Oral & Personal Histories
On this page you can read and listen to some personal histories of prominent local people. We will be adding to those listed and where possible adding audio so that you can listen to their personal story. If you prefer you can open and/or download a pdf transcript.
Rose (Rosie) Grigsby
Rosie has lived in Hythe for 58 years. She was born in Deptford on 29/01/1930. She married Reuben (Rube) Grigsby in 1952. Member of the Hythe Bowling Club. Researched the bowling green history back to the 16th century
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Mr & Mrs Stuart Brown
Owners of Hythe Water Mill for 50 years
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Mr H A Coe
Born in 1904. Talking about Hythe during WW1. Recorded in 1985
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Mr Sidney Ridley
Childhood memories of the First World War
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Mr Alban White
Fisherman Born 1909. Talking about damage caused to Hythe seafront by the hurricane of 1987
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Mrs Ellen Horton
Hythe Memories
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Mrs K Nash
Age 86 years. Talking about Hythe. Recorded 1989
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Rear Admiral Hall-Thompson
Talking about Hythe 1913-1914
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Miss B Hadlow
Born in 1905 and recounts her memories of Hythe. Recorded in September 1989 when she was 84.
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Mr Gordon Copson
RN in WWI - Parents ran the Bell Inn 1944-45
Gillian Gates
Gillian Gates born 1946- Has lived in Hythe since age 5, educated and worked in Hythe. Father owned Hythe Engineering Co. Married at St Leonard ‘s Church. Sharing her happy memories of Hythe.
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Berkeley Hill
Professor Berkeley Hill Bsc. phD. BEM
Director Of Music at St Leonard's Church, Hythe. Kent
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Thomas James Beckett BEM & Marjorie Beckett
Thomas James Beckett -Born in Liverpool 1908-2001. Married Marjorie Bains. Dunkirk Veteran and awarded BEM—Chief Engineer for Mackeson Brewery, Hythe.
Marjorie Beckett (nee Bains) was born in 1917-1985. She came to Hythe at age 6 and educated St Leonards Sch. -Nurse at Royal Victoria Hospital during WWII. Married and raised family in Hythe.
Jack Adams
Jack Adams 1912 – 1998. Professional photographer. WWII joined the RAF in Special duties. He had a photography shop Hythe High St. from 1954 to 1982—a member of Rotary and HCS.
John Adams came to Hythe at age 11 and was educated at Harvey. Science teacher and became deputy head teacher, worked for Pfizer. Bequeathed his father’s large collection of photo negatives to HCS.
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We were delighted when Don Hyde agreed to be our first subject, John Osborne (Chairman) and myself and friends spent two very enjoyable sessions talking, listening to and recording Don's many and varied memories.
"I met Son in 1948 ‐ we were married in 1950, and two children, five grand children and nine great grandchildren later I count myself blessed."
"I was born in August 1942 in Tunbridge Wells and up to the age of 8 or 9 years old our family lived in Tyson Road in Folkestone, I think my mother went to Tunbridge Wells to give birth to me because Folkestone was in the front line of WW2 at that time."
"This is an interview with Mrs Margaret Hart. We are sitting in her sitting room in Prospect Road, Hythe. She is going to tell us about her early memories, and her memories of when she first moved to Hythe."
The Cold Harbour house and land deeds go back to 1696. In the Kent archives. It was a farm with 33 acres and came as a dowry for the marriage of 'Northhamptona Court'. She could not write but made her mark. It was an old parchment.
I am just starting part one of my life’s story so at the end I start at the beginning. Now aged 95 Flora Laundon born on the 2nd May 1916 during the First World War. My parents Florence and Leonard lived at South Norwood, 45 Edit Road, where I was born.