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St Andrews Convalescent Home 1919

St Andrews Flats 2003

Above, you can see two of this building's incarnations, and on the left is a third.  This photograph was taken in 1958, and it was listed as the WTA Guesthouse. However, I have another photo exactly the same as this which is entitled St. Andrews Guesthouse. The St. Andrews building is located up on the Durlocks.  In the background of the modern picture above, can be seen the ancient St. Peter's church which is still being used today.

This card shows the interior of St. Mary's ward, in the St. Andrews Nursing home.  It was dated 1918, and the cat with a great head for heights belonged to the nursing home, and was named Wiggie. So they must have recognised even in those days that putting pets with the sick and elderly does them a world of good!

Here we have another building still in use today.  It is All Souls Church, which was built in 1894 and is located in Cheriton High Street.  On the right is All Souls today, and the interior as it is now. On the opposite corner in the photo on the left can be seen The National Provincial Bank.

Unlike this church on the left, which is no longer there. It was St. Michael's Church, located on the spot where the houses belonging to the Sherwood Trust now stand, on St. Michael's Street.

I remember the church on the left very well.  This building with the lovely tall spire is now long gone.  It belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist Church on Grace Hill. This space now houses a block of flats, which certainly doesn't have the character that this building had.  Such a shame!

This is a building I am very familiar with, because when it looked the way it did on the left, I was living above it!  It is of course The Ensign Cafe, 42 Tontine Street, which my mother owned in the early 50's.  Nowadays you can hardly recognise it as the same place, as the front has been completely altered, the recessed centre door has disappeared, and in 2005,  it was an Egyptian Art shop called Equilibrium.  However, they are now gone, and last I heard it was Ebony Twist, or possibly Chimera Gallery Ltd.

Another building I am all too familiar with.  It was Harcourt School for Girls on the left, and Pent Valley School on the right!  Yes, one and the same school, located at the bottom of Ashley Avenue. I took the photo on the right in 2002.  I didn't go inside, so maybe it is better there than it was when I attended in the late 50's, but the outside is a great disappointment.  No more beautifully manicured green lawns, just concrete everywhere. When I showed this picture to my daughter, she said it reminded her of a prison - hmmmm out of the mouths of babes eh?

This picture was taken prior to 1923, when they went out of business,  and is of Cheriton Electric Hall at Cheriton High Street & Sydney Road.  What was an Electric Hall you might ask?  Well, I did, and was told it was a 400 seat cinema which was very popular with the soldiers from Shorncliffe camp during the first world war.

During the first world war, it was common practice to use large homes as hospitals. This one was Beachborough House, owned by Sir Arthur Markham, M.P. and was being used as the Queen's Canadian Military Hospital.  (Yet another connection with my other country!) I don't know what the occasion was, but there were not only doctors and nurses in this photo, but patients in various stages of infirmity too.

Here is a lovely old building that is there today, and hasn't changed much at all except the wall around the roof has lost its finials.  The buildings on either side have changed though, but suspect the one on the right is the original building, with changes to the window decoration.  On the other hand, the one on the left is totally different isn't it?  As are the light standards in front. The biggest change to the Town Hall though is the fact that it now belongs to Waterstone's Book Shop. In the left photo, you can also see the Queen's Hotel on the opposite corner, with its own carriage waiting outside.

This is the oldest church in Folkestone, and possibly the oldest in Kent.  It also has to be the one which goes under the most names!  I have seen it referred to as The Parish Church, St. Mary's Church, St. Eanswythe Church, St. Mary & St. Eanswythe, and this card called it St. Mary's Parish Church.  Anyway, whatever you want to call it, here is the story behind it: Saxon Princess Eanswythe's father King Eadbald of Kent first built a chapel for her in 630 AD.  It underwent many transformations as a monestery, a priory etc. suffered dissolution by Henry V111, rebuilt as a church, and destroyed by fire in 1216.  Rebuilt again, and evolved into what you see here. Several legends are told about St Eanswythe. Her story is that she chose not to marry and refused a Northumbrian prince as suitor when his pagan prayers failed a test she put to him and could not lengthen a beam required for the building of the church. Her own Christian prayers succeeded Other legends include providing water for her convent by making it flow uphill from the stream a mile away, restoring the sight of the blind, forbidding the birds to eat the nun's corn.

A different view of the same church.  This time showing the lich-gate.

