Herne Bay & Whitstable - A local's viewpoint

Date	Visitor	Location	Comment
27 Sep	Margaret Iggulden	Herne Bay	Hello Steve. I stumbled on your site and quite like it! But when will you remove photos of pubs no longer in existence? People will have a shock if they turn up at the Miramar for a drink same for Dolphin, Richmond and Hotel St George. Hello Margaret, Thanks for the note. However, the pub & hotel photos you refer to will remain for the time being. I have commented on all the pictures that they no longer exist as hostelries. A number of ex-pat visitors write asking for photos of places they remember. Pubs are often the subject of those requests, hence the inclusion of even the redundant ones.
4 Sep	Alison Reese	Garden City, Kansas, USA	What a fantastic website. Thank you for the trip down Memory Lane. I was born in Canterbury (at home) and along with that town also lived in Whitstable, Chestfield, and HB. Yes, my family were slowly inching down the Thanet Way. I lived in HB from 1973-1980 and, up until that point, it was the longest I had ever stayed in one town so it always has a special place in my heart. I have a couple of questions. Are the arcades still there? My mate and I would find pennies and go on the "penny nudger" slots as kids. And no spending a couple of hours in the arcades on a rainy Saturday didn't make a deliquent out of me. Secondly, does Kings Road school still have the old WWII bunkers? That's what everyone said they were. They were used for storage in my day. Most kids used to think the last one was haunted. Stuff of urban legends! I tried your link to the school but something got jammed so I thought I'd ask. Again, thank you for this site. Despite still having my English accent, I've lived in the States for 26 years and it's nice to get back to my roots every now and then. Hi Alison. Thanks for writing. Yes, the arcades are still there; Sandancers on Herne Bay seafront and the arcade opposite what is now Somerfield in Whitstable High Street too, although it's name escapes me at the moment. There has been a lot of rebuilding at Kings Road school, what with the junior school extension and the new infant school. I recall a lot of mobile classrooms until recently but not any bunkers. I checked the link, by the way; it is still there. Honest. Finally; whatever else you do - keep 'old of yer English accent, lady. I recall spending some time in Detroit for work and finding that the longer I was there, the more I was getting to sound like Dick van Dyke, so determined was I not to affect an American twang.....
3 Sep	Lawrence James Blake	Herne Bay	Thanks for putting such lovely pictures on the site. Fortunately I have been able to see these for myself over the past 58 years years - thats how long I have lived in Herne Bay. My parents moved here from Whitstable when I was 3 years old. Hello, Lawrence. Whilst I can't claim to have been as long as you in the place, I have to agree with you on it's merits. My parents moved us down when I was just under 3, too. Best thing they ever did for us.
26 Aug	Susan McEwen		I was looking at the photo of Mayfair Court and the comment says "look at feedback page for Dec 2005 for the story" but I cannot find the feedback page! I am reserching the Malay state of Johore and think that is part of your story of this house! Can you email me the feedback or its web address? Hi Susan. Click on the Feedback link (4th from top on the right side menu), then select "Previous Comments" from the menu at the top of the main page. That will take you to all the old feedback pages, including Oct – Dec 2005 at the top left of the page. If you can’t get to it, let me know.
24 Aug	Ivan Smith/ "Capn Smudge"	Scranton, Penn, USA	Great site and some wonderful pictures of my old home town. It has changed a lot since I last strolled down the promenade and stopped for a coffee at Macari's. Despite all the new, however, a flavour of the old town lingers on. Any chance of a picture or two of the beach huts past the Kings Hall? I spent many a happy summer day there swimming and hanging out with fellow Greenhill School skivers. Also a shot of the old High Street library, maybe? Another favorite school avoidance place! Thanks for this excellent site. Its much appreciated by ex-pats like myself. Thanks to you, sir. I'll sort out some beach hut and library photos for you as soon as I can. Weather permitting, of course.
