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Rare photos of Folkestone uncovered from archives

06:00, 30 August 2020

updated: 13:18, 04 November 2022

Rare photos of an historic fishing town have been uncovered following an extensive trawl of old archives.

All of them taken in Folkestone , one shows a long line of people queueing for former The Star Bingo and Social Club, in Grace Hill, on opening night in 1967.

The Orient Express at Folkestone's Harbour Station in the 1980s. All pictures from Alan Taylor's new book, Lost Folkestone
The Orient Express at Folkestone's Harbour Station in the 1980s. All pictures from Alan Taylor's new book, Lost Folkestone

Another shows The Orient Express at the Folkestone Harbour Station in the 1980s.

The station is now part of the recently renovated seafront which leads to the popular Harbour Arm .

The images have been compiled by Alan Taylor for his latest book about Folkestone - his ninth to be printed about the town.

Titled Lost Folkestone, it includes 96 pages of photographs of the well known, and lesser known, places that have been lost over the years.

The images span from the Victorian period to more recent decades and reveal how the town has changed - not just the industries and buildings that have gone but also the people, street scenes, places of entertainment and more.

Looking down the High Street from just below The Bayle steps
Looking down the High Street from just below The Bayle steps

Mr Taylor, who is Folkestone born and bred, said: "Lost Folkestone would not have been possible - as I have almost exhausted my own archive of images - if it hadn't been for Richard Taylor (no relation) allowing me to have access to his black and white images from his 2000 image archive.

"Richard inherited the images from his late father and mother who ran their own photograph business.

"Richard now has his own photographic business called 'Nik & Trick', based in The Old High Street."

Mr Taylor says a number of "purple tinted engravings which come from a very rare guide book" are also included in the book, as are pictures taken by his mother.

He added: "I think the fact that I have used some of my family snaps taken by my late mother with a box brownie camera makes it special for me."

The Star Bingo and Social Club on opening night 1967
The Star Bingo and Social Club on opening night 1967
The steam train Lord Nelson on the harbour branch line being operated as the Golden Arrow, August 2007. The Burstin Hotel in the background
The steam train Lord Nelson on the harbour branch line being operated as the Golden Arrow, August 2007. The Burstin Hotel in the background

Mr Taylor, a former fisherman who still likes to swim in the sea daily, is now working on a book entitled 'Folkestone's Fishing Industry Past and Present' with two of the other curators of the town's fishing museum .

It will include more than 200 images detailing Folkestone's heritage as a fishing town.

Author Alan Taylor. Picture: Alan Langley
Author Alan Taylor. Picture: Alan Langley

Lost Folkestone is due out on Tuesday, September 15 and will cost £14.99.

Read more: All the latest news from Folkestone

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