The Francis Frith Collection.
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Iden Green

Iden Green maps (2 available)

Old map of Iden Green

Iden Green books (12 available)

Iden Green memories

Visiting my parents in Iden Green

I have very fond memories of visiting my parents, Margaret & Percy Thorburn who owned Coveney Cottage from 1961 until 1980.

We used to come down from London on the National Coach to Benenden and then a Fuggles Garage car/taxi would take us down to Iden Green. Alternatively we would meet my parents in the pub (name temporarily forgotten) and have a drink before driving back to their cottage.

I remember the village when it had its own public house and village shop, and lots of the older residents, Fred & Lily of Lilac Cottage, Mrs Daw from the other half of Coveney Cottage, Joan Witterkoff of Seerose Cottage, to name but a few.

My parents are ...read more here
Contributed by Anne Kennedy

Kent memories

Visiting my parents in Iden Green

I have very fond memories of visiting my parents, Margaret & Percy Thorburn who owned Coveney Cottage from 1961 until 1980.

We used to come down from London on the National Coach to Benenden and then a Fuggles Garage car/taxi would take us down to Iden Green. Alternatively we would meet my parents in the pub (name temporarily forgotten) and have a drink before driving back to their cottage.

I remember the village when it had its own public house and village shop, and lots of the older residents, Fred & Lily of Lilac Cottage, Mrs Daw from the other half of Coveney Cottage, Joan Witterkoff of Seerose Cottage, to name but a few.

My parents are ...read more here
A memory of Iden Green contributed by Anne Kennedy

MY BEAUTIFUL KENTISH BIRTHPLACE

I was born in East House, Tenterden Road, Rolvenden on 2nd November 1938.  My dad was about to join the RAF and I was born in my grandparents' home. There were large cellars below the house - very scarey.  East House and West House are joined in the centre by a 'shop' which was the Post Office and telephone exchange in the 1920/30s.  My mother, Molly Allsop, was one of the operators of the switchboard in the switch room.  Few people had telephones.   My grandfather, Joe Allsop JP, was the village postmaster and the mail, telegrams and telephones were all run from that property.  In the 1930s the Post Office was moved over the road to a small old double fronted ...read more here
A memory of Rolvenden contributed by Jill Howell

Hawkhurst today

It's funny you should mention the Woods Butchers, I'm living in Hawkhurst now and am only 19 but I'm friends with the daughter who owns Wood Butchers, Emily Wood. I do enjoy living in Hawkhurst, it is interesting to look at the old pictures and see what it used to look like, probably a lot nicer in my opinion. I'm not a fan of the new appliances shop on the corner where there used to be a Circle-C which then changed into an Alldays which then closed down when the Budgens opened. I did enjoy the sweets shop when I was younger though, it's a shame that closed down.
A memory of Hawkhurst contributed by Helen Cripps

Extracts From Iden Green & Kent books

Pegwell, High Street 1907

On the right is the old Belle Vue Tavern dating back to the 1760s, which was an earlier haunt for smugglers. In 1831, the landlord Mr John Cramp received a visit from the Duchess of Kent and her daughter Princess Victoria; they dined on potted shrimp paste. Later, Mr Cramp received the Royal Appointment of Purveyor of Essence of Shrimps in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen. On the left are the Floral Tea Gardens followed by the Pear Tree Inn, later Samuel Banger’s potted shrimp paste factory. His small paste pots had highly decorated lids depicting scenes of Pegwell; today they are valuable antiques.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".

Ramsgate, Spencer Square 1890

Work on building this elegant square started in 1802 after James Townley bought the ground. The buildings on the left were officers’ quarters during the Napoleonic Wars. The square was a large parade ground, and nearby Addington Street was a military camp. Frith’s photographer was standing outside No 6 Royal Road, where Vincent Van Gogh had stayed.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".

Here we see three of eight classical-style statues holding lanterns which stood at the junction of the High Street and George Street outside Sangers Amphitheatre and Hotel between 1911 and 1913. Six statues were removed and erected outside the Hall by the sea in Margate; the other two remained until 1939. There was controversy surrounding these figures: in 1908, Alderman Gwyn called them ‘an eyesore and a disfigurement’. Lord George Sanger had seen the originals of the statues in Paris outside the Grand Opera House in 1883, and had eight replicas cast, paying £50 per figure for the transport and erection of these statues. Opposite is Lloyds Bank, which moved to new premises in 1928, renting the building to the NatWest Bank. The piano sign next door denotes Golden & Wind’s premises.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".

Here we have a tranquil view at low water of the inner basin. On the extreme right is the Clock House. To its left in Smeaton’s dry dock is a sailing vessel being repaired. The fishing smacks in the foreground have RE numbers, denoting that they are registered in Ramsgate; later the E was dropped and only the letter R used.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".

Minster-In-Thanet, Abbey 1894

The abbey stands on the site of a Saxon nunnery set up by Domneva, and run by St Augustine’s monks from Canterbury; it was destroyed in the ninth century by the invading Danes. Rebuilding started in the 11th century. The year 1538 saw the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII, and the land reverted to the Crown. Later, ownership of the grounds went to the Conyngham family and various tenant farmers until 1937, when a community of German Benedictine nuns bought the monastery and 10 acres of land.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".