Let's start off with the beautiful building that was once the Tresillian Hotel, located on the corner of Earls Avenue and Clifton Crescent. The photo on the left dates from appx. 1920. In 1946 it was purchased by Capt. & Mrs. Wethered, who ran it under the name of the Byng Hotel until the mid 1960's when it was demolished. The building on the right is GrandCourt apartments, which the town planners considered to be a suitable replacement for it. They obviously didn't ask me.
Next door to the Tresillian stood the Avenue Mansions, which was replaced with Edinburgh Place on the right. The above two photos, and the photo of Grand Court was supplied to me by Paul Seward.
The Beach Hotel was located at 4/5 Marine Crescent. In 1958 it was run by Mrs. P. Sargent, but by 1964 it was run by Mrs. P. Lawson. Now did Mrs. Sargent remarry? Or did she sell to someone else? We will possibly never know. Nowadays it is all private condominiums.
On the far left was the Avondale Hotel in the 60's. Located at 19 Clifton Gardens on the South side, facing Sandgate Road. In 1958 it was being run by Misses Rafferty. That whole side was demolished, and flats were built on the site, so at a guess, it was around the location of the West end of Homepine House shown in the photo on the right.
I received the following from Trevor Marshall: "The Avondale was originally the left half of the older building in the photo. The ugly extension was added later and later still it was extended into the other half of the old building. My Grandparents bought it from the Raffertys - it came complete with long-term guests just like in Fawlty Towers - somewhere around 1960 I believe, and my parents went into partnership with them a couple of years later. It was sold in 1971/72 when the whole row of hotels along the north side of Clifton Gardens was bought by a developer, demolished and then left for many years as a car-park as the developer went bust. I was born in the room underneath the balcony in the centre of the picture, which later became the office. My grandparents had a flat at the top of the hotel, from which on a clear day my grandfather could read the time on the clock in Calais town hall through his telescope."
I only tied all the details of this hotel together very recently, and it always thrills me to discover something about Folkestone that I didn't know before. I knew of the Bates Hotel in West Cliff Gardens, and I also knew of the Esplanade Hotel in Sandgate Road. What I didn't know was that they were one and the same hotel! I had seen an advertisement placed by G. L. Hart, who owned both the Bates and the Longford Hotel in 1890. In his ad, he had listed the address as West Cliff Gardens. So I wrote to Alan Taylor to ask if he knew exactly where in West Cliff Gardens it had been, because I had noticed the architecture at the back of Lloyds Bank on the corner of Sandgate Road and West Cliff Gardens looked very similar.
Back of Lloyds Bank now, which looks a lot like the Bates Hotel picture.
Alan replied with this answer: "Bates Hotel was at 49,51,53,&55 Sandgate Road (next to Lloyds Bank) the business was started in 1859 by Walter Henry Bates as a lodging house known as 4 & 6 West Cliff Terrace. The last proprietor was W. Rosenz who changed the name to 'Esplanade' it was sold and demolished for development in 1972."
It all now makes sense! So the Esplanade and the Bates Family Hotel was the same building.
West Cliff Gardens side
Sandgate Road side
The Esplanade from Sandgate Road. This photo and the one above was supplied by Alan Taylor.
Pam and John Stammers kindly sent me these two lovely photographs of the Esplanade, showing both the front and the back. They were obviously taken quite a few years apart, with the one on the right dating from 1927, and I would guess the wonderful image on the left was mid to late 40's It was located at 49, 51, 53 & 55 Sandgate Road, which is in the block between West Cliff Gardens and West Terrace. Long gone now, but Pam was telling me that she remembers it very well, because her Gran worked as a waitress in the Grill Room there during the sixties, when she was growing up.
She tells me that she remembers a Miss Denver as the lady in charge, and that she was a bit frightening, with her very white hair and pale powdered face! She also recollects a Mrs. Rosenz. Actually, in my 1958 Kelly's Directory, Mrs. G. L. Rosenz is listed as the Proprietress, wife of W. Rosenz mentioned by Alan above. So possibly Miss Denver was her manager. Thank you very much Pam & John and Alan for all your information and photos.
