was a small arms instructor & was based at the very school, the site of which I was living on, at that time.

The author's name was Thomas Head Raddall. When he was about ten years old, in 1913, his father applied for & got a posting to the Canadian army to instruct in small arms.

valerie collins says:

Hi Trevor, my paternal grandfather was also a small firearms instructor at the School of Musketry in Hythe. His name was George Harris, and was there between the wars I believe. He and his family moved to Shropshire when the bombs started to drop in Folkestone as he had angina. I've worked out that he and T.H. Raddall's father may have known each other. I now live in Hythe myself.

Posted on : 2012-05-23 05:33:58

May 10th 2012

04:09:23 PM

What is your name?ivor body

Where are you from?Rustington West Sussex

Please enter your comments?Love these old sites and photos and this is one of the best. Have sent an email and photo of some hospital in Folkestone members of the nursing staff and hope this site might give me a clue as to where it was?

May 8th 2012

10:50:43 PM

What is your name?Bill Russell

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?A wonderful website, I have discovered that I am connected to the family Eastwick, 2 were members of the crew of the 4 Brothers captured by the cusom ofiicers ship named Badger, Eastwickw e was spelt with the e on the end then (smuggling}

Christine says:

I have a book on the smuggling trade in Folkestone, I will have to check it again to see if your ancestors are mentioned.

Posted on : 2012-05-09 09:15:21

April 30th 2012

05:35:00 AM

What is your name?Kerry Parker

Where are you from?Canada

Please enter your comments?My great-grandfather was stationed in Napier Barracks, Shorncliffe in 1915. He was with the 30th Reserve Battalion CEF. I was thrilled to see a picture of these barracks on your website. I have a delightful card that says "Greetings, with the Season's Best and Truest Wishes From .... Xmas 1915". I presume it was for the Batallion to send to send greeting to thei rfamilies back in Canada. The inside of the card lists all the members of Sergeants' Mess 30th Reverse Battalion CEF. I would be pleased to send you a copy of this card if you would like it.

You have a wonderful website.

Best regards

April 17th 2012

06:07:05 AM

What is your name?Sally Batchelor

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I really loved browsing all the old pictures on here I havent moved from this spot in two hours!

Can anyone on here tell me anything of the history of any of the older houses towards the Metropole end of Grimston Avenue? Ive been told by a taxi driver that there was once an Italian Embassy here and also a Dutch Embassy, although I have no idea if this is true or which buildings specifically he was referring to. Can anyone please shed any light on this beautiful grand old area?

Ian Burgess says:

Hi Sally, there was an Italian or French consulate on Sandgate Rd. If you was facing the Metropole from the top of Grimstone Ave it was the 2nd or 3rd house towards Sandgate on the right hand side.My wife and i rented a flat there in 1985 and our landlady was an Italian called Mrs.Ronco. Hope that it is of help to you

Posted on : 2013-01-08 15:22:10

April 17th 2012

05:59:13 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Sally Batchelor

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?As a student in the early 1980s,"The Grange" was the name given to a very old building of classrooms and offices that used to be on the site of and was part of the South Kent College on Shornecliffe Road. Looking at the "The Grange" depicted in the photographs on here, I would say it is the same place. I'm afraid don't know the previous history of this builiding or of the grounds on which the college now sits This part of the college has since been demolished sadly.

April 9th 2012

04:59:46 AM

What is your name?Nicola

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?great site, loved the old photo's.

I have been tracing the history of the Vant's, who were undertakers and builders. S Vant and Sons inscription can be seen on the side of the first house in Trimworth Road (can be see from Cheriton road). I was hoping someone may have some more information on them.

I have also be reading about Folkestone and WW2, there was an area called bombers alley, again does anyone know why there was a strip of land so heavily bombed, was it a dummy air strip?

April 6th 2012

05:20:25 PM

What is your name?Adam

Where are you from?Nottingham

Please enter your comments?I've called Folkestone Home for over twenty years now, and I still find hidden depths to this quiet seaside town. Here are a couple of tidy-ups for your Folkestone Characters bit.

June brown owns a large house that she's converted to flats along Bouverie Road West, after she moved to London when "Eastenders" began. According to a friend who lives in one of the spacious flats, she's very pleasant and nothing like the old fag-hag we know and love.

Paul O'Grady owns a large house at Court-at-Street just before the junction to Aldington and Dymchurch. I worked the local dustbin round there and one year he gave us a very generous Christmas tip, coming out in the cold in his pink shirt, beige slacks and loafers instead of sending his P.A. as usual.

It seems to me that the area has a calming effect on those coming here from outside Kent. I love the place, and everyone in it.

April 5th 2012

08:31:58 AM

What is your name?Anne-Elizabeth Butterfield (nee Hodder..grandmother Emily Griggs from Hythe

Where are you from?Born in Calais, lived in Hythe from 1957 to 1959, living in Canada

Please enter your comments?Anne-Elizabeth Butterfield (nee Hodder) grand daughter of Emily Griggs, from Hythe says:

First memory I had from Hythe, was when my parents, Albert and Suzette Hodder, were posted as Salvation Army officers to the Corps in Hythe from 1957 to 1959..In 1957, I had polio, and from my bedroom window, I could hear the little train going at the foot of our backyard. I couldn't move and I wanted to run to the window! Well, another memory I have is that my father's lst cousin, Rob Griggs, drove me to Margate 3 times/week for physio therapy to Margate Hospital. I am very proud to be a descendent of the Griggs family. My daughter was also a coxswain in the Francis Drake Sea Cadets in Canada! She comes from the sea, just like her ancestors! She loved living on tall ships! As a family, we love the sea! Thank you for the post of these pictures! We have a lot of connection to Hythe, as Griggs, living across the ocean from you! We have beautiful family pictures of Wright Griggs and descendants!

March 26th 2012

03:26:09 AM

What is your name?Vivianne

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Great website..well done. Have lived here since 1963 having moved from Willesden, Attended St Peters Primary School on the Durlocks & then moved to St Mary's in Dover Road for whatever reason my parents thought fit. Moved onto Holywell Girls School which then amalgamated with Hillside Boys to become Wyndgate. I learnt to swim at the outside pool near the Rotunder & can remember how cold it was! Folkestone has declined over the years but I think is trying to re-establish itself, not the place it was & the 'New shopping precinct' leaves a lot to be desired but when you see the beautiful surrounding countryside, I really wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Spent many a happy summer on the Sunny Sands or down the Warren. Absolutely loved looking at all the old photos of where I spent my younger years. Have added this website to my favourites so will stop by again.

March 14th 2012

08:59:08 PM

What is your name?Valerie Collins

Where are you from?Seabrook

Please enter your comments?How lovely to see the pictures of the old cross-channel ferries. I grew up on the East Cliff and have fond memories of watching the old ferries coming and going into the harbour. Also of listening the the fog-horn sendng me off to sleep at night. Fokestone was a different place back then.

March 13th 2012

06:48:21 AM

What is your name?Debbie Milner

Where are you from?carlisle, cumbria

Please enter your comments?I would just love to share that I attended St Mary's convent boarding school for girls from March 1970 (aged 9 years old), I was there for 3 years, and to this day, 42 years later, I still have my school badge which we used to wear on our berets, with the school logo 'Virgo Fidelis' on it. Our uniform was grey wool, and the Nuns were also dressed in grey also. I still remember a great deal about the school, and its chapel which housed a 'holy saint' namely St Teresa, I can to this day,remember the smell of the incense which burned in the chapel...many mnay more memories also

March 11th 2012

09:54:36 PM

What is your name?Helen Brown

Where are you from?Born in Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I was interested to see the photos of the yacht Gertie. My Grandfather, Henry Brann, was a seaman on the Gertie in 1901 - he was then aged about 34. Could I have permission to use one of the photos in the information I am sending to other family members? I would also be interested to hear whether anyone else has memories of Henry Brann.

John Hatton says:

I enjoyed looking thruugh the old photographs of Folkestone especially the photo of Webb the grocers in Bouverie Road West. In 1948 to 1952 I worked for the Webb family as an errand boy. Next door to them was a Green grocers at the same time my brother worked there.Great site

Posted on : 2012-06-19 17:22:33

Christine says:

Hi Helen, You are more than welcome to copy any photo you wish from my website for personal purposes. Any photo that is except those that I have credited as belonging to someone else. Christine

Posted on : 2012-03-12 09:22:52

March 11th 2012

01:58:23 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Frank Philpott

Where are you from?Wasaga Beach Ontario Canada

Please enter your comments?Hi Caroline, I have been trying to get in touch with you for a while. Maybe i`ll be successful this time. Your website is amazing. I have never seen such history,Could you answer by Email please

March 8th 2012

10:07:27 PM

What is your name?kevin chittenden

Where are you from?ashford kent

Please enter your comments?I have just found out by going through my family history that in 1901 one my ancestors worked at the Royal Pavillion Hotel Folkestone harbour as a housemaid .Apparently she lived in house with the Manager whos name was Amandus Hartmann.

March 5th 2012

01:28:27 AM

What is your name?Carol Batts

Where are you from?Kent

Please enter your comments?We visited Sandgate at the weekend as I wanted to see where my grandfather Fred Penfold lived with his Great uncle and grandmother Ellen Thomas at No 15 coastguard cottage, only to find they have been re numbered but was still nice to see the area they lived.

March 4th 2012

06:09:37 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?keinticket

Where are you from?Stoke-On-Trent

Please enter your comments?http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360439205655&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

March 3rd 2012

07:25:13 AM

What is your name?sue

Where are you from?nottingham

Please enter your comments?soz thats Albion Villas where the mum of Aldous Huxley lived as a child with her family...ancestry link here

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=8767&iid=KENRG9_551_553-0297&fn=Jessie+Oriana&ln=Hayley&st=r&ssrc=&pid=7460413

hope its ok to add a link...

Page 6

March 3rd 2012

07:20:20 AM

What is your name?Sue Farmer

Where are you from?nottingham uk

Please enter your comments?Hi, my grandma came from Walmer just along the coast and her daughter, my aunt and her husband lived in Folkestone until around 1991. Mrs F Barnett...her sister always visited a cafe in Deal which was called Mrs Browns...i wonder if it's the same people as in your pic...also i have just found out that Aldous Huxley's grandparents Thos Henry and family including Jesse Oriana Huxley lived at 3 Agnes Villas - where your website says Charles Dickens lived too... amazing... my father moved to nottingham in the east midlands where i am still...but i love the south coast thanks for the super website.....is that a pic of my dad in the television shop window...it really looks like him....

March 3rd 2012

05:37:53 AM

What is your name?Gladys Cridland-Janzen

Where are you from?Alberta, Canada

Please enter your comments?My grandfather, John Estcourt Fairfax Cridland, attended a school for boys in Folkestone, Kent. He was born in Bucks, in 1880 so it would have been c. 1886 to 1890 likely. He referred to his teacher and the school as "Mr. Reynolds". He won a scholarship from this school to the next which was Brecon College. I have his original photo of this building and I do not see anything familiar about any of the buildings on your site. Can you or anyone else tell me something about a Mr. Reynolds or a Reynold's School for Boys in or near Folkestone in that time period? How do I post my picture to your site?

Thank you for any assistance.

March 1st 2012

06:31:33 PM

What is your name?brenda rowley

Where are you from?Essex

Please enter your comments?My ancestors all came from Folkestone for generations and were all fishermen. In 1918 my great grandfather was fishing and an American destroyer cut his fishing boat in half killing 3 of the crew including one of his sons. My grandad Albert Hart saved his father William Hart in this accident. Does anyone have any further information about my family which is quite extensive in the area at the time. I have photos of my great grandmother mending nets on the Stade, and my uncle fell from the Waren cliffs when he was 8 years old and was killed.

February 23rd 2012

11:42:03 PM

What is your name?Sally Watling

Where are you from?England

Please enter your comments?How good to find your site. I have been researching my family history and find a strong connection to Folkestone. My great, grandmother was Ellen Warman and I have traced many of her relatives in Folkestone. This has even led me to Edmund Warman (1760-1847) who was a well known town crier in Folkestone. He would have been my great, great, great, great, grandfather! If anyone knows more about the extended Warman family I would be grateful to have information or contact sources. Many thanks, Sally Watling

February 6th 2012

08:13:45 PM

What is your name?Betty Tilley

Where are you from?Berkshire

Please enter your comments?I was housemistress at Westbourn House, Sandgate in the 70's.

Can you tell me what happened to the school and the Head, Miss Dodds.

Thank you

Email

Marilyn says:

In the 60s I went to the girls tech. I used to have registration at the St Stephens end and then go in crocodile formation along Coolinge Lane throughout the day. Tennis was held at Westbourne house and school dinners were at the far end of the road at Eversley House. Everything had to be carried as you did not have a locker. I was always in trouble for not wearing my little brown felt bowler hat whilst riding my bike home to Cheriton. I do not know what happened to Miss Dodds. They were not the happiest days of my life and I wished that I had not passed the13 plus as I was very happy at Harcourt

Posted on : 2012-08-10 20:57:20

Paul Seward says:

I believe this was part of the Technical School in Coolinge Lane. It was sold by KCC to Burlington Insurance and then to Sterling Insurance. Now demolished (such a shame in view of the fine internal features) and houses on the site. No news of Miss Dodds but will enquire.

Posted on : 2012-02-07 17:30:39

February 5th 2012

05:02:19 PM

What is your name?Darren Gregory-Foster

Where are you from?Epping, Essex

Please enter your comments?My Grandad owned a Fishmongers shop in Rendezvous Street in the 60's called Foster's Fishmongers? Do you have any info on this?

January 19th 2012

12:12:19 AM

What is your name?steve melhuish

Where are you from?exeter, devon

Please enter your comments?West Cliff Towers, The Leas, West Cliff on Sea,

I am doing my wifes family tree, her great grand dad lived in this house around 1915, would anyone know if it still stands? i have looked for a post code for the building to see if its there, no joy! but i dont know if its been renamed since 1915....(Mr & Mrs Partridge was the family name) any info would be good, as i dont really know who to contact....

cheers

steve

steve melhuish says:

i tapped in the address, your site came up, must have been "the leas" i fired off yesterdays email in a hurry, sorry!! its now i now i am in the wrong county and town, but it is nice to see older buildings and what they changed into in other towns, i spent 30 years in torquay and its not nice old buildings being ripped down just for the sake of it....... steve

Posted on : 2012-01-20 00:23:03

Christine says:

I just had a look at The Leas, Westcliff-on-Sea on Google Street view, and there are still some big old homes there, but couldn't find anything with the name of Westcliff Towers on it. There are also some new buildings, so it could have been demolished. If you could find an old Street Directory on Ebay for the year you need, it would be helpful, but I don't know if the Kelly's Directories go that far back. Maybe contact the Public Library there.

Posted on : 2012-01-19 09:25:55

Christine says:

If the address is West Cliff on Sea, you are looking on the wrong website, Folkestone is in Kent, Westcliff-on-Sea is in Essex, I believe it is part of Southend-on-Sea.

Posted on : 2012-01-19 09:02:41

January 16th 2012

03:30:07 AM

What is your name?John Bodicoat

Where are you from?Manchester

Please enter your comments?From around 1955 to 1960 I had some great holidays staying with my aunt, Edith Jarrett, and her husband Les who ran a cafe on Foord Road near the railway viaduct, and opposite the old gas works. Coming from town I remember coming under the viaduct with the cafe being on the corner of the first turn on the right. I don't think that street exists anymore looking at Google maps. They lived above the cafe and from their living room window on the front of the building I used to be able to look up at the steam trains crossing the viaduct. Would any one remember the street and the cafe? They moved to St Margarets around 1961 when they took over the restaurant at Dover Castle and the beach kiosks on the seafront in Dover.

John Bodicoat says:

Thanks for that, Christine. I'll always remember my hols with them, and although I was only 7-8 I never forgot the inner harbour with the steam trains chugging over the bridge, the Rotunda park (especially the motor boats), the east beach, the cliff railway and the Leas Cliffs. Happy days. I returned for the summer of 1968 as a student on a working holiday. A friend and myself worked at Rendezvous Automatics who ran the small amusement arcade/crazy golf/roundabout/swingboats on the harbour side near the cafe next to the east beach. We had a great 8 weeks there working for Harry the manager, and Chas who was the owner. They also had an arcade near the town centre which was open all year. My aunt and uncle moved to St Margarets at Cliffein the 60's before splitting up. My aunt was on my mum's side of the family so we were closer. She lived in Dover, then Deal before finally moving back to Folkestone in the mid-90's. For a while she had a flat at Bradfoord Court, 100yds from where they had the cafe, but unfortunately dementia was taking over and I don't think she realised. Her last 5 yrs were in a home called Cumbria House on Shorncliffe Rd. She passed away in 2002 and as her only remaining relative I had to come to Folkestone to sort out the funeral.I visited again whilst on holiday about 5 years ago, and will be back again in Sept when I have a weeks holiday booked in St Margarets. Thanks for your help and well done with this excellent website.

Posted on : 2012-01-17 04:28:35

Christine says:

That would have been Leslie's Cafe on the corner of Foord Road and Devon Road, the road is still there, but certainly looks different around that area these days. The address was 94 Foord Road, and their telephone number in 1958 was 3537. So I guess the cafe was named after your uncle.

Posted on : 2012-01-16 04:02:55

January 14th 2012

07:21:27 AM

What is your name?kevin harwood

Where are you from?hatfield, hertfordshire

Please enter your comments?Hi, I was told i was born in a hospital in risbourough lines, shorncliffe camp on sept 10 1965. my birth certificate certainley bears that out. my mother was a nurse and my father a corporal, but sadly, that's as far as any information goes. I can't seem to find any photos or information on this hospital whatever. If anyone can help me i would be eternaly grateful. I myself am a serving soldier, it's funny how fate works out..

kevin harwood says:

thank you so much Mr Seward.

Posted on : 2012-01-24 17:20:12

Paul Seward says:

I have the info for Kevin Harwood but e-mail address unknown. He should try www.folkestonehistory.org

Posted on : 2012-01-15 21:42:08

January 7th 2012

07:26:10 PM

What is your name?Frances

Where are you from?Sandgate

Please enter your comments?Moyle Tower was demolished but in the Eighties it was used to home Vietnamese boat people before they were re-homed elsewhere in the country.

January 4th 2012

10:22:01 PM

What is your name?Eve Gillmon

Where are you from?Hampshire

Please enter your comments?There is a building in Sandgate High street which looks like a converted church (next to 112). Do you know anything about when it was built, for which church, and when converted to residences? My grandmother was born in what is now 116 (formerly 1 Knoll Terrace) in 1882.

Mark Hourahane says:

From Kelly's Directory of Kent 1903 (Sandgate article): "Here is an iron Congregational chapel erected in 1882, with 250 sittings" FHODS bought the church in 1965 and it opened as a theatre the following year (I believe it may have been called New Theatre before being named the Little Theatre). It seems they were due to hand over the keys over on 21 June 2006, but I think there was a bit of vandalism from youth section members during a leaving party on the 18th and they had to sort that out. It was sold for £320,000.

Posted on : 2013-02-19 09:34:01

Anne-Elizabeth Butterfield (nee Hodder) grand daughter of Emily Griggs, from Hythe says:

First memory I had from Hythe, was when my parents, Albert and Suzette Hodder, were posted as Salvation Army officers to the Corps in Hythe..In 1957, I had polio, and from my bedroom window, I could hear the little train going at the foot of our backyard. I couldn't move and I wanted to run to the window! Well, another memory I have is that my father's lst cousin, Rob Griggs, drove me to Margate 3 times/week for physio therapy to Margate Hospital. I am very proud to be a descendent of the Griggs family. My daughter was also a coxswain in the Francis Drake Marine Corps in Canada! She comes from the sea, just like her ancestors! She loved nothing more than living on tall ships! As a family, we love the sea! Thank you for the post of these pictures! We have a lot of connection to Hythe, as Griggs, living across the ocean from you!

Posted on : 2012-04-05 08:22:31

Karen says:

Ok... so I mixed up my messages - the above message is not 7 years old at all!! What a dingbat I am! Apologies for the confusion, but that's what comes of popping onto a website oh so quickly when I'm supposed to be working! ;-)

Posted on : 2012-03-15 22:32:31

Karen says:

I know the message to which I'm replying is 7 years old, but thought it worth responding anyway. The building was called The Little Theatre (the previous home of Folkestone & Hythe Operatic Dramatic Society - FHODS) and was bought by a local businessman in 2007; he developed the property into five houses (now called Channel Villas) in approximately 2009. I can get you some photos if you would still like them?

Posted on : 2012-03-15 22:30:38

Christine says:

Hi Eve: I don't know a lot about that building that I believe is now known as Channel Villas, 106 - 110 Sandgate High Street. It was originally the Congregational Church, but I don't know when it was built. It was later used as a theatre, but have no dates for that either. Also, I have absolutely no photographs of it when it was living its other lives either, so if anyone out there has any, I would love to receive a scan. Christine

Posted on : 2012-01-05 12:06:40

December 30th 2011

02:37:07 AM

What is your name?Jim Garner

Where are you from?Ottawa, Canada

Please enter your comments?Help please! I'm trying to get info on Agnes Curren Macdonald (maybe McDonald) who died June 1 1917 in the Royal Victoria after being wounded in the Tontine Street bombing May 25. She was described in the press as "a Canadian lady stenographer waiting to proceed to France for ambulance duties" and was employed with the Canadians at Shorncliffe. However I have been unable to trace the birth of any such person here. Maybe the press report was inaccurate (deadline pressures or whatever; it happens). If anybody has any info on Agnes, I'd be grateful for an email. After 95 years, it's time we gave her her due.

December 22nd 2011

07:24:49 PM

What is your name?Alan Bell

Where are you from?SW France

Please enter your comments?Hi there,

I have now retired to France but as a child of 7-8 I lived in Foord Road Folkestone. My mother and father were divorced just after the war and I spent the rest of my childhood in Gloucester. However, my mother who died only recently lived all of her life in and around Folkestone and I too am still drawn to the town when I come over to England each June. As lads just after the war, my brother and I played in the bombed out buildings around Foord Road and the smell of wet plaster brick and timber still invokes a powerful memory of those days. My mother Valerie Higgs, later Hobbis may still be remembered by some Folkestone residents and if any would like to contact me about her or Folkestone both during and just after the war, I would be happy to hear from them via my e-mail address.

December 22nd 2011

03:19:57 PM

What is your name?sally tisserand

Where are you from?Paris

Please enter your comments?Thank you for your site. My great uncle James Ferguson Thompson from the 1st Royal Dragoons was stationed at Shorecliffe in 1901 - they were also in the Irish 1901 census in Dublin barracks! I've been trying to puzzle out why his daughters came back to the Margate area in the 50s (from NZ) and also why his brother - my grandfather went to Margate every year up to 39. Perhaps this Irish family discovered Kent when James was stationed there.

Anyway thank you and keep up this important work of memory.

Sally

December 8th 2011

02:13:24 AM

What is your name?SL

Where are you from?Berkshore

Please enter your comments?Thank you for setting up this site and to everyone who contributed to it. I am researching my family history and one of my great grandfathers was stationed at Shorncliffe. I can now picture his life there - and who knows, he may be in one of the photos!

Thank you so much

Simone

November 26th 2011

03:12:32 AM

What is your name?shaun ballard

Where are you from?hawkinge

Please enter your comments?i am not exactly happy with the old war gym being taken down! i just thought you would like to know!

Linda Stephens ( formaly Harrison ) says:

Hi Folkestone was my home town and still feels like it although I left in 1967 aged 20 when my Mum died.It still holds many wonderful memories.I went to Mundella school in Blackbull Road just round from Linden Crescent were we all lived,then I went to Holywell.The sands was a wonderful place to play in the summer and I now realize how lucky we were to have the coast on our doorstep.The Rotunda was a great place and it was sad to see it had been removed. I would love to hear from anyone who might be from my school days.

Posted on : 2011-12-01 20:44:43

November 11th 2011

09:35:26 PM

What is your name?Pauline

Where are you from?Milton Keynes

Please enter your comments?My husband's gr grandfather was the page boy at the Royal Kent Hotel, Sandgate High Street in 1861 at the age of 12/13 yrs. It was great to see your photos of the Hotel and surrounding area. What a bonus for family historians. Well done!!

November 7th 2011

03:39:10 AM

What is your name?Kevin Harvey

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Dear Sir, I have a keen interest in the Hills around Folkestone and your page about them with the postcards is very good. As regards where the Caesars Camp name came from I have had many an argument with someone about this. It first appears in print during the 1800's in a Folkestone guidebook but as you say there is no evidence to support it. Indeed the excavation in 1876 by the great archeologist Pitt Rivers proved beyond doubt that the earthworks are Norman with evidence of prehistoric workings beneath them. Most importantly no Roman artefacts were found. I imagine a Roman connection is more exciting than Norman but it must be remembered that this is one of the best preserved Norman Ring and Bailey castles in South East England and we must remember that.

Good luck for the future for your excelent site.

Best regards. Kevin Harvey.

November 4th 2011

06:28:03 PM

What is your name?john whiting

Where are you from?sheffield

Please enter your comments?Looking for the butchers arms fenchurch street for family history . saw 2 photos that may have dad ( b 1926 ) g. whiting on.

very interesting site thanks

Jan Pedersen says:

Sorry. Can`t find any record of a Butchers Arms in Folkestone. There was a Bricklayers Arms in Fenchurch Street. Some info on my blog http://evenmoretales.blogspot.com/

Posted on : 2011-12-04 23:10:07

October 30th 2011

10:42:22 PM

What is your name?Steve

Where are you from?Bucks

Please enter your comments?Hi, Excellent sight, I am particularly intersted in the Moyle Tower,Hythe. My wife and I went to the same school in Oxfordshire and sure this is where we stayed with the fellowship in the 70s. We went to Hythe this week but could not recall where it was. Since then we have found a concentina postcard with pictures of inside and out, including views from the Moyle Tower and Dining Room, I vaguely remember the dining room and dormitories. Do you know what happened to it? Be great to find out.

