Published 31 July 2003

KEN PAINE has had an association with the Leas Cliff Hall for about 50 years. A retired hairdresser who once doubled as a drummer in the Ken Paine Trio, he played there and, with his wife June, a fellow local history enthusiast, has researched its history.

The couple, who live in Hythe, have organised conducted tours of the five-floor building - soon to be repeated - and their work led to a well illustrated booklet “The History of the Leas Cliff Hall and Leas Shelter, Folkestone," produced for Folkestone and District Local History Society.

To celebrate Ken’s 80th birthday they plan a special party in the Conference Suite at the refurbished centre and Ken has had the good news that “Sylvia,” a popular star singer with bands at the hall years ago, will be one of his special guests.

A Folkestonian born in September 1923, he went to St Mary’s School, Folkestone from September 1928 and one of his earliest memories is of his mother taking him to the Saturday Children’s Mornings at the Leas Cliff Hall. He recalls:

“Capt Holland, the Musical Director, was a very cheerful and friendly man and, as well as playing children’s music, he had us marching around the hall to break the monotony of sitting still.

“Unfortunately, he left the hall in 1928 and the new MD, Mr Eldridge Newman, was much more austere and serious.

“When I was 11, my parents gave in to my constant wish for a drum kit, and for two
years I had lessons from an ex-Army drummer. I practised every morning from 6-7am!

“On leaving school at 14 I formed a five-piece accordion band, and we played as relief band at many dance venues in the town. At this time I was serving my hairdressing apprenticeship in my parents’ salons.

“My father had the salon in the Grand Hotel and another in Sandgate Road. My mother owned Rosalie Salons, at Morehall and, with the aid of my bicycle, I worked between all three!

“By this time I could afford to approach the band leader at the Leas Cliff Hall, Jimmy Fawcett, to give me drumming lessons every Sunday morning. This cost 2s 6d (22.5p) a lesson - my entire week’s wage as apprentice hairdresser!”

E.N.S.A. concerts
In 1938 Ken was asked by Don Sesta to join his Gaucho Orchestra in Bobby’s (now Debenhams) Restaurant. The pianist was Leon and, when Don Sesta left the store, Leon formed his “Sweet Rhythm Orchestra” and invited him to remain, with three sessions a day.

Two afternoons were tea dances and Thursday evening was a dinner dance. The restaurant was much larger in those days, occupying half the first floor from the staircase to the rear wall, recalls Ken.

“When war came in 1939 many musicians were called up immediately and this gave opportunities to the younger players. I was fortunate to play in the Odeon Cinema
restaurant and then the Leas Cliff Hall.

“I next went to join the theatre orchestra in the Hippodrome, in Wigan. This was a unique experience for a 17-year-old who had never been north of London and I found the language extremely difficult.” Ken only stayed four months, leaving to join touring stage bands - “Troise and His Banjoliers,” followed by “Mexano Accordion Band.” During the year every artiste had to work at least six months with E.N.S.A. But the Mexano brothers decided to remain with E.N.S.A. for the duration.

“We travelled around the country playing Army and RAF camps, munition factories, camp sites and even the Pleasure Gardens Theatre, Folkestone,” says Ken.

After the war it was back to hairdressing, with a little music semi-professionally and a stint as ‘floor manager’ at the Leas Cliff Hall but, when son Nicholas was born,
he gave up all idea of band work - but he treasures a press cuttings scrapbook.

The family business moved to the Central Station area after the war and, when parents Rosa and Charles retired in 1967, Ken and his wife June carried on the name of Rosalie until retirement in 1988.

“This was a record, of 52 years hairdressing continuously in one family,” he said.