So this would be the spot where the guests of the Bates and Esplanade Hotels would have relaxed and sunned themselves in the garden.
Bedford House Hotel on Marine Parade hasn't changed a lot between 1934 and 2014, at least the exterior hasn't. However they have added a few palm trees along there which look as if they are not getting the nutrients they need, as they are all looking decidedly yellow. Oh and one more change, the Bedford House Hotel no longer exists.
I am not sure of the date of the photo on the left of the Devonshire House Hotel, but I do know that it was located at 8 Marine Parade in 1958 as well as in 1964 (the dates of my two Kelly's Directories). In the photo on the left, it appears that the buildings to the right of it have not yet been built. In the 2019 photo, you can see that the canopies have been removed from the second floor, and the whole building looks as if it has had a facelift. No longer a hotel, it is now flats with a lovely sea view until the new enormous blocks of flats get built directly in front of it. A lot of the channel swimmers stayed at the Devonshire in the late 50's.
The Merrythought Guesthouse was also located in Marine Parade, at No. 13. I don't know the year this was taken, but in 1958 it was being run by Mr. & Mrs. H. Parham.
This was called the Courtland Private Hotel, Westbourne Gardens. I knew there used to be a Courtland Hotel on Trinity Crescent, but it was obviously not the same one. Although I couldn't find the exact building, I think you will agree that those still standing on Westbourne Gardens had to have been built by the same architect.
The year is 1910, and we are now outside 10 West Terrace, and looking at Flordon House. By 1958 this building had been demolished and the address had become the Rates office.
10 West Terrace has to be somewhere in here these days.
Above left is what used to be the Wythenshaw Hotel at 5, The Leas. In the 1950's photo of the Leas centre, you can see the location of the hotel by the awning and it also has the name printed on the side. The photo on the right shows that whole block is now flats.
I thought at first that the urn on this card was artistic licence on the photographer's part, but Paul Seward tells me the entrance to the Leas Cliff Hall used to have several of them on the roof, where the photographer must have been standing to get this shot. As you can see, the Hotel Ambassador was picked out, it was located at 22, 23 and 24 The Leas, which I do believe is now called George Cooper House. Can't swear to it though, because once again, they have taken all house numbers off the wall, but they both look to be on the corner of Shakespeare Terrace.
Oh now, wait a minute. I have just noticed a sign on the building next door to George Cooper House, which is The Southcliff Hotel, and it clearly states it is 22-26 The Leas. Which would mean three of those addresses used to be The Ambassador. That arrow certainly appears to be pointing to the building on the corner though doesn't it?
In this 1961 card above, which was entitled The Southcliff Hotel, there certainly seems to be an arrow pointing to the building next door to the one which is now George Cooper House, and my 1958 Kelly's Directory backs this up, listing the Ambassador on the corner of Shakespeare Terrace at 22, 23 & 24, and the Southcliff as No. 25. No. 26 is listed as being flats. As you can see in the modern photo, the Southcliff now has the original 25, plus all of them to the corner. So if it is now 22 - 26, I have to wonder if some renumbering has taken place.
As 24 Castle Hill Avenue was made into a postcard, I suspect it was probably a Bed & Breakfast, however, looking for it today, I think it has been demolished, but No. 20 looks identical. As usual, there has been no attempt to have the replacement building fit in with its surroundings.
The Bethersden Hotel was located at 5-6 Langhorne Gardens, now the site of Duke's Bar. I am not sure if Duke's is owned by the Windsor Hotel, or is a separate entity. In 1958 the Bethersden was run by Mr & Mrs. F. E. Johnson, and in 1964, it was Mrs. D. M. Redman
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Sorry the quality of this scan is not the greatest, but as the brochure has survived since 1907 I hope you will forgive the print being a little feint. The Birchfields Hotel was located at 16 - 18 Clifton Crescent, in a magnificent building, and thankfully it is still there, and looks as if it is being well cared for. I love the fact that they not only offered dancing and whist, but also Ping Pong. You could stay in this magnificent hotel for a mere 2 1/2 guineas per week in high season. By 1958 No. 16 had been split into flats, and the Gresham Hotel had No. 18.
