Got an email about the School of Art

Got an email about the School of Art

From Eamon Everall no less:

Hi, you ask for info on Folkestone School of Art , I went there from 1966 to 1967. When i went it was where the multi story car park opposite the junction of Alexandra Gardens & Middleburg Square, now is. More or less opposite was Gales Cafe & a huge ramshackle pub , now gone. Essentially it was a Foundation (pre-18) Art School preparing students for higher level courses elsewhere although there were also a few local vocational courses in applied arts subject like Graphics, etc. Housed in an odd mix of buildings from a victorian chapel to a georgain town house it was a very lively place which attracted students from across Kent-not too popular with the powers that be tho., due to the Bohemian nature of the students. When I was there the Principal was Gerald Norden a nice old bloke & pretty good painter with a national reputation, he was succeeded by John Everleigh who, tho elderly, is still around & living in the Folkestone area.

Any information like this about any parts of Folkestone that we no longer have are very much appreciated.

⬅️ :: Some old photos of Folkestone ➡️
Fri Aug 01 2008

This is part of my site The 'Gerald that I built in a frenzy of enthusiasm when I first came to Folkestone sometime in '04. I'd been a frequent visitor for a while previous to that so I am technically one of those Down From Londons you get now. The site was updated more frequently with a gig calendar and voting for favourite venues and things, and I know it was a handy reference for others who were thinking of moving to the area. Now I've moved out of Folkestone again (though only a couple of miles) it doesn't get as much attention as it used to. Ironic really as Folkestone itself is becoming the exciting place we always thought it was just about to. My name is not Gerald BTW, the name comes from the name of a pretend paper in an episode of Brasseye or something, the Portsmouth Gerald, and how there is a local newspaper here called the Folkestone Herald. Puns like this are GRATE aren't they? Do contact me if you have anything to offer, email anythign @ this domain, or try @folkestone or @pauly on Twitter.