1899

Town seaman killed in Mabel Grace collision.

ONE crewman was crushed to death and another badly Injured when the Mabel Grace, largest and fastest of ferries operating out of Folkestone was involved In collision with the 998ton steamer Lisa five miles off Folkestone, while returning from Boulogne. There was a large hole in the side of the steamer and the bows of the Mabel Grace badly damaged, setting fire to the forecastle. The dead man was Tom Ford, 37, who left a wife and four children in Belle Vue St and the other Joseph Gains, 26 who had both thighs fractured. The Lisa crew were forced to abandon ship. A ‘Well wisher of Fashionable Folkestone' questioned why the town was not building any flats ‘like Brighton and other seaside places’ saying that if built near somewhere like the Metropole they would soon be let. The Folkestone Express editor was convinced only local tramways which were connected to adjoining towns had any chance of being successful. But he feared the townspeople were going to be tricked out of such a service by opponents to the scheme for which a parliamentary Bill was sought. A firm of London dentists announced that it was to give away free every year 100 sets of false teeth to poor people and invited local clergymen, doctors etc to submit the names of ‘candidates.’

1924

Fascists gather strength in Folkestone and Hythe.

THE Fascist movement was reported to be flourishing in Folkestone and Hythe district under the leadership of its Commandant, Colonel Swinhoe-Phelan, and claimed a growth in members of 100 a week. In early December a public meeting was called to explain its alms of supporting the monarchy and the constitution of the Great Britain and the British Empire, and fighting ‘‘revolutionary" movements seeking the downfall of these institutions. Among speakers was the founder of the movement, Miss Lintorn-Orman and General R.O. Blakeney CB, DSO. The former urged strongly that people should not buy German goods; particularly if British ones were available and the General stressed how great the threat of communism was. The Council considered a proposal the borough should contribute a share towards the diversion part of the scheme (in effect a new Inland road away from the cliff edge) to improve the main road to Dover after the Ministry of Transport agreed to contribute half, £21,476, the KCC 25%, and Dover Council 12.5%. It was suggested Folkestone should find the other 12.5%. The plan was to widen the road between the Royal Oak and Dover and to re-route the main road through Cape! and widen the Road between the Royal Oak and Valiant Sailor. It was agreed, if some of the jobless were employed.

1949

VIPs join in as cricket club celebrates great season.

TRIBUTE was paid at Folkestone Cricket Club’s dinner to all that Kent county cricketers Les Ames and Brian Valentine had done for Folkestone cricket and It was suggested their portraits should be hung in the pavilion on the Cheriton Road sports ground. The Cricket Club was still on a high after one of its best ever seasons and held a dinner to celebrate. Guest of honour was former Kent skipper Brian Valentine who praised the local club. Also there was Les Ames, on the way to his 100th century it was hoped he would knock at Folkestone v Leicestershire In July. Anglers at East Cliff were complaining of catches being stolen as they fished, not by their fellow men, but the rats which flourished among the rocks of the seashore. A photographer working for the midweek Gazette produced a brilliant photographic montage across centre pages featuring long-serving members of Folkestone’s East Kent bus company staff, their periods of service ranging from 36 years, driver A Philpott, 34 years, drivers H Cole and H Champion, and 31 years, conductor Miss Lucy Chittenden, to five who had been with the company since 1920 and one since 1923. Folkestone was beginning to feel the effect of the run down of hotels and guest houses due to the recent war and it was on the cards that the annual hockey festival would have to be switched to Hythe because there was no hotel able to accommodate 400 guests.

1974

Controversy as ‘City’ sets sights on land for homes.

THERE were fears that London boroughs short of building land for homes had their beady eyes on land and property in Shepway and other parts of East Kent. At a meeting of Kent MPs and county councillors It was suggested the Greater London Council, negotiating agents for London boroughs, was forcing up prices of land by competing with district councils for property. Hythe and Folkestone MP Albert Costain said East Kent had its own problems and he said they sought assurances from the GLC that it would not buy up any more land without consulting the KCC. The meeting decided to press the GLC for this. 34 years on, a local inquest was held on the body of a young Luftwaffe fighter pilot which had just been recovered from where he crashed in 1940 on an Ivychurch farm. Folkestone and Ashford coroner John Clarke recalled that he had been called on to hold inquests on two other wartime pilots, a German and one of our RAF filers who was a South African. The body of the young German, Richard Riedel, was found by a Brenzett Aeronautical Museum team recovering plane wreckage from a depth of more than 20ft below ground at Melon Farm, Ivychurch. He was later buried in the German cemetery at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. The District Council's spending plans for the coming year had yet to be approved but nearly £4 million was already due to be spent on housing, including building over 300 homes.