Date
| Visitor
| Location
| Comment
|
| 26 Dec | Roger Smoothy | Sydney, NSW, OZ | Hi Steve. My Father Peter was a Fire Brigade messenger boy from May 1940 to May 1941. He thought he was the only one left alive from that era. He still lives in HB and would like to talk you or Bill Carter and try to put names to faces in the photo. Hello, Roger. Thanks for that. I will forward your email to Bill in the first instance. If the two of you can come up with some more names, I will modify the photo, which visitors can find here. |
| 21 Dec | David Mills | Sydney, NSW, OZ | Had many a great seafood meal in the Pearsons Arms during the
early eighties. Loved the Whitstable oysters which incidentally are very much like Sydney rock oysters. I note Steve that you said "as it was then" in your recent feedback reply. Has it changed its name or worse, no longer exists as a pub?
You can relax, David. It's still there & it's still a pub. The name, however, changed to the "Pearsons Crab and Oyster House" amny years ago. So, not all is lost..... |
| 20 Dec | Audrey Moore | Frankston North, Victoria, OZ | Hi Steve, Just a quick note to wish you and yours, and all of your contributors, all the best for Christmas and the New Year. Thank you for your hard work keeping your site running (through thick and thin) as it keeps us in touch with 'The Bay' when we can't be there (which is most of the time). We hope that you are now settled after your move, and that all of your boxes are now empty (and not still in the spare room).
Thanks, Audrey. The same to you and John, and indeed all my visitors. |
| 14 Dec | Pearson Ronald Coleman
| Southgate, London | Having been born in Whitstable, and have a family traced back to early 1600 am always pleased to find anybody and anything about the old town. By my first name you can imagine that the Pearsons name holds much interest for me. Keep up the good work, and hope that your site expansion goes well.
I recall the Pearsons Arms (as it was then) being owned by the Kray family. I went to school with John Kray, the son, and met up with him again a few years back, when he took over the Punch Tavern, converting it to the Quayside pub. |
| 12 Dec | David Mills | Sydney, NSW, OZ | Hi Steve, Just wanted to wish you and yours and the people of Herne Bay a very Merry Christmas from Australia and a happy new year. Thank you, David. The same to you and yours. The same indeed to all my visitors. |
| 5 Dec | Joan Johannes
| La Puente, California | Hi Steve, I love your site and visit often. I just found a picture of Mayfair Court on it and you were wondering about the story behind it. I spent many happy hours there as a child it was built by the Sultan of Jahore for Lydia Hill and her family, I was a friend of Yvonne Allchin, whose mother was Etta Hill before she married and they all lived in the house during the war. Lydia and the Sultan were a 'couple' and the round room at the top was her art studio. Unfortunately Lydia was killed during a raid in Canterbury, while she and the Sultan had gone there to buy a wedding gift for a friend. She was in the shop and he was wandering around somewhere else when the shop took a direct hit and everyone inside was killed. The only way they could identify Lydia was by a ring on her finger. I remember being taken to her funeral at St Johns Church and she has quite a lavish place in the Herne Bay cemetary. After that the Sultan went back to Jahore where he was held prisoner in his palace until after the war and I never saw him again. The Hills continued to live there for many years with Lydias' studio untouched and just as she left it. One more little note that may interest you; the late Michael Wilding fell in love with it and even knocked on the door to see if they would sell it to him. They declined but I wonder who lives there today? My name back in those days was Joan Neale and we lived in Sunnyhill Road. I would love to hear from anyone who might remember me. Keep up the good work Steve and thanks for listening. No - thank you, Joan. That is a fascinating story. I'm sorry for not putting it in earlier but I have not updated the site for a while. Still, it's here at last. As far as the house is concerned, there's a picture here. |
| 21 Nov | Sandra Parker | Darwin, NT, OZ | Hi Steve, I sent a copy of your 'pier page' and 3 photos to my mother. She and my Dad spent their honeymoon at 'Polar Star'. Her comment was 'Interesting about the pier. Not mentioned about cutting it during the war, in case the Germans needed it ?' Do you know anything at all about that? My mother doesn't always get things right, but usually there's a modicum of truth somewhere. Perhaps it might be something you'd like to follow up for your own interest. Anyway, congratulations on a most interesting site, will certainly call back. I do recall something about UK piers (not just in HB) being cut in the middle in case of invasion. I’m not sure if Herne Bay’s was or not but I will certainly look into it. If I find anything more, I’ll let you know, as well as posting it here. |
| 20 Nov | Bob Sankey | Chelmsford, Essex | Further to my previous email re the London Boy's Club; thinking about that area, it reminded me that the pub on the front was then called 'The Royal' and the couple there were called Thoms (not sure about spelling). She was called Molly and she was, I believe, an ex music hall performer. I have fond memories of 'Hernia Bay', as we used to call it (I had my first 'experience' there, up on the Downs, at the ripe old age of 13!) Regards for now, Bob (Bojo) Ah; the education of life, eh? |
| 20 Nov | Bob Sankey | Chelmsford, Essex | Hello All, Does anybody remmber the London Boy's Camp that was situated on the Reculver Road just outside Beltinge In 40s 50s? Thanks, Bojo Way before my time I fear, Bob. Still, as there was success with finding out about Geoff Holness's friends from 1953, you never know. |
| 18 Nov | Sandra Parker | Darwin, NT, OZ | Hi Steve, I did visit some time ago and do call back and check every now and again. I am attaching a photo taken in 1948, of my great aunt Elizabeth Please, outside her house 'Polar Star', Spa Esplanade Herne Bay, where I used to stay as a small child. Her sister Polly and husband ret. Captain Matthew Brownfield, also lived there up until the mid 1950's. I have also attached a photo of the current building taken by a distant relative (it should be finished by now, though I'm not quite sure why!!!!). It is obviously a U-Beaut Modern Seafront dwelling. Also a current view from the Esplanade to put it in context. Big question: What happened to the pier? I remember a long pier! I still bear a scar on my knee from a fall on it 1948! The pier, the entrance pavilion remained until 1970, when it was gutted by fire. In September 1976 the current Pier Pavilion Leisure Centre was opened by Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister. In ‘78, Herne Bay was hit by a violent storm and all but the Pavilion end of the pier was destroyed. The remaining length of pier, beyond the pavilion, was demolished in 1979. The Pierhead was not demolished though and remains as a forlorn island, cut off from the rest of the "pier". I have a page dedicated to the pier’s history, within the Herne Bay Districts section. |
| 13 Nov | Dick Holness | Herne Bay | Sorry to nag, but your response to Anne Warner ain't correct.
