Published 19 April 2001

She believes the pets corner garden disappeared in the 1960s. But she has been able to find out very little about it.

“My mother, Mrs Freda Hughes, and one or two other people remember it, so I am not imagining it” she told me.

And she found a very brief mention in a Ward Lock Guide for 1958 at the Public Library.

Referring to the seaward side of the Lower Sandgate Road at this point, the guide mentions a series of “shrubberies and gardens with alcoves and arbours” and the Southern Beach Promenade, which served as both a protective sea-wall and pedestrian promenade on the very margin of the beach. “At the western end is a row of picturesque
beach and bathing cabins, a pets comer, miniature railway and a promenade restaurant. Unfortunately, that’s all it tells us,” she said.

Mrs Hamilton wonders if anyone has more information about it, knows how long it existed, and, may be, has a photograph, perhaps in an album of family snaps? She can be contacted on 01303 249312.

Nearer the harbour, close to the old bathing pool, there was also at one time, Folkestone Zoo, she told me — and produced a photocopy of a poster to prove it. The zoo claimed to be the best of its kind on the South Coast, with a colourful toucan, fox cubs, parrots, mongoose, reptiles, squirrels and monkeys. It opened from 10am to dusk and admission charges were, adults, 2 shillings (lOp) with half price for children.

Mrs Patricia Allan, of Lympne, is wondering if any Memories reader has an original photograph of a Victory in Europe street party held in Hythe.

One was printed in the Herald, on May 19, 1945.

She says the picture was also used in the Herald’s
AN AERIAL photograph by Aerofilms Ltd taken in 1927 shows the once highly popular Victoria Pier, built in 1888, which staged many holiday attractions and was flanked by other features, including a skating rink, on the left, immediately adjoining the pier entrance, pier pleasure gardens and, further towards Sandgate a further series of beach gardens, reached via a popular coast walk under the cliffs to Sandgate, including the Pets Corner.
pull-out supplement published in May 1995 celebrating the 50th Anniversary of VE Day, in which were reproduced wartime stories and pictures of the time.

Mrs Allan said she thought she recognised herself and her sister in this picture. (They are in the top right-hand corner in the picture above, right.)

If she could see an original copy of the photograph, she said, she would know whether or not she
Help wanted!

ANIMAL lover Mrs Susan Hamilton, of Sandgate Hill, Folkestone, who is very interested in Old Folkestone, has been trying to find details of two town attractions which have disappeared over the years. As a child, she says, she vaguely recalls looking through, or over a fence at a ‘Pets Comer' garden on the Lower Sandgate Road, beyond the base of the Leas cliff lifts, roughly around the site of where the Switchback Railway used to stand.
was right. If you can help, her number is 01303 230648. Mrs Allan is also interested in finding pictures of old cinemas, particularly taken in Hythe.

In an old book she bought recently Mrs Allan found the old postcard picture, left, and wondered if anyone could identify where it was taken.

The postcard was possibly used as a bookmark and she wonders if the owner meant to leave it in the book!

 

Rushing motor cars alarm Folkestone Herald readers *1 QH1 A CENTURY ago this month cars were still few and far between in this area and when they did appear one was apt to read letters of alarm in the press about the supposed speed of the motors. A writer, identified only as “A Visitor" wrote: ‘'A motor car rushed through the streets of Folkestone yesterday like a meteor, striking everyone with alarm and astonishment. besides causing fright to horses. One is tempted to ask where the pleasure can be in this rapid form of locomotion, dangerous in itself and to others in a quiet town. What does anyone want with tearing so madly through the town In such a way? I should imagine these horrid inventions might be used with advantage as fire engines, or in any emergency where great haste is required.'' A memorial to the late "Queen Victoria the Good" in the form of a beautifully framed Royal Coat of Arms, with suitable plaque was unveiled at the Sandgate Schools. It was put up by the teachers and children of the senior classes. Harry Gibson, a photographer, of Dover, was trying to start a Folkestone Photographic Association.

Cricket table turned pond becomes club headache «* QC1 FIFTY years ago this month a Herald .LS/9.L writer. “Townsman" in his diary column in our then midweek paper the Folkestone & Hythe Gazette, was telling how local sportsmen were loosening up at the nets for the start of another cricket season - and hoping for an end to the rain which had left village clubs like Alkham with their club pitch turned into a duck pond - just as it is this year. 50 years on. It is hard to tell whether the Alkham club's plight will be any better this year than in 1951, but 50 years ago the club had to contend not only with the aftermath of the Drcllingore overflowing, but the unwelcome attentions of cattle which strayed onto the pitch and turned parts of it into a morass. But the club, one of the oldest in the country, going back over a century, was hopeful because their first games were played away, allowing them more time for ground preparations. A mere fledgling was the Folkestone Women's Cricket Club, which had barely got going. Folkestone beat Sheppey United 7 - 0 to reach the semi-final of the Kent League Cup. A 13th Century font, found built into the Folkestone parish churchyard wall around 1884 was moved for safety inside the church.

England beat France in a local Easter tournament •a QOfiOUR ONCE popular columnist Felix was himself looking back 26 years, in 1926. to the day he was a guest at Folkestone Fishermen's Dinner in March 1899. attended by 400 to 500 fishermen. their relatives and friends. The dinner was given by Baroness Eckardstein at the Albany Restaurant Tontine Street, later to become the Labour Exchange. And what an event that must have been. Felix wrote of the "breezy, rollicking, and delightful abandon" of the party-goers who included such local celebrities as ‘Hoggamy.’ 'Scrammer,' Slapsby.’ 'Uncle Ned,' ‘King Coffee.' ‘Juicy' and ‘Fiddler.' which adds the odd extra name to the colourful old nicknames recently featured in Memories. Felix sat next to ‘King Coffee.' a dwarf of under four feet at 19. who was hailed as the 'King of the Fishmarket.' Felix (real name William George Glanfield.) contributed to the entertainment, singing for his supper “The Powder Monkey" and -The Life-boat Rescue” to which were added many traditional sea-songs and lengthy ditties as other guests joined in the sing-song. An England side met France in an international hockey tournament at Easter at the new Cheriton Road Sports Ground, and. watched by a crowd of about 7,000. they won 9 goals to nil.

‘Chums’ who lived through two wars and depression •f Q7£THEY survived the Great War which, it was .LS/fOsaid, would surely end all wars. They returned home heroes and lived through the depression of the 1920s. They remembered when Hitler's forces were lining up their guns on the other side of the Channel ready to bombard us and invade our country if possible. No wonder the Old Contcmptibles of Folkestone wear their medal ribbons with pride, wrote the Herald 25 years ago when seven "chums" as they were affectionately known, still remained in Folkestone and continued to meet. It was their proud-boast that it was the largest surviving branch of the Old Contcmptiblcs Association in the country. Wearing their medals they met for a social evening, with a meal, film show and a sing-song. It was estimated at that time only 700 "chums" were left. Motorists in Shepway were complaining of "police persecution" because of the number of prosecutions for 'offside parking' (parking with headlamps facing the wrong way) after dark. About 15 drivers were fined an average of £7 a time, every week, reported the Herald. But the complaints angered the police, who said the cases were for the motorists' own good. Tragic consequences could follow thoughtless parking. Water sports were booming and there was a demand for more slipways to be provided by councils.