The Quayside c1965, Folkestone
The Quayside c1965, Folkestone Ref: F35152a
Memories of The Quayside c1965, Folkestone
Sunny Sands Cafe 1965 -1980?
Mum in law worked at Sunny Sands Cafe, which is further down on this photo and to the left, now flats have been built there.
When I first met my husband we used to go there and meet his mother, and when I had children we all used to go and wait for her on the sands just below the Cafe.
It is so sad to see flats there now, but the memories remain.
I Think This is me And my Dog
I think this is a photo of me (note groovy sunglasses) walking my dog Zoe. I used to walk her along by the sea from Folkestone through Sandgate to Seabrook (in high heels!). I think it was about 1962-64 and I remember the coat, which was Kingfisher Blue.
Folkestone & local memories
Read and share memories of Folkestone and Kent inspired by Frith photos.
Hawkinge, my Birthplace
I was born at Corner House, at the bottom of Aerodrome Rd, Hawkinge on 31st August 1936. My parents were the local newsagents in Canterbury Rd, backing onto the famous airfield. I have vivid childhood memories of the war years and especially the Battle of Britain, the year I was 4. The photographs and nostalgic comments from your contributors 'ring bells' for me; as a teenager I often travelled by cycle in the summer months via Caesar's Camp hill to Harvey Grammar School, Cheriton Rd, Folkestone so I remember Holy Well area and the countryside fringing Folkestone where the Channel Tunnel Terminal is now, very well ! I sometimes cycled delivering newspapers during the summer holidays in the area 'behind' the airfield....Gibralter, Arpinge and so on, so the views from the top of the Down over Folkestone with the Channel and France beyond (on a clear day!!!) and over towards Romney Marsh in the other direction are still a vivid memory. My wife and I now live in Alston... Read more
Children's Roundabout on The East Beach at Folkestone
Does anyone remember the simple children's roundabout on the east beach? I had a holiday there in 1947 and I was so fascinated by the roundabout that I wandered off the beach hoping someone would pay for a ride for me. When my Mum found me I was giving a sharp slap for going missing!
Martha West
I am the most sorriest person ....as I don't have a memory of this amazing place...but my 3 x great-grandmother died in this street and was found by her grand daughter Susannah Swain (nee West). What did it look like then...I wish I had been there...
Memories of my Childhood And The High Street
I was born in Folkestone in July 1950, now living in New York since 1978. I remember as a child my mum or my aunt would take me down the high street, rarely up for obvious reasons, and stop at Andy Amos or Jimmy Rowlands for sweets. I remember the rock and the aniseed twist, toffee apples, the smell was heaven and sometimes watched to see how rock was made.
During my teen years, I used to hang out at the Acropolis, the "in" coffee bar at the time which used to have a reputation for drugs, not that I ever saw anything like that. My father forbid me to go there but this being the 60s, defiance was everything. I visited the hight street back in 2001, my last visit to Folkestone. I have to say the town has changed quite a lot, not for the best I'm sorry to say. It was a lot better when I was growing up. ... Read more
Those Were The Days!
I was at secretarial college in Folkestone in the mid sixties and "The Old High Street" was my stamping ground, along with "Tofts". I remember Archie and Andy who owned the Acropolis at the top on the left and of course Mick who owned "Micks" or "El Torero" at the bottom on the right. Names which come to mind are, in no particular order :) Bruno and Harry B, Geoff C, Micky O and many others ... my word : a lot of water under a lot of bridges since then.
The Acropolis
I remember the Acropolis too, and I dated Noel Redding for a short while, when I was at school, in the year above his sister Vicky. Mostly, we used the Caprice coffee bar, opposite Folkestone Library in Grace Hill, almost next door to Tofts dance hall, and opposite the Hillside club and the Empress Ballroom - where Noel used to play with his first band, the Lonely Ones
Folkestone Sandgate Road
On the extreme right, you can just make out the showrooms of the Folkestone Motor Co., main Austin dealers. This became Henlys, and I worked there for a few years from around 1968 to 1977.