Naturally the couple’s son Nicholas and daughter-in-law Linda held their wedding reception in 1974 in the Sun Lounge of the Leas Cliff Hall - and, says Ken, “It is a happy coincidence that my 80th birthday celebration will be held in the new Conference Suite, which was originally the Sun Lounge, in September this year.” %Many thanks to the numerous readers who keep sending in their ‘Memories’ and photos, I will use them as soon as possible!
Memory lane
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Pioneering treatment for consumption at Sandgate "I QAOFARLEIGH House, Sandgate was pio-J.J7UO nearing a Continental system of treats ment for consumption patients after a re-modelling of the property with new shelters provided for comfortable sleeping in the open air. Every effort was made to prevent any dust collecting and polluting the air, pictures, carpets and curtains being absent for that reason, while furniture was upholstered in leather, wrote a Herald reporter after inspecting the centre. Many thousands of volunteer soldiers were due to visit Folkestone for training at Shorncliffe Camp, arriving in 19 special trains within short inter vals of each other. They were to be received by the 1st Royal Dragoons who were afterwards leaving by rail to take part in a big exercise on Salisbury Plain. Herald writer Feiix was backing a move by a local resident to persuade the Town Council to provide better access for visitors and local people to get to some of the local attractions such as the hillside walks around the town. It was suggested what was needed - failing a tramway or light railway to the foot of the "Sugar Loaf' - was the building of a rustic bridge across the stream in Radnor Park.

5,000 join in Blessing of Fisheries festival at port A qj-qAN ESTIMATED 5,000 people gath-ered for the traditional Blessing of the Fisheries ceremony at the Fishmatket on Seafarers' Sunday, when young and old took part in a procession through the streets to The Stade, which was suitably decorated for the occasion. The Bishop of Stepney* who gave the; blessing, had for a 'pulpit' the back of a fish lorry provided by fish merchant Mr Goddard. Mary Ann Major, widow of Henry Spearpoint Major, member of a well known local fishing family, died: at Athelstan Road, Folkestone, a few months after celebrating her 101st birthday. Widowed in 1929, when ner husband died after a fall, she carried on working into her 70s in a Cheriton laundry. A special historical article in the Herald about the arrival of the railway in Folkestone revived personal memories for one reader of the time a lamp attendant walked along the roofs of carriages to put lights in the carriages, of hand-warming pans one could buy at stations for a journey and of a lunch-in-a-bas-ket service provided in buffets, to take onto trains before the arrival of dining cars. A reader complained East Kent was the Cinderella of the BBC as he called for better television reception;

Drama, as garage owner badly hurt in blaze riddle •f qoqGARAGE proprietor William Draper x<7ZOwas reported to have been badly injured about the head in a serious blaze at his Manor Garage, behind the one-time Wampach Hotel, in which his wife was also hurt trying to drive vehicles to safety, Inspite of their efforts four cars, three Armstrong Siddeley saloons and one Austin 16, used for private hire, were badly damaged or destroyed. Firemen helped save four other cars. At one stage the fire, which broke out in the early hours of the morning, threatened to involve surrounding buildings as flames shot 30ft into the air, scorching paintwork and breaking windows of adjoining buildings. Visitors staying in neighbouring property in Castle Hill Avenue and Bouverie Road West (eft their bedrooms to join a crowd watching firemen fighting the dramatic fire/ which hacibeen made worse by igniting petrol. Mr Draper, his wife and invalid mother-in-law narrowly escaped being trapped in their home, which was partly above the garage. The alarm was raised by the 60 year old chauffeur, William Kirby, who heard the crackling of flames and rushed to get both tha nwnnrc and hi<s n\Ain familvtn

Children ‘already too fat ’ to need free milk - claim A Q7Q "PUPILS denied a chance of free milk X*7 / O offer," read a Herald headline after teachers said local kids, aged seven to 11, were already too fat to need the EEC milk! It seemed likely the free milk would go to help other Common Market children instead, after the KCC declined to accept any. Another remarkable story told how three sisters attained the ages of 101, 100 and 98. The Herald was reporting on the 100th birthday of Mrs Ada Barton who celebrated with a toast at a small party at her St Mary's Bay home, along with her 98-year-old sister Miss Elizabeth Banks. Mrs Barton's late husband was a police sergeant at Lydd when he retired in 1924. There was a glimmer of hope for Folkestone's doomed casualty unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital, read a headline for a Herald story 25 years ago. Landed with a petition against closure, signed by more than 10,000 people the Kent Area Health Authority vowed to do its best for the people of Shepway. Secretary of the "Save the Casualty Unit Action Group," John Lawrence handed the petition to health administrator Vic Upton, at Canterbury pointing out 289 youngsters in the district had needed attention in casualty at the same time last year.