Here is an interesting one showing the cliff lifts and the Folkestone Baths.  The sign over the entrance on the right of the picture reads: "Cardow's Cadets". Now this is what Alan Taylor said when I asked him about that: "Cardow's Cadets performed a variety act of song and comedy led by Charlie Cardow in a building next to the Bathing Establishment called the 'Red Roof Chalet', which was built about 1905, and Cardow's Cadets performed there until the late 1920's."

This 1905 photograph of the Y.W.C.A. Institute had me puzzled, as I had no idea where it had been located.  But as always, Alan came to my rescue.  Here is what he said about this" "This building was Richmond House in Oxford Terrace (behind the Odeon Cinema).  In your time Christine, it was possibly the 'Oxford Steak House', now demolished."

This is a 1907 photograph of Alexandra House, which was the house furnishers shop run by Adolphus Davis, located on the corner of Sandgate Road and Alexandra Gardens. See advertisement below.

I feel sure that the advertisement on the left belonged to the same family didn't it?

This photo was taken by Stan Cascino

Zipping up to 1955, we have The Odeon Cinema in Sandgate Road.  At that time it was playing Captain Lightfoot, starring Rock Hudson and Barbara Rush. You can see Murdochs next door, where I bought my first record player - which played 78's of course!

Some of the oldest buildings in Folkestone have to be the Martello Towers, three of which are seen here up on the East Cliff.  The building started on these in 1805, with Tower No. 1, which is in this picture.  It ended with Tower No. 74 which is in Seaford.

Here is an advertisement for Glenlee at 33 Cheriton Gdns. I would guess it was some kind of nursing home, as there are nurses in uniform in the background. (Sorry about the poor quality of the picture)

Look at this!  Bobby & Co. in Sandgate Road when it was brand spanking new in 1934!  Those were also the days when cars were allowed all the way up and down Sandgate road. And just look at those cars, aren't they wonderful?  I bet you had to stand at the front and crank a handle to start them!

This is a 1914 photograph of St. Mary's Convent in Shorncliffe Road. I wasn't sure if it was still there, and this is what Alan Taylor told me: "St. Mary's Convent combined with the neighbouring Dover College Junior School at Westbrook House in 1998 and became jointly known as St. Mary's Westbrook." So now we know!

This is Clewer House in West Folkestone.  I wasn't sure about this one, but as always, several of my readers came up trumps.  Craig-Stuart Waggett wrote to say that Clewer House is presently owned by the Folkestone School for Girls (formerly the Folkestone County  School for girls), and the road running alongside is Coolinge Lane.  He says that as far as he knows, it used to be used for boarders, but is now being used for administration and reception for the main school. I tried contacting the school to have this verified, but their e-mail address on their website bounces back.   However, this was also confirmed by Theresa Drennan, Leslie Whybrow and many others,  so thanks very much all of you,  your word is good enough! :-) I still wonder though if originally its name had anything to do with the Sisters of the Community of St. John the Baptist, Clewer, who used to run the St. Andrews Nursing Home?

This building is still going strong.  It is the Royal Victoria Hospital, and this one was taken in 1910. It used to be a general hospital, but I think it now specializes in geriatric cases, but I stand to be corrected on that one. I spent a few laborious hours in there in 1968!  It was where I gave birth to my son Graham -  quite a few years after this photo was taken!

Here we have a photograph of Kent College, which was sent to me by Ross. A lovely old building isn't it?  Thanks Ross!

Hands up who remembers this building? It was of course The Pleasure Gardens Theatre, and this photograph was taken in 1907. The Pleasure Gardens had a pretty long life.  Built in 1888 in Bouverie Road, it was in business until it was demolished in 1964. I don't know why it didn't happen, but I have to admit I didn't step inside the doors while I had the chance, and really wish now that I had.

This is a cafè that I frequent each and every time I go home.  It's Django's on Rendezvous Street.  They have a surprisingly sophisticated menu for a small restaurant, and they make the best toasted stilton, apple & bacon sandwich that I have ever had! My mouth is drooling just talking about it! :-) I could be wrong, (it has been known!) but I think this building was occupied by John Collier's men's wear when I lived there.  (Remember the jingle "John Collier, John Collier, the window to watch"  Then on the other side of the alley leading up to the town hall was drapers Lewis & Hyland. I also found out on my last trip that the public toilet in this alleyway which had been there for years, and smelled like it, is now closed.

And this is how the primary school I attended looked in 2002.  Not bad considering it is 106 years old is it? When I popped in to see them at George Spurgen, in Sidney Street, I was treated very well.  They took the time to show me around, explained to me why some of us insist on spelling it Spurgeon, and even gave me one of their centenary mugs from their 100th birthday.