Then & Now photos of the Brackenhurst Board Residence at 7 Ingles Road. Is it still a Boarding House? I doubt it, but you never know.
The Bristol Hotel was located at 3/4 The Leas, right next door to the Wythenshawe mentioned above, in fact the Wythenshawe is easy to pick out in the photograph on the right, which was supplied to me by Mike Vernol, because of the striped canopy. As you can see by the photo below left, that whole row is now apartments.
The Burlington Hotel has been at 3/5 Earls Avenue for many many years. Photo on the left was taken in the 1950's, not sure of the date of the one on the right, but taken from the gardens at the back. The two below are from July 2009 showing the front, and the back as far as possible without entering the gardens. Both of these show the Manor House on The Leas, which was built for Lord Radnor in 1895, and converted into apartments in 1986. A two bedroom on the top floor with no elevator sold for £350,000. Magnificent view though!
I was asking if anyone could shed a light on the location of the Chatsworth Boarding Residence, as I couldn't find an address for it. Well, Debbie Worwood certainly could! She was checking through some old newspaper archives, and found the first mention of it in a 1904 advertisement for Chatsworth House, 4 Marine Crescent, Folkestone. Then she found a mention of a Thomas Dexter of that same address being interviewed in 1926 regarding rates. Then found a sad article about the said Thomas Dexter, proprieter of Chatsworth being found dead in bed at age 50 in 1929. However, he also had a daughter, and she was quite a sportwoman, and was recruiting women in 1933 for hockey teams, giving that same address. So possibly the boarding house continued, or even if it didn't, the residence was still in the family. So now I had a name and address, I checked my 1928 Kelly's, and there it was, Chatsworth Boarding Residence, 4 Marine Crescent with Thomas Dexter as proprieter. So I wonder if that is him sitting on the wall?
I bet he would have loved to see it in 2015. someone living there that year sure knew how to make it look beautiful. Hope they are still there!
Thank you very much Debbie!
This was the advertising card for the Chilworth Court Hotel, 39 Earls Avenue. As you can see on the right, it is now Wards Hotel.
I found a listing for this one in my 1964 Kelly's, it was the Claremont Hotel, 20-22 Claremont Road. Now it is 18-24 Claremont Road and is the St. Claire's Home for the elderly.
This card was sent to me by Pam Stammers, who got it from her Brother-in-law. Called Coniston House, which was at 21 Clifton Crescent. Thanks to Clare Bevan for that information.
This is a lovely 1905 photo of the Clifton Hotel, with a very elegant horse & carriage driving past William Harvey's statue.
Hasn't changed a lot really, the hotel has lost a few awnings and chimneys, it's gained a nicer wall and bigger dormer windows in the roof, but it's basically the same. William has certainly seen a lot of changes over the years though, from vehicles, mode of dress and his immediate surroundings have undergone many facelifts. One has to wonder if graffiti was more of a problem in 1905 than it is now, because back then, William had a metal fence protecting him, now he is available to all!
Julia, a Receptionist from the Clifton Hotel kindly sent me the following photos of some of the rooms, taken in the 1920's and given to her by Ann Cook, whose Aunt, Mary Jean Reynolds was Manageress at that time, and was still there in the 30's.
Julia tells me that although she is not sure exactly which bedroom the above is, as the layout was changed drastically when they were all made ensuite, she does know it is one from the first floor, and that the ceiling coving is still there.
Corner Entrance Hall and Lounge. This one is still part of the actual Bar, but the fireplace and that wall have disappeared, at some point it was knocked down and joined to the adjacent room, making the Bar much bigger.
Julia said the dining room above has not changed very much, but is smaller than in this photo, the bay window now is the Main Hall and the flat window on the right now is the Main Entrance to the Hotel, so that part does not belong to the restaurant anymore.
Thank you very much for sending these photos Julia & Ann, we really appreciate seeing how the Clifton looked back then.
Another very nice one of the Clifton Hotel sent to me by Diane Hagan. This dates from 1946, and those children must have been finally enjoying life in Folkestone without the threat of war.