The '100 Steps' she mentions at the end of Sea View Road are most certainly there, contrary to your comment - I walk past/up/down them every day! 'Tis true that many years ago they were wooden, now they are concrete, but everyone I know still calls them 'The 100 Steps' however many there are! There's another set of steps opposite the end of Hilltop Road, another at the end of Burlington Drive, and yet another, which you mention, at the western end of Reculver Drive. Never heard any of these being called 'The 100 Steps'. This discussion could run and run....! No, it won't. I am happy to bow out of this one, Dick. Although I put the 100 Steps photo up (based on information I was given last week), I clearly didn't go far enough along the promenade to get a picture of the steps you refer to. However, I may consider more photos later, unless you have a photo you could send on.... |
| 8 Nov | Anne Warner | I lived in Herne Bay from 1959 'til 1965 and lived on the corner of Beltinge Rd and Dence Park. I visited the beach every possible day and used the '100 steps' just off Sea View Rd and Beacon Hill to get down to the beach.
Hello, Anne. Thanks for that. Whilst the Sea View Road steps no longer appear to be there, the Reculver Drive ones are. There's an updated picture in the Herne Bay Photos (2) page. | |
| 3 Nov | Bill Carter | Canada (I think) | Wonder if you find any interest in this pic of the 1940 Herne Bay fire brigade,situated in the High St then, great bunch of guys but my memory is growing fuzzy as to names,there is a Mr Marks,Mr Rose and two messenger boys one of which is yours truly who left the following November 5th to enter the RAF. I would also like to add that the Captain was the landlord of the "Druids Head" a little futher up High St other side which I believe is still there. I am curious as to who might remember anyone. Always thinking of the good times had in Herne Bay.
Hi, Bill. Thanks for the note. Yes, both fire station and Druid's Head are still in the High Street. I've put a copy of your photo on the "Old Views" page. Alternatively, people could click on the image below:
|
| 2 Nov | David Mills | Sydney, NSW, OZ | Hi Steve, Hope all is going well for you in Hastings. I was chatting to my daughter the other day about her visit to Europe with her partner and nostalgic trip to Herne Bay in September. They took the opportunity to call in at one of my old watering holes, the Prince of Wales. Apparently it has been renovated inside and yet still managed to maintain it's original victorian art decor. The beer I am told is still excellent. I shall be back over to the UK in June next year to sample it!! They also told me that Macari's on the corner has changed little since the times I took her in there for ice cream from age eighteen months until we left for Australia on her eighth birthday. From Macari's we would walk across the road to the trampolines where she would happily jump up an down for at least half an hour before a go on the roundabout and a walk home to the Fairway at Links View. She is now 27 and getting married in April next year. How time flies. Thanks again mate for giving us the opportunity to recall fond memories.