This is 1 & 2 Priory Gardens, which is on the Leas from Church Street to Albion villas. I wasn't sure if this should go into the Hotel category as they had made a postcard of it, and maybe it was one when this photo was taken, but I do know that later on, and possibly now, it was flats.

Here is another one I am curious about.  It was called Merton House Pension, Castle Hill Avenue on the card.  Anybody know what Merton House Pension was?  A hotel? Possibly for OAP's? Funnily enough, I recently saw an old photo of the Wampach Hotel, and the sign on it said 'The Wampach Hotel Pension'.  So come on somebody, tell us what it meant please?

This was listed as the Anglo Continental School, Folkestone. I know absolutely nothing about this, or where it was located.  Anyone?

You will see more of this building in The Leas section, but as it is one of the most photographed buildings in Folkestone, it deserves to be in here too.  It is of course the Leas Cliff Hall, taken I think shortly after it was built. Quite a feat of engineering that it has been there as long as it has without tumbling down the cliff! It was built to replace the Leas Shelter.

Downs School Classroom

Downs School Snr. Girls Bedroom

Downs School Dining Room

Downs School Back of House

And where was the Downs School?  Well you might ask, because I have no idea!

This was entitled 'Interior - Folkestone Church' Question of the day... Which church? My guess would be St. Mary's & St. Eanswythe, or the Parish Church as it is known.  But I have been wrong before!

This was how the Holy Trinity Church, Sandgate Road looked in 1890, and you can see the interior on the right.

This is the interior of St. Mary's,  I really do think the photo above was taken here, what do you think?

This is the church I was married in the first time around.  It is St. Martin's Church, Horn Street.

This slightly fuzzy one shows the way the Leas Cliff Hall used to look on the inside.

Pelham House, West Folkestone.  What is/was it?  I have no idea, have you?

Remember this building?  I do!  It was the Playhouse Theatre in Guildhall Street.  I especially remember the back row! (ahem!!) The building next door was called London House, but the shop below looks to be boarded up.  I think that was a pub on the far corner, but I don't know what it was called. But Alan Taylor does, it was the Shakespeare which was demolished in 1972.

The next few recent photos of Folkestone buildings were taken by Cliff Sherwood, who lives in Folkestone, and has a very entertaining travelogue on our home town at http://www.virtualtourist.com/vt/4c639/

This is a building I know very well. it used to be the Baptist Church on Rendezvous Street, but is now an elegant restaurant called Wetherspoons. The reason I know the building well is because I attended for quite a few years.  Not that we were baptists, but my mum (who was an agnostic) told us she didn't care which denomination of church we attended, just as long as we attended.  She felt strongly that she shouldn't influence us, and that we should be exposed to many religions, and then make up our own minds.  So we had a ball, and attended most of them, including the Methodists and the Salvation Army!  But I stuck with the Baptists the longest because I belonged to the Girls Life Brigade there.

This pub is pretty old, it is the British Lion on The Bayle.  They do a very nice meal here.

And another old pub, this time we have The Ship Inn, on the Stade by the harbour.

Ahem!  Anyone notice a pattern developing here?  Methinks our Cliffy was on a pub crawl with his camera tucked under his arm!  This time we are at The Lifeboat Inn on The Durlocks.

Even his favourite restaurant has a pub type name!   This is La Tavernetta in Clifton Gardens.

A bit more food to soak up the liquor!  This time it is Giovanni's in Bouverie Rd West.

I don't know much about this one except it was entitled St. Nicholas tennis ground. These women all seemed to be dressed alike, I wonder if they were nuns?  I can't somehow picture nuns playing tennis in their habits though!  Maybe St. Nicholas was a private school for young ladies.

Another mystery.  Entitled 'The Rocks', this photograph was dated 1903.

This aerial view of the beach and Marine Crescent shows the Sea Water Swimming baths, where you could even rent a swimming costume if you didn't have one. No dryers in those days, all the towels are out on the line.

I don't know the date of this, but it was entitled 'Virgo Fidelis Convent St. Mary's, Folkestone.  The chapel.

This is McDonalds in the town centre.  McDonalds?  But where are the golden arches?

"MR. KETTLE AND MRS. MOON"                              By J.B. Priestley A picture of an  8 page programme for this try-out production prior to the West-End Premiere at the Duchess Theatre the following week.  Dated August 22nd there were 6 performances only With Clive Morton, Raymond Francis,  Frances Rowe,  Julian Somers and Wendy Craig (was that the same Wendy Craig who went on to star in 'Butterflies'? (Notice the ad at the bottom for Martin Walters?  I worked there for a while)

This is Club Indigo on Marine Parade.  I am sure it is a very nice club, but the building leaves a lot to be desired doesn't it?  Notice the cameras up on the post?  They are obviously expecting trouble!

