The Beginning Of My Career

A Memory of Folkestone.

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 Health Officer demanded we should all be armed with shotguns and mount a 24 hour a day guard on the tunnel entrance to kill any dogs, foxes etc, that might come out of it with rabies!!

I have made several visits to Folkestone over the past few years but some parts are so changed I didn't recognise them.

Now that I'm retired and no longer have a car visits in the next few years are unlikely, shame as it holds so many memories for me.

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