Eden House, which according to Paul Seward was at 2-4 Trinity Crescent, which is where Dudley Court is located now, with alterations to the entrance and dormer windows, plus the removal of the awnings. The awnings appear to have been removed from all the Trinity Crescent buildings, and all look fairly similar.
The Edgecliffe Pension - pension meaning small private hotel, more B & B than hotel. This card advertises it was on The Leas. By 1958, there was a listing for the Edgecliffe Private Hotel, run by Mr & Mrs. E. Fry in Cheriton Place, Paul Seward tells me it was opposite the public conveniences in Cheriton Place, very close to the Leas. Regardless, it has been demolished now, and the site is a carpark.
Sent to me by Alan Taylor along with his research on it: "This was the Edith Morrison Holiday Centre. The building was called 'Tower House' it is at 16 Manor Road (corner of Bouverie Road West).
It doesn't appear in the last Kelly's directory which was published in 1974, but we had a new directory called 'Thomson' which started in 1982. Edith Morrison Holiday Centre is listed in that directory from 1982 to 1987 under hotels." The photo looks older than that doesn't it?
In 2014, the only writing on the building now is 'Seabreeze House'
Back in 1958, it was the Tower House Hotel.
The Fernley Hotel advertising that they were for commercial and family guests.
I found a reference to this hotel in a 1922 Ward Lock red guide.
It was located on Guildhall Street, on the corner of Victoria Grove, it stated that a Mrs. Clements was the proprietress.
Thanks to Paul Seward, I know that Banks' Auction Rooms, shown next door were later Allcrafts, run by Stan Cullis, and the Fernley Hotel is now Fernley Court. However, by 2014 the building next door had been transformed into housing, and they had gone to great pains to make sure the new building fitted in with the row to the left. Now why couldn't they have gone to that kind of trouble when building on Earls Avenue/The Leas?
The year is 1910, and we are now outside 10 West Terrace, and looking at Flordon House. By 1958 this address had become the Rates office. By 2014 it had become absorbed into one of the units you see below.
Formerly Banks Auction Rooms
The Garden House Hotel, located at 142 Sandgate Road near Trinity Church. The small building behind is the original Garden House. The hotel was gutted by fire on March 7, 1999, demolished in 2003. New luxury retirement flats have been built on the site by McCarthy & Stone.
The photograph above was sent by David Lyne-Gordon, whose family owned the Garden House Hotel. He has written a very interesting article about it which you can read by clicking HERE
This is what was built on the site of the Garden House Hotel, called Garden House Court, which is a nice way to remember the hotel.
Not quite the character of the Garden House Hotel, but better than a pile of burned out rubble.
Did you know that when the Victoria Pier was finally blown up in November 1954, after standing derelict for years, following a fire in 1945. the pier’s publicans licence, suspended since 1943, was removed to the Beach Hotel on 25th May 1955? Well, you know now!
The Kingswood Hotel in Clifton Gardens. In the modern photo, the building looks very similar, except it was taken from the street, and the older one looks to have been taken from the gardens, so possibly it was built to look identical on both sides. The gardens are still there, but the shrubbery around them now is too thick to see through on Google Street view. but what I could see looked similar. The building is now flats.
This 1904 photograph shows both The Grand and The Metropole Hotel. Furthest away, The Metropole was built first, around 1895, and was designed by T W Cutler. Local builder, Daniel Baker of Folkestone, peeved because he didn't get the contract to build The Metropole, was determined to build a better one next door to it. Hence we have The Grand, built between 1899 and 1903. They both have a very rich history, and are Grade 11 listed buildings. They both have a very impressive list of famous guests, but The Grand probably pips the Metropole on that front, because King Edward V11 was a frequent visitor, and would come sometimes with his wife, Queen Alexandra and sometimes with his mistress, Alice Keppel - and sometimes both at once! If you would like to read more about the history of The Grand Hotel, click HERE
As you can see in this modern photo, the Keppel name lives on, as that is what the bar is called in The Grand.
The above photo was supplied by Cliff Sherwood
Most of the larger hotels had their own livery stable and coach service. This was the one belonging to The Grand.