The Folkestone sports center was opened in 1969 by Princess Anne, (the year after I left). Anyway its now 34 years old and it needs major investment, this they say will happen in the next few years. Regardless,  its still a great place to go. facilities include a large heated swimming pool, 9 hole pitch and putt golf, dry ski slope, 4 squash courts, 6 tennis courts and a very large main sports hall. There is also a very nice pub with live music on Fri and Sat nights

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This was entitled 'Senior House, Athelstan School'  Anybody know where it was located?  It certainly looked to be a very pleasant place.

The Bathing Establishment was built in 1868 and demolished 98 years later in 1966.

On my old Folkestone website, I had first mentioned this convalescent home as someone had written asking about a Catholic Nursing Home. So I assumed when I discovered it had been run by the Sisters of Clewer that they were Catholic nuns.  However,   I received the following portion of an e-mail from Father Timothy L'Estrange: This home WAS run by the Sisters of the Community of St.John the Baptist, Clewer, but they are NOT Roman Catholic nuns, they are Anglican (Church of England) nuns. The home worked with St.Peter's Church next door. The CSJB sisters left both Folkestone and Clewer many years ago. For a long time they were based at a new convent in Windsor, but in 2001 they relocated again to Kidlington near Oxford. They are Augustianian nuns, and their Order was founded in 1849.

Do you know what this is?  If you have visited Rowlands, you might know.  It is the end from a stick of rock when it is in its stage before pulling.  They used to sell these ends quite cheaply, and I got carried away on one of my visits and bought one - only to realise there was no way I could carry it back to Canada.  So my nephews in the UK got lucky!

Oh don't I wish these were the fees for this school today - I would send my Granddaughter over in a heartbeat!  This was Montague House private school for girls on Westbourne Gardens in the early 20's.  For 20 guineas per term,  you got all the basic tuition, room and board.  For an extra fee, you could also have your child enrolled for piano or violin lessons, solo singing, drawing & painting, riding, swimming, fencing, elocution, latin, dancing, drilling & gymnastics, and you could also reserve your child a seat in church!  Take a look at some more photos of the school:

Classroom

Drawing Room

A Bedroom

Dining Hall

Croquet

Hockey

Riding

It also looks to me as if those poor little rich girls were having to learn to ride their horses side saddle!

Home

Here is the same spot in 2005, and you can see the flats where the church used to be, with the library behind.

Before we get too far away from the St. Andrews Nursing home photos, here are a couple I took in 2005.  This one shows the flats, the woman you can see was sweeping up some broken glass thrown by vandals overnight.

I took this one at the same time.  It hasn't changed a lot over the years, and is still attached to the St. Andrews building.  I think it is still used as a church or chapel, but I didn't think to ask.

St Eanswythe's again in 2005, and they have added what I considered to be a very tacky looking sign which looks very much out of place.  It reads: 'Our Church, Our Lord JESUS CHRIST Worship Him Here'. I do hope it doesn't go round and round and flash at night!

And here they are!  Cardow's Cadets themselves!

I went searching for, and found Clewer House in 2005.  It is a very busy place with people coming and going constantly.

You can see how it looks in 2005, the original building is still there, but has been added to considerably.  One thing they didn't have to concern themselves with when the photo on the left was taken, and that was where to park all the cars!

When I attended George Spurgen, this was the house we were living in.  However, this photo was taken in 2005.  It is 68 Canterbury Road, just around the corner from Sidney Street. We moved from there shortly after my grandmother was killed by an electric vehicle while crossing the road right in front of the house.  She was coming back from shopping at Jesse Sellen's butchers. I thought the vehicle was a milk float, but my older sister assures me it was a bread float.  She could be right, I was only 7 yrs old at the time.

There are a lot of buildings to cover in Folkestone, so many over the years, that we have had to continue onto another page.  If you would like to look at some more, both old and new, click HERE FOR PAGE 2

This was Grove House Academy.  This picture was given to me by Folkestone Historian Alan Taylor.  Thanks Alan!

This is Pembroke Court, Dover Road, taken in 2005.  Am I right in thinking these flats are on the site of where the Grove House Academy used to be?

A very old photo of Medomsley Hall in Folkestone, but I have no idea where it was located.  Anyone else?

