1900

Ten freehold homes sell in Denmark St for £3000.

EIGHT freehold cottages in Cherlton Street were sold by auction at the White Lion Inn, Cherlton, for £1,600 by Banks & Son. Another 10 freehold houses In Denmark Street were sold at the Queen's Hotel for £3,085.The Folkestone Express carried a report on a visit to a well designed tented camp hospital at Cape Town for 600 British war casualties which would have been comforting to relatives back In the UK. A committee due to organise celebrations to celebrate the expected end of the Boer War suspended work due to a new threat likely to embroil British troops - the Boxer Rebellion in China. Local papers recording world unrest involving British and other troops carried a daily diary of trouble both in South Africa and China. The health of Lord Radnor, serving in South Africa continued to Improve. London dailies including the Financial Times, carried glowing accounts of the Hotel Metropole and Folkestone attractions giving a big boost to local tourism,following a visit by London journalists. New rifle ranges under construction for several months at Holmstone Camp, Lydd, were opened by Mrs Parr, wife of the C.O. Major-General Hallam Parr.

1925

University students in ‘rag’ stunt dump big gun in sea.

MEMBERS of the Cambridge University O.T.C. who were training at Dibgate Camp excelled themselves with a ‘Rag’ stunt. About midnight on a Thursday they moved the heavy German field gun standing next to the 1st World War tank in the Grove at Hythe and dragged it down to the front. Here one wheel was removed as a ‘trophy’ and the gun dumped in the sea. Then they uprooted nearby shrubs and placed them on the tank and put up boards saying “This desirable residence for sale with immediate possession.” The wheel they took back to camp and put it outside the CO's quarters. The OTC perpetrated a similar dastardly deed the previous year when the same gun was removed to the camp. In both cases the gun was recovered and put back in place. It is sad to read of the old practice of picking bunches of rare wild flowers, like orchids as though they were trophies. Back in 1925 it was four Lizard orchids, said to be a rare sight in the area, that had been found by local people and were taken to the public library and newspaper offices. Motoring was still a luxury for the masses 75 years ago - hence paragraphs like one In local papers announcing a four-day motoring trip organised by Mr C. Older, of 17 St Hilda Road, from Folkestone to Bournemouth and Salisbury and back again.

1950

Patient sues surgeon after ‘apprentice’ did operation.

THIS action ought never to have been brought," said the Judge after a case in which a Folkestone surgeon was sued by a patient. Emanuel Stuart Michael, an antique dealer, of Sandgate Road, alleged an operation for a hernia was performed at the Royal Victoria Hospital by “an apprentice” and sued surgeon Mr H.W.L. Molesworth for ‘trespass.’ He said he had a financial agreement that Mr Molesworth would operate on him for a fee he believed was 25 guineas, but ultimately the house surgeon did the operation. Emanual Michael, who fought in the 1st World War and earned his commission in the field of battle, also served In the RAF In the Second World War. Of the house surgeon he said “I was shocked that an apprentice had practised his skill on me without my consent when I had engaged a craftsman.” Mr Molesworth said the house surgeon trained at Guys, had at least two years experience and was a very able young man. No fees were paid for operations in the Royal Victoria Hospital where there were at the time no private wards. The Judge said he believed Mr Molesworth was a man of honour. There was no breach of contract. Through a misunderstanding however, there was a technical trespass and he awarded a nominal sum of £1 damages!

1975

John Aspinall tells of bid to block his wild life park.

THE LATE John Aspinall was having trouble 25 years ago with Kent County Council of the Department of the Environment over planning consent for a wild life park at Port Lympne. He told the Herald he believed somebody was trying to block his plans for the park, complaining that although planning consent had been given by the district council the scheme had been "pigeon holed” and there had bean a nine month hold-up already. Shepway Council agreed to investigate. Angry and desperate residents were threatening to barricade themselves in at the Norfolk Hotel to force action by the authorities. This followed a court ruling that 37 residents, half of them children, were at risk staying on in the building, said to be a serious fire risk. They had no hot water and there was a threat to cut off the electricity supply. The situation was inflamed by cancellation of a meeting between the homeless and local councillors. They demanded either re-housing by the council or assistance with mortgages to buy their own homes. At the same time there was an 83% rise in the local jobless figures in the past year. Historic and narrow Old High Street was scheduled to become the town's second pedestrian precinct with a ban on traffic between 10am and 7pm approved by the town’s Works Committee. An appeal committee was formed In Lyminge to raise funds to save the historic St Ethelburga’s Well, said to have 3rd Century origins.