The Kent History Forum

Members Only Area => General Discussion => Topic started by: Invicta Alec on October 06, 2019, 08:17:23 PM

Title: New members
Post by: Invicta Alec on October 06, 2019, 08:17:23 PM
Slowly but surely the membership count is creeping up. The latest total is 97, so maybe a celebratory glass should be raised when the 100 milestone is passed shortly!


Oddly though, only 25 members have made posts.  :-X 


C'mon all you newbies with a zero count - get your first point on the board and at least reply to this by saying "Hi all, I'm Fred from wherever".

Alec.


Title: Re: New members
Post by: AlanTH on October 07, 2019, 10:15:08 AM
Hello Alec and Fred, I'm Alan from Perth in Western Australia. :)
AlanTH.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Invicta Alec on October 07, 2019, 10:50:34 AM
Hello Alec and Fred, I'm Alan from Perth in Western Australia. :)
AlanTH.


Hi Alan. Are you a Kent lad?


Alec.

Title: Re: New members
Post by: mmitch on October 09, 2019, 10:42:35 AM
Title: Re: New members
Post by: AlanTH on October 09, 2019, 11:40:00 AM
Hi Alec and Fred and everyone else. Born and bred in Rochester in Feb. 1944. Left the towns for Australia in '72 but did return for 2 years in '77. Back to Oz and apart from a short visit in 1989 haven't been back since.
But I still like reading about what's happening back "home". :)
AlanTH.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Invicta Alec on October 09, 2019, 11:49:33 AM
Title: Re: New members
Post by: BobH on October 21, 2019, 03:37:10 PM
I have just joined having been informed of the demise of the old group.  Thanks to John Walker for informing me.  I used to take part in the Guess the Place Quiz but not being that mobile and living in Kent within the M25, my sources of material were difficult to obtain.  I actually created my own SMF Kent Forum, mainly for a similar quiz, for a few friends but after a year the site got hacked so I had to abandon it.  I also appreciate the amount of effort that Admins have to do to keep it up-to-date and they have my admiration.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: John Walker on October 21, 2019, 10:24:00 PM
I have just joined having been informed of the demise of the old group.  Thanks to John Walker for informing me.  I used to take part in the Guess the Place Quiz but not being that mobile and living in Kent within the M25, my sources of material were difficult to obtain.  I actually created my own SMF Kent Forum, mainly for a similar quiz, for a few friends but after a year the site got hacked so I had to abandon it.  I also appreciate the amount of effort that Admins have to do to keep it up-to-date and they have my admiration.


Good to see you on here Bob.  :)


John
Title: Re: New members
Post by: castle261 on May 20, 2020, 09:37:45 AM

Welcome to our newest member -- Natasha Boardman - Steer

This section seems to have lapped a little, I only found it by `digging`in the previous pages.

Title: Re: New members
Post by: Mike Gunnill on May 23, 2020, 12:31:15 PM

Welcome to our newest member -- Natasha Boardman - Steer

This section seems to have lapped a little, I only found it by `digging`in the previous pages.


This is a good idea. Perhaps new members could introduce themselves here. They would also have a contact name if they needed form advice/help.


and soooooo...........welcome to new member Natasha Boardman-Steer.




Mike
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Smiffy on June 01, 2020, 11:15:50 PM
Am I seeing things in the stats or have the number of members actually gone down?
Title: Re: New members
Post by: stuartwaters on June 02, 2020, 06:30:25 AM
I had a purge recently of members who had registered over 300 days ago but had then never logged on since. That will explain the drop in member numbers.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: davpott on July 26, 2020, 05:17:05 PM
Hi, a former member of the old forum.
I was searching for a topic which I knew the old forum had covered and discovered the 'new' forum and subscribed to what will hopefully be as resourceful and interesting as the old one.
 I've met a few members of the old forum over the years( including Kyn).
 Good luck with the new forum. It is such a shame that all of the shared knowledge of the old forum has now been lost. While I understand her need to get away from administrating the old forum.  I am very surprised that it has now 'vanished' along with many hundreds of generally well researched posts . 
Title: Re: New members
Post by: stuartwaters on July 26, 2020, 06:47:55 PM
Hi Davpott and welcome along. I used to be Bilgerat on the old Forum. Are you still running the pub in Faversham?
Title: Re: New members
Post by: grandarog on July 26, 2020, 07:17:58 PM
Nice to have you aboard Davpot, Your pub hosted the last ever social meet of the old Forum where we had a good evening although you were unable to be with us. :)