Now this is interesting.  It is a 1909 notice of auction taking place at the Queen's Hotel on Sandgate Road, where the Eagle Tavern, 52 High Street was going under the block. Anybody know what is located at number 52 now?  In my 1958 Kelly's Directory, it was C & T Cafe, owned by C & T Rossi.

The Kings Arms Hotel which I believe stood on the corner of Sandgate Road and Guildhall Street.  It was demolished in 1882 to make way for a wider road, and the Queen's Hotel. The sign on the building next door says M.P. Valyer, which was a livery stables which went into liquidation in 1872.

In contrast, this photo was taken in 2005 and is of the Royal George public house, 18 Beach Street, near the harbour.  I don't think this is the original Royal George, something tells me it has been completely rebuilt in the last few years.

Can you guess which building is coming next? The programme on the left dates from 1960

This badge brought back the memory that I promised to abstain from intoxicating drink.  Oops!!

I am not even going to get into the history behind these towers, because there is a website that does it far better than I ever could.  I highly recommend you check it out, because it is absolutely fascinating. Martello Towers Website Tower No. 3 in the distance is now an interpretive centre, and the other two are residences.

Don't forget, if any of the photos remain blank after the page has finished loading, right click your mouse into the space and click 'Show Picture'

Nope - not nuns, according to Alan, it was a private school on the corner of Trinity Gdns & Sandgate Rd. opened 1885/87 and closed in 1924.

Alan knew this one too!  It was a private school for young ladies at 10 Clifton Crescent.  On the left of the picture you can just see the Holy Trinity Church.

Alan tells me this was located in Radnor Park Avenue, just along from the hospital.  Seems they had more private schools for girls than for boys, unless they just took more photos of them.

Again Alan came up trumps!  It was located at 2 Bouverie Rd East, last occupied by Frederick Hall, Solicitor before it was demolished in 1972. Now I should have known this because F. Hall was my solicitor years ago!

I am assuming this is yet another private school, it was called The Grange Dining Room, and dated 1909.  Looks more like a workhouse though doesn't it?  Does anyone know where or what The Grange was?

Ah yes, Alan certainly knows his girls' schools!  It was located at 48-50 Shorncliffe Rd and was destroyed by a V-1 on 27th July, 1944 along with Feltonfleet Prep School, 46 Shorncliffe Rd.  The block of flats called Cliffstone Court is now on this site.

I just received an e-mail from a lady called Irene Saunders, whose family used to live opposite this building on the Durlocks, and she told me that 'W.T.A.' stood for Workers Travellers Association and it was owned by a union for union workers to go to for their holidays..

This chance mention of Jesse Sellen's butcher shop has brought me some interesting e-mails.  First of all from Ian Martin, who is a distant relative of Jesse, who in turn put me in touch with Jesse's Great  Granddaughter, Linda Nicholson - who lives in France. Linda has given me some background on the family, and a wonderful photo of Jesse and his wife Emma.  You can find all this on the 'People' page.

You saw the St. Michael's Street side of St. Michael's church above, now you can see what the Dover Road side of it looked like.  Mike Vernol sent me this one because it used to stand opposite his old school, of which he also sent a picture.

And here it is!  Dover Road Secondary School, otherwise known as the Dover Rd Dustbin Raiders when Mike was a pupil there!  The photo was taken from the site of the demolished St. Michael's Church around 1955.  It later became known as Hillside School, and soon afterwards was relocated in Park Farm.  In the photo on the right, it is in the process of being built under the watchful eye of W. A. Parks who was headmaster of Dover Rd /Hillside - Mike says he was probably the best headmaster in Kent, for all aspects of education from the late forties to middle fifties when he retired, whether it was academic or sporting. Thanks very much for sending these Mike, they are great, and I am sure they will bring back a lot of memories for some 'Old Boys'

This is a house that stood at the bottom of the Road of Remembrance (formerly called The Slope) for many years.  It was called Swiss Cottage, and had the most unusual roof tiles.  I don't know the history behind it though, does anyone?

This is a photo I took of that same area in 2006.  You can no longer see the buildings of Marine Crescent, as there are others in the way, and a car is parked where Swiss Cottage once stood.  The area is also now part of a one way system.  You cannot go up the Rd of Remembrance from the part of the street I was standing on.

This was another convalescent home called Wear Bay House.  Was this later the Bruce Porter Home, or Dr. Barnardo's Home on Wear Bay Crescent?