John Kedward says:

Hello Steve, I posted a similar enquiry a year or so ago.If you scroll down you'll see it. I'm also intrigued about the Moyle Tower it was an imposing sometimes sinister place but fascinating nonethe less. I think it might have been demolished in the eighties. It's hard to get any exact info though from the internet. However I would be interested to hear about the interior of the building as we never actually stepped inside! Good luck on your quest

Posted on : 2011-11-10 12:21:34

George says:

You are correct about Moyle Tower it was between SOUTH rd and the sea front,and Moyle Court is indeed a block of flats.

Posted on : 2011-11-09 21:33:48

Christine says:

Hi Steve: I believe Moyle Tower ran from South Road to Marine Parade, along a little road called Moyle Tower Road. There is a large building there now called Moyle Court, probably flats. It looks pretty new, but I am not sure if they incorporated any of the old building into it.

Posted on : 2011-11-01 09:41:06

Page7

October 26th 2011

02:34:03 AM

What is your name?Alison

Where are you from?Stoke on Trent

Please enter your comments?I am researching my family history, my mother was born in Sandwich and lived in Folkestone until she was evacuated at the start of the war in 1939. My great grandfather was William Henry Baker, Coxswain of the Lifeboat "Leslie" from 1911 until the station closed in 1930. He was awarded the RNLI's Certificate on Vellum for 37 years service (he also served on the earlier lifeboat from 1893 when the station opened!)

I visited Folkestone in August 2011 and found out much more about my mother's family history. I fell in love with the place, probably because of my emotional family ties, and will visit again. I want to find out where my great grandfather, William Henry Baker, is buried. Any help much appreciated! This website is wonderful and there are loads of great photos on it!

October 25th 2011

08:59:48 PM

What is your name?nadia davies

Where are you from?stafford uk

Please enter your comments?The photos were very good.My relative was at shorncliffe in 1861.On the census he is down as Quarter Master of 2nd batt of foot he was 42 at the time his name was William Monk b in stockport ches,he died in Ireland in 1868 he was in 17th reg of foot, leics reg. only a few yrs earlier he was a Colour sarg ,I am presuming he was injured to so he had a home posting.

October 4th 2011

10:14:17 PM

What is your name?John Harrison

Where are you from?Folkestone - still

Please enter your comments?These pictures brought back lots of memories - in the case of the swimming pool, only bad ones; I hated the place I still have vivid memories of being forced into the water a school swimming lessons in mid April with the water temperature chalked up as 48 degrees - that's Fahrenheit!!! Used to love the Rotunda and the Boating Pool though.

Rita Douglas says:

John, I have the same memories, being back in the dressing area shivering so hard it was difficult to button those school blouses. Did enjoy the hot orange juice from the snack bar.

Posted on : 2011-10-04 23:14:40

September 29th 2011

03:37:22 AM

What is your name?sharon montgomery

Where are you from?canada

Please enter your comments?Peter James McGinnes served in ww1 and stayed at the west cliffe hospital folkestone in 1917. I have some post card of that era

September 21st 2011

06:18:23 PM

What is your name?Kathy Langley

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I lived in Cheriton Road with my grandparents and attended All Souls School from 1960 to 1967 when I went to Girls Grammar School - but left in 1971. I went to Cheriton Baprtist Church and was in the choir, took the scripture exams and attended sunday school. I went to St Johns Ambulance Brigade, held at All Souls, from 1966 and went to saturday morning pictures at the odeon cinema and also went roller skating at marine gardens. Your pictures provoke a lot of memories and I am writing a sort of autobiography to leave to my children / grandchildren. Highly edited - of course.

September 5th 2011

02:39:00 AM

What is your name?Neil Walker

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Born in Folkestone but lived out at Monks Horton. Very enjoyable site, brings back lots of memories, but is kind of sad in showing what has gone. Does anyone have any info on the house that used to be on the left, opposite the turning for Frogholt - I believe it became a commune in it's latter days before it was destroyed for the M20?

Gerry Goldfinch says:

Are you related to hector WALKER a Farmer in Capel. He is my brother in law and I remember his mother lived at Monks Norton

Posted on : 2011-10-05 19:41:37

August 30th 2011

12:15:46 AM

What is your name?leonard Brett

Where are you from?Cowes isle of wight

Please enter your comments?I remember Hawkhinge aerodrome well I was there several times during the war and I well remember the shelling by the Germans into the area also I was at Hawkhinge when I saw the 1st v1 come over the 'drome fired from the Pas de Calais I worked for Saunders-Roe the aircraft company.

August 29th 2011

01:19:57 AM

What is your name?Maria Martinez

Where are you from?Ringwould, Kent

Please enter your comments?Brilliant site! I have so many memories of swimming in that outdoor pool, from learning to swim there as a toddler in the early sixties to very regular outings to swim there in the through to the early 70s (I think it must have lasted into the mid seventies?) The whole place had a really distinctive smell (odd mix of chlorine and sea air) which hits me in the nostrils when I look at those photos on your site. I do remember how disappointed I was that our first-form swimming lessons at Folkestone Girls' Grammar took place at the new Sports Centre in Radnor Park - I had never had to endure the stuffy atmosphere of an indoor pool before. I'm sure that I remember a small roller-skating rink beyond the outdoor pool, too, which had some scarily efficient skaters there. I saved up for quite a while for some skates that I deemed would be good (fast) enough to use there. Happy days, indeed. The site now is truly heartbreaking to see. Really, it would be the icing on the cake to reinstate those wonderful facilities: I feel that my kids missed out!

John Kedward says:

Dear Maria, Nice reading your experiences with the Folkestone outdoor pool. I grew up in Hythe, in the late 60's early 70's and one of our regular outings was to go there. What strikes me looking back was how 'un-child' friendly it was; everything seemed huge and daunting, the pool itself, the gap between the slide and the water seemed massive, the deep end seemed vastly deep and it was always cold with stinging cold salt water. I'm curious about the use of brine, was it seen as an effective way of detering, algae, insects, children?? I did feel a sense of adventure going there and being in an adults world, a proper dangerous experience that left you with a thought that that was big and scarey but great, I survived another trip.

Posted on : 2011-11-11 17:54:34

August 23rd 2011

04:38:02 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Kathleen Lade (nee Saddington-Jarvis)

Where are you from?Canada

Please enter your comments?My grandfather was quartermaster at the Canadian Military School in Shorncliffe around 1916. In a letter home he mentioned that the school has taen over Napier Barracks and has accommodation for 2000 men. Thank you for posting pictures of Napier Barracks.

August 19th 2011

01:11:49 AM

What is your name?Peter Worsley

Where are you from?Germany

Please enter your comments?As a young child and into my early teens I lived in Folkstone, East Cliff Gardens. It was a great place as a kid and I have lots of very fond memories of the area. When I lived there the old Royal pavilion ( a very impressive Victorian building which was in a very sorry state) was pulled down and replaced by the Grand Burstin. Judith, I am not sure who designed it but at the time the story was that it was originally supposed to look like the old QE2 liner but the developers ran out of money and was therefore only half built. Like Steven Pope I also went to George Spurgen but failed 11 plus so ended up in the High school on the other side of town with what was called the lower school closer to home. I left Folkstone in 1974 when My family moved to the Isle of Wight. Love the web site a real trip down memory lane.

August 17th 2011

04:12:28 PM

What is your name?David

Where are you from?Scotland

Please enter your comments?Came across the website while trying to trace my grandfather. He joined the 3rd Hussars in June / July 1913 but because he adopted a false name I am having problems finding out where he came from. Does anyone know whether the 3rd Hussars whereat Shorncliffe in 1913? and were they recruiting in the area?

I'd really appreciate any help!

David

August 15th 2011

10:34:05 PM

What is your name?Angela

Where are you from?lincs

Please enter your comments?Hi,

I just wanted to say what a fabulous website. I was born and brought up in Folkestone and loved looking at the old postcards and photographs. Thank you so much for the link to the old film featuring the switchback railway. I loved that. Congratulations on all your hard work in compiling it all.

August 12th 2011

05:45:45 PM

What is your name?Judith

Where are you from?Bolton, Lancashire

Please enter your comments?Stayed at the Grand Burstin last week. I was curious as to its history. My first thoughts when I arrived was that it was designed by a Russian architect. Folkestone as gone the same way as Bolton - most small shops boarded up but has large shopping centre. But walking around I could see its former glory, such lovely Edwardian buildings. Amazingly beautiful Parish church - the interior totally surprised me. We only managed to see 3 bits of the Triennial and would have sort out more if we'd have not only discovered it on our last day.

Loved seeing this website and will probably bob back to it now and then - well-done for ensuring the old architecture is not forgotten - can you believe they knocked down the Pavilion... why?

August 11th 2011

04:17:14 PM

What is your name?Brian Davies

Where are you from?UK

Please enter your comments?You mention the Tea hut up a zig zag path.....The tea hut you picture is at the Little Switzerland caravan park.......The original tea hut used to be a railway carrage I believe and is situated on top of the cliff at capel le fern it is still there but has been redeveloped and can be approached either from the cliff base after walking half a mile or so from the warren camping site....then going over a bridge over the railway line then up a zigzag path.....Not for the faint hearted......the other easier route is to drive to the dover road and take the small road to capel le fern... the cabin is on the right....The battle of Briton memorial is in this area also so you know you are in the right place.....Enjoy

August 11th 2011

11:53:07 AM

What is your name?herbert ellse

Where are you from?Indonesia

Please enter your comments?Fantastic site, born in folkestone in 1940 this

siite certainly brings back some wonderful memories

August 7th 2011

11:57:36 PM

What is your name?Steven Pope

Where are you from?Germamy

Please enter your comments?I grew up in Folkestone and went to St Peters Primary in the Durlocks, George Spurgen and finally Harvey Grammar school. I love your website which brought back some wonderful memories.

In 1984 I joined HM Customs, working firstly in Dover and later in Folkestone. Looking at the picture of the Hengist brings back many memories. I was on "lates boarding" on the evening of the hurricane in 1987 and the following day was sent down to the apron in the warren to board the Hengist and secure the bond, (of alcohol) being helped on board by the fire brigade. Sadly I cant remember who I was on shift with!

August 7th 2011

08:49:52 PM

What is your name?Lynnette Burrows

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I was born and bought up in Broadmead Road in December 1954

my Mother and Brother are still living there. I now live in Clifton Crescent

This site has bought back so many happy memories for me .

Thank you so much XXXX Do,s anyone remember me or my family?

Alan Critoph says:

When you are in the same class at school there`s some people you dont forget ! Even though it`s 46 years ago ! Hope your doing well ..tc Alan

Posted on : 2011-09-05 23:03:31

Christine says:

My Grandparents lived at 69 Broadmead Road around that time, and we stayed there quite often. Is that anywhere near where you lived?

Posted on : 2011-08-08 08:43:05

August 7th 2011

02:27:50 AM

What is your name?Jason Steel

Where are you from?Near Dartford Kent.

Please enter your comments?Thankfully there are still adders living around the cliffs of Folkestone. This image was taken on the 5th August 2011:

Best regards,

Jason

Christine says:

Thank you for completely freaking me out Jason! What a shock to find a snake on my guestbook! Ha ha!! Fabulous photograph though, but much prefer your little hedgehog. Your photography is amazing, and have posted a link to your site on my Facebook page.

Posted on : 2011-08-07 07:33:29

July 27th 2011

09:36:53 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Julia nee Blackburn

Where are you from?Sussex

Please enter your comments?Wonderful site - still haven't finished looking at everything. My grandfather (Italian) played in the Blue Viennese Band mentioned on the bandstand section. My grandmother had a cafe at the bottom of the High Street.

Thanks - many happy memories.Would love to contact Pat Phillips who lived in the Toll House in the 50s.

July 27th 2011

05:57:31 PM

What is your name?christine

Where are you from?tunbridgewells kent

Please enter your comments?can anyone please help me im trying to find any pictures or photos or info, on REINDEN WOODS LODGE, Canterbury road, in Hawkinge ,Folkestine kent(.From 1967 to 1974) It was also known as REINDEN WOOD HOUSE,The house its self lay deep in REINDEN WOODS.look forward to hearing from anyone with ANY info, Thank you for any help. Christine.

Christine Hope. says:

Hello Paul, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you, and thanks for putting the post up, i would be very greatful for any info, on Reinden Wood House,Should you see your friend again or you know anymore info, please e.mail me at christinehope73@yahoo.co.uk thanks for taking the time out to post me, Christine.

Posted on : 2011-11-29 18:43:29

Paul says:

Hi Cristine Not sure if this will help but as a child living in Folkestone it was a great expedition to walk to Hawkinge and beyond for us. We used to collect Chestnuts in the Autumn and this invariably took us into Reinden Woods. I can just about remember the old house. We were told that the house was a children's home and then later taken over by the army and later still a scout group. I have a friend coming tomorrow for lunch who lived right opposite the woods for many years if you like I will speak with her see what she knows?

Posted on : 2011-10-03 14:24:44

Page 8

July 19th 2011

02:48:58 AM

What is your name?Maureen Brevetor

Where are you from?Ludlow, Shropshire, U.K.

Please enter your comments?We have documents which state that my husband's Aunt Isobel Watkins and her husband Brigadier Watkins purchased the Metropole Hotel Folkestone around 1958. Brigadier Watkins donated a portrait of the Queen in full Coronation robes which was painted by his daughter, Pamela Edwards in 1953 and the painting was hung in the Cranmoor Club in the New Metropole. An identical painting, again by Mrs. Pamela Edwards now hangs in the Canadian Houses of Parliament.

Our family are most interested to obtain as much information as we can regarding Mrs. Edwards paintings. Mrs Isobel Watkins nee Theobald was the sister of my husband's mother, Rita Brevetor. Can you help please.

Thanks, Maureen Brevetor

July 14th 2011

08:20:40 PM

What is your name?Lyn Bullman

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I would like to congratulate you on your wonderful, nostalgic website. When I logged on to it I never expected to see so many wonderful pictures. It has brought tears to my eyes remembering how lovely Folkestone used to be. We have the 2nd Triennial at the moment which has brought a bit of life back in to Folkestone. I know I will spend many hours looking at your pictures in the future. Well done.

July 10th 2011

06:50:37 AM

What is your name?Graham Igglesden

Where are you from?Canterbury

Please enter your comments?I have fond memories of coming here in the summer as a child with all my family. I felt so secure then........

June 28th 2011

03:46:35 PM

What is your name?Mrs.Helen Saville

Where are you from?Ilchester, Somerset

Please enter your comments?The details that you have about the Greystones Hotel on the Leas is correct in as much as the owners were Miss Squirecross and my late Great Aunt Molly ( Miss Corcoran) My mother was her niece and I can remember staying there as a young child .I used to like helping in the dining room where the dress code was quite strict and my Dad was once sent back to his room to put on a tie!!

June 23rd 2011

02:23:27 AM

What is your name?Hilary Tolputt

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?You ask if Clewer House in Coolinge Lane had any connection with the Sisterhood of St John Baptist, known as the Clewer nuns. Indeed it did! The building originally was Bayham House School. The nuns had established a presence in Folkestone in the nineteenth century particularly with the building of St Andrews Convalescent Home. They had also established a school, St Stephens College at Clewer in Buckinghamshire but they required a larger site in 1919. They acquired the buildings of Pelham House School on the escarpment in Coolinge Lane (now part of the Folkestone School for Girls) and renamed it St Stephens College, and also Bayham House which was renamed "Clewer". The latter was the senior house for the girls. St Stephens and the nuns evacuated to Taplow in the Second World War and the buildings were acquired by KCC. Clewer became the boarding house for the County Grammar School and St Stephens became the Grils Technical School. The lease on Clewer expired in 2010 and reverted to the Radnor Estate.

Christine says:

Thank you very much Hilary, I suspected they had to be the same order that started the St. Andrews Convalescent Home, but hadn't had it confirmed. I have added your information to the buildings page now. If the building has now reverted to the Radnor Estate, what is it being used for, do you know?

Posted on : 2011-06-23 11:15:25

June 13th 2011

12:50:30 AM

What is your name?Nicola Johnson

Where are you from?Wiltshire

Please enter your comments?My great grandparents and their three elder children in an early Napier car boarded the Mabel Grace in 1904 setting off on their grand European Tour. I have a fuzzy photo of the Napier plus my grandfather (then 14) being hoisted by crane onto the boat. Never expected to find anything about the Mabel Grace so was really pleased to find your website.

May 31st 2011

04:30:25 AM

What is your name?Peter & Terry Campbell

Where are you from?UK

Please enter your comments?I have had a great time looking through Folkestone it brings back lots of memories.

We lived in Beatty Road but were evacuated to South Wales in 1940 I was only 6yrs old, my memories of Folkestone are quite vivid, I made a visit in 1984 and could find my way around every where.

My brother and I [we are now 78/79 yrs old] are coming down for a nostalgic visit on 18th July for three days looking for our old school Stella Maris also some of the houses we lived in Sydney St ,Warren Road, Canterbury Rd.

We would like to know if there is a society or group of people who were evacuated from folkestone and went to Merthry Tydfil in South Wales.

Many thanks again we will continue to browse !

May 25th 2011

12:32:10 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Thanks Theresa, you could be right. So do you think that wall on the left belongs to All Souls Church?

Theresa Eccles says:

Hi Christine, Greetings from not so sunny Folkestone!! In answer to you earlier e-mail, All souls Church is further down the street. The wall is part of residential properties. Also, in answer to your' query about Preatoria House. I can tell you it is part of Folkestone School for Girls (formerly Girls Grammer)and has been since the early part of the 20th Century (1920's I think). Best wishes

Posted on : 2011-06-20 20:29:55

Don McHutchison, Cambridge, formerly Cheriton says:

The unidentified photo is of the terrace of shops between Park Road and Marler Road, and as the Baptist Church is not visible it must be before 1907. The shop at the far end of the terrace has a projection forward onto the pavement, that shop today is Rocheforts newsagents, which also has a section projecting onto the pavement line. The stone wall opposite would be the boundary wall of Ashley Grange, a large house with extensive grounds shown on the 1907 Ordnance Survey map. The house stood where Grange Road now runs, and the grounds ran from Ashley Avenue towards a point roughly opposite Quested Road.

Posted on : 2011-06-03 23:14:15

May 24th 2011

09:15:22 PM

What is your name?Theresa Eccles

Where are you from?Folkestone Kent

Please enter your comments?I came across this wonderful website when trying to look for information on Sir John Moore primary school Shorncliffe. Wonderful memories! Miss Hollis the headmistress, the 2 miss Smiths, Miss Clayton and Mrs. Nicholls. Outside toilets and teacher asking if you needed 1 sheet or 2 when needing to use the toilet! But I digress.....I just wanted to say that the unidentified photo of a row of shops is the opposite side of the road of the photo of Cheriton High street in the 40's or 50's.

P.S. I was at Sir John Moore's from 1961-1963.

Christine says:

Thanks Theresa, you could be right. So do you think that wall on the left belongs to All Souls Church?

Posted on : 2011-05-25 12:33:04

May 10th 2011

05:53:04 AM

What is your name?Christine Friell Nee Kennett

Where are you from?Folkestone 1944-1954

Please enter your comments?My mother, Elsie Patrick of Canterbury Road,born 1913 said that one time when she was swimming at the Sands, there was a tidal wave that hit the people on the Sands, she and others were taken into the fishermans homes to recover

I think this could have been 1925-1930ish Is there any record of this?

I started school at Mundella then St Marys finally Holywell untill 1954 [[:-?]

May 1st 2011

01:59:12 AM

What is your name?Mick Ashley

Where are you from?Plymouth

Please enter your comments?I carried out my military training at Sir John Moore Barracks from Jun 81 to Jun 82.

I don't have many happy memories of that period of my life. In fact, they are all pretty horrendous, particularly having to run back from Hythe and Lydd ranges, finishing off with Hospital Hill and the assault course. The training staff were all such well adjusted, mentally stable, kindly people as I remember......

April 13th 2011

11:22:12 PM

What is your name?Mike Siggs

Where are you from?Crawley

Please enter your comments?Interested to see the photos of Shorncliffe Barracks. My Great Grandfather was stationed there in early 1900's. His military records show he died at the Camp "whilst performing military duties" on 23.2.1910. He was a seargeant in the Royal Artillary no 1919. I am trying to find out the circumstances surroundin his death.

April 11th 2011

03:15:46 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Nigel

Where are you from?Suffolk

Please enter your comments?Sketch dated 1881 Lower Sandgate Road. Please let me have an email address so that I can send a copy of a pencil sketch found of lower sandgate road dated 1881. nigel948@aol.com

March 31st 2011

06:12:28 PM

What is your name?Julie Pendleton

Where are you from?Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

Please enter your comments?My Dad was stationed for a time in the Folkestone area during WW II. I think he said the area was nicknamed "Hell Fire Corner" because of all the German bombardment. He had a wonderful tenor singing voice and had fond memories of singing in the Leas Cliffe Hall. He said the hall had be best accoustics he had ever experienced. He never forgot singing there and how good it was and had always hoped to return some day but never did. He used to tell the tale of how once he and his pals were walking along the road once and the famous film actor Charles Laughton (who had a house in the area?) stopped the car and asked where they were going and gave them a lift. My Dad died aged 84 in 2004.

March 31st 2011

04:18:08 PM

What is your name?Liz Riddalls

Where are you from?Vancouver Island-grew up in Cheriton

Please enter your comments?From the age of 3, I lived with my family at 79 Biggins Wood Road.

Back in those days Biggins Wood Road was a wide, car free, kids paradise. We roller skated, played tennis and rode our bikes in safety. In the fifties there were tons of kids in the neighbourhood to play with, and when we got bored, the delights of crossing the back fence and exploring the woods, the brick kiln and the quarry beyond awaited us. Further adventures would take us up the hills or Ceasars Camp for hours. As long as we got home at the appointed time, nobody worried about where we went........how times have changed!

The last time I visited Biggins Wood Road it had shrunk!

The wide street of my childhood memory, was revealed to my adult eye, as a narrow car jammed parking lot, and the back garden at number 79 now contains a couple of additional houses. Progress??

I think not - more like a childs paradise lost.

Ian Burgess says:

Hi Liz,When i was born in 1961 we lived at 77 Charles Cres, and like yourself me and my mates used to do the same.The amount of times i came home caked in clay after playing over the clay pit, Happy days

Posted on : 2013-01-08 15:43:54

March 18th 2011

11:17:37 PM

What is your name?Terence Millership

Where are you from?Walsall Wood, West Midlands

Please enter your comments?I served with 46 company RASC, at Somerset Barracks in 1957/58. It was a great posting,especially after my previous posting at HQ Cyprus District, during the EOKA emergency

March 16th 2011

11:39:35 PM

What is your name?COLIN JON

Where are you from?FOKESTONE

Please enter your comments?Hi to everyone,

I would like to let everyone know we are working to produce a DVD of the restoration of the Leas Lift, completed July 2010. Eamonn Rooney has kindly offered his technical and historical knowledge to ensure we have everything correctly documented.

I see there are several pictures of the time of the Metropole lift and Sandgate lift on this delightful website. I would very much like to use these in my production so if nobody objects on grounds of copyright I would like to include these.

We hope to go to print very soon and have copies available for sale by April 2011. Anyone wishing to be contacted with a view to purchasing a copy when they are published, can please email me and I would be delighted to send on a copy.

It will also contain a tour of Folkestone, recently filmed for Discover Folkestone.

Kind regards

Colin

March 6th 2011

11:31:59 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Alan Critoph

Where are you from?Kent England

Please enter your comments?April 2007 you recieved a letter from my cousin Johnn Dale from Melbourne Australia. I have tried for years to contact him, ( since my mother passed away in 1995 ) So far Ive been unlucky ..you might be my last chance as I have tried all the social networks , name holders in Australia etc...no luck so far 6 March 11 ...could you please pass on his contact it is important as there are no relatives left in UK on the Dale side of the family and Johnn might be the only one left in Ozz, I dont know. By the way I was folkestone resident from 64 till recently ...a genuine thankyou Alan

February 25th 2011

03:53:08 AM

What is your name?Loralie Adcock

Where are you from?Snodland kent

Please enter your comments?Thankyou for such a lovely website. I remember the outdoor roller skating rink just to the east side of the swimming pool, I must have skated there most of the school summer holidays when I was 12 in 1972. I think it closed down around 1973/4. Also I remember being in a school swimming competition around the same time.

Christine says:

Really Loralie? I had left for Canada by 1972, but when I was growing up in the 50's & 60's, the only roller rink was the indoor one, which was east of the Rotunda in the Marine Gardens Pavilion which you can see on my 'Buildings' page. The outdoor rink used to be situated to the west of the Pier, which was around the area of the Cliff Lifts. I don't remember hearing of another outdoor rink, especially not east of the swimming pool, because that is where the Rotunda and the boating pool was. But as I said, I wasn't there after 1968. The outdoor rink next to the pier was gone long before I was born I believe, but you can see pictures of it on my 'Pier & Switchback' page.

Posted on : 2011-02-25 08:48:43

February 16th 2011

03:37:00 AM

What is your name?Dennis Nelson

Where are you from?Windsor, Ont, Canada

Please enter your comments?I've never been to Folkestone but my maternal grandparents were from there (left in 1919) and I still have some relatives there. To be able to see the places and streets they would have known is simply fascinating. My grandmas brother-in-law was Jack Milton, one of the owners of the Milton and Smith's store on your buildings page. I also have that photo and one of their other store. Going thru their old photos and scrapbooks, I've found some that may interest you if you'd like to contact me. Also, I have an answer for Mr Peter Hogben (bottom of the Military page) about an incident during WW2, taken from a small book called "Frontline Folkestone" published just after the war, that gives dates, descriptions and some photos of the damage. This is the only one that mentions a young girl as the only casualty. Sept 6 1940 "during one machine gun attack at Cheriton, 6 yr old Sheila White, daughter of Sgt-Major G. White, of the Royal West Kent Reg., then a POW in Germany, was killed by a raider's bullet as she put her head out of an Anderson shelter in the garden of her home to call her mother." Unfortunately, I don't know if there is any way to get the information to him.

Page 9

February 11th 2011

10:35:29 AM

What is your name?Jacolyn L. Kohler (nee Shepherd)

Where are you from?Collie, Western Australia

Please enter your comments?I am following my family history and have found George William David

SHEPHERD and his wife Bessie (nee HELPS) where master and mistress of a home in the Folkestone - Lyminge, Kent area and I am trying to find out more information about them and there involvement with the home.

