Benenden
Benenden maps (2 available)
Map of Kent
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Benenden books (11 available)
- 1 photos on Benenden appear in 1 Frith books - View photos of Benenden
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Benenden and Kent
Benenden memories
Read and share memories of Benenden and Kent inspired by Frith photos
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Kent memories
Visiting my parents in Iden Green
I have very fond memories of visiting my parents, Margaret & Percy Thorburn who owned Coveney Cottage from 1961 until 1980.
We used to come down from London on the National Coach to Benenden and then a Fuggles Garage car/taxi would take us down to Iden Green. Alternatively we would meet my parents in the pub (name temporarily forgotten) and have a drink before driving back to their cottage.
I remember the village when it had its own public house and village shop, and lots of the older residents, Fred & Lily of Lilac Cottage, Mrs Daw from the other half of Coveney Cottage, Joan Witterkoff of Seerose Cottage, to name but a few.
My parents are ...read more here
A memory of Iden Green contributed by Anne Kennedy
MY BEAUTIFUL KENTISH BIRTHPLACE
I was born in East House, Tenterden Road, Rolvenden on 2nd November 1938. My dad was about to join the RAF and I was born in my grandparents' home. There were large cellars below the house - very scarey. East House and West House are joined in the centre by a 'shop' which was the Post Office and telephone exchange in the 1920/30s. My mother, Molly Allsop, was one of the operators of the switchboard in the switch room. Few people had telephones. My grandfather, Joe Allsop JP, was the village postmaster and the mail, telegrams and telephones were all run from that property. In the 1930s the Post Office was moved over the road to a small old double fronted ...read more here
A memory of Rolvenden contributed by Jill Howell
Hawkhurst today
It's funny you should mention the Woods Butchers, I'm living in Hawkhurst now and am only 19 but I'm friends with the daughter who owns Wood Butchers, Emily Wood. I do enjoy living in Hawkhurst, it is interesting to look at the old pictures and see what it used to look like, probably a lot nicer in my opinion. I'm not a fan of the new appliances shop on the corner where there used to be a Circle-C which then changed into an Alldays which then closed down when the Budgens opened. I did enjoy the sweets shop when I was younger though, it's a shame that closed down.
A memory of Hawkhurst contributed by Helen Cripps
Growing up in Hawkhurst
I have so many happy memories of growing up in Hawkurst in the 1940s /1950s and although Hawkhurst has changed a lot over the years it's a lovely place to visit.
I still remember all the shops along the colonnade and the moor. Buss the bakers at the moor and little sweet shop just round the corner and 'Pipers' the sweet shop was owned by my friend's grandparents.
We used to go hop picking as well.
I also got married in St Laurence's Church which I remember having a new roof as it was bombed during the war.
Maureen Smith (nee Wenham).
Extracts From Benenden & Kent books
With its white weather-boarded houses and leafy glades, this village was once home to Viscount Rothermere. His great-uncle, Alfred Harmsworth, founded the Daily Mail in 1896, and the family lived at the house which was to become the private Benenden School. Famous old girls include Princess Anne and the author Sue Ryder. Did they ever collect their pocket money from the Westminster Bank (right)?
An extract from from"Kent Revisited Photographic Memories".
On the right is the old Belle Vue Tavern
dating back to the 1760s, which was an
earlier haunt for smugglers. In 1831,
the landlord Mr John Cramp received
a visit from the Duchess of Kent and
her daughter Princess Victoria; they
dined on potted shrimp paste. Later,
Mr Cramp received the Royal
Appointment of Purveyor of Essence
of Shrimps in Ordinary to Her Majesty
the Queen. On the left are the Floral
Tea Gardens followed by the Pear Tree
Inn, later Samuel Banger’s potted
shrimp paste factory. His small paste
pots had highly decorated lids
depicting scenes of Pegwell; today
they are valuable antiques.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Work on building this
elegant square started in
1802 after James Townley
bought the ground. The
buildings on the left were
officers’ quarters during the
Napoleonic Wars. The
square was a large parade
ground, and nearby
Addington Street was a
military camp. Frith’s
photographer was standing
outside No 6 Royal Road,
where Vincent Van Gogh
had stayed.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Here we see three of eight classical-style statues holding lanterns which stood at the
junction of the High Street and George Street outside Sangers Amphitheatre and
Hotel between 1911 and 1913. Six statues were removed and erected outside the
Hall by the sea in Margate; the other two remained until 1939. There was
controversy surrounding these figures: in 1908, Alderman Gwyn called them ‘an
eyesore and a disfigurement’. Lord George Sanger had seen the originals of the
statues in Paris outside the Grand Opera House in 1883, and had eight replicas cast,
paying £50 per figure for the transport and erection of these statues. Opposite is
Lloyds Bank, which moved to new premises in 1928, renting the building to the
NatWest Bank. The piano sign next door denotes Golden & Wind’s premises.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Here we have a tranquil view at low water of the inner basin. On the extreme right is the Clock House. To its left in
Smeaton’s dry dock is a sailing vessel being repaired. The fishing smacks in the foreground have RE numbers, denoting that
they are registered in Ramsgate; later the E was dropped and only the letter R used.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".