Here is a business that couldn't decide if it was French or Italian.  Located at 31 Sandgate Road, you could not only book your trips to France, but could also change your money there.  They guaranteed you would get full value back for the money you didn't spend too.  I am not too clear if they had a second location at  72 (bottom) High Street because that address is also listed on the ad.  However, it seems that the Sandgate Road address was directly opposite the Astoria Cinema.  Haven't seen a photo of that yet, does anyone have one?.

Thanks for the pics Cliff - they're great!

The photo of the Marine Gardens Pavilion on the left was sent to me by Steve Walker, who tells me he used to go roller skating there.  So did I Steve! I took the photo on the right in 2006 of the same building, and look, it is now the Club Indigo that Cliff Sherwood sent me a picture of above.

This photo was sent to me by Alan Taylor in answer to a query I had from a relative of Mr. Milton.  He told us that Milton & Smith had two shops, this one at 51 Tontine Street next to Stokes, greengrocers, from 1940/47 until 1952/54.  The other was No.12 which was opened in 1939 listed as a 'cutlers.' This shop also sold fishing tackle and bait, it was between Histed's newsagents and Robey's tobacconist. The shop was sold in the 1980's when Mr Milton died but it is still a fishing tackle shop now.

Can you imagine playing field hockey in those skirts?

And while we are on mystery houses, this one was entitled Praetoria House - which is curious, because the Praetorian Guard were originally in ancient Rome from around 27 BC.  Castra Praetoria was their barracks.    Later, the word was used to infer a military dictatorship.  Can anyone shed any light on this house?

This is a 1904 photo of the Royal Victoria Hospital

Now this one is interesting.  When I bought this card, I was told that it was a photo of a model of the Royal Victoria Hospital as it was planned to be developed in the future.  The model was made by the children of George Spurgen School in the 1930's.  That particular development obviously never came about.  Can anyone verify the truth behind this story?

The Sanitary Steam Laundry, located in Cheriton.  If you check the 'People' section, you will see the workers toiling in this establishment.

This beautiful old house was the School of English Studies in Grimston Gardens, I wonder if the dog learned to speak English?

If you have your own memories of Folkestone, be sure to share them with us all by jotting them down in the book below

Folkestone Memories

St. Mary's Convent again, this time showing the Annexe

This is a 1915 picture of the chapel inside St. Mary's Convent.

OK, now we are getting somewhere, and it turns out I was completely off course in my theory above.  Praetoria House was a day and boarding school with kindergarten,  started in 1881 by Dr Alfred Praetorius  at 45 Weymouth St, London in 1883-4 Praetoria House moved to Folkestone in Kent at 1-3 Grimstone Gardens. 1903 The school was sold to Mr and Mrs Roderick. 1904 Mr Roderick built new premises in Folkestone and moved the school there.  (Where?) (The former premises were taken over by the Folkestone County School for Girls and named Penfold House.) 1921 Sir Milsom Rees, the King George V’s  ENT specialist founded Port Regis at Kingsgate, Broadstairs, incorporating the pupils and staff from Praetoria House in Folkestone following the retirement of the Rodericks. Port Regis School is still going strong in its 126th year in Motcombe Park, Shaftesbury,  Dorset, and is an independent Prep school for boys & girls 3 - 13. I am not sure if the photo above was taken when the school was in Grimstone Gdns, or in the newer location

This photo, sent to me by Mike Vernol,  showing one of the classrooms in Praetoria House, alerted me to the fact that it was a school.  After that, research was easy!

Several people have written to give me the very sad news that John Brickell died on May 30, 2007, and Rowlands Rock Shop has closed.  I always predicted that if this shop closed, Folkestone would fall.  I am glad to say I was wrong in that prediction, but I think you will agree with me that Folkestone will never be quite the same.

Rowlands confectioners was started by Jim Rowland's father at 2 Harbour Street on the corner of the High Street on 25th March 1924 when Mr R. Rowland took a 14 year lease on the property. The building was severely damaged by a parachute mine on 18th November 1940.   After the war he moved to 70 High Street where his son Jim ran the business. He moved to the current shop 17 High Street in 1955. The business was later sold to John's family and he became the owner around 1997.

This photo and information supplied by Alan F. Taylor

These two photos taken by Mike Jones.  On the left, John Brickell & son Daniel are rolling and pulling the hot rock.  On the right is the display counter inside the shop.

This page updated December 2, 2007

Update:  Had an e-mail from Amanda Doyle in Birmingham who has been doing some research, and thinks this was originally the Sutherland House School for boys at that address.  The girls school was at number 6 Clifton Crescent.