15 Aug	Ann Vance	Vancouver Island, BC, Canada	Love your site. I've been feeling a bit nostalgic lately and your site was a great place to go. I have quite a few old postcards and photos of Herne Bay, some during WWII. If you are interested at all I will get them out and email them to you? While I'm here, my daughter was born in St. Heliers Nursing home in 1961, which I understand is no longer there. Do you have a photo of this? I lived in Herne Bay in the late '50s. I was also born there in 1943 on Mickleburgh Hill. My Dad used to drive the buses in Herne Bay, Whitstable and Tankerton. I now live in Canada. The 100 steps used to be a favorite haunt of mine and they were made of wood and very rickety back then. We came back to Herne Bay in 2002 and I found it to be very different. Macaris is where I met my first husband when I was 16! It had wicker tables and chairs back then. What is the name of the hardware store on Station Road? I have been trying to remember and maybe you can help. Just curious. On another subject, my Dad lived in Skegness for years. He passed away in 2003, the last time I was in England. That is the last time we went through Herne Bay and Whitstable. We stayed in a waterfront hotel in Whitstable (as we took the long route to the airport around the coast) but I forget the name. We had to climb all the way to the top with our suitcases! Such exercise at 12:30am! Having lived in Canada for many years, the streets in England appeared so small. My husband got a kick out of driving there. I love your web site. Your writing is almost conversation rather than reading. Hello, Ann. I believe that St Helier's is still there, behind the Kings Hall. I'll check it out on my next trip. The hardware store was and still is VFM, opposite the Four Fathoms. I'll see about adding a picture of it to the Station Road "street Life" photo page. As for the hotel; my guess is that it would have been either the Marine on Tankerton Slopes or the Hotel Continental, which is right on the beach at Beach Walk. Again, I'll resurrect the photos, assuming Ican find them. I have also added your photos to the "Far Afield" page. Thanks for those.
15 Aug	Anita Thåström	Gothenburg, Sweden	Great site, Steve and you're quick with the updates too! I found this site via a link from Wikipedia and I really wanted to see some pictures from the carnival. I spent a few days in Herne Bay last week and went back to Sweden on Sunday. I miss the place already. Great pubs, great people, shops were fine, internet connection at the library really slow, and the wind - WOW! I'll hope I will be able to come back soon! Hi, Anita. You know what? I really miss the place too. However, I do have Cheryl, which makes up for a lot.
9 Aug	Lilian Crane		Please could you help me? My mother went to Herne Bay a couple of weeks ago and saw what she described as a Sundial with a clock that also had the months on it. I do not know where in the town she saw it. Mum said she found it very interesting, but would like to know how to read it! She does this to me; she sees something she finds interesting and asks me to look on my "thingy machine" for more information. Thanking you for any information you may have. There are 2 sundials on the front by the clock tower. One is a traditional dial in Waltrop Gardens but I suspect you are referring to the "Human clock", in the flagstones by the clock tower. Standing on the centre stone, your own shadow gives you the time. I seem to recall Briary school was going to get on installed in the playground, though whether it ever happened, I don't know. I'll check out the seafront dial on my next trip.
24 Jul	Dan JButcher	Ticehurst, Sussex	What can I say? Keep it up Steve. More impottantly keep enjoying it. I'll do my best, Dan. Cheers.
17 Jul	Joanne	Swanley, Kent	Thank you for a most enjoyable and informative site. I can just remember visiting the seaside town of Herne Bay with my parents many years ago, while quite a young child. I have only slight memories of the event, and location. Your site has renewed my interest in the whole area and I now plan to revisit Herne bay, along with the surrounding area's as soon as time allows. Warm regards. Wow. Thank you, Joanne. It's messages like yours that make it worth keeping up the site, albeit on a much more part-time scale now.
3 Jul	Jon Trim		I remember when holidays at Beltinge caravan site. Do you recall the penny slide on the bridge that spanned the glen? I still dream of the place. I believed in all those years ago and remember the small mounted houses, some painted light blue I think. Its a shame that its a place I only see in my dreams but it lives on in my children now. My daughter is 5 years old and I have told her stories referring to the glen. We visited Beltinge a few months ago and I told my wife and children about it and was amazed to see your site and pictures for which have changed from what we recall. The Glen will never be forgotten as it will live on in my children and many others and I plan to write some short stories in the near future and would be grateful for any comments or memories you too may recall. Hello Jon. My childhood was actually in Whitstable, rather than Herne Bay. Accordingly, whilst Iknew of the Fairy Glen, I never got to see it for real, although my ex-wife, who was born a raised in Gelnbervie Drive, had many memories. Unfortunatley, that particular avenue is closed to me now. However, should anyone have memories of the place, I'm always happy to

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Here are the comments I got between July and September 2006.