I know that they adopted a little girl to be called Brenda Mary SHEPHERD B: 14 Oct 1924 Worcestershire, England, but I don't know if they had any children of their own.

George William David SHEPHERD B: in Folkestone 1879 and D: Folkestone 1960 his wife Bessie SHEPHERD B: 1879 Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire, England D; 1953 in Folkestone, Kent.

In 1922 on George's mother probate it states that he was a House Master.

Harriett SHEPHERD (his mother) lived at Kent Cottage, Lyminge, Kent at the time of her death in 1922.

I home that someone can help me with my query?

Were there many Childrens' homes in this area?

February 4th 2011

04:38:14 AM

What is your name?Don Mchutchison

Where are you from?Cambridge, formerly Cheriton

Please enter your comments?The last but one picture in the Hills section, of the big white house with Ceasar's Camp in the background, brings back memories. The buildings were the headquarters of the Folkestone Water Co. in Cherry Garden Lane, and the big white house, which we knew it as the Engineers House, was still there in the 40's and 50's. The other buildings in the picture would be workshops and staff houses.

You ask about the big chimney Christine. When the Folkestone Water Co. was founded in 1848 the machinery in its workshop would have been powered by a static steam engine. The big brick chimney would therefore most likely be the steam engine boiler furnace chimney.

The Engineers House has been replaced by a row of modern houses but the water company still uses the site behind these for storage and workshops, and the smaller house to the extreme left with the single chimney is still there.

The track to the left in front of the big house, which led to the disused brickworks and market garden in the 50's, is now Shearway Road, and the area behind and to the right of the buildings used to be a large pond, probably a worked out brick claypit, where we used to go fishing. It is now the site of the Brickfield pub and Premier Inn hotel, where we now stay on our trips to Folkestone!

Peter Rogers says:

I lived in No.10 Kent Rd and Donald McHutchison and I were good friends I couldn't believe it when I saw his email on your site. I'd love to get in touch with him again. I haven't seen him since we were children. I am living in South Africa now and have been since 1975 but I still think fondly of our early years in Cheriton. Thanks Christine for your wonderful site.

Posted on : 2012-09-13 00:19:47

February 3rd 2011

04:02:40 AM

What is your name?Don McHutchison

Where are you from?Cambridge, formerly Cheriton

Please enter your comments?A Google search for my first school Harcourt Primary led me to your splendid site. Such a wide range of pictures.

My father worked for the East Kent Road Car Co and the family lived in one of the company houses at the depot in Kent Road. I was born there in 1938, went to Harcourt in 1943 and to the Harvey Grammar in 1949. I left Cheriton in 1957 first to join the army and then on to university but since then have only been an occasional visitor.

The pictures of Cheriton bring back lots of memories, trying to remember which shops were where in the 1940's and 50's and trying to match them to the older photos.

We boys spent many happy hours playing in the old brickworks, at the flooded claypits, and in Biggins Wood, areas now taken over by the Biggins Wood housing estate and the Channel Tunnel terminal.

Keep up the good work Christine!

Doug Quinney says:

I was born in 1951 at the Royal Victoria Hospital Folkestone and lived at 24 Kent Road (a company house)as my father worked for the East Kent Road Car Company. I can dimly remember the name McHutchison, but cannot remember if he was a driver or a conductor (as was my late father). I have fond memories of sitting on a driver's lap in the cab of a double decker and "driving" it round the car park. Also the colourful streaks that leaked diesel fuel used to leave in our garden every time it rained and the smokey social club, the tyre depot and Morrie Perry's electrician's shed next door to our house. All these and other happy memories ended suddenly when having walked back from Harcourt Primary School one afternoon, I had to walk across some planks to get home as workmen had started to dig out the foundations for a larger bus garage that was planned to be built over and around our home. We moved out that weekend; no. 24 Kent Road was demolished; the new bus garage to this day has not been built!

Posted on : 2012-07-21 02:37:14

February 2nd 2011

02:55:24 AM

What is your name?Trevor Marshall

Where are you from?Folkestone (originally) now Prague

Please enter your comments?You have a picture of the Avondale Hotel: you are spot on about Miss Rafferty (actually, there were two of them) but the photo of the Tresillion next to it is not the Avondale. The Avondale was bought by developers in the early 70s and demolished. I was particularly sad as I was born and brought up there.

January 30th 2011

09:32:42 PM

What is your name?john Kedward

Where are you from?Chiang mai Thailand

Please enter your comments?Thank you for your fascinating collection. I lived in Hythe as a boy during the late 60's early 70's. It was a lovely place to grow up if you could avoid the angry old people who resented the cheeky urchins we were; cycling up and down 'Lady's Walk' Just opposite the entrance to this pathway, on the left on Marine Parade, was the impressive Moyle Tower. I have memories of those two huge arched windows, at the back, lit up in the evening; it looked like a gothic mansion, though looking at the photos have reminded me, how huge it really was, We were very wary of going inside, not only because of it's outward appearance and perhaps we would be unable to cope with the imagined labyrinthe inside but the kids who stayed there, were seen as a different bunch, older, rougher and from another world. the big cities, perceived as so far away from our little corner of Kent.Despite this it was a definite land mark, second only to the impressive Hotel Imperial. Therefore I was dismayed to discover that it has long been demolished.. Can anyone tell me why and when this happened. I would be grateful. Thanks once again for the pastcards and images. I particularly liked the very early ones. All the best John K

george hills says:

Hi Christine you are quite right the hotel is still there and still goes under the name Hotel Imperial,they are now building on some of the land alongside Twiss road up to the path along the canal,that used to be part of the gardens.think there are 12 houses going up there.

Posted on : 2011-04-22 04:44:52

Christine says:

Sorry John, I misread your first post. I don't know why the Moyle Tower was demolished. These old buildings are very expensive to maintain and heat. But I agree, the replacement isn't a patch on it. They just don't build interesting looking buildings any more. If you check my Hotels page, you will see how shocked I was when I discovered the building that had replaced the beautiful Sothoron Lodge. What were they thinking? When you drive around there, you see all these beautiful white attractive buildings, and on the end sits this monstrosity. How it gets past Council approval is beyond me, but I guess it is a case of who has the most money. Anyway, best not get me started on how I feel about most modern buildings, I will bore your socks off!

Posted on : 2011-02-01 11:55:28

john Kedward says:

Hello Christine, Thanks for replying and once again for your great website. I know the Hotel Imperial is still there like an old wedding cake. However the Moyle Tower has gone. It has been replaced by a more low key, dull, red building. The question remains why was it pulled down? Expensive refurbishment costs? structural problems? I don't know. It was a strange building but it made an impact on many of us who saw it. There has been a lot of development on Marine Parade; One terrace of large Victorian? houses has completely gone while other modern buildings have been added to existing rows. Perhaps being on the seafront takes a bigger toll on structures than would be further inland. Hythe used to be a slightly faded seaside resort with a small fishing industry. Now it seems to have attempted to show itself as a more 'upmarket' place. It's worth looking at Google maps that allows you to take a 'walk' around Hythe. The High street in particular is very different to what it was, reflecting some big changes in the local economy and the people who have moved there.

Posted on : 2011-01-31 07:57:43

Christine says:

Hi John, where did you hear that the Imperial Hotel has been demolished? As far as I know, it is still operating, only it goes under the name of the Mercure Hythe Imperial Hotel now. Check this website: Imperial Hotel

Posted on : 2011-01-31 01:48:42

January 16th 2011

10:06:43 AM

What is your name?Ian Sims

Where are you from?St Helens, Merseyside

Please enter your comments?Peggy Sims of Coolinge House Coolinge Lane was my Aunt who was married to Norman Sims, my fathers brother. I was very sad to hear that Aunty Peggy died in 2001 as we had lost touch with her. I stayed in Coolinge House for a holiday in 1968 and visited again in 1971 just a few days prior to Uncle Norman dying. I have fond memories of them and the house.

January 14th 2011

04:24:51 PM

What is your name?Stuart Sims

Where are you from?New Zealand ( Born in St Helens Merseyside UK)

Please enter your comments?I was so saddened to hear of the passing of my Aunty Peggy who was the owner of Coolinge House, Coolinge Lane, Foolkstone. It was just as saddening to see the photographs of Coolinge House. I hope by now it has been renovated to its former glory.

December 31st 2010

04:45:07 AM

What is your name?TERRY FEATHERBE

Where are you from?CHICHESTER

Please enter your comments?what a great site, i lived in shaftsbury ave till i was nine [1957] if memory serves me right the junior school was also located in the grounds of the Harcourt girls school. I remember the recreation park, it was on three levels and by the gates were a couple of monkey puzzle trees. Our father drove for Reeves for some years.

December 23rd 2010

11:34:38 PM

What is your name?Richard Purvis

Where are you from?Broadstairs

Please enter your comments?Fascinating website...I am researching my family tree, but sadly no relatives to ask. I know my Grandfather Arthur Edward Howard ran the Toynbee Hotel in 1935. He died in 1940 in Croydon, and I have no idea how long he was there for, but I seem to remember he had another hotel in the area as well.

I have a letter sent from the Hotel on headed paper to my Auntie dated 1935. Any other information anybody has would be great. Thank you

December 16th 2010

04:31:19 AM

What is your name?lorraine heywood (nee dalley)

Where are you from?born in Capel-le-ferne nr Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Went to school Harcourt County School for girls 1965 - spent many a happy summer on the beach at Folkestone. Loved the pics of the old school

how things have changed!

November 20th 2010

06:52:37 PM

What is your name?vanessa stevens

Where are you from?liverpool

Please enter your comments?I attended harcourt school for girls 1970-1972 I lived with my grandmother in royal miliary avenue i also attended st john moore primary school i have such happy memories of my time in cheriton

November 18th 2010

04:21:46 AM

What is your name?Christopher Renham

Where are you from?essex

Please enter your comments?Hi--Imoved from a basement flat in Westbourne Gardens at the end of 1951 to move into a newly built council house i Biggins Wood Rd. I went to All Souls school i Stanley Rd. before passing the exam to get a place in Harvey Grammar. My father started a bicycle shop in George lane and then moved it to Dover Rd. My cousin still runs the bike shop now in Grace Hill---opposite my schools technical annexe.

My father and his brother were brought up by their grandparents in Foord rd. I still remember with dread the school dentist in Baker rd off Stanley rd. We used to play where the tunnel loading area now is. collected newts fro the old brickworks quarry pond, played in the old piggery and ate gooseberries from a wild plant where the garden of the old laundry once was.

July 18th 2010

11:25:27 PM

What is your name?Trevor Watson

Where are you from?Dover

Please enter your comments?I rember november 1977 when I should have joined MV.Hengist in Folkestone,the weather was so bad she was diverted to Dover.we were bused to Dover. and when we got on board we found that a gold bullion lorry had tipped over onto a frozen Turkey lorry.I rember the gold stayed put but many Turkeys found them selfs in crew quaters.And that was my first day of 16 fantastic years in the merchant navey. oh yes my mum loved the Turkey. but I think a bar of gold would have been better.

June 17th 2010

05:44:06 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?I have never eaten there Craig, but after reading your post, I wish I had visited there on my recent trip to Folkestone. I will put it down as a 'must do' for next time!

Website

Craig Scott says:

Hello Christine, I ate at the Hop Kweng on my last visit , I wont use your site as a restuarant review ,but the decor certainly hadnt changed in nearly 40 years, as the waiter said it will be celebrating its big Birthday next year.. The ZigZag paths have had new railings , some of your pictures show the metal turquise coloured ones , these have been replaced with twinted metal that look like vines and fit in very nicely with the rocky natural look, I'm sure "Mr Pulmanite" would approve.

Posted on : 2010-09-28 00:48:32

June 17th 2010

04:53:23 AM

What is your name?Craig Scott

Where are you from?Hastings

Please enter your comments?Hello-

Bit of a funny one but has anyone eaten in the Hop Kweng Chinese Restaurant on the Sandgate Road , I've heard the food is good but the best thing is that the decor is the same as it was in the 1960's and that it has booths to dine in with your own controlable lighting to suit your mood!

If anyone has been let me know and I will make a trip from Hastings to try it myself.

Regards Craig

June 4th 2010

03:46:12 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Mel

Where are you from?UK

Please enter your comments?I am a descendant of the Kettle family and was very interested to see the photo of the Mill and the house whilst searching the net for information. Thanks for putting it on the site.

May 27th 2010

07:34:01 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Wpg, formerly Folkestone

Please enter your comments?You're welcome Fran, tip to you, glean as many of your Nan's memories as you can, while you can. She is probably a fountain of information on bygone Folkestone, and I am sure she remembers those years between the two world wars with great fondness.

Please ask her about the little zoo that used to be near the West beach, I have very little information on it, and only vaguely remember it myself. I do remember there used to be a little train that ran along there at the time too. I believe it was called Pet's Corner.

george says:

yes you remember rightChristine it was called pets corner i can remember well but iv'e seen any photos of it.

Posted on : 2010-05-31 04:59:20

May 27th 2010

04:17:17 AM

What is your name?fran

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?hi, I have recently moved to folkestone, however my nan was born on the old high st, folkestone in 1912.... she now lives in hythe in residential care... she still remembers everything, and has appeared in a few war books as she was the only survivor of the laundrette in the II worldwar. I have saved some of the site on favourites to take & show her!!!! I know she will be thrilled thank you!!!

May 17th 2010

05:29:53 AM

What is your name?Antony Bordoli

Where are you from?Snellville, Georgia, USA

Please enter your comments?The photos on your site bring back a lot of memories. I lived in Folkestone from age 1 to 11 (roughly 1972-1981). Believe it or not, my parents tried their hand in hotel ownership and bought one of those buildings in the Marine Crescent. The particular grouping was called "The Hotel St. Clair". The only school I ever went to was Christ Church. I used to live in a flat on the west side of the street of the now mostly demolished Alexandra Gardens (My bedroom is now within some ASDA what even dwarf the Super-Walmarts we have here; I believe WalMart is ASDA). I also lived on Boscombe Road and before leaving to Miami, Florida, I lived at the bottom of Blackbull Road (that was the time when we also owned the hotel; an unsuccessful venture, btw). Your site has all the pictures of the Rotunda area in the state that I remember it. While I was there, they had covered up the boating pool which then operated with less fancy foot powered paddle boats. I was a "street urchin" of Folkestone and on the weekends my travels took me from as west as the Bandstand structure (and 'zig zag path' which we called 'The Fairy Caves') on the Leas all the way to the shadowy depths behind Sugarloaf Hill (we had a swing rope there). I've recently been hit with pains of nostalgia for my former home and I'm teared to what was once there is no more.....

April 29th 2010

01:26:07 AM

What is your name?Mike Dodd

Where are you from?Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada

Please enter your comments?I was going through old photos and postcards at home and found the one you have posted of Papillon Home. My grandfather was there about 1918 either enroute to the war in France or returning home. He had written on the back of the postcard "This home is only a block from our BKs, we go to write letters etc there". It was never posted so I am guessing that he was on his way back to Canada soon after and just brought it back with him. Enjoyed your website very much.

Thanks, Mike

Page 10

April 26th 2010

03:26:20 AM

What is your name?emma

Where are you from?devon

Please enter your comments?hello! i was wondering if anybody knows anything about a jewellers/goldsmiths that was called Walter Joseph??? i have been given a ring that was in one of this jewellers boxes, the ring dates back to the 1930's so i am presuming that it was in business around that time? if anybody has any info i would be grateful to hear it out of interest, thankyou

April 3rd 2010

01:44:57 AM

What is your name?Rio

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Ive been living in Folkestone all my life . Its really good to see the pictures of the Rotunda circa th early-mid 90s tho there is only 2 of them here, I remeber that rollercoaster next to castle dracula (tho i never went on it i was too young at the time,) and i also remember the big ship thing on th left of CD( i cant remember if there wer one or two of them), id love to see more pictures of the rotunda from that era but i do not seem to remember that big slide thing in the photos...... if anyone has any pictures of rotunda from early-mid 90s , please contact me

April 1st 2010

02:33:55 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Sharon Webb

Where are you from?Hamstreet,

Please enter your comments?Found this site thought it was a good site with lots of info and pics my gg uncle Arthur edward Potten he is listed as he died on 5th Oct 1940 he was working on cliff defences at the Leas Junction earls avenue

March 23rd 2010

01:10:13 AM

What is your name?Hayley Hamlett

Where are you from?Southampton

Please enter your comments?I have just founf this site and wonder if anyone can help me - my Great Aunt lived and worked in Folkestone during the war - She put on pantomimes and had a dance school. If anyone has any memoories of her please let me know Ena Murray and her friend Gwen Somerville. Gwen taught piano and they are now both in their 90's!

Email

george hills says:

I am nearly sure that the dance hall that used to be on the Bayle was run by a lady called Murry and was called the Murray school of dancing, idid go there myself but i was not very good at dancing and gave it up after a few weeks.

Posted on : 2010-06-30 05:23:50

March 17th 2010

05:23:33 AM

What is your name?Kevin D Harvey

Where are you from?New Romney

Please enter your comments?I love the pictures of Caesars Camp/Castle Hill on your 'Hills' page, it is a favourite place of mine. The last picture called Brockmans Mount looks like Summerhouse Hill which is alongside the A20 heading towards Lympne. It is adjacent to the roundabout that has exits for Hythe and Lyminge.

Jean Howard says:

Brockmans Mount is also called Summerhouse Hill, so called as a gentleman had a sumerhouse built at the top to house his son who was suffering from TB. It was considered that the open air treatment was a good way to treat this disease. There is now a wooded/bushy area where it stood known as Brockmans Bushes.I walk round it every day with my dog as it is close towhere I now live in Etchinghill. I have lived in Folkestone most of my live apaart from the war years 1939 - 44 and went to Harcourt School for two years before passing for Folkestone High School for Girls. Miss Ashdown was headmistress while I was at Harcourt and Miss Kay was the headmistress at the 'Tech'.

Posted on : 2010-12-05 05:03:38

January 9th 2010

10:11:40 PM

What is your name?Lin

Where are you from?Maidstone

Please enter your comments?What an interesting collection of photos. I'm not familiar with all the places shown but many have brought back wonderful memories of my 'second home'. My parents had a holiday caravan near Hythe and I spent much of my teenage years in Folkestone - notably the old High Street and in particular the leather shop and the Acropolis coffee bar! Thank you for proving me with a very nostalgic half hour.

December 5th 2009

10:01:10 PM

What is your name?RICHARD TOPTALO

Where are you from?Dober born

Please enter your comments?Interesting site! Can anyone remember the name of the bar at the bottom end of Tontine Street popular in the 80's, I think that it has been a music bar of some sort since then?

October 31st 2009

07:16:58 PM

What is your name?Roger Booton

Where are you from?Birmingham UK

Please enter your comments?As a rellocated Brummie i find Folkestone fascinating. So many places to explore. I say to all the people who run Folkestone down to get out and look around them. Sure Folkestone may be a bit run down but it's nothing that can't be fixed if people put there mind to it and lobby the people that can change these things instead of sitting around and letting it happen

Maggi says:

Hear hear Roger,people do a lot of moaning and not much else. If only they'd get stuck in and make a positive lot of noise. I re-located here many moons ago from Hertfordshire,is a very different world and type of people in Kent.

Posted on : 2009-12-01 01:00:26

September 24th 2009

06:21:52 PM

What is your name?Dave

Where are you from?Farnham

Please enter your comments?Hi ,great bit of nostalgia.Just back from a weeks hols at the CC&C campsite in the Warren (we go several times a year).

I often wonder why we modern humans cannot maintain the country as our Victorian ancestors did?, the lifts now sit in nothing more than a huge car park the Road of Remembrance nothing more than a dustbin.

We've always holidayed in Folkestone (we lived in Hawkinge for a few years and my mrs was born there) but even in the fifty odd years i can remember of Folkestone its gone from a boom resort to a run down excuse for one ,the harbour area a joke i feel sorry for foreign visitors they will only have todays shabby vista not one with Folkestone at even part of its best.

heyho though i still love the place (ok at a distance from the warren) its just a shame the council cannot do anything like the victorian/edwardian ones could at no doubt a far far higher capita tax haul

cheers dave

September 8th 2009

05:17:02 PM

What is your name?Graham Newnham

Where are you from?Hounslow

Please enter your comments?Hi - very interesting site which brought back lots of memories. My Grandparents on my mother's side moved to Russell Road in Folkestone in about 1960, so I spent all of my summer holidays down there until the mid 1970's - I practically consider Folkestone my second home!

My other Gran moved down there and lived in the Royal Pavilion for some years. Her flat is still visible in the remaining bit of the Royal Pavilion, which is attached to the Burstyn.

I regularly pop back, and have been disappointed by some of the short-sighted redevelopment that had destroyed much of the old character of Folkestone, and of course, by the terrible air of neglect that hung over it in the last few years.

I went back last weekend, and I'm glad to see that it seems to be getting a new lease of life, though I'm sorry there's no "Rock Shop" in the High Street - replaced by a milkshake bar! Ye Gods! I think, apart from Rowland's there was another called Andy Amos?

Thanks again for the memories!

Marilyn says:

I worked at Andy Amos in my teens, holidays and Saturdays. I used to love doing the candyfloss. My favourite sweet was the brown candy (like coconut ice but brown with big flakes of nut) Oh happy days.The juniors were not allowed to help with rolling the rock with the letters inside, probably because it was extremely hot.What happened to Andy Amos?

Posted on : 2012-08-11 15:52:18

george hills says:

yes indeed there was Andy Amos! was a great loss to the town along with the loss of the ferries, I've been around for 82 years and the place is far worse than ever before. But still would'nt want to live elsewhere.

Posted on : 2009-10-22 05:05:06

September 1st 2009

10:23:29 PM

What is your name?Joe Riseborough

Where are you from?Fredericksburg Virginia, USA

Please enter your comments?I was trying to find info on Risborough Barracks as I was told it was built to combat pirate relatives of mine. Stumbled upon your site. Enjoyed the pics.

Maggi says:

Hi I live in Hythe and recently read a book by a local author Coastline Conflicts re south east area. Don't recall Risborough Barracks but has a full history including names etc of smugglers. Unable to recall author,will get back to you when search works.

Posted on : 2009-12-19 18:14:24

August 30th 2009

05:26:02 AM

What is your name?Vivienne Elgar

Where are you from?Harrogate, born Whitstable.lived in Capel-le-ferne for many years

Please enter your comments?Very interesting photos brought back lots of memories.

Email

Be First to Post a Reply

August 13th 2009

01:04:28 AM

What is your name?Jane Wallace (nee Seal)

Where are you from?Guildford, but born in Folkestone.

Please enter your comments?Absolutely fascinating to look at all these old photos. I was amazed how many of the old buildings I remembered. Grand Burstin doesn't compare well with Royal Pavilion!

Jane Wallace (again) says:

Just remembered - my great grandmother actually walked across the viaduct when she was a child (mid 19th century). I think there's only a low wall at the top - if she'd fallen off I wouldn't be here to type this

Posted on : 2009-08-13 01:09:21

Post a Reply

July 10th 2009

04:40:49 PM

What is your name?Rosemary Walls nee Gilden

Where are you from?Cheriton, though now living in Hawkinge

Please enter your comments?I was born in Ashley Mill Cottages, and my parents and grandparents were all born in Cheriton/Folkestone. I can share lots of memories from wartime onwards - I remember-just-waving goodbye to my sisters and brothers at Cheriton Halt station on their way to evacuation in Wales. I would be happy to share my memories with any interested person.

Marilyn says:

Oh you have brought back some memories. Top acts played at The Leas Cliff Hall in the 60s. I have a diary of mine from 1967 (I think) where I gave details of the bands I saw and how much it cost to get in . All the girls used to try to get into the dressing room. Some succeeded. I did once and nothing untoward happened to me. It was obviously of great importance to me as I have forgotten the name of the band. Ha Ha

Posted on : 2012-08-11 16:04:01

Rosemary Shardlow nee Inglis says:

Harcourt Juniors, Girls Grammar School, Leas Cliff Hall Saturday nights. ah yes! I remember them well. Lovely to see a name I recognise on this site.

Posted on : 2010-02-09 17:04:59

July 4th 2009

09:30:10 PM

What is your name?Lesley Whittingstall

Where are you from?Cambridgeshire

Please enter your comments?Fantastic site.

I have never lived in Folkstone but my ancestors did. It was amazing to see the photograph of John Whittingstall who is my GG Grandfather and hear about Bill Whittingstall having a sweet shop. I would love to hear from any other Folkstone Whittingstalls - particularly anyone who knows anything about John, Richard, and Alfred Whittingstall and the household in Harvey Street.

Please carry on with the good work.

Lesley

June 26th 2009

12:18:41 AM

What is your name?Andy Cook

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?What a fantastic site. I have lived in Folkestone for all but 3 of my 35 years and my children now attend Harcourt Primary School in Biggins Wood Road (if anyone knows the exact date in 1959 this opened I would be grateful as the school is having difficulty locating this info). My dad lived in Woodfield Close in his early years. His grandfather was a Canadian who was stationed at Shorncliffe in WW1 and he married a Folkestone lady from Athelstan Road. I have 2 other relatives who died in the Great War and all 3 names appear on the war memorial at the top of the Road of Rememberance.

You may not be aware but efforts are being made to turn the recently discovered WW1 practice trenches at Shorncliffe Camp into an educational site. You may also not be aware that there is a ww2 naval bunker half way down the Road of Rememberance (excellent pictures on underground kent website) and a Cold War bunker on East Cliff. I grew up in Station Road and the cracks are still visible in my parents house from the tanks which drove up there during WW2. I went to Sandgate Primary and the Harvey Grammar (and I remember the Grace Hill Annex as we still used it for Art & Design &Tec - impressive building).

If there are any current photos you would like to see I will endeavour to take them for you (I can indulge one of my hobbies then ) or any updates do not hesitate to email me. Thanks once again for a fantastic site. Keep up the good work.

