BBC News South East

For this year's Diamond Jubilee BBC South East are creating a massive photo mosaic portrait of the Queen, completely made up of photographs of her public. The art work will be called 'The People's Monarch' and is going to be HUGE (neary 5m tall and 9m wide) – the size of a double decker bus.

The BCC had 6 weeks, as of 2 April, to get 10,000 people to send them their snaps so they can build the portrait of Her Majesty. Link to project for more information and how to submit your photographs.

Folkestone public houses

I am tracing my family history and was wondering if anyone can help me or try to point me in the direction of someone who can.

I have ancestors who used to run 2 public houses in Folkestone in about 1861 onwards.

One was called 'The True Boston' or could be 'The True Briton' and was at 3 Kingsbridge Street, I think

The other was called 'The Blue Anchor Inn' It was at Beach Street I believe.

Does anyone know if they are still open to this day and where I might be able to get photos of them. If I can find out who had the licence on them, I may be able to find out what year my ancestors ran them. Many thanks Email reply
or post a comment on our forum

Schools and the Boleyn Family

We have been contacted, via the Museum, by a scholar in Nova Scotia who is trying to trace an elusive figure called Louisa Neville, born in late 18th cent., who was, according to a tradition in her family, at  school in a house which had been connected with the Boleyn family and which disappeared in the early 19th cent. There were Maidstone  connections but no certainty that the school was in Maidstone, and in fact it may have been in the Hever area.

Does this ring any kind of bell with anyone, or are you aware of anyone who might be able to help him?

The Boleyn family had manors by the dozen and goodness knows how  many of them acquired
new lives after passing out of the family, or even while leased from them

Contact: webmaster

The Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) during World War 1

I am carrying out research into The Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) during World War 1.
The 15th Bn Scottish Rifles were formed in 1917  and were based  at Deal in Kent. I believe they also had a brief spell at Walmer in early 1918.
The 15th Bn were a Home Service Battalion and never saw action overseas.

I would be grateful if you could help me with any information, documentation or photographs relating to the 15th Bn and their time in Kent.

Contact: Stewart Munn

Irish - Kent connections sought

I’ve been trying to research my family tree for a number of years now and have come to a dead end. My family name comes from England but all of my ancestors going back to at least 1740 (from birth and burial certificates) were born in Ireland. I am trying to find the link between the Irish and English Egertons. I would be grateful if you could help me in this regard or even point me in the right direction?

Contact: Berty J Egerton

Birth, death, and health in Leigh

Leigh Historical Society are setting out on a project on this subject and want, among other things, to find out about changes in numbers born, died, life expectancy, and the incidence of disease, and to get stats as close to Leigh as possible.

They are trying to find statistics that would illustrate the state of health in Leigh, Kent from the first quarter of the 19th century: ages at death and causes of death is what they have in mind.  They have some national statistics but would like some closer to home.  Tonbridge figures would be helpful but so would figures for other villages.  Leigh HS assume that Tonbridge would, as with any other town, be less healthy than a rural village and know that Tonbridge was affected by periodic cholera outbreaks. 

Contact John Stevens

Speed Trials at Littlestone on Sea

Clive Roberts is researching into the Fiat Mephistopheles which he believes competed in a Speed Trial at Littlestone on Sea in October 1925 driven by L C G M Le Champion.  The only other information he has of this event is the mention that a girl was thrown out of the car. So this may have been a motoring incident or during the Speed Trial. 

Additional information which may help to locate the site of the track: Prior to 1924 to the north of what is now Blenheim Road there was a field called Lawrence’s field adjacent to a golf course (two golf courses are still there).  A grass race track for cars was set out there.  This was extended to what is now St Mary’s Bay, then called Jesson or Jessons.  Between 1924 and 1926 the race track was turned into a grass airstrip.

If you can help him with this or give him any information about Speed Trials at Littlestone on Sea, it would be greatly appreciated.

Contact Clive Roberts

Request for Photographs/postcards from Gillian Chiverton

Does any one have photographs/postcards of schools in Deal and Walmer, particularly old ones?  She is also looking for pictures of Cattermoles bathing machines. 

She wants a copy of these to go with an article you can read in the most recent LPSS Newsletter and it has been suggested that she could revamp it a little and submit it to the East Kent Mercury

gillian.chiverton@btinternet.com

Feakins

Thomas and his wife Sarah Feakins, buried in St Nicholas, Pluckley

Ms Jecklin (USA) is interested in exchanging genealogical information with anyone related to
Thomas (1737-1819) and Sarah Wise (1749-1821) Feakins.  
Email her at KRMJ@earthlink.net