Photographs of the Metropole Hotel taken just over a hundred years apart. The first in 1915 and the second in 2019. The biggest changes are the glassed additions to the front, and the awnings have been removed. Other than that, it is much the same from the outside. The Metropole appears to be marketing itself more as a Conference Centre and Art Gallery these days, you can also purchase an apartment, as you can in The Grand. One listing for an apartment for sale referred to the Metropole as a former hotel. You can still book rooms at The Grand though.
This photo was sent to me by Sid Rowles, who tells me it was the way it looked when his Great Uncle Ted stayed there in 1915.
I believe they used to keep the grass down on the Leas by grazing sheep there. Hence the fence and gate. However, Paul Seward thinks it might have been cattle because the path from the West end of Clifton Crescent leading down to the beach was called Cow Path. I know for sure they used sheep on the East Cliff, so I guess it could have been either at different times.
1931 and here is the Metropole with a lovely old car outside - which was probably brand new at the time! See the telephone number? 446, don't you wish it was as easy as that to dial a number these days?
Sandra Evans sent me this 1953 photo of her Mum, Dad and Sister Viv in front of the Metropole and Grand.
This is a very nice photo of the Metropole before the glazed additions were in place. It also shows the bandstand that used to be in place there. Did you know that Folkestone once had four bandstands? This one, the one near the Leas Cliff Hall, which is still there, one down in Marine Gardens and another in the Pleasure Gardens in Bouverie Road West.
Phil Brown sent me this photo he took of a flower bed, all ready for planting, in June, 2015. Look carefully, and you will see it is in the exact spot where the bandstand once stood. I was thrilled to realise they still had a nod to it, even though most people have no idea it was ever there. But you do now! :-) Thanks Phil.
This one has given me quite a headache. It is entitled Greystones Hotel, which is not listed
in my 1958 Kelly's Directory. Paul Seward, whose parents ran the St. Olave's Hotel swears
it was located on Clifton Crescent, facing the Trinity Crescent entrance. He told me that he
thought Miss Squire Cross and Miss Corcoran ran it at that time, before they sold to
Mr. & Mrs. Oldfield.
And here is more proof that the Greystones Hotel was around in the 40's or 50's. These two pictures are from a brochure found in a drawer in Preston, Lancashire, and kindly scanned and sent to me! If you click on them, you will see an enlarged version. I note they boast of having modern Dunlopillo mattresses which had been around since 1929, and are still around today.
No 'Then' picture of this one, because I think it is probably Folkestone's newest hotel building, but I stand to be corrected on that. It's the Holiday Inn Express located on Cheriton High Street, very handy for the Channel Tunnel. I don't know if they extended Cheriton High Street after I lived there, because I don't remember it going round in front of Canada Close. I think they must have.
Still lots more Folkestone hotels to see, so let's move on to Page 3:
2014
Nothing seems to be numbered these days, but I think Bright House, Claire's & Nat West are sitting on the spot in 2018.
West Terrace side of the shops in 2014
I can only assume the address of this block of flats is No. 3 The Leas, as there is no name or number anywhere to be seen.
These two wonderful photos were sent to me by Jacqui Williams, whose Grandfather, Percy Marsh was Head Porter at the Burlington. The photo on the left dates from around 1920, with Mr. Marsh on the far left. The photo on the right looks to be a few years later, with Percy standing on the hotel steps. Jacqui tells me her Grandfather died in 1952 after he had retired. Thank you Jacqui, these are fantastic!
Both the older ad, and the modern photo showing the seaward side of Clifton Crescent. kindly supplied by Clare, who tells me 21 still has a canopy, as it did in the old photo. What a fabulous view those residents must have from there, and so far, no developer building blocks of flats in front of them! (Where's that wood, I feel a need to knock on it!)
When the Oldfields retired the Salvation Army purchased it, and It was full of rot from top to bottom by then and took two years for girders to be inserted throughout to preserve the building.
Looking at this building on Google Streetview, it didn't look anything like this picture, so Paul kindly visited, took the above photo from the back side, and voila! The exact same one, looking better than it ever did! I believe the address would have been 15 - 17 Clifton Crescent, which was missed altogether from the Kelly's I have, as was No. 13.