Kind Regards

Andy Cook

June 11th 2009

05:12:10 AM

What is your name?Wendy Grafham

Where are you from?Runcorn

Please enter your comments?I spent my Summer Holidays at Garden Road, the home of my Grandmother, finding this site has brought back happy memories. I recently stopped off in the town and went straight to the Rock Shop, what a dissapointment, just 2 years too late!. My Uncle George Scotchmer had a Clock and Watch shop in town but I can't remember the name of the road. Many thanks for taking me down memory lane.

April 3rd 2009

02:08:35 AM

What is your name?Maggi Garlinge

Where are you from?Hythe Kent

Please enter your comments?A wonderful site,many thanks for same.I have lived here for over five years now,most of the time I am walking around in the past,as so much is still the same.Hythe Society put up a good defence when change is on the cards.I overlook St Leonards Church from my cottage built in 1869.I will look through my photos for new angles of interest. Maggi

christine says:

Have been unable to find any information about grenaded accident in a cheriton garden in January 1944. Several children were mutilated and my half sister was killed whilst playing with her doll's pram. She was just 5 years old. Her name was Patricia Donogue. The accident was reported in the national newspapers. Her father John Donogue was killed in 1942 whilst on service in north africa (possibly Tobruk). Would be very interested in finding out more details concerning both deaths. Thank you.

Posted on : 2009-04-12 03:41:35

March 19th 2009

08:01:05 PM

What is your name?Susanne

Where are you from?Cologne/Germany

Please enter your comments?Thanks for this great website. I'll spend a week in Folkestone next month and so coming back after more than 20 years. I always spent my summer holidays in Folkestone from 1981 to 1987, so I have a lot of memories (got my ear pierced on the sunday market). But to hear and see that the rotunda finished makes me really sad....

February 17th 2009

09:09:01 AM

What is your name?Frances Manary

Where are you from?St. Andrews, Manitoba Canada

Please enter your comments?I have carefully perused all the faces in the previous photos. I am looking for some data on my father HARRY SCHOFIELD. born April 7th. 1879. He had 8 sisters. No brothers. He served in the first world war. And again in the second, at which time he was stationed in Aldershot, England.

Page 11

February 9th 2009

04:47:24 AM

What is your name?Mike Fritts

Where are you from?Minnetonka, Minnesota

Please enter your comments?Great site!! Thank you for all the memories.

My wife's family lived for a short time in the "God's Providence" cottage that is shown on your Hawkinge page. I believe the entire phrase is "God's Providence is my inheritance" and means the lucky man that found the gold cache was thanking God for the windfall that was now his. The version of the legend I heard then goes on to say the man used his gold to buy timbers from a shipwreck and those timbers were used to build the cottage.

During the modernization, the fireplace was taken out and they found a bigger fireplace. They took that out and found the original fireplace with ledges on each side so that four people could sit inside the fireplace at the same time their dinner was cooking.

The stairwell leading upstairs is so narrow that I had to turn sideways in or order to use it. The door lintels upstairs were only 5 feet so people regularly hit their head if they got up in the night and didn't turn on the light.

I look forward to carefully looking at all your pictures on your site.

Thanks,

January 14th 2009

08:14:14 PM

What is your name?Mike Howland

Where are you from?Hawkinge originally, now Lydden, Dover

Please enter your comments?Hi again Christine, E-mailed a few days ago but thought my comments may be of more general interest.

I found your excellent website while looking for old photos of Hawkinge. My family comes from the village and I lived there from 1942 till 1968 and still live only a few miles away near Lydden, Dover. My Mum, Gladys Brisley. was church organist until her death in 1969 and is in the front row left of the photo of Hawkinge Girl Guides. Dad worked at the airfield until it closed and was born in God's Providence cottages where my grandparents lived until Grandad Howland died. My Mum and I lived with Mum's cousin at Hope Lodge, The Street untill Dad was de-mobbed from the air force in 1945 when we moved to St Denys Lane. My Grandfather Brisley was killed by enemy action at the airfield in 1940, 2 days after my parents were married. He was repairing the hangar doors when an enemy bomb fell nearby. The Brisley family are one of the original Hawkinge families and they built many of the houses in the village including the village hall and the Chemist. It was said that if you bumped into someone in the dark and said "Sorry Mr Brisley", you were probably right! The Chimney sweep was Mr Bert Shrubsole and he lived on the corner of Mill lane where the Westminster bank now stands.

I attended the Primary school from 1947 to 1952 and then went to the Harvey Grammar school until 1958. I served an apprenticeship with Handley Page Aircraft in Cricklewood NW London and Radlett Herts and returned to the village in 1964.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, a couple of months ago I decided to have a go at building my own website, www.g4mix.co.uk . I intended it to be primarily about the farm where I have lived and worked for over 30 years and I included a brief introduction about Hawkinge and how I felt about the huge changes that have taken place over the last few years. There was so much reaction to the Hawkinge section from old friends and family from the village, I just had to add more. My cousin Freda Brisley and my Mum's cousin Joan Brisley who, though she is over 80 and not in good health and still on the Parish Council, supplied me with most of the old pictures of the village. Some of which are on your site, though in some cases better copies. I am still trying to find post war photos of the village up to the time the new developments were started. I've already passed your URL to friends and family and hope you'll add a link to my pages as I will to yours.

Mike Howland says:

Thanks Ted, I've asked several villagers and none of them could remember, so I'm sure you're right. Bert Shrubsole was a sweep but lived further up Canterbury Road in Densole.

Posted on : 2009-10-27 22:53:06

Ted Harrison says:

A fascinating site. Just one point - I think the chimney sweep was Mr Savage who lived at the house where the Nat West Bank now is.

Posted on : 2009-08-22 02:47:38

January 13th 2009

12:53:36 AM

What is your name?Mike Howland

Where are you from?Hawkinge originally, now Lydden, Dover

Please enter your comments?An excellent site, hoping to hear from you soon Christine.

January 8th 2009

02:08:06 AM

What is your name?David

Where are you from?Woking

Please enter your comments?You might be interested in an old memory. I was an Immigration Officer at Folkestone 1962-65. I came down by steam train, behind a 'Schools' class. To begin with Boat trains were in the transition period from steam to electric power, but BR kept the old timetables until June 1962. Then they announced the speed-up of the new. Along came the first train - 12 passenger coaches and 2 baggage coaches. That day there was a massive Easterly which blew salt inland - and sabotaged the electric circuits! The train full was stuck half way up the hill - it couldn't go up or down! After a long interval somebody remembered the old R1 tank engines that used to pull the boat trains up the hill. They found one, rusting away in Dover Harbour! I do not know what magic formula they used, but it worked, and the R! trundled round to Folkestone, got its shoulder behind the spanking new electric Boat Train, and HEAVED. What followed was like the big scene out of the Titfield Thunderbolt. It got the train to the top on its own (normally 3 were required) with everybody leaning out of the windows and cheering.

Maggi Garlinge says:

Wow what a memory. Has jogged mine re tavelling down from London in late fifties on a boat train and crossing, I believe, from old customs shed? in west Dover.Could be wrong but I thought we stayed on the train?.

Posted on : 2009-12-19 18:30:30

December 22nd 2008

04:26:09 AM

What is your name?Maureen Rossi

Where are you from?ashford kent

Please enter your comments?re 52 high street Folkestone, C and T cafe owned by the Rossi Family. Carmela and Teresa. My husband's Aunts.

December 6th 2008

08:53:11 PM

What is your name?Alan Collins

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Great site very interesting.

Noticed on your comment about the old Hillside School in Dover Road you say W A Parks (Mungo) retired in the 1950's but he was still headmaster there in the mid 60's when i was at that school.

November 30th 2008

12:09:55 AM

What is your name?Mr. Colin harwood

Where are you from?Douglas isle of Man

Please enter your comments?Great site on the School of Infantry through the years

IJLB open in 1967 then known Junior Infantry Battalion in memory of of the Infantry Boys Battalion which was formed in the early 1950's Plymouth & Tuxford. During 1967 onwards till Oswestry closed at the end of 1974 young serviceman having passed there entry exam of Class three and above had a choice of serving at Oswestry or Shorncliffe.

I served with IJLB (JIB) from 1969 to 1971, IJLB colsed in 1989 now the home of our wonderful Gurha's and IJLB now is the Formation College in Harrogate. They were great times which I will never forget Deus Vault (God Wills)

Colin H

October 26th 2008

02:53:16 PM

What is your name?derek

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?such an interesting site i went to all souls school in the 60's and lived with my grandparents at the cheriton road cemetary.if anyone has any photos or perhaps knows off a site with phots of the house that stood inside the main gates of the cemetary i would be deeply gratful

Christine says:

Hi Derek: I remember that house, do you know if it is still there? What was it like for you growing up in a cemetary? Did you get teased at school?:o I will ask a collector friend of mine in Folkestone if he has any photos of it, he will gladly send me a scan if he has, and I will forward it on to you. It's not the sort of place that was put on postcards though, not unless it was attached to a church.

Posted on : 2008-10-26 23:08:05

October 22nd 2008

12:28:37 AM

What is your name?Paul Seward

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I can't believe I've only just found your wonderful collection of pictures. It brought back a few memories, I have to say. Probably the first one was in the winter of 1947 when the waterfall in Radnor Park had the most amazing display of icicles. The Zig Zag path was good for tobogganing (under supervision!) Had to go every Wednesday to the newsagents at Pleasure Gardens to pick up my Children's Newspaper and the Eagle. I went to the Pleasure Gardens when it was a cinema to see the film of Nigel Balchin's novel The Small Back Room, starring Muriel Pavlow and John Gregson. Couldn't believe I was the only one in the place! Fond memories also of Toft's Jazz Club, run by Harold and Doris Toft. He had a beautiful dark blue E-Type. I'm sure I read somewhere that there was a railway line running from Folkestone West to the back of the Pleasure Gardens to transport dignitaries from London. This would account for Shorncliffe Road being as wide as it is. Certainly there was a shallow embankment running from the corner of Jointon Road. I used to feed the goats in Ingles Meadow with East Kent Road Car Company bus tickets. They wintered while Pets Corner (anybody remember that one?) was closed. Can also rember Sargent's bus which ran from Folkestone to Hythe on the same route as the 103. Thanks for such a delightful collection.

October 8th 2008

03:02:21 PM

What is your name?Ian Kilburn

Where are you from?Tavistock, Devon

Please enter your comments?I found the pictures of Cheriton very interesting especially those of Morehall, Harcourt and Surrenden Road. I attended both Harcourt Primary School as it then was in the 1960's and went onto Morehall Boys Secondary Modern until moving away in 1965. During this time we lived at 5 Surrenden Road and the pitures bring back many memories. My father at this time worked for the local paper and my mother for a garage/car show room just round the corner in the main road. The picture of the recreation ground also holds memories as I used to spend nearly all summer in the park. The only shame is that most of the old school cross country course seems to be under the channel tunnel. now.

September 26th 2008

09:20:02 PM

What is your name?Jean Bennett

Where are you from?Kent, UK

Please enter your comments?The is a great collection of 'then and now' photographs.

My interest isNo 5 Marine Parade and have recently confirmed the family

lengendthat an ancestor had lkept a small hotel at this address.

The electoral register ca. 1926 confirmed it.

Thanks for sharing the images

Jean

September 2nd 2008

11:43:56 PM

What is your name?Gail Franklin

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?What a wonderful site. I've only just discovered it but i'm having such fun looking at all the photos and reading peoples memories of such a beautiful place.

I was born in Folkestone and lived here until i was 18, when i moved to Cardiff for nearly 20 years. I have recently moved back to my lovely hometown and finding that although so much of it has changed, there is still so much that has remained the same.

I come from a family of fishermen, my great grandfather was called Richard "dick" Fagg and he owned the fishing boat FE15 ( which i see you have a couple of photos of) My nan was called Besse Fagg and i know she had about 13 brothers and sister. If anybody is related to or has any information about the Faggs i would be very grateful to hear from you, so that i can update my family tree.

I used to spend all my summer holidays along the stade and the sunny sands and now that i'm back, i take my own children there and regale them with tales of my childhood.

I could go on for hours... Once again, thanks for such a superb site.

August 26th 2008

12:50:46 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?You are right Carrie, she will definitely be added. Too bad she was around before the age of photographs though!

July 25th 2008

03:24:44 PM

What is your name?Carrie Hoyle

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Really enjoyed looking at your page. One famous person you haven't mentioned is St Eanswythe the patron saint of Folkestone, thought that might be a good on e to add.

July 23rd 2008

10:31:35 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Debra Mec

Where are you from?Canada

Please enter your comments?I am the granddaughter of Ethel Vickery who I believe's family owned the Fernley Hotel....she was suffering depression and fell from one of the upper windows to her death below in 1930...my mother was 11 at the time and there when it happened...I have a newspaper article from the local paper in Folkstone describing the entire event...subsequently by mother passed away at age 83 on June 10th 2002 and on my 50th birthday September 22, 2003 I had her ashes intered in the unmarked grave in Folkstone....I later had a tombstone made and put on the grave for my grandmother and mother Laura McCrindle....the graveyard is very old do not know the name of it but you pass it on the train on the way to Dover...it is right beside the train track....I hope you find this story of interest and perhaps even have additional information for me regarding this event.....Please reply to me that you received this information...Thank you so much....Regards Debra Mec

June 25th 2008

05:40:00 PM

What is your name?jackie

Where are you from?wales

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine,

I recently came over from America and married. Looking through his old family photos I found a Folkestone Town Crier photo from early 1900's. Jack Anderson is his name and he sent the card to my husbands mother when she was very little wishing her and her brother and Mom and Dad A Very Merry Christmas. Of course I googled him and found a New York Times newspaper article dated 1911 about a town crier that defeated an Earl..great story. So I searched further, but no luck other to see these wonderful pictures you have here of people he certainly knew.

June 24th 2008

10:26:57 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Terence Millership

Where are you from?Walsall

Please enter your comments?Very interesting Web site, as I was stationed at Shorncliffe (Somerset Barracks), in 1957 to 1958 during my national service. Have some very happy memories of Folkestone.

June 24th 2008

04:57:18 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?george hills

Where are you from?folkestone/cheriton/palmarsh.

Please enter your comments?I was very interrested on the coments about reeves transport as my grandparents

and later myself lived in risboro lane just up from the vic pub,

Reeves yard and workshop were at the end of our back gardens and we very often

had to get them to move lorry's so that we could get in our back garden,

Hope u enjoyed your recent visit home.

regards george.

June 22nd 2008

10:34:38 PM

What is your name?David

Where are you from?Ashford

Please enter your comments?A terrific website, thank you very much for all of your hard work.

May 19th 2008

04:21:12 AM

What is your name?Pauline

Where are you from?Dover

Please enter your comments?I was delighted to find this website by accident especially as there were photos of Jesse Sellen who was my great uncle but I had never set eyes on him!! I would love to hear from any other 'Sellens' and in the meantime will search mum's photographs for any of interest. My dad was Albert Thomas Sellen, master baker who had his own shop on the corner of Foord Rd. and Sussex Rd. (think that was what it was called, Peacocks backed onto it and Clarks the Chemist was on the opposite corner). Brilliant website.

Page 12

May 2nd 2008

07:25:21 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?It's quite possible Melanie, Reeves W. (Motor Transport) Ltd. were located in Tile Kiln Lane in the 50's, very close to Ashley Mill Cottages. Looking in my 1958 Kelly's Directory, I don't see a Reeves living in Horn Street, not at the Cheriton or the Hythe end. Which years are you researching?

Steve Kennett says:

Re Reeves transport, my farther grandfarther uncle and myself all worked for "Reevo" at some stage. Reeves had a proprty and small yard around Tile Klin Lane, it was called Diamond Cottage towrads the end of Reeves bussines I belive it was sold on for accomadation

Posted on : 2009-01-31 16:45:25

April 30th 2008

10:04:38 PM

What is your name?melanie Hill

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi

what a brilliant site I am resurching my family history and my great great grandfather was James reeves haulage contractor he used to live at Horn street and his daughter married and is listed as living at Ashley mill Cottages cheriton, I see that you have a pic of reeves transport does anybody no if this could be the same Reeves

Email

GEORGE HILLS says:

I'm not sure if Reeves transport had a place behind Ashley Mill cotts opposit fosters laundery but i can tell you that they did have a dept behind our house at 114 Risboro lane in the fify's. we were allway' having to get them to move there lorry's from our back gate so that we could get into our back enterance.:P:P

Posted on : 2008-11-12 05:12:55

April 23rd 2008

06:56:35 AM

What is your name?Rich

Where are you from?Dover Kent

Please enter your comments?An apsolutely wonderful site.Found it out by pure luck.Funny enough i was in the Harbour area today taking pics before the redevelopment begins.I can remember as a litle boy,Mum and Dad would take me to Folkestone for a day out,mid 60s and, it was a day out.We would always have dinner in,"The TATLER" near the Bayle,the building, i think is still there but not called that,always had fish and chips.Then somehow i always managed Mum and Dad to take me to Steddies,the toy shop along Guildhall Street.Thats when toys ,were toys,Moving ahead many, many, years.I took my girlfriend, now my wife,out to dinner to the Elizibethan Grill,down near Woolies on many occasions.We enjoyed it so much that many family and friends had meals there too. Sad to say its been closed for a long time and i guess falling into disrepair.However when we see the building we always have very fond memories of it.Now we tell our children about it one of 17 and one off 13 ...ouch !.Its so sad that towns change,not for the good in my opinion and developers pull really interesting looking buildings down.i love old buildings i guess.Once again an outstanding site,thanks for the memories.

March 27th 2008

04:16:44 PM

What is your name?Alan Hall

Where are you from?Evesham, Worcs., UK

Please enter your comments?Re: the 'photo at the start of this page.

When I first saw that it hit me like a brick! Then it all came flooding back - I had a very, very distant and very hazy memory of what is depicted in that picture - for years I thought it was a false memory! Now I know!

If anyone here lived in the pre-fabs in Cheriton during 1950 to their demolition - please e-mail me . . . I'll probably know you!

Alan Hall.

March 25th 2008

02:09:20 AM

What is your name?Pat McCann

Where are you from?U.K.

Please enter your comments?How nice it has been to go back to my youth a bit. I had a Great Auntie who had a cousin who lived in Cheriton Road, her name was Lillian Fowle. The earlest year I can remember is about 1948, could be a bit before. It was a big house, and when you looked out the back windows you could look out over the hills.

I remember going up the road not far to the sweet shop,we had to cross a small road. We do not have any photos to compare to any of the photos I have just looked at. She died in the house and is buried locally.

I am at present doing Family History. I will be down in April to look at more History. I can also remember when we went to Folkstone we used to climb up the cliffs with my parents and the barbed wire was still about to try and stop the invaders if they got in.

My Great Auntie had relatives who were Sheep farmers at 40, Acre Farm on the Romney Marsh. We also used to go there for our holidays as she was living in one of the Sheep Cottages that was provided for the workers in times gone by. The only way to cook was on oil lamps, and you had to empty your own toilet.

March 8th 2008

08:02:09 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?paola

Where are you from?Italy originally more recently london and now folkestone

Please enter your comments? hello, christine, just wanted to introduce myself. I bought the Tollhouse in 2001.So this August, Gerry, my partner, and I will have been here 7 years. We are putting together pictures that we have taken of the Lower Lease and the Harbour over this period eg the Coastal defence works, (awesome) the dismantling of the fun fair and the Harbour...(Miss Poppy has been sold ! I am Heartbroken...)wondered if you'ld like to see any of them?

February 7th 2008

10:41:10 PM

What is your name?Iain Crump

Where are you from?Ashford...originally

Please enter your comments?I've tried to email you, but the email does not connect so thought I'd try this route....I'm putting together some bits about my grandfather, George Crump who worked at Vye & Son about 1910, and would love to get a sharp copy of the photo that has the Vye's and Halfords shops in it.....any chance?

Regards,

Iain.

P.S. I may have some old folkestone views to addd after the weekend

February 4th 2008

03:15:11 AM

What is your name?george hills

Where are you from?palmarsh

Please enter your comments?sorry Cristine iv'e no photos of my grandfather

hills,i only wish i had.

its the same with my grandfather ackland the only photo of him is a picture of him in the local paper when he died.

george.

February 4th 2008

02:57:17 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?george.hills

Where are you from?palmarsh

Please enter your comments?many thanks Christine for the information

on the statue. hope you manage to to find it when you come, i don't give much hope though as a ex

seeboard meter reader before i retired iv'e

read meters down there on many occasions and i never got a glimps though i must say i wasn't looking for it then !or maybe it's in a back garden they are pretty big down there.

mind you i have to take my grandson over to the hospital couple of times a month.i will have a walk while i'm waiting next time if i see any sign of it will let u know, or if you strike lucky perhaps you could do the same.

regards george

February 4th 2008

02:40:33 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Wpg

Please enter your comments?Incidentally George, your father might have known my ex-husband, as he was a bus driver with the EKRCC.

February 4th 2008

02:37:46 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Do you have any photos of your Grandfather driving his horse drawn bus George? I would love to have that!

Be First to Post a Reply

February 4th 2008

01:50:30 AM

What is your name?george.hills

Where are you from?palmarsh/hythe

Please enter your comments?hi can't help u out with the name of the person

who sent you pics of the two buse's but i can tell you that the one with the double decker in

was taken at the depot in kent rd cheriton where

my father was a bus cleaner at night for many

year's till he retired.

My grandfather hills used to drive if it's called driving one of the first horse drawn buse's in folkestone.

george

February 1st 2008

02:03:16 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?You got me curious about the statue at the Victoria Hospital George, so I wrote to Alan Taylor and asked him if he knew. He certainly did, and here is what he told me:

"The classical statue of a woman in front of the hospital was placed there in about 1905. It had originally been exhibited at the National Arts and Treasures Exhibition at the Pleasure Gardens Theatre in 1886. When the exhibition ended no-one claimed the statue and it was stored for nearly 20 years, until someone suggested donating it to the hospital. Here it stayed for a number of years until the garden was converted into a car park. The statue still survives, however, in the garden of a former hospital doctor in Cherry Garden Avenue."

I am planning a quick trip to Folkestone in May, so will take a jaunt down Cherry Garden Avenue to see if I can spot it.

I was saying to Alan, I was surprised the statue didn't have more significance, like being of Florence Nightingale, or even Queen Victoria. I guess this is why they didn't find it a new home at the hospital when the frontage became a parking lot.

george.hills says:

Hi Christine did you ever find the statue ? i never have.

Posted on : 2009-10-22 05:21:23

January 28th 2008

04:24:30 AM

What is your name?george hills

Where are you from?folkestone/cheriton/palmarsh

Please enter your comments?Hi.Christine,

looking through your pictures again to=night

i was pleased to see the old pleasure gardens

you did slip by not going to any of the great

shows that were presented here.

I was interested to see st martins church i was

also married here to my first wife when she lived in roman way,the church and grave yard

don't look like your photo shows it now though.

Both of my parents my grandparents are buried

there.

The other thing that was of interrest was the

royal vic hospital showed the statue onthe far

left that disapeared after the war and nobody

seems to know where it went or who it was,if anybody knows i would be intressted to know.

all the best george

January 26th 2008

06:32:25 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?John Sullivan

Where are you from?Hythe

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine,

Thanks for such a fabby website - I don't even know where to start on your Hythe pics, but will try to cover everything. I grew up at 44 Marine Parade (the grey Victorian block to right) in your second shot of the seafront (Moyle Towers). My block was famous for being the largest concrete construction built in the UK to date (1888). A Dutch architect came over and used the shingle from the beach as the aggregate and just throw it into the concrete mix. The walls are over 18" thick in places and I distinctly remember 4" pebbles falling out of the walls every time my Dad tried to put up a wall fixture!

Moyle Towers was still in use as a foriegn language (EF) vacation school for German and Austrian students until around 1983 (when to my dismay and disgust) it was suddenly demolished. I never knew about it being unfinished for so long as I have always assumed it had been a very grand Victorian hotel at one point - the ground floor rooms were very impressive indeed. New students would appear every Thursday fortnight and I made it my job to head up the local welcoming commitee when they disembarked from their coach journey - what an idyllic way to romance away ones teenage years! I'm still in contact with some of my Austrian girlfriends, some 30 years later.

My father looked into buying the Martello Tower on the West Parade in around 1980. I can confirm that the lovely Lino floor in the glass studio area still had the illuminated channel map back then. Had I known at the time that the designer of the Dungy lighthouse had lived there I really would have nagged my Dad into buying the place- in truth I don't know he he didn't buy it - apart from the fact that furniture wouldn't fit against the curved walls! I'm a confirmed Art Deco-ite now and would love the second chance to live there.

Regarding those Canadian troops. According to a book on Hythe history (published around 1988 and which I'm afraid I've still not read) the troops were billeted in our block on Marine Parade. Apparently one of the Canadian soldiers fell down a stairwell during a black-out, broke his neck and died. My sister-in-law kindly told me this story about ten years after we'd moved from Marine Parade. I'd spent around 7 years forever switching off landing lights that would switch themselves on at around 3.00 in the morning. The switches were those old 20s bakelite jobbies and made so much noise when used that they would wake me up from a deep sleep! My family thought I was mad at the time.

The building with the clock in the High St. is indeed the Guildhall. To the left stands The White Hart. At 10.00PM on a Friday night the local youth club would empty only to fill that bar with under 16 yo's and the local bobbies never battered an eyelid! They talk about under age drinking today!

I'm afraid the bandstand in your photo was burnt down in aorund 1978 and many years later an old school chum owned up to it - I've never spoken to him since!

Finally, I'm afraid that I vandalised the old sound wall bowl. It must have been in 1976 and I was heavily into skateboarding at the time (I still am at 44, sadly). I snuck up there at one morning at around 4.00 and cut down the centre radio beam post so that I could skate it all summer without killing myself! I still feel very guilty about this and I've pledged that I will go back and help restore it when the time comes!

Pip pip,

January 21st 2008

02:24:49 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I do hope you visit again Dennis, because I really feel that Folkestone has a much better future, as there are plans to put it back on the map with a new university at the harbour, and a new marina. I am really looking forward to seeing the transformation.

By the way, were Mary & Clive Coronation Street fans? Just wondered, as they called their children Steve & Andy!