Across the road was a nice tearooms - think it was called the Frogmore, and a smart Italian restaurant, called the Portofino.
Next door to the car showrooms was a smashing bakery, and every morning, when the bread rolls were hot out of the oven, the baker would load some with cheese (which of course, promptly melted) and we would have these for breakfast.
The local traffic warden was a very nice lady called Ruby, who unintentionally got me into trouble! (but that's another story all together!)
Raymond Martin - Nice Memories of Kingsnoth Gardens Past & Present
Kingsnorth Gardens has given the people of Folkestone and visitors great pleasure over the years and to this day still attracts people who want to relax on a summers day and enjoy the Gardens. In 1966 I was an apprentice electrician and was involved in installing lighting so that the gardens could be enjoyed in the shorter days of the winter months. In more recent times there seems to be a lack of respect by younger members of the community who want to vandlise and throw their beer cans around the gardens, however Kingnorth Gardens still remain a pleasant place to spend a relaxing hour or so reading a book and enjoying the well kept gardens.
Going in Your Shop. (David Pepin)
I am writing on behalf of my 85 year old mum, Dorothy Clark, nee Gamble, who used to go in your shop! My mum was born in Alma Road, Shorn Cliff and moved to Folkstone High Street at around 3-4 years old, then back to Dunnett Road, Cheriton where she went to All Souls School, then to More Hall School. From there she moved to Hawkinge at around 14-15 years. She lived in Aerodrome Road - 'Dialdo' was the name of the bungalow. Her parents, Jack and Cis Gamble, got their paper every day from your family's shop. She joined the local Fire Brigade and was in the Fire Service during the war, eventually leaving to get married in 1962.
Your memories on this page brought so many memories back to my mum and I said she should put something on here as someone may remember her. She has some photos of Aerodrome Road. By the way, I remember going into your family's shop for sweets as a little girl.... Read more
Old High Street Summer of 1966
The old High Street was a hive of activity especially in the summer months, I remember the Acropolis coffee bar which was run by a Greek family including Archie Aggro who was a very tough character and stood no nonsence. The coffee and salami baguettes were the best in the town and Noel Reading, bass guitarist with The Hendrix Experience would vist the Acropolis when he was in town.
Myself and friends would spend the long summer days sitting on the wall at the bottom of the old High Street playing reggae and ska records on our battery-powered 45rpm record player, yes the old High Street was certainly special then, however in 2009 I don't think it is quite the same place. Oh well, time rolls by and I guess things have to change, wish I could turn back the clock and experience those times again.
And yes, there was much celebration in the old High Street when England won the World Cup in 1966, what a shame... Read more
The Dreaded Climb up The Hill
When I was a lad, my mum would take me shopping in Folkestone's town centre. Probably to Sainsbury's in Sandgate Road, Timothy Whites, etc. Being that we lived Wood Avenue area, we would walk down Dover Road & into Tram Road, eventually arriving at what is now the car park at the bottom of Tram Road. We'd spend time watching some guy selling stuff from the back of a lorry. That could be boring, to say the least; but worse was to come. We then had to negotiate the climb up the Old High St. How I dreaded that long walk up that hill. Looking back, I don't suppose my mother relished it that much, either, just something that had to be done; unfortunate that I had to go as well. Nothing very exciting, I'm afraid, just something that has always stuck in my mind. Coming on a few years, to when I was a teenager, I remember the Acropolis, they were by the steps that led up to The Bayle.... Read more
My Job at Silver Springs.
