1900

Earl Radnor death shock while son ill in Boer War.

NEWS of the death of the Earl of Radnor, William Pleydell Bouverle, born in 1841, came as quite a shock to many local people. He had recently given evidence against the local Tramway Company’s Bill In the House of Lords and was known to have since been ‘Indisposed’ but the illness suddenly took a turn (or the worst and he died. Memorial services and tributes were paid to the earl at several local services, but the funeral was at Salisbury. The Folkestone Express said his genial presence would be greatly missed everywhere. And there was widespread concern for Is heir, Viscount Folkestone, 31, then serving in the Boer War, who was reported to be dangerously III in Bloemfontein. Meanwhile Lord Roberts' army entered Johannesburg and five days later Pretoria, and Boer president Kruger fled. Sadly, however, that wasn’t the end of the story for bitter guerilla warfare was to drag on... and on - until the spring of 1902. The Photography magazine published a picture of HMS Viper, said to be the fastest in the world at 35.5 knots, equivalent to 41 mph. Motoring had still to make a big impact and in local papers car news often appeared under Cycling.

1925

Talks go on about a more reliable bus time table.

THE HERALD carried an advertisement for Baptist Pastor Dr J.C. Carllle’s book about the First World War, Folkestone During the War, published by the Herald at Its former Bayle works and said to be almost sold out. Talks were still going or. between the council and local bus companies about a better run timetable of services and regulations. A Hythe councillor was negotiating a common timetable and agreement of the majority of operators was expected to cover the 1,202 daily runs between Folkestone and Hythe. We Brits are a strange breed. We celebrate a number of ‘bank’ holidays but few give St George's Day a thought. In the past it was a different matter with peace ‘treat’ street tea parties after world wars, Empire Day and the like. And, 75 years ago the Herald celebrated a bit too, but producing the unexpected splash of no few than 11 photographs showing how the district celebrated Empire Day. whereas normally there was only the odd picture, perhaps an actor/actress appearing In a local show, or a portrait of some worthy who had died. Competing against 18 Kent fire brigades at Deal at Whitsun Folkestone entered five contests and notched three firsts and a second, their wins being for motor pump drill, squad drill and ambulance competition.

1950

Boer War veterans still in thoughts of readers.

MENTION was made recently about the return of wounded soldiers from the Boer War, who were driven to Beach Rocks Convalescent Home, Sandgate, after their return from South Africa a century ago this year. Shortly afterwards I came across a picture In the Herald’s former midweek Gazette of Percy Pay, 19 at the time, who drove one of the coaches used by the Folkestone, Cheriton & Shorncliffe Omnibus Co to take heroes of the relieved Ladysmith garrison to that home, later called the Bevan. It was a golden wedding picture of the veteran driver and his wife Elizabeth (nee Hills, from Capel.) Percy went to Horn Street School and was connected with local motoring for 40 years, 22 as a driver with the East Kent Road Car Co. But his connection with buses went back even further, having been a conductor on horse-buses from the age of 131 As a driver he recalled having to warn passengers to duck their heads while passing under Risborough Lane bridge! There was also a picture of the Ladysmith veterans travelling in a horse-drawn bus Percy drove from the old Sandgate Station. H.B. Green, of Risborough Lane, Cheriton, later revealed he took that photo, using a bulky camera on a tripod, after waiting hours to get the picture as the train was late!

1975

Gunner tells how battery lost out on Zeppelin cash'.

EX-GUNNER Fred Dunn, 84, of Folkestone told how Naval planes roared out over the sea 60 years before, in the First World War, to finish off a giant Zeppelin airship over the UK on a bombing raid. It was floundering in the sea off the coast. This was after his Dover gun battery on the cliffs had brought it down in the Channel. And he was understandably a bit miffed about the fact the local battery missed out on a £1,000 reward offered by the Dally Mail - just because the gas bag landed in the sea and not on the land! “We’d have been quids in if it had come down on the beach," Fred lamented sadly. Still, the tale probably earned him a pint or two In later years! Singing triplets in wedding harmony - read the headline over a front page picture story of long-legged lovelies Yvonne, Valerie and Cynthia Hiles, of Folkestone, who named the day, the day, the day ... in other words they planned a triple wedding, walking up the aisle of Folkestone's United Reformed Church in October 1975. The 26-year-old triplets were born in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Folkestone. There was a sad find for Folkestone salvage workers clearing the wreck of a 4,000 German freighter off the port In May, 1975 to make it safer for supertankers sailing through the Channel. The divers found wrecks of a minesweeper and also the German U-boat No. 55, sunk in 1918, which was thought to have the remains of Its crew still on board.