January 21st 2008

01:54:45 AM

What is your name?Dennis swift

Where are you from?Atherton, Greater Manchester

Please enter your comments?Since I was a lad I have visited Folkestone as my Aunt, Uncle and cousin lived there. John was in the Air force when he met Bett, she was a naffy worker at the time. John was from my town of Atherton but Bett lived in Folkestone. They married and had one child called Mary. Mary married Clive and they had two kids, Steve and Andy, both in their thirties now.

Sadly my last visit was for Johns funeral. On my arrival I went to visit several of my favorite haunts,one is the small pub near the railway to the harbour,cant think of its name. I went in the ship to sample some good ale and the old Railway club. John and Bett lived in Fern Bank Cresent and green court where his last years were spent.

Each time I visit I notice the decline of the place, sadly more immigrants come to the place. I shall visit again but Im not too sure when.

Dennis swift

January 1st 2008

07:22:14 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Thank you for your memories Stuart. I do hope you are making your living out of your writing, you have a wonderful way with words!

Reading it, I really wanted to go to your house in Morrison Road.

Thanks for sharing.

January 1st 2008

07:09:34 AM

What is your name?Stuart Busby

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine

I've just been enjoying your wonderful website! My name is Stuart Busby and I was born in Folkestone in May 1969. I lived in Folkestone from 1969 until 1993 and definitely consider it my spiritual home! Fortunately my parents and family still live there although I now live elsewhere in Kent. Folkestone is a very special place indeed and holds many memories for me. I was born at the Royal Victoria Hospital and moved into a basement flat in the nearby Broadmead Road which, I understand, was flooded out when I was a small baby. In 1973 we moved to 26 Pavillion Road and then after a brief stay at my grandparents house in Mead Road, just up the hill, we moved on to 8 Morrison Road in 1976, departing in December 1984. The Morrison Road house was a tall, dark, eerie, creaky, three floor red-brick Edwardian house with old dorma windows in the roof and situated very close to the Skew Arches. My bedroom on the top floor at the rear faced south and offered amazing panoramic views from the East Cliff all the way round to the far-off West End, with the Metropole, Grand Hotel and Holy Trinity Church very prominent but distant, over a mile away to the South West. The front north-facing unused bedroom would offer amazing views of the East Cliff and the Martello Tower No.3 on top of the mini-golf course, the white cliffs at the Warren and the easternmost section of the North Downs which sadly disappeared from view behind houses in Dover Road north of the Skew Arches. At night you could see the "snake" from this room. The snake was the long, line of orange coloured street lights which twisted their way up the steep Dover Hill to the Valiant Sailor public house. The north room immediately overlooked the abandoned, overgrown railway sidings of the old Junction Station which are now no longer there following a radical redevelopment of the area recently. I would spend hours as a boy in my room in the roof, with nose to the glass of the rattly sash window, surveying in detail my wonderful and personal view. Sometimes the Holy Trinity Church would disappear altogether due to sea fog, other times its tower and spire would appear as a black silhouette against a stunning sunset and subsequent dusk that would envelope the whole West End. The entire house would creak terribly when the freight trains rushed across the Skew arches at night, the house clearly weakened by the terrible 1000kg parachute mine which was dropped by the Luftwaffe one night in November 1940. The high-explosive device was aimed at the Junction Station or arches but missed and devastated a considerable area that is now Rossendale Road, Rossendale Gardens and Dover Road. This area was rebuilt with 1950s council houses and flats. Our house escaped by metres! Our large house's only heating source was a small gas fire in the sitting room so the upper floors became progressively colder in the winter as you gained altitude. My attic room was arctic-like and ice would sometimes form on the inside of the sash window. As a small boy, I would huddle under the cold blankets of my bed at night in the late 1970s and early 1980s and would occasionally hear the four deep, mournful blasts of the fog-horn at the end of the pier not far to the south. This "proper" fog-horn has since been replace by a modern, electronic device that emits a pathetic "peeeep" during poor visibility in the Channel.

I would also wonder what the distant thump-thump-thump noise was in the late evening. Years later I realised that the mystery sound in the night was the throb of the diesel engines which propelled the cross-channel ferries on their endless journeys between Folkestone and Boulogne. My mystery companions of the night were the Hengist and the Horsa, two ferries operated by Sealink. Sadly you could not see them from my room although if I defiantly stood on the window-sill (against my dad's advice), I could just make out small triangles of sea between the guest houses in Wear Bay Road. Furthermore, if I stood on the window-sill (creaking) and fearlessly leaned out the open window (also creaking) I would also be able to see a partially obscured view of the Civic Centre in Castle Hill Avenue towards the west. Every inch counted! You would only be able to hear the ferries' engines if the wind was blowing from the south. Living so close to the main railway line, the trains were rather loud, especially at night. If the wind was blowing from the west, you would hear a freight train approaching from that direction for ages before it actually clattered across the Skew Arches. The sound of the BR Class 33 Diesel would throb in the distance for some time, then you would hear the rattling of the wagons as they trundled across the expanse of the huge viaduct. Eventually, the locomotive would pass the Skew Arches, a deep throbbing and rattling beast of a diesel followed by the clatter and squeak of dozens of wagons. You knew that when the last wagon had crossed the arches, the locomotive would had passed the old Junction station and was probably already inside the long tunnel that ran deep under Wear Bay Road and ended at the Warren, Dover bound. Lots of night-time noises to stimulate the imagination of a young Folkestone boy. After Morrison Road, we moved to a modern bungalow in sleepy Densole in 1984. A lovely location but with only views of very nearby woods and fields on offer. For the record, I attended Christchurch C of E primary school in Brockman Road from 1974 until 1980 and then the very unique Harvey Grammar School until 1987. Curiously, at 38, I still frequently dream in my sleep about the house in Morrison Road. They're rather scary dreams, reflections of a small boy's uneasiness in an old house. The panoramic views always feature in the dreams, sometimes distorted but unmistakably Folkestone. Very recently, I spoke to my Dad about these dreams. His response surprised me. He experiences similar dreams about that old Folkestone house in the East End of town!

Antony Bordoli says:

You were 2 years my senior at Christ Church so we may have actually seen each other on the playground or in the dining area.

Posted on : 2010-05-18 09:40:26

Page 13

December 26th 2007

07:00:02 AM

What is your name?Susan

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Have just emailed Christine,

But would like some imput maybe from residents of Folkestone.

Would anybody know where a Sunnyside House was,

my information 1880.

Also is their anywhere in folkestone I can find burial listings.

Looking for a Lady (Dame) Elizabeth Brownrigg

who died at Sunnyside House 23/1/1880.

season greetings to all

Susan

Marilyn says:

I believe there was a Sunnyside House at SunnysideRoad, Sandgate.

Posted on : 2012-08-11 16:28:59

November 25th 2007

08:11:40 AM

What is your name?Annie Palfrey

Where are you from?Wallsend on tyne now OZ

Please enter your comments?oops married 1963 not 1962 lol

November 25th 2007

08:08:51 AM

What is your name?Annie Palfrey

Where are you from?wallsend on tyne now Brisbane OZ

Please enter your comments?I was in the QARANC at shorncliffe 1962/63 married royal sussex bandsman in 1962 in the garrison church now de commissioned does that mean our marriage no longer legal lol is the church still there does anyone know .

George Hills says:

Hi Annie in answer to your to your query about the Garrison church at Shorncliffe it now a theatre. That the Folkestone and Hythe Operratic society bought when they moved from the little theatre in Sandgate.

Posted on : 2010-01-10 04:37:27

November 15th 2007

11:30:18 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Hi Linda: Yes, I remember Jesse Sellen's shop very well, as I used to live right opposite at 68 Canterbury Road. In fact my Grandmother, who lived with us, was crossing the road coming from Sellen's when she was hit by an electric milk float, (those silent killers) and unfortunately died. That was in 1951.

Last time I was over there I checked, and the sign was still on the wall, and still readable. I didn't stop though, so yes, I would love a scan of it please. I was thrilled to receive the photo you sent of Jessie and his wife, which are now on the People page.

His was a name that will go down in the history of Folkestone for many years to come!

November 15th 2007

10:05:02 PM

What is your name?Linda

Where are you from?France

Please enter your comments?Hi Patricia

yes you are quite right, there was a shop at 67 Canterbury Road, (Kelly's Directory 1913), before that he was at 72 Canterbury Road (Kelly's Directory 1903). Jesse died while he was at 67 in 1954. I visited Folkestone a couple of years ago and his painted sign on the wall of a house next to the rec ground was still there and readable after a hundred years - not bad! I have a photo, are you interested Christine?

Jesse's son Albert Edward (always known as Ted) took over the shop. Jesse's daughter Lily (my grandmother)used to tell me that at the end of the week they would put the takings on the round dining room table and see if they could cover it with crowns, apparently they usually managed to do so.

These days it is just a normal house that has been modernised.

Did you ever use the butcher's shop? I was told that at the end of the week the meat was sold off cheaply and that there used to be a queue.

From a cold and sunny France

November 14th 2007

06:40:10 PM

What is your name?Patricia

Where are you from?Eire, via Folkestone and Leeds

Please enter your comments?Hi Linda, I was born in Folkestone and lived there until 1961 and I think that there was a butcher called Jesse Sellen in Canterbury Road near the recreation ground.

November 11th 2007

01:55:22 AM

What is your name?g.hills

Where are you from?palmarsh/hythe formerly cheriton/folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi,CHRISTINE was very pleased with your pictures of hawkinge well do i remember the cat and custard pub we used to pop in there when i worked for seeboard, like you i have my mum and dad on the wall up there though i think proberly they are no longer there as they take them down after ten years i think.

I can rember spending many time going to the air displays before the war,

also i was interrested to see the new school

which has been built since i retired,

iv'e been to jessups farm but i can't for the life of me remember where it was now.

iwas very glad that the battle of britian musem

was saved as thats the only real part of the aeradrome left now as far as i know.

by the way hope the arm is now able to lift the pint pot again,

Keep up the good work

george.

November 9th 2007

08:01:33 PM

What is your name?Linda

Where are you from?France

Please enter your comments?My g grandfather was Jesse Sellen the butcher. I am interested in finding out as much as possible about him. The old photos on the site are very interesting. From my visit a couple a years ago to Folkestone I managed to find a lot of information to help me. It also helped that my uncle was with me and so he could also fill in for his grandparents. Anyone else looking for Sellens?

Sunny and cold today.

October 25th 2007

02:17:38 AM

What is your name?Mark

Where are you from?Belleville Ontario Canada

Please enter your comments?No...none that I'm aware of anyway.

October 24th 2007

10:09:32 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Hmmm, he didn't leave any sons behind who were named after him did he?

October 24th 2007

07:19:23 PM

What is your name?Mark

Where are you from?Belleville Ontario Canada

Please enter your comments?That is interesting..my grandfather's name was Ernest Lambe, but by 1958 he was living in Canada.

October 24th 2007

04:09:18 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi Mark: Yes, it's a great place to have your roots isn't it?

I don't know about now, because I no longer live there, but in 1958, according to my Kelly's Directory, there was just one Lambe with an 'e' on the end. His name was Ernest, and he lived at 20 St. Michael's Street.

October 23rd 2007

10:46:03 PM

What is your name?Mark

Where are you from?Belleville Ontario Canada

Please enter your comments?Although I was born here in the "colony", my mother was born in Folkstone. She left with her parents when she was just 6 months old. Her family name was Lambe, and I have always wondered number one..what it was like there, and number two..if there were any of my relatives still living there. The first question has been answered and hopefully someone can fill me in on the second. I have always wanted to visit there and I guess for now, your pics will have to suffice. It was really interesting to actually some of the sights.

October 23rd 2007

10:38:42 PM

What is your name?Charles Fair

Where are you from?Folkestone - moved here in mid 2006 from Surrey

Please enter your comments?Great site, superb photos.

The Harbour Station appears to be under threat from development. I think there is a strong case for saving at least part of the structure. I have started a thread on this on the Great War Forum at:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=84413

You have a few photos which show the station - please could I use them, with acknowledgements of course?

Charles

October 18th 2007

11:10:11 PM

What is your name?Caroline Thomas

Where are you from?London now, but brought up in Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I have information for you about St Margaret's School which has 4 photos on the Buildings page, and a website smogs.org.uk for which you might be willing to put a reciprocal link.

October 16th 2007

10:12:40 PM

What is your name?Paul Carden

Where are you from?Colchester

Please enter your comments?Great Site.

I am interested in Folkestone as my father, Joseph Henry Carden(Sign Writer)and his parents lived in Folkestone/Whitstable during the 1800/1900's.

If any body knows some information regarding my family's history, please get intouch.

Thanks

Paul Carden

October 15th 2007

07:48:25 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?This message is for Martin. I tried responding to your message by e-mail, but it bounced back as not being a valid one.

If you would like to contact me again, try sending me an e-mail.

October 15th 2007

05:06:06 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Martin Watts

Where are you from?Midlands

Please enter your comments?Fascinating site stumbled upon by accident! I was actually looking for any info/pictures of the old Martin Walter Ltd (Dormobile) factory in Folkestone-but no luck. Great site all the same. Could there be any such pictures that simply have not been posted as yet? Many thanks.

October 11th 2007

05:59:55 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Robin Hillier

Where are you from?Folkestone, Kent, UK

Please enter your comments?Hi, just did a search for "Memories of Folkestone" and read your comments on the DVD's, Glad you like them, I produced them for the society, regards, robin

October 9th 2007

04:37:04 AM

What is your name?george hills

Where are you from?palmarsh west hythe

Please enter your comments?Hi,Christine still enjoying all of your pictures on all of the sites i spend at least one night a week going through them can allways find somthing differrent every time i look.

ifind the harbour site of great interrest as my uncle charlie butler was one of the fishermen that went out from the harbour,

allso two of my first wife's her dad and his brother worked on the two maids out of folkestone.i mean the ferries of course.

please keep up the good work.

Page 14

October 8th 2007

11:03:53 PM

What is your name?kevin whiteman

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?re:pelham house,its not an old solicitors but a picture of st stevens,now part of the folkestone girls school,there is a picture dated 20s-30s allready on this site,which is very good by the way

October 7th 2007

10:43:07 PM

What is your name?kevin whiteman

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?re:the grange sanatoriam,the smaller building is still there,part of a college,its in shorncliffe road

September 14th 2007

04:32:18 PM

What is your name?Annette

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?I made a pilgrimage to Folkestone in 1999 as my Castle family was from there. I had heard they had something to do with the Cliff Lifts, so made sure that I rode on it during my visit. Would like to confirm if there is a connection to the lifts and would love to hear from anyone connected to the Castle family in Folkestone and surrounding areas.

September 2nd 2007

11:03:26 AM

What is your name?Jeannie Pert

Where are you from?Fredericton, New Brunswick/Canada

Please enter your comments?Oh gracious! Its easy for me to get mixed up with all the family mum had in Folkestone and surrounding areas.

The William Downey at 60 Brabner Close, was her brother William James Downey who was known to most as Jim. (he has just recently passed away)

My mum has had such pleasure looking at the pictures of Cheritan you've posted here. The Baptist Church is the one she spent her whole life attending. I've heard today all about the girls school, and cliffs; and shops, and people. Really, you've done a wonderful job putting together this. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your hard work.

Jeannie :) I will scan photos of the Royal Victoria hospital and staff, so others can see what mum brought to Canada with her.

I must add here; my mum laughed when she read the note about the girls school. She said the lady mentioned there was also the head mistress when she attended.

September 1st 2007

10:57:32 PM

What is your name?Jeannie Pert

Where are you from?Fredericton, New Brunswick/Canada

Please enter your comments?I stand corrected.

My mum said her uncles name was William Sommerville, not Downey. Her dad was Hugh Downey, and her stepdad was Henry Duncan.

She's got pictures of the Royal Victoria Hospital, and all over Folkestone. I'll sort them out and if I may I'll send them on to whomever can post them. (I'm not sure how to do that). sincerely: Jeannie Pert

September 1st 2007

11:07:25 AM

What is your name?Jeannie Pert

Where are you from?Fredericton, New Brunswick/Canada

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine: thank you so much for answering us.

Yes, my mum married in Saint John New Brunswick. (her first job after working in the Royal Victoria in Folkestone).

I talked to mum just after I posted my last note, and your information is dead on. William Downey was her uncle. (Uncle Willie, his wifes name was Daisy). (she's 75 but sharp as a tack and quoting off all kinds of info I can type in tomorrow); Mum had 4 brothers who also grew up in Folkestone: Jim, Calvin, Bert, and George. (and my mum was an evacuee who spent the war years in Wales. :) Jeannie

September 1st 2007

10:54:05 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Wpg

Please enter your comments?Forgot to say that there is also an H. Duncan listed as living at 74 Sandgate Road, which was above the Bodsham Farm Shops.

September 1st 2007

10:49:22 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hiya Jeannie: I didn't know them, but my 1958 Kelly's directory lists Hugh Downey at 23 Quested Road, Cheriton. There was also a William Downey at 60 Brabner Close.

No Pert in Folkestone at that time though. Did your mother marry in Canada?

September 1st 2007

10:21:50 AM

What is your name?Jeannie Pert

Where are you from?Fredericton, New Brunswick/Canada

Please enter your comments?I should have added my mums name in my last post.

Mums name is Lillian Pert (Downey). Her mothers name was Elizabeth Downey. My grandmother was married twice; first husband was Hugh Downey; her second husband was Henry Duncan. Perhaps there is someone out there who remembers them. :) Jeannie

August 31st 2007

01:13:55 PM

What is your name?Jeannie Pert

Where are you from?Fredericton, New Brunswick/Canada

Please enter your comments?What a wonderful website!

My mum trained as a nurse in the Royal Victoria Hospital(graduating in 1953) right after the war, and lived there till she came to Canada. I've seen pictures all my life of Folkestone. My grandmother lived on Quested Road (Downey); and although I've never been there I have wonderful memories of them both speaking of the life there. I hope someday to visit the coastal areas of England. Thank you for putting this website online; my mum has enjoyed so seeing her hometown again. Sincerely, Jeannie Pert

August 18th 2007

10:33:46 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?What a coincidence Paul. My mother used to work for Stan Marsh in Canterbury Road in either the late 40's or early 50's. We used to hate the way she smelled when she came home with her clothes and hair reeking of chip fat!

August 18th 2007

07:05:07 PM

What is your name?Paul Marsh

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Firstly thanks for a great site - as a Folkestonian born and bred (coming up to the big 50 next month)it brings back memories and fills in a lot of gaps.

I was particularly pleased to see the picture of the Tea chalet at the Warren, which was run my my family pre ww2.

The family seem to have moved from shepherds and stockmen to owning quite a few shops particularly in the east of town.

Great granddad had a general store, my grandad Albert had a fish and chip shop in Denmark St, and later a fishmongers in Dover Road near the Martello pub until 1950's, & his brother Stan had a fish and chip shop opposite Canterbury Rd Rec, which is now selling the same stuff again.

Hitler seems to have levelled most of them - otherwise the Marshs would have gone on to be the Tescos of the Folkestone area (I wish)

Anyhow, keep up the good work

July 19th 2007

07:37:51 AM

What is your name?David Collins

Where are you from?Sandgate / Folkestone Harbour / Warren Then - Christchurch NZ Now

Please enter your comments?Some Sandgate memories this time...

Directly across the road from Brewers Hill there are steps down onto the beach. There was also a triangular section of the groynes there that I used to imagine as the bows of a ship. Many a stormy day I used to stand on the top of the steps leaning on the rail as the waves crashed into the triangular bit. I was a proud sea-captain sailing through the rough oceans with an important cargo bound for some exotic location...

Many times the seas would be so rough that the road was closed to traffic - but because we lived half way along we were allowed through the road-block. To get out in rough weather we had a choice of direction - either towards Hythe and through the section of road by Seabrook that always flooded (down by the garage by where Princes Parade turns off) then up Hospital Hill and into Cheriton - or towards Sandgate and brave the splashing waves - especially at the worst point which was at the foot of Encombe (our usual route). As we drove along the seafront Dad would be driving and Mum & I would watch out the windows... "Wave" we'd shout as one approached & if Dad timed it right he'd turn off into Prospect Road or Encombe to avoid the waves. I remember one day we got it wrong and a big wave broke over the road. We were pushed sideways by the force of the sea and we mounted the pavement. At that point the sea splashed up the kerb into the engine and the car stalled. Dad quickly put it into reverse and, using the starter motor, manouvered the car back into Encombe - where we had to sit and wait for about 10 minutes before the car would start again!! We were late for church that Sunday !!

From our house in Wellington Place there was a "Storm-path" you could walk into Sandgate -

Along behind the Sandgate Hotel, turn up Brewers Hill and right down the path that linked into Prospect Road. Down Prospect nearly to the bottom then cut through to Encombe where a house with a driveway on Encombe had their garage backing onto Propect.. Up Encombe and then down the path to Wilberforce Rd.

Going the other way you had to cut through someones garden from Wellington Place to Sunnyside Rd and walk up Sunnyside to a path at the top.

Talking about Sunnyside Rd - there used to be a house near the top that had a small stream in its garden (fed from a spring I believe) - they had made quite a water feature of this little stream - I seem to remember a mini-set of Lock gates in a model village in the garden...

The hill above with its wooded areas and Shorncliffe Camp was another favourite place to play. My best friend from primary school and I had a fort we made under some bushes disguised with some old camoflague netting we found on a dump in the camp. We also used to climb into the old Martello Tower half way along the hill (roughly level with the Coastguard Cottages I think). The view from the top of the tower was fantastic - always worth the scraped knees we'd get climbing up to get to the entry door..

Great care had to be taken on some of those paths because there was one of them that came out of the woods half-way across the rifle range. If they were doing live firing there -rather than going to the ranges out on the coast - they had to have a sentry on the path to stop the public walking across the range!

Walking up from Brewers Hill you could cut into the old Military Hospital on the left - through the woods to the right or if you went all the way to the top you came out by the dry ski slope and could then walk through the middle of the army camp to Cheriton. I understand it is all fenced off now !

For a long time in the 60's & early 70's Encombe House was empty - there was a well in the front driveway of the house and we used to throw stones down it to listen for the splash...

One of the guest houses on the seafront had the landlady living in the ground floor flat and she had a little dog - we would often go with her for walks with the dog who would spend hours chasing rabbits on the hill-side. After the walk we would sit in her kitchen warming ourselves by her Arga cooker... Aaah - Happy Days !!!

July 17th 2007

09:23:45 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Thank you David, I do love reading your posts. I see you did move to New Zealand. Ummmm.... dare we ask?

July 17th 2007

07:08:23 AM

What is your name?David Collins

Where are you from?Sandgate / Folkestone Harbour / Warren - now Christchurch NZ

Please enter your comments?Some more rambling thoughts that may provoke memories for others...

Almost opposite the top of the lift on the Leas was the Arthur Bough Players Theatre (Arthur Bough was in 'Are You Being Served'). One summer on Saturday mornings they had a Theatre Group for kids that my brother & I regularly went to. We would have a story read to us and then act out part of the story around the theatre, then paint pictures and have refreshments before going home again. One week we turned up to find part of the theatre was flooded out - but we still used the rest of the theatre. Another week my brother had his leg in plaster - so they changed their story for the week to the 'Pied Piper of Hamlin' and he was the cripple boy left behind... We had ever so much fun back stage those Sat mornings - there was even a 'treasure chest' back stage full of beads and pieces of eight etc!! It was way more cool than the Sat mornings at the Odeon Cinema on Sandgate Road (where Boots now is)...

Saturday mornings at the Odeon was fun too though - except when the manager stopped the film half way through to tell people off for throwing orange peel off the circle down onto the people in the stalls! I remember getting presented with my "Cycling Proficiency" badge on stage there one Saturday. We got a guided tour backstage first (seeing the film from the back of the screen was wierd), then got marched out on stage in front of everyone to be given our badges by a policeman...

One of the first competitions I ever won was at the Odeon - two free tickets to see "Snow White" won in a colouring-in competition...

At the Leas Cliff Hall I remember being taken to see a documentary film and presentation by a couple who had gone "Across The Top" in Australia. The main talking point at primary school (Stella Maris) the next day was seeing an Aboriginal boy undergoing a manhood ceremony by being circumsised.. a sore point indeed for a small boy to see - especially as my parents were considering emigrating to Australia or New Zealand at the time and I thought I would have to do the same thing !!!

Summers spent living on a boat (Half-a-Sixpence a Vivacity twin keel cruiser that was quickly outgrown and replaced with a Prout catamaran called 'Half-a-sixpence II') meant many summers playing on the sands at the beach and watching at high tide the antics of a dog who always jumped to catch the splashes from the waves as they hit the slipway by the 'Sunnysands' end. Other memories are of the Christian beach schools run every summer - you could win sweets and things in their competitions !!

There used to be an old Thames Barge moored in the outer harbour close to our mooring - it was called "Queen Phillipa" and had a black hull. I remember it being towed away one year after someone bought it for restoration. I wonder where it is now?

Winters at school were often spent in the hope that the rains would cause the Pent Stream to flood and close the road so we would get sent home early - it never did get that bad though - the road on the hospital side of the stream would often flood - especially where the stream went through a concrete pipe section half way between the park and the fire station - but the road to the school on the fire station side never flooded...

Hope these random thoughts provoke some memories for others to comment on... right now though I must get back to work !!!

July 2nd 2007

10:56:43 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg Now - Folkestone Then

Please enter your comments?Oh David - I did enjoy that! Your Folkestone childhood took place later than mine, but kids are kids, and it brought it all back for me.

You sure had very enterprising parents, and it must have been such fun to live on a boat or in a tent during the summer. 'Half a Sixpence', that brought back memories of Tommy Steele - a hearthrob of mine in my teens.

If nobody else here looks first, I plan to check for that jam jar next time I visit!

Please drop back anytime with more of your memories - they are lovely!

July 2nd 2007

12:25:37 PM

What is your name?David Collins

Where are you from?Folkestone / Christchurch NZ

Please enter your comments?...Continued....

General...