Hi David. I haven't been in the PoW for years now, so for the moment, I shall take your daughter's word for the décor. The beer would obviously be good as it's a Shepherd Neame pub.... |
| 27 Oct | Dick Holness | Hi Steve, Your pic labelled '100 steps' is, I think, the new flight of steps down to the beach by Bishopstone Glen. Actually......the '100 steps' was (and still is) the local name for the steps down to the beach from the northern end of Sea View Road. These are concrete now but when I were a lad, they were a long long flight of wooden steps, far more than 100 I think, so I don't know where the name came from! Keep up the good work! Right; I went back to Herne Bay this week and happened to bump into a friend there who pointed out one of two sets of steps that seemed to have this title. The ones that remain connect Reculver Drive to the promenade by the Rand. The others were wodden and have long gone. Those remaining are concrete and number 68. I have updated the "100 Steps" photo accordingly. Thanks for putting me right. | |
| 25 Oct | Elain Burke | Australia | Hi Steve, I just wanted to thank you for such a lovely and comprehensive site on Herne Bay. My Gran and Grandad live there and I was lucky enough to visit two years ago. It is funny but my parents migrated to Australia when I was two and I have no recollection of the area whatsoever but when I was there the feeling of 'being home' was overwhelming. I'm saving hard now to get back to your slice of heaven on earth. A beautiful place, with gorgeous people. Keep up the great job with the site. Cheers, Elaine Sort of "Home of the beautiful people", huh, Elaine? A little flattering, perhaps but actually I do miss the place myself. As do my kids, now they've moved away. |
| 19 Oct | Sharon Cheeseman | Mangonui, NZ | Hi Steve. Haven't been into your site for ages. Love the new layout. So nice to remember and see the places we went to when we were over there in 2003. We are determined to come back, hopefully sooner rather than later. Keep up the great work.
Hi Sharon. Happy to provide the service. If I get off my arse, I may even change some more of the pictures. Maybe. |
| 15 Oct | Neil Hetherington
| Johannesburg, South Africa | Hello there. What a great surprise to find your site especially as I lived in Herne from 1955 until 1964. I attended Herne Methodist Church under the guidance of the Reverend Kenneth Bate where I ran the Youth Club. It was here that the club members spawned the band The Nightwalkers in 1961. We played gigs in and around London and the South East - the band members included Clive Darby,Phil Hetherington,myself( for a while until I was dismissed as being to old at the age of 18!),Chris Guiver and one other who's name escapes me. Clives brother was a photographer who created the first promotional pics of the band which were taken inside the hallowed walls of the Church! (If you would like a copy of the pic I'll look it out and post it to you). Some decades ago, on a trip back to the UK, I was given shelter in one of the smugglers cottages by a well-mannered man who origanally hailed from Durban, SA. We spent a fabulous evening finishing off his remarkable collection of South African red wines. These days I live and work in South Africa in the film and television industry - your site has really brought back some incredible memories. Thanks Hi Neil. Thanks for the comment. I'm always happy to be able to help people with their nostalgia needs. Feel free to send a photo - I can post it on the "Oddments" page. Oh; and I did get your other email - that's a long letter. I'll see if there's somewhere I can use it on the site. Thanks again. |
| 8 Oct | Elaine Raviele | Tucson, Arizona | Hi Steve. Been enjoying your site and updates for some time now. Wish you all the best with your move and other stuff. I'm from Herne Bay originally, moved out here in 1988. Mostly enjoy the desert - it's a DRY heat - but miss the Bay considerably. Usually get home every other year. All the best.
Thanks, Elaine. I've only been away for 4 months but already I miss the old place terribly. It's as well that Mark is still there (the kids having left the area last month) - I still have a reason to visit Herne Bay. |
| 8 Oct | Robert Bryant | Melbourne, Victoria, OZ | Thank you Steve! I've just revisited the site after several months. Amazed to see the windfarm! I use to sail and windsurf off Herne Bay and it's amazing how
the seascape appears to have changed. Great to stay in touch with things back in Herne Bay. Looking forward to our next trip home to see it all first hand. Thanks again.
I assume that opinion on the windfarm will be divided. Now that I've got used to them, I don't give them that much thought when I do visit. I actually think that, as examples of engineering, they're fascinating. As to whether I'd want to be looking at them day in day out is another matter. |
| 4 Oct | David | Sydney, NSW, OZ | Hi again Steve. I reckon you have done a good job rewriting the site, it is well worth it and allows us ex-pats to hold on to a bit of nostalgia. Hope you have the time to keep it going.
Very kind, David. I popped into the Bay today and got a couple of photos. The weather was a bit dull, mind, so they may not be up to much. We'll see. The site in the meantime, ain't going anywhere. |
| 4 Oct | Philip Guy | Bath | Interesting web site. Been visiting Whitstable for several years now but have become increasingly disallusioned in recent years, agree with your comments. Visited Herne Bay for the first time in many years. Very impressed with the way the town has improved; you probably have the best seafood restaurant in the South East - "Le Petit Poisson" it flies the flag for Herne Bay in our oppinion. We will be back.
Thanks, Philip. It seems that both Whitstable and Herne Bay have a good selection of seafood or fish restaurants, from the humble chippy to the more upmarket establishments. I have become more accustomed to fish in the last few years. Cheryl, on the other hand, wouldn't allow me in the same room if I have any fish nearby, unless it was battered. |
| 1 Oct | Diana | Brampton, Ontario, Canada | I checked your site once and left a message. Today I returned to have another look at your photos of Herne Bay. If you get the chance, I'd love to see a shot of Underdown Villa in Underdown Road. This is the guest house my Nanna used to own. She has died now, and I live so far away and would love to see a recent photo of it. The photo I have is from 1958 which I treasure. Thank you Steve. Hi Diana. On a recent visit to HB, I checked down Underdown Road but could find no trace of any house actually labelled "Underdown Villa". However, based on some older photos I have (sent to you via a separate email), perhaps you could let me know if I have the right houses. If so, I'll sort out some better images for you. |