This I remember so well when Silver Spring's was in Foord Road and only a small company. I worked there as a clerk from 1957 to 1960. George (now my husband) used to come by on his bike on his way to work at the Gas Company and we used to have a chat, it was something I looked forward to. I married in 1959 and only stayed there for a short time afterwards but it holds a lot of memories for me seeing as it was my first job after leaving school. I can remember when I had my appendix out and had to have six weeks off work, it was the summer season and they were very busy. There were only two of us in the office which meant my friend would not be able to cope on her own, so my boss came to ask if he could bring the work to my mother's house early morning and pick it up in the afternoon. It worked out... Read more
Full of Soul
I was in a band at this time - The Lonely Ones. The High Street remains a strong memory - in particular The Acropolis (Bruno) - we did gigs there - upstairs, on a Saturday night. I also remember the El Torero - further down - Mick was the owner - he had a brother who opened a place in Tontine Street and later a 'club' over the road. In fact, my memories go back a bit further with this place. I also recollect the smell of onions cooking at the bottom of the High Street - you got a sausage with them in a bun, but the onions are the strongest memory. Further back in memory is the pinball place right at the bottom - the machines took three penny pieces - remember the brassy looking ones with many sides. My brother spent hours in there on Friday - pay day! It was the hub of a young person's life. Up the High Street were the shops. At the... Read more
Message on Clock Tower
Message on clock reads, "Trifle not, thy time is short"
The Buildings
This is actually a photo of the Garden Hotel, which stood in Sandgate Road.
It was empty from about 2000, had a fire in about 2005 and was demolished soon after. But it was quite prestigious in its day: such as the 1960s, when this photo is said to have been taken.
Visiting my Grandfather's Shop.
Although this photo pre dates my first memories of the High Street by about ten years, I still remember visiting my grandad's confectioners shop on the right side a little further up. Ever the businessman, he would encourage myself and my older brother to choose what we wanted from the stock and then give my dad the bill. I never did find out if my dad actually paid or not! The shop itself changed some years later to an antique dealers owned by my uncle but passed out of the family some time in the late 1970s when my uncle moved to new premises in Sandgate.
Breaking Through The Channel Tunnel
I cannot remember the date, but my husband's cousin was the first man to break through to France when building the channel tunnel.
My husband's family have lived and worked in Folkestone all their lives and were connected to a large trawler fleet. One of his ancestors has a plaque in one of the churches as a memorial to him.
Dad in Law Loved This Place
All my father in law spoke about was his love for Folkestone harbour. He worked for Sea Link almost up until it closed down, both he and my husband spent time docking and loading the ferries that came and went from the harbour. In the 60s, 70s and 80s Folkestone harbour was the busiest place, but the advent of the channel tunnel changed all of that, and now Folkestone is not the place it once was. Sadly my father in law died soon after the harbour closed.
The Holy Well
In 1977 I was ten years old and the "holy well" as it was known to me was a playground, an escape and a place to watch life in Folkestone happen before my eyes. The channel tunnel consigned all this to memory. I would walk from my house in Cheriton during the long summer break from school.
The Year I Left For Australia.
So much has changed here, it was Newington farmland. I know it is good to get across to France but it has spoilt the countryside.
The Beginning of my Career
Having found my vocation overseas I obtained a post as a student Environmental Health Officer in The Civic Centre in Folkestone. I was living in a flat in Connaught Road and soon met another student who I later married. We studied at the South East London Technical College at Lower Sydenham, I qualified in 1974 and Gabrielle a year later.
We married at Mapledurham near Reading and then bought a house in Somerset Road, Cheriton, where we had several happy years and our first two sons.
I commuted to Canterbury where I had obtained my first real job, specialising in grants for bathrooms, etc. in domestic properties.
I used to have regular drinks with a friend, Alan Houps, in the Red Lion, especially attractive as it was a regular pub for Anglo Continental students, many blonde female Swedes!
We eventually left Folkestone for Ipswich.
During my time as a student there was an abortive start to a Chunnel. Our Assistant Chief Environmental... Read more
When I Went There
That year when I was only 3 years old I went on holiday there for 2 weeks and they had a carnival. I still have it all on a video somewhere.