I was born in Folkestone ( another Royal Victoria Hospital Baby!) in 1960.. lived in Sandgate (Wellington Place) in a big old Edwardian house that we converted into flats - with the ground floor flat on semi-permanent lease to the Army for married quarters for senior NCO's from Shorncliffe Camp. In the summer months we rented out our house as a holiday house on 2 week (usually) lets...and we lived on a boat in Folkestone Harbour (called Half-a-Sixpence). In between boats we spent the summer on the lower Warren Campsite in a big frame tent.

My parents also owned a big house on Trimworth Road in Cheriton and another that my Gran lived in on Wiltie Gardens.

I have spent the whole afternoon looking at the Folkestone then and now website (instead of working) and it brought back many memories.

I quite agree about the comments about Rumboults sweetshop on High Street, but remember that there used to be a potters shop alongside as well and you could watch the sweetmakers making rock then the potter making jugs or cups on his potters wheel...

Rumboults also used to have a shop down at the harbour alongside the fish-market. A very nice old lady ran the shop there and she often gave my brother & I free sweets (broken ones) as we stood and chatted with her.

I remember I used to get the 103 bus from Brewers Hill to Castle Hill Avenue (when I was supposed to stay on the bus to Park Farm Road) I would walk up Castle Hill Ave - under the railway bridge and across Radnor Park to school at Stella Maris. The money saved on the bus was of course spent on sweets at Vollers on Bouvre Road West...

Living in the harbour all that time in the summer meant many schemes trying to get money for ice-cream or sweets or SilverSpring Lemonade.. One way was wandering around the amusement arcades looking for any pennies that fell from the Penny Falls when no one was around - often aided by a careful "Nudge" in one corner - you had to know exactly where to nudge it without trippong off the alarm... There was one however that was accessable up the pay-out shoot for a small hand and a candy-floss stick to knock the pennies off the edge.!!!

I will come back again soon and add further memories to this guestbook...

Thanks for some happy memories !

David

Email

Antony Bordoli says:

Nudging the "Penny Falls" machines (though they contained 10p's in my day) was my typical mid-day Saturday undertaking. I'd have money for sweets and sometimes dinner what with my enterprising routes.

Posted on : 2010-05-18 09:53:19

July 2nd 2007

12:01:06 PM

What is your name?David Collins

Where are you from?Sandgate - now Christchurch New Zealand

Please enter your comments?re Sandgate section.

The Coastguard Cottages are indeed private residences. As a kid I well remember on some stormy days the breaking sea would splash right over the houses and down onto Sandgate Road. My brother and I would spend quite some time watching unsuspecting pedestrians geting caught out by the sudden drenching from the spray.

The photo titled "Sandgate Esplanade in 1903" looks like it was taken at the foot of "Castle Bay Road". The two lower buildings are the two existing houses between "Sunnyside" and "Wellington Place" and the terrace beyond that includes the "Sandgate Hotel".

"This is a modern photo of Sandgate, taken on what looks to be a very foggy day. I don't know what that black thing on the beach is."... That is a big umbrella with a fisherman sheltering behind it. A regular sight on the beach which they used for shelter from the rain or drizzle blowing along the seafront. If you look closely you can see his fishing rod. This is at the foot of Sandgate Hill, just where the "Lower Sandgate Road" emerges from Sandgate.

"An old one of Wellington Terrace judging by the skirts around the ankles." taken at the foot of "Brewers Hill" and the public footpath that ran up the hill to Shorncliffe Camp above.

Re Parks & Gardens

I remember well Radnor Park Lake was drained and cleaned in the late 60's. For a couple of weeks afterwards it became an unofficial swimming pool for pupils from Stella Maris RC Primary School the other side of lower Radnor Park & the Pent Stream. After school we would all strip down to our undies and jump in for a swim until the park-keepers came and caught us and ordered us out.

The three pictures of people looking into the stream and the 'pretty waterfall' is taken just below the Radnor Park Lake. The waterfall is in fact the overflow from the lake draining down into the Pent Stream. The pond at the foot of the waterfall was always a great source of Newts. I would regularly catch a couple there and take them to school for the day in an old jam-jar. At the end of the day I would put them back in the pool. One of the rocks near the base of the waterfall was loose and I would hide the jam-jar behind it for the next time. For all I know that jam-jar may still be there today!

Peter Pans Boating Pool always had a couple of optimistic fishermen around it - I never did see anyone catch anything but the lake was supposed to be well stocked with fish - including a couple of very ferocious pike.

"Not a park this time, but a gardener has gone to a lot of trouble to make it attractive. This time it is the Harbour Gardens. In the distance you can see Tontine Street and the Old High Street. The year is 1965." The gardener you refer to may well have been my dad. He worked as a gardener/greenskeeper for the Council, working over the years at a series of locations around Folkestone including a long stint on the Leas - operating out of a shed on the Lower Sandgate (Toll) Road which had a large sweet chestnut tree overhanging it (every autumn we would have fresh chestnuts to roast in front of the gas fire.) He also worked at East Cliff, Kingsnorth Gardens and for quite a time was in charge of Radnor Park.

Re Buildings 2...

(Quickly puts hand up) YES I well remember the Ark. You had to be careful because of the step DOWN inside the door. In the late 60's (68??) there was a tremendous thunderstorm in Folkestone which caused tremendous flooding in the harbour area - mainly due to the rainwater forcing its way UP each drain in a 4-foot fountain into the street. The harbour wall near Gi-gi's cafe stopped the water draining into the harbour and the Ark was flooded out. I remember putting my head in through the door shortly after the floodwaters had subsided to see about 6 inches of water still inside the Ark slowly seeping through the floorboards into the cellar below. Being about 8 at the time I nievely asked where all the water was going only to be told that "Well this IS The Ark - the elephants in the cellar are drinking all the water !!!"

Re Hills

"Both of these are of Sugar Loaf Hill. I don't think I have ever heard of any other name for this hill. I wonder what the purpose was for those cut out pieces behind the hill in the picture below."... The cut out pieces are the escarpment from where they cit into the hillside to widen the Canterbury Road (A260)where it climbed around behind Sugarloaf. The Public footpath up Sugarloaf used to start on Dolphins Road (right beside my grandfathers house) and cut across what is now "Churchill Ave" along the edge of the farmers wheat-fields (with blackberrys in the hedgerows) before climbing straight up to the top of Sugarloaf, complete with its small hollowed out top...

General...

I was born in Folkestone ( another Royal Victoria Hospital Baby!) in 1960.. lived in Sandgate (Wellington Place) in a big old edwardian house that we converted into flats. -Ran out of space - will continue...

Antony Bordoli says:

I was a tad-pole hunter at the lower Radnor Park lake. I also spent a lot of time wading in the Pente stream till it ended (went underground) at what is now a fire station. Remarkably, the Pente stream went under my living room at 13 Blackbull Rd as evidenced by flood damage in the early 80s.

Posted on : 2010-05-18 10:00:10

June 30th 2007

07:56:14 AM

What is your name?Catherine Smissen

Where are you from?UK

Please enter your comments?I was very interested to see a picture of Swiss Cottage on your website. I have recently obtained a copy of my great grandmother's marriage certificate which states her residence at the time of marriage as 'Swiss Cottage Folkestone'. Her name was Fanny Martin Gilbert, her father was Thomas Gilbert. She married George Richard Peel at the Salem Chapel Folkestone on 4th July 1891. I would be very interested to learn the history of Swiss Cottage. If anyone out there has any information on the house or the Gilbert or Peel family I can be contacted via email. catherine.smissen@ntlworld.com

June 24th 2007

08:16:34 PM

What is your name?Rosemary Anne

Where are you from?Folkestone/Midlands

Please enter your comments?Hello All

Just found your site its great. I was born in Folkestone and am visiting there in 0ctober with my NEW found relatives I was 0rphaned so lost all contact for 70 yrs. My Uncle and Grandfather 0wned a Fishing tackle and Hardware store in Tontine St. called Milton & Smith I don't know who ownes it now as he owned it in 1935. I am hoping to visit the house I was born in and maybe find some Miltons also visit the cemetry there to find roots. To see all the pictures that are entered on this site was great as I remember little except falling over a block of ice in the wet fish shop where my father worked.

Regards

RosemaryA

Page 15

June 21st 2007

10:39:44 PM

What is your name?Jane

Where are you from?Guildford (but born in Folkestone)

Please enter your comments?Great to see the photos, some of places I can remember! Shame the town has declined so badly in reecent years but I think things are about to take an upward turn.

June 12th 2007

09:11:40 AM

What is your name?Linda

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I thought you might like to know that since I posted the message below, I have shown the site to my mother, Kathleen Pritchard (dob 1933 in North St, Folkestone) and my Grandmother Ivy Tumber (nee Sharp, dob 1914). Imagine their delight to see a photograph of a street party under your 'People' tab which showed my great grandmother Lilly Sharp! The photograph also showed many people they both knew.

Under the 'streets' tab they found a photograph of North Street looking upwards with the Royal Oak public house on the left. My mother was born in the house opposite the pub and they were both quite overcome at seeing their old home again!

Neither Mum or Grandma had ever had any dealings with computers but they were both facinated to think I could show them pictures of their past so easily and it brought back many happy memories.

You have made two elderly ladies very happy with your wonderful photos and I thank you most sincerely.

Your site is now firmly on my favourites list and I look forward to visiting regularly!

Thanks again

Terry says:

Iam very interested in the photo of North Street. Ivy sharp is my Auntie. My Paternal grandfather, at the age of 9, used to lodge at the Lifeboat Inn when his family broke up. Many of my relatives lived in the area at tat time.

Posted on : 2010-03-13 16:41:08

June 8th 2007

04:32:18 AM

What is your name?Linda

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Superb site full of memories and interesting pictures of my home. Well done!

I look forward to re visiting again and again!

May 5th 2007

04:59:42 AM

What is your name?Claire Jackson nee Waller

Where are you from?UK

Please enter your comments?Just love the photos, I lived in the royal pavillion hotel until 1953 my father was in the army my family knew Jim Rowland, the rock shop man and his wife. They used to take my sister and twin brother on their boat. I worked for Jim in my school holidays at the rock shop at the bottom of the High Street.

I go back to Folkestone every year I go home. Well almost. I stay at the renamed Burstin I go back to see my old rooms.

Anybody out there from Mundella school? I left in 1951. I was friends with the Skinner twins Jean and Frances. Also anyone who was living in the Royal Pavilion Dorren Stewart comes to my mind, and Alan Hines. Where are they now? I worked in Folkestone so somebody may know me.

April 26th 2007

06:23:31 PM

What is your name?Johnn Dale

Where are you from?Melbourne Australia

Please enter your comments?I’m writing to introduce my self to you all. I’m John Dale and I was borne in Folkestone in January 1952. My mother and father were Stan and Irene Dale who lived at 12 Bouverie Square. I have 3 sisters and one Brother who were all in their teens during the fifties.

My Uncle John (Dale) lived next door.

Mom and dad moved to Folkestone shortly after the war from London to run a boarding house. When they first arrived there were still gardens in Bouverie Square with a bomb shelter in the middle. I vaguely remember the bulldozers ripping out the park for the bus depot. Another early memory is the church bells ringing on a Sunday morning. It seemed so restful at the time.

My father was an electrician and worked Shawncliff army camp and on the docks servicing the ferries. My uncle John had a furriers business but I don’t know where in Folkestone. We immigrated to Australia in 1958. I have many memories that I would like to share with you all but as this is only a self introduction I will write more later on.

Cheers Johnn.

Email

Alan Critoph says:

Have been trying to find you for years, Im your cousin Alan originally from Herne, then Folkestone up to `86. Could you contact the web host to make contact or ad to your memories... Cheers Alan

Posted on : 2011-09-05 22:59:20

April 22nd 2007

10:05:29 AM

What is your name?widowneedtoknow

Where are you from?Darling Downs via South Downs!

Please enter your comments?Truly,the best site I've found. Offers some hope of establishing active research contacts in the district. From Oz now but late hubby's roots were at Cheriton.These days 'swallowed' on maps of Folkestone. Self from Home Counties.We met here many,many years ago.Have some good old pix & stories.In setting up a 'memory wall' I've found too many gaps to make 'leaps'. Help most welcome. Might add to the site too. Family name SLATER

March 8th 2007

11:14:30 PM

What is your name?Robin Plumley

Where are you from?Southampton via Guildford

Please enter your comments?I have just been passed two medals from Sandgate School dated 1902. They were presented to a relative Miss Elsie Ellen Bull for outstanding work. She was the niece of Mr George Ledger who lived at 15 Wilberforce Road until his death in c.1932. He is buried at Cheriton. He was an active member of various societies in the town, including the school and church. I have little information about him although not directly related to me I am making efforts to find out more. I have a newspaper cutting announcing his death and a tribute from the Vicar of Sandgate which I will post at some stage as it has a photo of him. Any info appreciated.

February 28th 2007

10:45:45 PM

What is your name?Theresa

Where are you from?Little Wakering Essex

Please enter your comments?What a wonderful find. I spent my childhood and teenage years living in Hythe, my parents and sister still do. Your photos have taken me right back to those days (1960's and 70's. I may now live in Essex but still think of Hythe as my home. Many thanks for your memories.

February 27th 2007

08:51:36 PM

What is your name?Rebecca

Where are you from?Folkestone/Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?2nd try at posting! I came across your site today whilst searching for photographs of Cherry Garden Avenue - I live on a Close off of said street. Interestingly, I used to live in Winnipeg - in fact my kids still live there... And yes, I went in to the old Pound Shop and asked the builders what was coming there and they told me that it was a new Branch of Halifax!

February 25th 2007

02:33:37 AM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Well What can I say, A big thank you to Brian for taking notice of my plea and doing all the work in safe guarding 70-72 Sandgate Road.

It was over two years ago that I visited that 'Pound shop'and couldnt believe that such a fine example of Art Deco had survived untouched and being used in such a way, I did a Google search found this site and asked on here if anyone knew about it and sadly we couldnt find out much about it.

Then two years later I couldnt believe it , on the actual day I visit I see that its in its last day of trading and that its soon to be renovated into another shop.

Thank god Brian took on the deed to find out more before it was to late and Yes it was as important as I had first thought, Built by Seaton Dahl the same architect as the Leas Cliff Hall what more can I say.

Now it has Grade II listing I can rest easy that it will be saved for the future.

February 23rd 2007

06:26:33 PM

What is your name?Brian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Christine, the glass panels on the staircase, which are the ones I think you are refering to are all intact and in place albeit currently covered with plywood to protect them whilst the building/renovation work is going on. The new tenants are HBOS (Halifax Bank Of Scotland) who will move from their existing branch further up the road when work has been completed. Since my bloomer back in October saying it was the Odeon (dummy) we have found that it was built in 1938 by Otto Marx to a design by JL Seaton Dahl (The Leas Cliff Hall fame) for the Folkestone Gas and Coke Company showrooms & offices a lot has been found about these two local men and about the original opening but absolutely nothing about those glass panels. The newspapers of the day describe the General Manager's office and the fact he had a RED telephone mounted in the especially built desk but nothing about the glass other than the beauty of them when lit. If anyone has any ideas where the glass may have come from, I will be very grateful as English Heritage, along with the 20th Century Society would like to document this.

Email

February 23rd 2007

01:14:40 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Jean: Someone on the Folkestone Forums webpage said it was going to be the new branch of Halifax.

February 23rd 2007

01:05:02 AM

What is your name?Jean

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine,

Yes i did mean the old pound shop.

February 22nd 2007

11:09:56 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Hi Bruce, how nice to 'see' you again! I still have the photo up that you sent me in the Harbour section.

I agree with you about Radnor Park. I used to find the upper section extremely boring too as a child. I do appreciate the green space more now as an adult though, and on one visit I went to a big boot fair there, which was loads of fun, and managed to bring back a few treasures to Canada. Would you believe I bought a beautiful big Wedgewood wall plate for a pound?

You are right, both the indoor and outdoor swimming pools and the skating rink are gone from the seafront. But I can feel an energy in Folkestone now that wasn't there for many years, and think it is on the way back up again. I hope so anyway.

Regardless, it is still a great place for kids to grow up, they still have the Warren and the Hills - even if you are no longer allowed to pick the wild flowers. A big part of my childhood was bluebell or primrose picking, or going up the hills collecting cowslips for my Mum to make into wine (which would knock your socks off if you sneaked a sip!)

They still have the lovely beach on the East Cliff Sands, and the harbour is still an interesting place to go.

The only reason we left Folkestone was because in the 60's it was very hard to find a job that paid enough to make ends meet. Having two jobs was a necessity, so when we started a family it was a real struggle. Canada was advertising over there for workers, the wages here were much higher and the cost of living -in Winnipeg at least- was much lower, so it made no sense to stay there.

Canada has been very good to me, but my roots will always be embedded firmly in Folkestone.

February 22nd 2007

04:20:49 PM

What is your name?Bruce Lloyd

Where are you from?Wollongong

Please enter your comments?Every so often I come back to your fabulous site to browse through the photos. This time I had another look at the parks. I used to live in Alder Rd when it was a cul de sac and went to school (the Harvey) by cutting through the old bombed laundry at the back of our house through Radnor Park, and eventually the Sports Ground to get to school. The stream you show in one photo is in the lower park and is part of the Pent Stream and in those days ran along Parkfield Road before it disappeared underground at Park Farm Road in front of the Fire Station. The Firemen used to dam the stream with tarpaulins to provide a water source for their practice days.

I seem to recall there was a grassed playground with swings etc at the bottom of the Park (near the Stella Maris School), a large large pond used for model boats next to the Royal Victoria Hospital. That nice path next to the stream meandered its way up to the top. You then crossed Radnor Park Avenue for the upper park where the bigger pond had hired boats next to the bowling greens. Apart from the pond the upper park was pretty dreary being just sports fields. Didn't they have an annual flower show there too? (I seem to remember jumping over the fence to get in for free - gawd knows why)

A lot of the places I seem to remember with a certain amount of pleasure such as the Indoor pool (Pavilion Baths?) the indoor skating rink have probably all gone but Folkestone was a great place to grow up in the 50s and 60s. Tobogganing down Sugar Loaf hill or exploring all the underground wartime tunnels was such a buzz!

Anyway great site.

regards

Bruce

February 22nd 2007

04:13:20 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Wpg

Please enter your comments?Which new shop are you referring to Jean? Are you talking about the location that Brian is talking about? The place where the Pound Shop used to be on Sandgate Road?

February 22nd 2007

12:01:34 AM

What is your name?Jean

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hope the new shop is worth the wait,anyone know what it is going to be?

February 20th 2007

11:36:32 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Really Brian? But the panels have now been removed haven't they? Did you find out where they went?

February 20th 2007

11:23:30 PM

What is your name?Brian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Good news! English Heritage have just listed 70/72 Sandgate Road, the former Folkestone Gas & Coke Company Showrooms, Grade II.

February 20th 2007

05:30:53 PM

What is your name?ALGERNON

Where are you from?FOLKESTONE

Please enter your comments?Hello, Christine,

We enjoyed your site and the contributions from Alan Taylor,as a child many years ago I enjoyed the joys of the Lower Sandgate area, especially the grandiose Rotunda, sadly destroyed by a local environmental vandal! One can only hope that the De Hann project will inject some new life and beauty back into the area.Folkestone may never get back to it's glorious heydays, but with sites such as your to remind of us all of wonderful far off days, we can always take time out to enjoy some nostalgia

regards to all

Algernon

Page 16

February 14th 2007

04:40:06 PM

What is your name?Folkestone Forums

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?WOW! That is one amazing site you have there! I'm pleased that you are linked to us at the Folkestone Forums

February 2nd 2007

04:06:48 PM

What is your name?Mark Sutherland

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Great site!

I wonder if Douglas Squirrel saw the feature on his house in the Dec2006/Jan2007 issue of "Folkestone Creative"!? If he'd like to get hold of a copy, the magazine is published by Lilburne Press -

http://www.lilburnepress.co.uk

On a sadder note, I see that Rowlands (the rock shop) is closing down!

February 2nd 2007

02:32:06 AM

What is your name?Nigel

Where are you from?Hythe

Please enter your comments?You ask on the military page what r.a.m.c. and a.s.c stand for

Royal Army Medical Corps

Army Service Corps

Thanks for a great page of memories

January 28th 2007

06:47:32 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Chris

Where are you from?Ashford

Please enter your comments?Looks like the old pound shop in Folkestone has lost it's art-deco stairwell! seems the workmen are in there now,had a peep through the door today.

January 26th 2007

07:19:33 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Congratulations on a fabulous purchase Douglas, I do hope you will be happy there, and hope the ghosts treat you well!

The previous owner had told me she was selling up, what a piece of history you have bought! It has been featured on postcards since postcards were invented!

Please keep in touch with us, and let us know what goes on there, whether any of the ghosts show themselves or start acting up.

Are you planning to make any changes? Or is that not allowed in a listed building? I would love to see what it is like on the inside, would it be too cheeky of me to ask for a photo or two?

January 26th 2007

05:21:33 AM

What is your name?Douglas Squirrel

Where are you from?Frogholt

Please enter your comments?We have just bought the house in Frogholt shown on your web site. It is reputed to have ghosts and to be 700 years old!

December 5th 2006

07:19:23 PM

What is your name?Roslyn Elliott (nee Saunders)

Where are you from?Yarm, England

Please enter your comments?Fascinating photos - thank you so much - My father John Edward Saunders was born in Folkestone and I have traced family back to the 1700's (Saunders, Warman, Baker) mainly.

I have visited but the photographs of old Folkestone are wonderful - Best Regards Roz

November 28th 2006

08:21:35 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Yes, thanks for that information. I have actually had an e-mail from the owner of that cottage giving me the information about it, but haven't had the time yet to add it to the page.

Last I heard, the cottage was up for sale, and the asking price was $300,000. It apparently comes with its own ghost too!

November 27th 2006

11:29:48 PM

What is your name?D Squirrel

Where are you from?Knutsford

Please enter your comments?The cottage in Frogholt shown in two pictures on http://bbhilda.topcities.com/Folkestone/FolkestoneOtherViews.html is called "Old Kent Cottage". Magpie Cottage is another cottage in the hamlet. The owners claim that the house is 1000 years old and is listed in Domesday Book!

November 16th 2006

11:38:41 AM

What is your name?Ian Gordon

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Just looking at your fascinating pictures of old Folkestone. They bring back all sorts of memories!

I was born here in 1946 and went to St Eanswythe's School in Church Street next to the church just off Rendezvous St near the Old Town Hall.

I sang in the church choir at St Mary and St Eanswythe's church as a boy from 1955 until 1964 when I went away to college.

The church was known as Folkestone Parish Church because until the 1860s it was the only Anglican Church in the town. As the town grew as a holiday resort and because the railway brought lots of other visitors and business other churches were built.

The Parish Church of St Mary and St Eanswythe - as it is properly known, took responsibility for much of the parish of St Michaels when that lovely church was destroyed by bombing in the war.

The internal view of the nave of SS Mary & Eanswythe shows just what it looked like when I was a young chorister.

The picture before that IS of the church. It shows the wall of the North Transept and the Jesse Tree painting - a 'family tree' showing how Jesus was descended from Jesse who was the father of the great Old Testament hero King David. That is why we sing 'Hosanna to the Son of David' on Palm Sunday when we remember Jesus coming into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

The Jesse Tree was painted over sometime either before or just after the war. I never remember seeing it. Pictures of it are very rare. The only other one I know of is in Canon Matthew Woodward's history of the church published in 1892.

Woodward was Vicar of SS Mary & Eanswythe from 1851 (when it was the only church in town and roughly half its present size) until he died in 1898. He extended the church to accommodate the growing congregation by building the entire nave as you see it today. He also commissioned the beautiful wall paintings,windows and memorials as well as the stunning reredos - the marble and mosaic construction around the walls of the High Altar at the east end. In Woodward's 47 years most of the other churches were built - St Peter's, St Michael's and Christ Church (another WWII casualty - only the tower remains in Sandgate Road) by his initiative.

November 8th 2006

01:52:28 AM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Thanks For that Christine-

loved the pictures of the new Coastal Park, I was there at the end of september and its already looking like its maturing, I think Folkestone should be very proud of it as I can not think of any other coastal resort in the UK that has had recent major landscaping thats for the free use of the public, in this day and age most councils plead poverty and gardens and plants always seem to be low priority or worse still removed to save labour.

PS, I saw on the news that the third and fourth rail and carrages of the cliff Railway are also being restored,so hopefully all four carrages will be working at once some day.

November 6th 2006

02:30:09 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Wpg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hey - the book is called Folkestone Thoughts & Memories, they are your thoughts, and they are about Folkestone, I ask for no more!I would like nothing more than to see those panels preserved myself.

November 5th 2006

08:25:34 PM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Mr Seaton Dahl , wasn't he something to do with the Leas Cliff hall and The Odeon Sandgate road? This might help with the 20th Century Society getting more interested.Sorry Christine for using this page a notice board , please say if you mind.

November 5th 2006

08:16:11 PM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Brian- Thats great that you have managed to find out that much information, If you need any help let me know , I live in Brighton but I'm willing to write any letters of support or anything else that might help.

November 4th 2006

02:24:26 PM

What is your name?Brian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Have now found that the Folkestone Gas & Coke Company showroom was built on the site of numbers 70 & 72 Sandgate Road in August 1938. The architect and the builder were both from Folkestone, a Mr Seaton Dahl and Otto Marx. Now trying to find pictures and drawings from the RIBA and other sources. The Folkestone Herald of the time has a good account of the opening ceremony but impossible to scan for a copy because it is so big, broadsheet I think. I don't think there are any other copies of it are around as I am told that the Herald achives were destroyed by a fire. So if anyone can help with any further information it will be apprecuated, especially plans and photographs.

Brian

November 2nd 2006

11:33:43 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg/Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Just thought I would let you know that I have just added some photos I took of the new Lower Leas Coastal Park to the Parks & Gardens page.

I also added a fabulous photograph of the ferry Hengist when she was beached on the Warren. You will of course find that on the Ferries page.

You can get back to the website by clicking the photo of the Switchback Railway above.

November 1st 2006

03:17:11 AM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Thanks for that Christine. strange how something as mundane as a gas showroom was in them days given such beautiful buildings, can see this setting me on a whole new adventure of Gas showroom spotting!!