In these two photographs you can see a comparison between 1950's and 2019. In the 50's most of the buildings all along Marine Parade were hotels, Now I believe there is only one left, the Gran Canaria that I will show you in a minute. According to my 1958 Kelly's Directory, 6 was Seaton Guesthouse, Leslie Parham, 7 was Walter Rockett, 4 - 5 was the Corner House Hotel, which was previously the Lindley, and is now the Gran Canaria. Below you will see an advertising card for the Lindley, don't you wish you could get seafront accommodation for those prices today? In the 50's and earlier, Marine Gardens itself was beautiful, with plants, flowers and a bandstand. Also lots of entertainment down there over the years, and things for kids to do. There have been theatres, skating rinks, a boating pool, a swimming pool, (indoor and outdoor) the Rotunda fun fair, mini golf and amusement arcades. All this has now been demolished and swept away to make way for housing. Only time will tell if this was the correct thing to do for the future of Folkestone. It is one thing to attract people to live there, but what will they spend their money on? There is only so much food and drink they can consume, yet most of the new businesses appear to be restaurants and coffee shops. Maybe once the population has increased it will encourage more shops and entertainment to open. We can only hope.
As promised, here is the advertising card for the Lindley, later the Corner House Hotel and currently the Gran Canaria Hotel as shown on the right in 2019.
Although this is a repeat of the photo further up of Marine Parade supplied by Diane Hagan, I decided to let you see it a little larger, and hold on to this view in your heart. In for foreground you can see the putting green. The unit on the end at 14/15 Marine Parade was the Barrelle Hotel, run in 1958 by Mrs. M. Godefroy. Again, I believe it is now flats. Isn't it nice to be able to see the cliffs in the distance, instead of the view being blocked by the Burstin Hotel? All the sea views along this street will soon be obstructed by the housing complex currently being built all along the beach that will be almost as high as the cliffs behind. In 2020 the residents are suffering from the endless noise and dust that is slated to go on for years yet. I feel for them.
it's 1935 and we are standing outside 14-16 Clifton Crescent looking at the Bath Hotel. However, as you can see, the entrance used to be off Trinity Crescent.
2019 now, and it's no longer a hotel, it's now Bath Court, and has been converted into flats. The cupola has been removed (always think it's a shame when they do that, it adds so much interest to the architecture), and the pillared doorway has gone too. A window on each floor to the left of where the entrance was has been removed too, making it look a little unfinished.
Bath Court again in 2019, taken this time from Clifton Crescent. As you can see, this is where the entrance was moved to, with steps leading down to the basement level.
This is the only older picture I have come across of the Meyrick Court Hotel, 8 - 10 Trinity Crescent. In the 2017 photo you can see, like most of the Folkestone hotels, it has now been converted into flats. I think the artist took a bit of licence, because his painting makes it look on the corner with the sea not far away. In actual fact, it is around the middle of Trinity Crescent, and if you walk to the right, you will come to Clifton Crescent, and you have to get to the other side of those homes to get a glimpse of the sea.
Back to the seafront, we are now looking at the Pier Hotel that was on the end of Marine Crescent for many years.
Here is what used to be the Pier Hotel in 2018, this crescent of buildings underwent a tremendous amount of refurbishing a few short years ago, sold them off, now they are about to destroy the sea view for all the residents as mentioned above. I feel very bad for them, as I am sure the view was the main reason they paid as much as they did for a home in these listed buildings.
They are beautiful aren't they? So worth preserving, but without a view, I think their value will drop, and could fall into disrepair once again, I do hope not - I guess we shall see.
Page updated February 2, 2022
Marine Parade in 1958 Showing 6 & 7 to the right was 4 & 5 the Corner House Hotel.
2015
1925
This card was entitled Grill Restaurant, Majestic Garden Hotel. Now there has been a Garden House Hotel and a Majestic Hotel, but I am not aware of a Majestic Garden Hotel. I am leaning towards thinking it was in the Majestic Hotel on Sandgate Road, and will stick with that until I hear otherwise.