1900

Herald praises theatre plan for winter gardens.

>4 ACONTROVERSY was still raging over X^JUUproposals for a Folkestone electric tramway service and pressure had been bought to bear to include Sandgate Road in the scheme to make it viable, despite objections from property owners who feared the traffic passing their homes would hit the value of the houses. The editor defended the old Leas Cliff Shelter which some had described as a “glorified cellar" saying it was never intended as a concert hall, but simply a shelter, although the occasional band had played there. In the absence of anything else it had been a much valued amenity. He welcomed plans for a winter garden by the Pleasure Gardens Theatre. New Headmaster at Harvey Grammar School was the Revd J.W. Davisson MA of University College, Oxford, a keen footballer and sportsman. The Herald published a photograph it had taken outside the Mayor’s tent showing the mayor and his guests posing in all their finery during a cricket festival. The photograph was in marked contrast to the devastation which soon afterwards hit the event, several marquees being blown down. But there was some entertaining cricket during the three days.

1925

Blue Eyed Maid trawler lost in shock blaze at the port.

x| QOC SOUTHERN Railway steamer Maid of Orleans, landing a modest 300 passengers, made history in July. It went “live” on BBC radio, listeners hearing the sound of passengers talking, the ship’s siren sounding, and the usual sounds of a ferry berthing: at the port, while the broadcast, which included some stage-managed incidents using actors, ended with the sound of the steam locomotive hauling a boat train out of the harbour station and much blowing of whistles! Crew of Folkestone fishing boat The Blue Eyed Maid (FE 70) had a lucky escape. Their trawler, one of the biggest in the local fleet, caught fire off Sandgate. They managed to beach it and escape before It became a completely gutted wreck despite the efforts of firemen called by onlookers. Skipper was its owner William Cook, with brother Wilfred as engineer. The fire started after one engine failed, but the crew started up their second engine and raced back to beach the boat on the East Cliff sands. The sands were becoming quite popular because of the improved sewer outfall taking effluent further out to sea. And Felix was prompted to look back at how a great extension to the harbour pier had led to the build up of the golden sands at East Cliff covering what was once a very rock shore. Happily, the boat was insured.

1950

Channel swimmers wed at local register office.

i QCAROMNEY Marsh once again became OUthe backdrop for a film when cameras rolled in the Dungeness and Lydd area for the British picture drama “Man Detained" by Jeffrey Dell. Stars included William Hartnell and Natasha Parry. The Herald carried a portrait and lengthy details of the career of focal brewer Alfred Leney, of Saltwood, celebrating his 90th birthday. He ran the family-owned brewery, the Phoenix, in Castle Street, Dover until it became part of the Fremlins empire. First Channel swimmer to make successful swims in both directions Mr E.H. Temme was married at Folkestone Register Office to unsuccessful Dutch woman Whilemina Magdalena van Rysel, well known locally for her several bids to swim the Strait. Temme played a big part in organising the Daily Mail Channel Swim race. Kent bowler Doug Wright was congratulated on winning a place in the MCC side going to Australia, when Folkestone CC met a Kent XI on their home ground in a benefit match for him. Sadly Doug couldn't bowl more than three overs due to lumbago! There was a record entry of 76 planes for a Daily Express: air race from Bournemouth to Herne Bay, taking in Dungeness, Folkestone, Dover, South Foreland windmill, St Margaret's, Hope Point Farm and Deal Pier.

1975

Lucky escape for little boy in shock fall from a train.

Q"7 r ROMNEY, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway I 9 seemed to be suffering from a jinx. At St Mary's Bay, a four year old boy, sitting on his mother’s lap, fell from an open carriage and plunged .nearly 18ft down an embankment. A workman pulled the young visitor to safety as he was about to fall into a dyke. And, near New Romney Station, the 5-ton engine Northern Chief was de-railled. The cause was a large stone wedged under a points lever. No one was hurt but the locomotive blocked both tracks until a large crane arrived to lift it back onto the rails. In another drama on the line, four years earlier, a train was derailed approaching Hythe terminus by large concrete blocks put on the line by vandals. As heatwave temperatures soared in Shepway and Dover water consumption for the week rose to a record 11 million gallons, 12% higher than anything previously experienced. The following week it was 10 million. Hythe celebrated the 400th anniversary of its being granted a charter by Queen Elizabeth I, with a colourful pageant along the bank of the Royal Military Canal and a bumper barbecues Herald owners FJ. Parsons Ltd announced the closure of commercial: printing works at the Bayle, making redundant 32 workers whose service spanned many years. But the firm said it would re-train about 40 skilled compositors and stereotypers to work on Herald and midweek Gazette pages.