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November 1st 2006

02:09:34 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Never mind, I brought it up from my history. Dare I try to make it clickable again? Oh why not!

Bournemouth Gas Showroom

November 1st 2006

02:02:46 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?I am sorry Steve, I tried to make your link clickable, and for some reason, Bravenet have screwed it up, and I lost your original link address. Please post it again, (and I will leave it alone) because it is so interesting to see the resemblance between that Gas Showroom in Bournemouth and the one in Folkestone.

So I guess now we can be certain that it was the Gas Board that originally installed those panels.

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October 31st 2006

11:44:32 PM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Bournemouth Conservation

This Link should take you to the Bournemouth Gas show rooms, scroll a little down the page :-)

Page 17

October 31st 2006

11:29:48 PM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Hi Brian- I would say that the stairwell glass panels would be of the most interest, The outside of the building doesnt look much but the panels are all complete and are back lite, they are curved glass so fit the shape of the curved wall exactly,[about 12 in total I think]and the carving is of very good quality almost 'Lalique' esque..

If they were removed and put in a Museum I would be a happy man or even better left were they are for all to enjoy!

I'm not local so I'm unable to help regarding Information of the building, sorry wish I could. But I think that regarding previous postings about it being a Gas Show room could be correct as in the 30's these could sometimes be very elaborate, there is a similair one in Bournemouth built for the same reason..Get in there Brian and have a look Your love them.

October 31st 2006

02:22:23 AM

What is your name?Brian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Did I really say "there are" Whoops, must be fat finger syndrome or me bad grammer - wot?

October 31st 2006

02:08:41 AM

What is your name?Brian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?steve, all is not lost. I have been in touch with the 20th C Society and there are very much interested. However, the taking pf photographs was the easy part, they now need more information ie the architect, the built-date and who owns the building now for example. They also want to know if the informaton regarding the staircase being intact etc., is true as this would probably swing a listing for the building.

October 21st 2006

07:23:10 PM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?A Big thankyou to Alan, Brian and Christine for taking the trouble to find out about 'That'former Pound shop. I know it must sound like I'm making a big fuss but that glass work in the stairwell has to be seen to be believed and now that the most hateful chain of coffee shops in the UK is taking over I really do fear for its future, It should be in a museum , but I expect these 'Guilty Bean' Coffee shops will either flog it or rip it out.

I did ask the Pound shop manageress once if I would be able to buy them , I knew that she probably wasnt authorised too remove fixtures but she did say that she had been asked many times,I was just testing her to see if she would let someone go ahead and remove them, which I think if the price was right she would!

Here in Brighton if a shop of perticuliar interest is going to be demolished or refurbished the Local museum does take anything that might be of arcitectrial merit and put it on show , cant Folkestone do the same. I wish I was local !!

October 20th 2006

08:17:15 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Wpg

Please enter your comments?Sorry, that link below takes you to the home page, so from there, just click Videos from the links on the left. You will need to have Quicktime installed, but if you don't have it, it will give you the opportunity to install it.

October 20th 2006

08:05:52 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?I just knew that Alan would know. Here is part of his e-mail in reply to my question:

"The staircase he is referring to is art deco 1930's also the front of the building is about that period.

In the street directory for 1936 No. 70 was occupied by Southern Goldsmiths & No. 72 was occupied by Bradley & Hume, solicitors.

In street directory for 1940 No's 70-72 are occupied by the Folkestone Gas & Coke Company (central offices & showroom) so I would think it was them who had the ornate glass panels put up the stairs and the new facade over the front of the two properties.

Regards,

Alan."

Thanks Alan, I only have one Kelly's Directory and it is from 1958, I would love to have more of them, so useful for looking things up.

By the way people, talking about Dave the dolphin. Did you know that someone has a website dedicated just to him? It is fabulous, and if you do nothing else, please take a look at this video. I plan to ask him if I can link it from this website.

Dave in Folkestone/Sandgate

October 20th 2006

12:49:14 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?That's OK Brian, you can come out of the corner! I have no idea what was in the Gas Company showroom before they took it over, I will have to ask Alan Taylor, he knows EVERYTHING!

Glad to hear that Dave is still OK, but will he still be if he stays there over the winter? Will there be enough food for him?

October 19th 2006

09:49:39 PM

What is your name?Jean

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I remember the gas company show room,it was far from posh just like any show room these days.Now who has any info on what was before that? p.s. Dave the dolphin is still about,saw him last week.

October 19th 2006

04:24:48 PM

What is your name?Brian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Sorry, brain not in gear and rushed in with both feet! The Odeon was on the Boots site and the Pound shop site was formally the gas company. Must have been a very posh gas comapny or was it something elase in a previous life?

Sorry folks I now stand suitably chastised and in the corner!

October 19th 2006

04:19:44 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg, formerly Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Used to be the Odeon Cinema? I don't think so, not in my lifetime anyway.

The Odeon used to be at 22, 24 & 26 Sandgate Road, where I believe Boots the Chemist is now.

The Pound Shop in question is at the top end of Sandgate Road, just past Bouverie Place.

October 19th 2006

03:05:35 AM

What is your name?Brian

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Steve re the Pound shop, which we now know to be the old Odeon cinema - thanks Christine. My wife and I are very interested in this building and are hoping that Shepway District Council have got their act together to ensure that any work on it is sympathetic to its art deco origins. We can only see the outside of the building at present as it is boarded up ready for these works, which are rumoured to be for another coffee shop, but the thought of some the original interior still being there now intrigues us. By the way, if it is true that it is a coffee shop like Starbucks or Pret a Manger, we think that they are more than likely to be sympathetic and especially to those Crittall windows outside!

October 4th 2006

11:09:56 AM

What is your name?Alistair Duncan

Where are you from?U.K.

Please enter your comments?May i thank you, I was just looking at your site of shorncliffe. I was stationed there

with the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion (IJLB) in 1975/76 and again in

1981/83 as a Cpl Instructor.

These photos brought back great memories of my time there, and it's now that I regret not having a camera.

You asked what the following meant

RAMC = Royal Army Medical Corps

ASC = Army Service Corps

Again, many thanks I have also sent your site details to some of my old army friends who served at shorncliffe.

As for the military cemetery, I have a few friends who are at rest there, but

due to ill health I have not been there for a couple of years but I still find it a great source of deep thought and relaxment with my old buddies.

I noticed the last time I was there that the old martello tower at the top of hospital hill is now a house. I have sent photos of this to your e-mail address.

Again thank you

Alistair Duncan (HM Forces Army 1975-1998)

October 4th 2006

09:35:34 AM

What is your name?David Knowles

Where are you from?U.K.

Please enter your comments?Just wanted to say how interesting your web pages were. The content on hotels especially so.

My wife has been researching her family tree and, in particular, her great great grandfather, Giulio Giovannini who was the manager of the Pavilion Hotel in the 1850s and 60s, and was mentioned in a short story and letter by Charles Dickens who stayed at the hotel. Seeing his name in print on the hotel "price list" just brings it more to life.

Giulio left the Pavilion to run (as owner we think) the West Cliff Hotel also mentioned on your pages. He must have been successful because he was able to send his sons to private schools (one in Cranleigh, the other in Boughton). We're now trying to find out what happened to the rest of his family and why one of his sons changed his surname.

I think Giulio's son James must have changed his name to Travers after getting married in 1900, in Birkenhead. We don't know why he moved to that area.

We do know that Giulio had come from Italy before 1851 having been born in Luino (bordering Lake Maggiore). He died in 1879 in Dartford aged 86 having been retired at least 8 years and his wife Mary appears to have moved to Milford Haven in Wales some time after.

The other children, Giulietta, Louise, Robert, Richard and Alfred we still need to work on.

If anyone can shed any more light on the Giovannini family in Folkestone it will be good to hear from them at the e-mail address below.

September 30th 2006

04:05:20 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Steve:

I am surprised about the Pound Shop closing, it was a very dirty, junky type of shop, but always seemed to be doing a brisk trade.

I will mention it to my sister in Folkestone, but she doesn't get up the town very often.

Was there an agent listed on the door that you could contact?

September 29th 2006

09:54:08 PM

What is your name?Steve

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Well its finally happened , the 'Pound shop'its 70-72 Sandgate road, { Please see my earlier posting} has closed down and when I visited the stairwell doorway was closed so I couldnt have one last look at the Art-Deco stairwell and Glass panels. I hate to think of what will happen to the interior now , I do not live local but I wished I did so I could keep a look out for any skips that may contain these treasures. If anyone local does share the same passion I had for this glass panel work , Please, dont let them go in a skip!

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September 21st 2006

08:04:51 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg Canada Now - Folkestone Kent Then

Please enter your comments?Aaawww thanks very much everyone, I am blushing It's people like you who keep me at it!

September 20th 2006

11:14:10 PM

What is your name?m. parsley

Where are you from?London

Please enter your comments?What a great site and so pleased I found it.

My mum Grace Parsley (Cowell) was born in Bridge St in 1925 and went to George Spurgeon and Mundella school's. Showing mum the site has brought back some long forgotten memories, she loved it.

Mum also lived in Marshall St and worked at a hotel in Castle Hill Avenue and the Advance Laundry in Cheriton.

Finally I would just like to say again what a great site this is.

Malc

September 20th 2006

02:49:48 AM

What is your name?Sue

Where are you from?folkestone, originally crayford

Please enter your comments?What A Brilliant website, obviously a lot of work has been done to make it interesting, factual, amusing. I've spent many hours looking at how the area surrounding my home has changed over many years, everytime I come back and look I see something I've not noticed before. Its a real eye opener

September 14th 2006

12:29:42 AM

What is your name?Steve Cleghorn

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Wow! What a site!

I have only touched the surface of it yet but I have been interested in my hometown for a while so a colleague at work recommended this site. I am hoping to get Alan Taylor's book for Christmas!

Interestingly, I have spotted the corner of my car in the pictures of Stanley Road which is a nice surprise. I was wondering if anyone knows where I could find the history of The Old Forge, as this is where I reside. I will keep hunting the site but any comments in the meantime would be most welcome.

Thanks again for the site, its a real sight!

Steve

August 30th 2006

08:24:26 PM

What is your name?Mick

Where are you from?London now Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine, I have sent you a link with some pics of 'Dave' the Folkestone Dolphin! There was an item in the Daily Mirror recently reporting that two Dolphins were caught in a fishing net in Folkestone - one of which was Dave. They said that both were released unharmed.

Alan Taylor, many thanks for the info on the Copt Point 'tower' and the picture.

Page 18

August 30th 2006

09:25:47 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Wpg

Please enter your comments?By the way Mick.. if you manage to get a photo of that dolphin, keep me in mind, OK?

I have never heard of a dolphin in those waters before, I thought they were too cold for that type of fish. How exciting!

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August 30th 2006

09:22:41 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?I have just put the photo up Mick. You will find it at the bottom of the East Beaches page.

August 30th 2006

09:20:58 AM

What is your name?Alan F. Taylor

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi Mick: The square concrete building at Copt-Point is a disused sewer chamber. The two tall chimney like things were built to erect a crane on when the chamber was being built, in the late 1920s. The railway line which can be seen at low tide was left behind by contractors in the late 1940s who extending the sewer pipe further out to sea.

I have sent a photograph of the crane at Copt-Point to Christine.

August 29th 2006

03:41:28 AM

What is your name?Mick

Where are you from?London now Folkestone

Please enter your comments?A question for Alan Taylor. Alan, do you know what the remains of the building are, at the foot of Copt Point? It appears to be a chimney and some sort of concrete block (hut?) and some rails/track(?) which can be seen at low tide. I am talking from the viewpoint of the Sunny Sands end of the harbour looking East towards Dover. Many thanks

August 29th 2006

03:31:17 AM

What is your name?Mick

Where are you from?London now Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Great site, I love reading the tales from folk who knew the town in days gone by.

Alan from the North, I have to to disagree with your views of the town. The Times-online reported last week that property prices have risen here while they have plateaued in towns such as Hastings and Ramsgate, and that it has a buzz of regeneration about it, so not everyone would agree with you! Maybe it's not how you remembered it but after a couple of years living here I have witnessed a definite change - for the better.

By the way, we have a Dolphin (christened Dave!)which has been hanging around for a few months now which I finally got to see it today, leaping out of the water a 100 feet or so from the beach, much to the amazement and excitement of the people watching!

August 28th 2006

05:03:38 AM

What is your name?Eileen

Where are you from?FOLKESTONE

Please enter your comments?Christine the photo in STREETS Granny Care Sweet Shop-the photo is the bottom of North Street to the left is The Stade and to the right past OVENDENS is under the Arch to Tram Road during the war and after the shop belonged to Bill Whittingstall and I used to buy an apple there he sold sweets and most things--Ovendens was always very busy as it was a Blacksmiths but would be able to mend almost anything between the two I think was a Red Cross building--during the War the road North Street had a barrier across and we had to show a pass to be able to go into that area-looking back I wonder why a child needed a pass,my job was to take sandwiches etc to a sailor we had befriended who was a stoker in the Pavillion Hotel where navy personnel were billeted during the war--Regards Eileen

August 26th 2006

10:56:22 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?If Alan says he saw it too Eileen, you can be sure you were not dreaming. Alan is the President of the Folkestone Local History Society, so I am sure he will be able to find out more about that wreck.

Thanks for the tan-frock information, I will get it changed on the fishing page as soon as I can.

August 26th 2006

10:53:51 PM

What is your name?Alan F. Taylor

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I do remember the wreck on the sands, it was just after the war. The ship was on fire, it had been hit by a shell and caught light and she was beached on the sands. I don't remember her name I will ask around and see if I can find out.

Yes, the fishermen's smocks were call tanned-frocks invariably they were made by the fishermen's wives from I think unbleached calico and then boiled in the tan copper.

I went to school with a lad who's grandfather & uncle were fishermen. After school we would go down to the harbour to see his grandfather and ask him if he had any jobs to do. His grandfather was retired but helped his son with the shore jobs like mending trawls and tanning them. He would tell us tales about when he was at sea, no engines in his day just sail. He once told us never go to sea in a rotten tanned-frock old son. I saw a crew member drown who was wearing a rotten tanned-frock. He was knocked overboard by the sail, we got the boat hook in him but it tore through his tanned-frock and the poor chap drowned.

August 25th 2006

06:26:24 AM

What is your name?Eileen

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I lived in Folkestone during the War in the Durlocks, and went to St Peters School,I wonder if anyone remembers a Ship that was on the sands for years rotting we used to walk around it at low tide,as I cannot find anyone who remembers it it makes me think I dreamed it, It was rusting away and I think it was there until it sank in the sand, If anyone knows how it got there etc I would love to know. Lovely site buy the way I came from a fishing family and they were called Tan-Frocks (not smocks ) Kind Regards Eileen

August 8th 2006

06:42:08 AM

What is your name?Steve Walker

Where are you from?England

Please enter your comments?In the 30’s my grandparents bought a house at 7 Marine Parade, which they ran as a guest house. It was next door to the Devonshire Hotel. My parents and I went to live with my grandfather at this address in 1948, as my father was very ill. He died the same year.

Mum and I stayed on and she helped my Grandfather run the guest house (my grandmother died during the war). It was great because my bedroom overlooked the Marine Gardens, the Rotunda and the dodgems. There was always something going on. There was always great excitement each year when the Channel swimmers came from all over the world for Billy Butlin’s Channel race. Most of them stayed at the Devonshire Hotel and one or two used to stay with us if the Devonshire was full.

I am also sending a photo I took from our balcony of the crowd outside the Devonshire waiting for the swimmers to come out for the presentation of the prizes, plus one of Hassan who won the race in, I believe, 1954. I took the photo as he signed my autograph book. A lot of the swimmers were Egyptian but my hero was Sam Rockett, who was the first Briton to complete the crossing. He lived a few doors away from us and his two children, Janet and Gerald, were my regular playmates. Sam gave us free access to the indoor pool, which he owned (the former Bathing Establishment). It was a small pool compared to the outdoor one but provided us with a lot of fun, with its mock rock walling and pillars. When we moved from 7 Marine Parade to another guest house round the corner in Marine Terrace, Sam bought 9 Marine Parade and made it a family home again, so I was still able to visit my old house.

6 Marine Parade, also a guest house, was owned by Mr & Mrs Leslie Parham. Les was the brother of Harold Parham, owner of the Merrythought Guest house further along the parade. They both had daughters about the same age as me, Janet and Linda respectively. As I grew older I got a paper round with WH Smiths in Sandgate Rd and had to cycle up Remembrance Hill each morning. It was always a point of pride that I managed it without getting off to walk – I couldn’t do it now. It was fun riding down afterwards though. My paper round covered the Leas and the roads off it, some very posh houses. Some of the customers were very ******* though and complained if I did not put the paper right through the letterbox or if I did not shut the gate. I got some good tips at Christmas though.

On Saturdays we all used to go roller skating in the Marine Gardens Pavilion opposite our house. They used to play the popular music of the day while we skated. On Sundays Mum and I went to Rendezvous Street Baptist Church, the minister was the Rev Thorrington Cork. Mum was a Sunday school teacher there and I was in the Boys Brigade. My granddad went to the Salvation Army. He was in the band there for many years and my paternal grandfather was the Corps Commander in the 1920’s.

August 1st 2006

02:28:52 PM

What is your name?Jeannette Clements

Where are you from?Dover kent

Please enter your comments?Hi,

I am trying to trace David Santry. I am his second cousin, my mother Margaret Maude Santry Mee, was his cousin. She was the daughter of Daisy Pretoria Santry. I found his website about our ancestors, and I wish to inform him that I have researched our family tree for the past 6 years and have more info for him.

I really hope he gets in touch.

Best regards

Jeannette Clements

July 31st 2006

06:15:13 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?jeannette Clements

Where are you from?Dover kent

Please enter your comments?Hi,

Can you please help me. I have just discovered the following web site - http://home.interlynx.net/~shine/SantryAll.html? created by janet Santry (probably on behalf of David Santry). This website is about the Santry family tree, which I have researched for the past 5 years. My mother was Margaret Maude Santry mee and her mother was Daisy Pretoria Santry, sister of Joseph and John. I would dearly love to contact David as I have more information for him to add to his research. I do not know how to reach him, all I know is that he emigrated to USA/Canada some years back. I have found on your website photos of Folkestone hotels which have been sent to you from David.

If you are in contact with him can you pass this e-mail onto him with my best regards.

My home phone no is 01304 821454.

Although I was born in Essex and lived in London I have lived in Dover Kent for 27 years.

Best regards

Jeannette Clements

July 15th 2006

09:49:21 PM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Payed Folkestone a visit yesterday in the glorious sunshine, Looking better than my last visit as the it seems to be having a facelift again along the seafront and the Leas.

I popped into the Poundshop in sandgate road I do this each time as I have to make sure that the Art Deco staircase inside the building hasnt yet been put in a skip or something, if you havent ever looked into this shop you really must, to get to the upper floor there is a stairwell on the right as you enter, it has the most amazing Art Deco Glass Panels all the way to the top they depict the Sea with Crabs and lobsters on the bottom Mermaids half way and seagull at the top. I do worry for its future as this building is only a 'Poundshop' and I expect someday it will all be ripped out.

Its 70-72 Sandgate road , just before the pedestrinised bit ,I'm not local and I wonder if anyone knows what the building was built as?

Many Thanks

July 15th 2006

08:20:31 PM

What is your name?frank baillie

Where are you from?Canada

Please enter your comments?Very interesting site. Firts contact with Folkestone was in '48 as infant (picture on the Leas) but more substantially in summers of '66, '67 & '68 when I worked as a Lifeguard at the open air pool and also Christmas 0f '68 when I woked as a postie. Very fond memories of folk in Folkstone. Great site, Thanks

July 2nd 2006

07:49:33 AM

What is your name?Alex

Where are you from?London

Please enter your comments?Thank you for a fantastic site!

I have just started researching my family tree and was looking for older pictures of Folkestone when I realised that some of my relatives are from that area. Your site is a real treasure trove of the local history.

If you have photos of any Morfords in your archive I would love to know. So far I have traced back to Sarah and William, whose children included Ethel, Hannah and Margaret. If I find any photos as I continue my research i will send them to you.

June 7th 2006

11:23:56 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg, formerly Folkestone

Please enter your comments? There is a theory Adrian that whatever is normal for you at age 11 is what is normal for the rest of your life. So I guess if you were 11 in Folkestone, you (and I) will always be Folkestonians! :-)

So glad you enjoyed your visit. Keep coming back because I was just there for a quick visit, and got some fabulous photos of the new Lower Leas Coastal Park that I will add to the site as soon as I can. You can now say that the Lower Sandgate Road has completely gone from the old Cliff Lifts (creaking but still working) through to Sandgate.

The Toll House is still there, as a private residence, but the rest is a beautiful park and a free playground for children.

One of the rare changes for the better in my opinion.

They have also done a lot of work putting in groins to try to tame the damaging rough sea, so now there are little bays along the West Beach.

I have a major project on elsewhere at the moment, but as soon as I get it finished, I will get these pictures added.

June 7th 2006

08:35:01 PM

What is your name?Adrian Drake

Where are you from?Canada

Please enter your comments?Thank you for so many memories Christine. I wasn't born in Folkestone, infact we moved there when I was 11. I spent many, many hours at the open air pool, around the harbourand working at the Pier Hotel in the summer. But it's funny what you forget and how many memories your site brought back. For example the demolishion of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, my dad bought a truck load of the demolished stone to build garden walls at our new house at the top of Downs Road. And you even have pix of places I first did my courting but lets not go there.

Once again, thanks for the memories.

May 20th 2006

02:58:25 PM

What is your name?Rebecca Goodwin

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine,

Thankyou for a great website on Folkestone. I have never been there but my mother was born there and speaks of it often. Her father owned a gift shop in High Street and the family lived above it, until they moved to a house in a place near 'The Bayle' After looking through your site I now feel I have actually visited Folkestone.

Regards

Rebecca

May 18th 2006

02:58:32 PM

What is your name?David

Where are you from?Hythe (originally Folkestone, the Garden House Hotel)

Please enter your comments?Calling all Old Westbrookians!

Please visit the site and leave your comments in our guestbook.

This site is excellent and we will support it with pictures which we my fee are mutually interesting. Keep up the great work.

May 12th 2006

04:45:26 PM

What is your name?Bruce Lloyd

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Just rediscovered your wonderful site. Grew up in Folkestone and went to Christ Church Primary and the Harvey Grammar. My father was Headmaster at St Mary's Primary and later George Spurgeon until he retired.

I enjoyed the buildings section and can report that I did go into the Pleasure Gardens Theatre when I was taken to a lecture and slide show there about Vivien Fuchs' (sp?)expedition when he crossed the Antarctic.

Haven't been to Folkestone for 16 years but I thought it had gone downhill a lot since I was there as a child and teenager. Great site loved it.

Regards

Bruce

Page 19

May 6th 2006

11:38:41 PM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?Hi Irene: Thanks for posting. I thought the Central Hotel was still there, I am sure the building is, but maybe it is called something else now, I will check when I come there next week. (Can't wait!)

Anyway it is (was) located opposite the Central Station, not far from Radnor Park, so is some distance from the Town Hall.

Please wish your daughter the best of luck for her wedding from me. Maybe you could send me a photo, with the church in the picture of course?

May 6th 2006

09:58:40 PM

What is your name?Irene

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?How wonderful!! My daughter is soon to be married at the Holy Trinity Church & I was looking for 'photos of it & found your site & have spent hours brousing looking at 'photos & reading the interesting comments of numerous people. I too was born in Folkestone & have lived & worked here all my life. I attended St Peters School, Christchurch, Holywell & The Folkestone School for Girls. I initially lived in East Cliff Gardens. Its funny how some 'photos get you thinking!! There are a couple of postcards of views over Folkestone (taken from the Central Hotel? - which I can't recall) which could have been taken from the top of the Townhall. The Hotel that stood where the Burstin is now was the Royal Pavilion Hotel & one of the original doors can still be seen in Pavilion Court. Keep up the good work.

May 3rd 2006

01:08:38 AM

What is your name?Andy

Where are you from?The North!

Please enter your comments?I was born in Ashford but the family moved 'oop north' about 2 year afterwards. We came down whenever we could though (during the 80's)!

As a child I had some great times but 'they' say you should never go back as an adult and how right 'they' are! I drove 350 miles to re-visit recently and quite frankly, the place is a dump! The first impression when driving through is how unclean it all seems and upon reaching the front, how empty it all is now. The whole rotunda area is just an eyesore and when I arrived there were a massive gang of immigrant types standing outside the arcade. The town centre is just awful - I could almost describe it as chav central complete with nightclubs that appear just plain dangerous. I spent ages on the sandy beach though - thankfully that hasn't changed at all. Folkestone has become just another identikit town where the local economy is in fast decline - emphasised by the amount of houses with for-sale signs outside. It made me feel quite sad to be honest and although I'll forever remember it as my most favourite place as a child I don't think I'm ever going to return again...I am willing to be convinced otherwise though!

March 26th 2006

11:42:20 AM

What is your name?michaal

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Hi again, sorry to hog all your space, but I came here in hope of help! I have discovered that one of my ancestors, Richard Godden was the licencee of an Inn called "The Three Mackerel" from 1766 until the turn of the century when it changed its name to the "Oddfellows Arms" apon his death. Was wondering if anyone has any stories about this Inn, and by some twist of fate is it still on the Stade? Apparently it was a regular drinking spot for the "Riding Officers" and a smugglers Inn. If anyone can tell me any history or stories about this Inn I would be most grateful. Thanks and keep up the good work!

March 21st 2006

07:44:04 PM

What is your name?David

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Calling former pupils of Westbrook House - please get in touch and send your photos/ephe

mera for a new association. Looking forward to hearing from you all.......

March 19th 2006

03:51:40 AM

What is your name?Elizabeth Winder

Where are you from?Seattle, Washington State

Please enter your comments?What a delight to find this site! I was looking up Folkestone in preparation for a trip in May.

I lived in Folkestone from 1946 till 1960. As a young girl I roamed the Downs. There was a tunnel going through Caesar's Camp we explored.

When I last came to England - I live

in Seattle, Washington State, the Pacific NW of the US - I believe the chunnel entrance had been built at the bottom of my garden -literally - in Cheriton though I am returning to Folkestone in May to take photos, explore old places so I'll know for sure.

I was sorry to see houses 'climbing' up Sugar Loaf Hill the last time I visited.

I attended Folkestone Grammar School for Girls on Coolinge Lane, and Christchurch Elementary which is now gone I believe.

Anyway, I am still browsing your site and will put it in my Favourites.

What a gem! Thank you again so much for this.

March 18th 2006

08:28:18 PM

What is your name?Jason

Where are you from?Densole Nr Folkestone

Please enter your comments?What an excellent site, just stumbled across it and stayed here for hours…

Keep up the good work.

March 16th 2006

02:17:08 AM

What is your name?David

Where are you from?Seabrook

Please enter your comments?Great site.

February 27th 2006

09:07:34 PM

What is your name?Michael Woods

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?What memories thank you.I was born at Folkestone and lived just up the road from you at Clarence st. I walked Tontine st a million times and each time played silly buggers at the post office black glass front.Also went to Harcourt primary school till 1949 Worked for Jim Rowland on the weekends When his businees was at the bottom of the High st. My father was the Asst.Inspector at the main Post office. My mother was cashier at the Pleasure Gardens theatre. Plenty of free shows for my brother and I. We moved to Ramsgate 1952 Life was never the same we started to grow up and all the good time we had at Folkestone Dimmed. Still miss Folkestone. Now live in Australia and have'nt been back to the UK. in 36 yrs. Thanks again.

February 24th 2006

06:40:52 AM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Steve Walker

Where are you from?Kempston, near Bedford

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine. I have been emailing you various photos over last couple of days but they do not appear to have got through. I sent them to bbhilda@canada.com. Can you please let me know if you have received them. Regards. Steve

February 24th 2006

05:39:32 AM

What is your name?Ian Lacey

Where are you from?Ilkeston,Derbyshire

Please enter your comments?Forgive my immediate posting of a second message but have been reading the guestbook.Noticed the message concerning the Grand Burstin Hotel posted by Mick.

I don't believe this for one minute,there's no way that the hotel would be bulldozed as part of the redevelopment.Its only just been bought by the Britannia Hotels chain and is finally having some money spent on it.

I've stayed there many times and its come on in bounds in the last twelve months.People need to bear in mind that the Burstin is one of the few things in Folkestone left that brings people into the town now.When I've been there,there have been parties in from Scotland,Wales in fact all over the country.

If it does go then the money that these people bring into Folkestone and the area will be lost.Shepway Council surely would not be that financially short sighted.

I'm not from Folkestone but I have family connections and stay at the Burstin when I'm in the area and have had many excellent holidays there.

February 24th 2006

05:22:20 AM

What is your name?Ian Lacey

Where are you from?Ilkeston,Derbyshire

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine

I'm the Ian who supplied the photographs of the stump that remains of the Victoria Pier and the picture of the Rotunda taken before they started pulling it down.

Have been trying to email you for a while but your bbhilda@canada.com address doesnt seem to be working.

Anyway the following maybe of interest.Been hunting round the site and found something interesting,you have a postcard of "Folkestone Church" with the following text "

OK, I know you love these quizzes. This card was entitled 'Folkestone Church' Can anyone identify it please?

The turret on the right looks to be very ancient doesn't it?"

Can tell you exactly where it is but its not in Folkestone,its actually the Church of St Mary in Castro situated in the grounds of Dover Castle.The old turret to the right is the remains of the old Roman Pharos or Lighthouse.

Cheers for now

Ian

February 19th 2006

10:18:44 AM

What is your name?michaal

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Thanks and congratulations on a fantastic site. I have traced my family back to Folkestone and couldnt resist a look. My finding have taken me back to the early 1500's in Folkestone, Lyminge, hythe smeeth and sellindge. I know this is after their time, but it was nice to see it is a pretty part of the country. My family had the name of BAKER in those times, a name i have been told was a popular name in Kent. So thanks for a great site, and all the best.

February 4th 2006

06:48:05 PM

What is your name?John

Where are you from?Finland

Please enter your comments?John: I have deleted your message, as I do not feel this website is a suitable place for it.

If you have something to say about Folkestone, you are more than welcome to post again.

Christine

January 19th 2006

03:36:59 AM

What is your name?Robbie (Roderick) Paramor

Where are you from?Los Angeles CA

Please enter your comments?Great site that brings back so many memories, we lived in Cheriton from 1951 to 1960 when I was 10,

but memories linger on! I visted the town back in 2002 and the whole family had the best time! It did of course include a visit to The Rock Shop!!!

January 12th 2006

09:44:43 PM

What is your name?David Tooley

Where are you from?Portchester nr Portsmouth

Please enter your comments?Thank you so much for creating such a fascinating website. I was born in Folkestone, as was my Father (Bob Tooley) He is going to be ecstatic when I show this site to him. He was born in 1928 and is now 78 years of age, though his memories of his early days roaming around the Warren and fishing off of the harbour are just as vivid as if they happened yesterday. He was one of the early World War 2 evacuees to Wales, but came back home and refused to return, preferring to take his chances with the rest of his family in 103 Hill Road. My Grandparents were the Faggs of 107 Hill Road. A name which seems synonymous with the area. His stories of those years during the war have never failed to fascinate me, but they come to life so much more when I can actually see the buildings demolished by German bombs in your excellent series of photos. He used to tell me tales of running up the road with machine gun bullets from Fighter Planes trailing behind him, but I'd never really believed them until now.

I will be cross examining him about every story he has ever told, and try and get it all written down and sent to you before these tales are lost for ever.

Best Regards.

Dave

January 12th 2006

05:01:26 AM

What is your name?Ron Chadwick

Where are you from?Folkestone - Now in NZ

Please enter your comments?An interesting exercise in nostalgia. Back to my childhood days of the 1930s My bedroom overlooked the inner harbour and there were still many visits of sailing coal barges, from Newcastle, unloading at the seaward end of the inner harbour into horse drawn carts. They used steam cranes and large baskets to lift the coal out of the holds.

The many photos along the beach are a reminder of the changes to the recreational attitudes over those years. The prudishness surrounding early bathing certainly looks quaint today. Likewise the first two piece bathing costumes caused quit a stir! We used the pool a lot as young adults but as kids learned to swim off the Sands and the sandy patches under the Victoria Pier at low tide. Perhaps readers need reminding that the tides are between 6 and 7 meters so there was opportunity to build protection againgst the very rough seas that could develope in the channel.

There is also the warning how fickle the holiday/tourist business can be, as the town was bursting with life in the fifties but had no industrial foundation, in fact resisted it.

Your efforts and that of Alan Taylor certainly jog the memory.

Congratulations.

Ron Chad.

January 11th 2006

03:57:03 AM

What is your name?Mr P . Armand

Where are you from?Reading

Please enter your comments?I have original photo 1924 repairs? to pier sea columns.Photo shows 2 diving chambers being lowered into the water

December 24th 2005

06:31:41 PM

What is your name?peter hogben

Where are you from?Folkestone (Hawkinge)

Please enter your comments?Hope I'm not 'hoging' these pages. Readers who have an interest in the W W 2 Airfield at Hawkinge may care to know that the final remaining building (Other than those in the Museum) is soon to be pulled down. The Gymnasium is now a bit tattty and damp and suffering from residual bomb blast vibrations. The area will have houses on as has the rest of the airfield. Money raised on the sale of the land will mainly go towards youth facilities

December 24th 2005

06:14:11 PM

What is your name?Peter Hogben

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Reading memories here reminds me that during the last war I, with other children, was playing in the street: Church Road, Cheriton, when we were machine gunned by a German aeroplane. One child was killed the rest of us were home in a flash. Anybody any record of this ? Would love to know the name of the girl killed. How horible can people be. We were clearly small children. Folkestone saw a lot of the war I have vivid memories still

Page 20

November 23rd 2005

09:12:10 PM

What is your name?Peter Hogben

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Wow! does this site bring back memories. Born in Cheriton. Lived here most of sixtyseven years and had forgotten what the old town was like.

You have certainly worked hard to produce this site. Many thanks.

November 19th 2005

05:14:10 AM

What is your name?Brian "hans" Ware

Where are you from?North Berwick, Scotland.

Please enter your comments?Hi Listers

A wee change to my last message. Disregard the "can send to you",I meant to cut this.

Just use the link if you wish to sign the petition.

http://www.petitiononline.com/P2P2005/petition.html

Thanks again.

November 18th 2005

09:44:22 PM

What is your name?Brian "hans" Ware

Where are you from?North Berwick, Scotland

Please enter your comments?Hi Listers

Christine has allowed me to put this on.........

Wonder if I can ask a small favour please.

As you may know the Westminster gov. has decided to scrap the 6 Scottish Regiments and make a "silly" new Royal Regt of Scotland. Am trying to get as much signatures as possible on a petition to send to Downing Street.

Will send to you if you agree.We only have until 29Nov to sign up.

This is the link if you wish to see it. http://www.petitiononline.com/P2P2005/petition.html

Would be very grateful if you can support this and if so perhaps forward onto contacts.

Regards Brian.

October 26th 2005

12:47:51 PM

What is your name?Bruce Lloyd

Where are you from?Australia

Please enter your comments?Rediscovered your web site. What memories it brings back. I was trying to find some pictures of the indoor swimming pool (Leas Pavilion Matine Pavilion?? had a ballroom with glass panels overlooking the pool as I recall). Also do you remember the theatre group - was it the Arthur Brough Players? As a kid the name made me laugh perhaps I associated it with the character in Educating Archie on the radio. Funny the things you remember - There was that long alley that ran parallel to Foord Rd under the viaduct, the WWII mines being washed up on the sands just about every summer, badgers in the Warren. Pity the Sam Rocket pool, the boating pool and the Rotunda has gone but I guess they had their day. Folkestone was a wonderful place to grow up in the 50s and 60s.

October 24th 2005

02:01:19 AM

What is your name?Vince

Where are you from?Margate, Kent

Please enter your comments?A beautiful and interesting website, with fantastic views and commentary

October 10th 2005

05:46:18 PM

What is your name?Mick

Where are you from?London now Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine, thanks for Folkestone site! Nice pics of how it used to be. Such a shame that they replaced the old harbour hotel with the monsterous Bursten 'thing'. I've heard that they may bulldoze it as part of the redevelopment - good I say! This summer, the East Cliff beach was choc-a-bloc like in some of the old pics. Also, there were groups of kids queing on the harbour wall(by the little beach), taking turn to leap 20ft into the harbour(strictly forbidden!)- proper seaside holiday stuff! So perhaps Folkestone is on it's way up again? Hope so...

October 10th 2005

06:54:16 AM

What is your name?Maureen

Where are you from?Newfoundland

Please enter your comments?This is a lovely site which must have taken a lot a time,it is well worth it.Keep up your good work.

October 7th 2005

01:16:18 AM

What is your name?Derek Moore

Where are you from?Folkestone.

Please enter your comments?Fantastic new sight.Well done. I've lived away from Folkestone since 1970 but still have family there so visit on a regular basis.(The new groins were all finished when last there.)Again, very well done and thankyou

September 27th 2005

10:55:03 PM

What is your name?Jacques Ertzbischoff

Where are you from?France

Please enter your comments?Hi,

I lived 2 years in 1968/69 all those pics made me remind how much Folkestone was a seaside resort with londoner's coming for a day trip and

french strolling in M&S ,Boots.

I have a few snaps hope to add shots of aeras.

September 27th 2005

01:34:15 AM

What is your name?Cliff Sherwood

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine, first of all thank you very much for adding some of my photos on to your fantastic revamped site, i've had so much pleasure looking at all the new photos, i don't know if anyone has informed you yet but the new shopping folkestone has been promist for the past 35 years has finally started yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, the bulldozers have started the first faze of demolition last week, i will do my best to take photos of construction throughout. Once again thanka and keep in touch.

Cliff.

September 22nd 2005

08:03:03 PM

What is your name?john thompson

Where are you from?living in spain

Please enter your comments?Hi

stumbled across your site on the web,superb. I was born (1946) and brought up in folkestone,went to George Spurgen then hillside secondary then work till I moved out to spain 2004.Shame how the town has gone down.

September 6th 2005

02:28:51 PM

What is your name?Adrian Furminger

Where are you from?Dartford

Please enter your comments?Great site. I grew up in and around Folkestone so remember a lot from the pictures.I run a web site for family history research in Kent, so will be adding a link to your site, as I am sure it should and will be enjoyed by many other.

September 5th 2005

10:19:52 PM

What is your name?Steve from Brighton

Where are you from?Brighton

Please enter your comments?Love the new look site, still think the Leas Cliff Hall is the most fantastic of all our seaside theatres, something Folkstone should be very proud of.

September 5th 2005

04:47:56 PM

What is your name?Stan Cascino (pronounced Cas C No)

Where are you from?Folkestone,Kent

Please enter your comments?Hi Christine, I love the new revamped site. I can answer some of the questions you pose vis, some of the photo's and will try to send you updates from time to time.

September 5th 2005

12:49:58 PM

What is your name?Jim Thorne

Where are you from?England

Please enter your comments?Most often we went to Folkestone, initially we went on the train, then we went on coaches, this wasn't too successful, as my little brother used to be sick, so one year I went on the coach with Daddy, but Mummy and my brother went on the train. After we got a car (an Austin 10 tourer with a hood that was never taken down), we went by car. Folkestone seemed to me to be easily the best place in England, if not the World. It had everything! There was a smashing beach, with rock pools where you could find star fish, a cliff lift, a bombed pier, a working pier with boats to France and lots of cranes, and a really exciting railway for trains to come down to the harbour. And there was a Martello tower that was kept shut, a walk over the cliffs to Dover (where there were more cranes), a minature railway, a zoo, with monkeys that would bite if they got the chance, a dome with amusements, a motor boat pool, and shops that made rock, toffee apples and candyfloss (although these were not really encouraged). In the evenings there was a band stand where a band from the 'Daily Express' played; I wasn't too sure if we were allowed to go to these really, because we didn't read the Daily Express, we had the Daily Telegraph, I was afraid someone from the Daily Express would come round checking and tell us we couldn't stay.

We used to stay with Mr and Mrs Goodall who lived in the Old High Street. They had a flat at the top of the building, where they lived with two cats, and you could see a viaduct from the lavatory window where the trains ran. Opposite, on a hill was a mysterious building called 'Shangri-La'. If you looked down the street you could just see the harbour, with a crane that was never used. Next to the flat was a shop that sold ammunition for guns, and further down the street was the shop where they made rock.

Definately the best thing was the harbour though. There were several boats that came in each day, I think there was Thanet, Kent, Maid of Orleans, and Cote d'Azur, this was a French boat and had a funny sort of funnel. Going to France was something you could only do if you were fabulously rich, so we never went, though we used to go on the pier. People who could afford to go took their cars, and these had to be loaded one by one into the boats by the cranes. There were at least 4, and quite often two would work on a boat at a time. Trains on the railway had to be pushed from behind by 3 tank engines that always ran together, but sometimes they came along on their own without a train.

There was a train called 'The Golden Arrow' that didn't actually come to Folkestone, but passed through on the way to Dover. This was for even more fabulously rich people to go to France, apparently the carriages went on the boat and you woke up in Paris the next day. Dad said that the French called the Train 'Le fleche d'or' because that was the French for Golden Arrow.

I thought that was ever so clever. It did have two arrows on the front of the engine, I thought one must be English and the other French. We were taken to see it come through Folkestone one evening. We hung around on a deserted station, then there was a roar, a very large and noisy thing shot through the station, and my little brother wet himself! After that we went back to Mrs Goodall's.

On the beach there was Punch and Judy to watch (though the harbour and railway were more interesting). You could also get beach trays, this was a pot of tea and cups, on a tray, and you got money back when you returned the tray. When we had been on the beach long enough we walked up along a path with steps to the Martello tower.

Usually when we went there they had a cross channel swim, we used to see people who had swum from France coming ashore, they apparently used to swim to the inner harbour, but often got stung by jelly fish. Apparently one man tried to swim on his own, and got lost, there were people out looking for him, but they never found him. It was his own fault really, because he had been told not to. Another time there was a mine washed up on the beach, and no one was allowed on the beach it exploded. There was another mine one by the harbour it was like a big red egg, with a notice, you could put pennies in it. It had a lot of levers to press in, we put in a penny and tried to press the levers, but we couldn't make it explode, so I didn't think that was very good.

Not far from Folkestone was Dymchurch which had a sign saying 'Children's Paradise'. I suppose this was because they had a sort of fairground for children, but Dymchurch wasn't really as good as Folkestone. However, further on was the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, which was only a little one, and the smoke got in your eyes. Some trains had proper carriages, others were trucks with wire netting.

August 17th 2005

12:52:22 AM

What is your name?Christine

Where are you from?Winnipeg

Please enter your comments?I just love reading other people's memories of Folkestone, it brings back so many for me too.

Ann: Do check back when the revamped Folkestone pages are up - hopefully in a couple of weeks - because I have a great photo of The Ark Cafe. In fact, I have so many photos going up, it will probably take about a week to go through the whole site!

August 17th 2005

12:47:31 AM

What is your name?Ann Manners

Where are you from?Somerset, UK

Please enter your comments?I spent about eight annual summer holidays in Folkestone and have such fond memories of the place. We used to stay somewhere up near the viaduct, I recall, but would walk down to the Rotunda with my parents in the evenings to play "Housey Housey" not Bingo as it is called now. This was during the 1950's.

I also recall The Ark by the harbour, which was a cafe frequented by the fishermen. And how arch No. 16 on the beach had steps up to the promenade, and arch 32 and so on! My favourite place was The Warren. We used to play Housey-Housey at the Rotunda. I won quite a few things too, most of them toys - actually I still have some small drinking glasses which have been passed on to me by my parents. What a shame that the Rotunda is no longer there - the end of an era.

I do recall Tontine Street - there was an outdoor clothing shop on the right hand side on the way up from the harbour and I think they also sold fishing tackle. My parents bought a few basic bits and pieces for me and I managed to catch two fish in the pond in Radnor park. And the rock shop at the top of the old High Street - I stood there for ages watching in fascination as they rolled out the rock. I also absolutely adored Kingsnorth Gardens and I too loved the goldfish. I'm pleased to hear that they are still there.

About ten years ago, when I still lived in Sussex (I now live in Somerset) I took my husband to Folkestone for the day on a nostalgia trip and he was amazed that I remembered so much stuff about it. The numbers over the top of the arches have worn away now, and the sand has swept in so that it is difficult to stand up inside them but the steps are still there of course. At the right hand end of that concrete promenade there was a zig-zag path up to the top of the cliff and I loved that.

One year in the 50's there was a plague of jellyfish and we were watching from the top of the cliffs when someone rather stupidly was throwing a toy into the sea for their dog. Inevitably it got hold of a jellyfish and I can still hear it yelping now as they pulled the dog out of the water. I still wonder what happened to it. Another year there was a swarm of May bugs - big bumbling flying insects though perfectly harmless. You would see people in the distance all over the cliffs waving their arms about dementedly as they swatted them away. Good to see that the East Cliff Pavilion is still there - we used to go there for a cup of tea if we were walking to The Warren.

Down on the Warren we once found a small clearing where someone had been camping and there was a discarded cornflake packet. I knew as I began to lift it that there was something underneath, but I still yelled, "It's an alligator, a crocodile" though it was actually a slow worm! I was quite little at the time. There was also a ruined cottage with the remnants of an overgrown garden. We collected some beautiful poppies and took them back to where we were staying where they gave everyone a headache and sent us all to sleep - they were opium poppies! I didn't like the trains suddenly emerging from the tunnel at The Warren - that could be quite scary when you were small. But I do recall the fact that there had to be two engines (a double-header) to pull the boat train up the incline from the harbour.

One year we hired a pushchair for me which had a squeaky wheel and someone we had never even seen before invited us to go to their house, just a short distance away, where he put some oil on the wheel. His daughter gave me a gooseberry which was the first I had seen, and showed me how to squeeze the pips out, saying, "Here's the house, here's the steeple, open the door and out come all the people." Isn't it odd what you remember. You are unlikely to find that sort of kindness now

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July 11th 2005

09:56:19 PM

What is your name?David Jennings

Where are you from?Emmen. The Netherlands

Please enter your comments?Great website with photos that brought back fond memories of Folkestone where I was born and bred. My primary school was Harcourt from 1944 - 1949 and then on to Harvey Grammar until 1955.

Moved to Holland in 1963. I feel that Folkestone has gone seriously downhill during the last decades, especially the seafront where the Rotunda used to be. It is barely recognisable! Guildhall street, Rendezvous and Tontine street are some more prime examples of decay and neglect!

Fortunately we still have the photos to remind us of what we have lost. Keep up the good work!

July 4th 2005

11:04:39 PM

What is your name?Chris Hodgson

Where are you from?Exminster, Devon

Please enter your comments?Loved your Folkestone pics. How did you collect so many? I'm originally from Dover, first worked in Folkestone at the Clifton Hotel in 1969 (school holiday job) then proper jobs from 1970 to 1978, first for Seeboard and then Welfare Life who occupied the skyscraper on the Leas above the water lift. Also had many happy evenings watching rock groups in the Leas Cliff Hall in the 70's. Relocated to Exeter with Welfare Life along with about 400 others in 1978. Found your site via my friend Graham Burchell's - the Panto I persuaded him to write and direct is the subject of his latest book.

May 18th 2005

10:52:33 PM

What is your name?kai Herbert

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?I just wanted to say, the picture showing the zig-zag path going up from the warren holt does not, as is stated lead to the Tea Chalet, but to Capel Street. The Tea Chalet is farther along the cliff towards Dover.

Anyway great site. Thanks

May 18th 2005

10:51:39 PM

What is your name?kai Herbert

Where are you from?Folkestone

Anyway graet site. Thanks

May 13th 2005

08:33:25 PM

What is your name?MICHAEL JAGO

Where are you from?MY WIFE AND I WERE BORN IN SANDGATE

Please enter your comments?ALSO A COLLECTOR OF FOLKESTONE AND SANDGATE STUFF.GOOD TO SEE ENSIGN CAFE PHOTOS WIFE'S SISTER WORKED THERE IN THE FIFTIES,OTHER SISTER WORKED AT THE COPPER KETTLE [OLD HIGH ST]YOUR COMPETITION. GREAT SITE

April 13th 2005

09:57:01 PM

What is your name?Graham Burchell (author)

Where are you from?Canterbury U.K. originally. Now Houston, U.S.A

Please enter your comments?Well as another Kentish export to North America, I just had to sign this guest book. It's a splendid piece of webbery that you have set up here. Good luck!

April 12th 2005

03:49:09 AM

What is your name?nigel lawes

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?live in folkestone good to see it how it use to be born in 1957 and still here

April 8th 2005

12:08:53 PM[ Private Message ]

What is your name?Shirley Stone

Where are you from?Ontario, Canada

Please enter your comments?Great website! Do you happen to have photos or information about the ships that took troops across to France during WWI? Interested in any shipping records for ships leaving Folkestone around the end of June 1917 - perhaps the ship may have been The Queen?

March 30th 2005

10:34:53 PM

What is your name?grahame mason

Where are you from?folkestone

Please enter your comments?Its nice to see so many old pictures of Folkestone,I also have a large collection of old Folkestone postcards. At the moment I am looking for old photos of the exhibition held near the harbour in the grounds of the old Burlington hotel in the early 1970s before the motel Burstin was built there. They displayed the apollo 11 space capsul and Chitty Chitty Bang Bag from the movie. Especially after photos of either of those.

Check out my own web site about Folkestone.

Keep up the good work.

March 19th 2005

02:29:03 PM

What is your name?Sandy Johnson

Where are you from?Southampton

Please enter your comments?Was really fascinated by the photos of folkestone, I remember it vividly as a child.

I was wondering if anyone out there remembered Ronald Johnson (my dad) who lived at 48 Dallas Brett Crescent, but was born in Darlington Street. I am trying to do my family tree and any information would be great. His dads name was Charles and his mums name was May. The date would be around 1927.

Thank you for a great site.

March 5th 2005

09:17:27 PM

What is your name?Steve

Where are you from?Brighton, Sussex

Please enter your comments?Great website was on there for ages.. I was wondering if you could tell me what a certain building in Folkestone was used for? its 70-72 and it's on the main road just before you come to the pedestrinised bit of the town centre I think its the end of Sandgate road, its on the right hand side and is a plain Art Deco building from the outside with a tower stairwell with a long glass window running the length of it.

its now a 'Pound stop ' shop , but inside it has the most fantastic stairwell I have seen , it looks like it would have been some sort of dance hall or resturant in its hey day?

I really hope you can help me in my request.

Many Thanks Steve, in Brighton.. sussex.

March 3rd 2005

12:17:15 AM

What is your name?Mike Vernol

Where are you from?South London

Please enter your comments?Born and bred in Folkestone. Left when I was l5yrs for employment.(a long time ago!) Attended Stella Maris primary and Hillside secondary Schools. Visit town fairly regularly particularly the Warren area. Like your presentation re Folkestone have got most of the post cards displayed as I am a collector of things to do with the town.

February 24th 2005

09:04:03 AM

What is your name?Steve Walker

Where are you from?Outskirts of Bedford, England

Please enter your comments?Good to see you keeping Folkestone memories alive. I lived there from 1948-1958 and attended St Marys Primary School & Harvey Grammar. You have shown a couple of postcards with our old house in Marine Parade, which is nice. Spent some time in Folkestone last week and was delighted to see that Marine Crescent is being refurbished as are some of the buildings in Marine Parade. Tontine St desolate but has now been made a conservation area and being bought up with a view to renovation. Paid a visit to Alan Taylor for that information. His latest book is recommended, particularly as it has a photo of my grandfather and his shop. Keep the website going, it is now on my favourites list. If you have any contact from my old mate, Andy Arghyrou, whose dad ran Georges Restaurant on Tontine St, please ask him to get in touch.

February 22nd 2005

07:11:53 PM

What is your name?Jean

Where are you from?Folkestone

Please enter your comments?Hi,looking for old photo's of Eversley College,Coolinge Road,near Sandgate Folkestone.