Title: Re: New members
Post by: Colin walsh on July 27, 2020, 09:26:33 AM
Nice to see membership grow,especially members of the"old"fourum joining,unfortunately we don't see many of our lady members from yesteryear,it occurred to me that the fourum we have today is a little less gregarious then the old one,,remember the long drawn out sagas,the landing craft incident,and not to forget the slip coach blog ,but then maybe it's ment to be more informative,whatever I for one am more than greatfull for Stuart's ( bilge rats) effort on our behalf,
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Bill Jones on July 28, 2020, 06:47:28 AM
Introduction time - I is a keen black man here who has only recently come to Kent from my native West Indies (BVI) and I must say that I'm looking forward to learning more about this green, and very pleasant, land. I have read most of the topics on here as a guest, but I must admit to being a bit confused by the current lack of content, which is not how I remember it from when I first stumbled across it a few years ago. I'm afraid I don't have enough local knowledge to participate in the popular Guess the Place yet, which is a great shame

Bill
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Dave Smith on July 28, 2020, 09:50:35 AM
Welcome Bill. Looking forward to your questions to open up the forum- although I probably won't be much help as I moved away to join the RAF in January 1947. But I do remember my home before then. I think you have to be very local to participate in the "guess the place"- I'm always amazed at the knowledge of the participants. Question for you, whereabouts in the WI are you from, it's a big area.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Bill Jones on July 28, 2020, 10:38:43 AM
Thank you for the welcome Dave. I'm from Road Town, Tortola, BVI. Emphasis on the B as I am proud of the flag and i am not a Septic being born closer to the rising sun then them. Did you miss my BVI in the post?
I do wish there was more history in my home town but it does not compare to the vast range of Kent. I know live in Maidstone which should make me an adopted man of Kent I believe? Or do I have to stay longer then 6 months to become accepted lol.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: DaveTheTrain on July 28, 2020, 01:24:25 PM
Welcome, Bill.  That is a big change from the BVI to Maidstone.  I seem to recall BVI was hit quite hard in 2017 by the hurricane. .. I recall the TV broadcasts of the damage caused.  Have the Islands largely recovered now?


I think we are all hoping that the forum picks up healthily over time.  I believe that COVID has not helped as it means that people cannot out and about.  Myself for example want to go exploring locally but now is not a sensible time.  I do recommend Maidstone Museum when it re-opens.
Dave
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Bill Jones on July 28, 2020, 03:22:45 PM
Thank you Dave for the welcome. Tortola was very badly hit by the hurricane and in fact it seemed worse in reality than what I have just seen being reported in the UK. The aid received was good and things are very much good there now when I left. I have retired and not being burdened by family have come to this wonderful country although I like using my new debit card as I do not understand the currency here and the prices! But I am glad that it is today and not pounds shillings and pennies.


I will visit many local history sites soon as things are getting easier with the virus. As a man of colour I do not like wearing a mask in case people think I am a robber as that is what we would have thought if they had come in a mask into the bank at home ha ha. I will look at Kent deeply with my camera and enjoy your wonderful history, I do like castles and things, you are so lucky to have lived here for longer.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: castle261 on August 12, 2020, 08:57:56 AM
Under NEW member is a  - mikegunnill2 ----------- son of mikegunnill1 -- ?
Title: Re: New members
Post by: grandarog on August 12, 2020, 09:21:53 AM
That is Mike , Since the site crash He couldn't log in .Easy way to remedy re-register ,as far as I know he is still trying to get back to the Forum.Apparently refuses his security question answers. I think he is still waiting for approval although it says he is a new member. What ever happened has certainly caused Stuart and the forum a B8888dy Headache.


Title: Re: New members
Post by: Mike Gunnill on October 01, 2020, 11:05:43 AM
That is Mike , Since the site crash He couldn't log in .Easy way to remedy re-register ,as far as I know he is still trying to get back to the Forum.Apparently refuses his security question answers. I think he is still waiting for approval although it says he is a new member. What ever happened has certainly caused Stuart and the forum a B8888dy Headache.


Sorry just seen this message. yes mikegunnill2 was a temp way of getting into the forum. Stuart waved his wand and somehow made everything work under my original name. Then again you can't have too many mikegunnill's can you?


Many thanks for help from Stuart in the engine room for sorting me out and many others. Very grateful


The mikegunnill
Title: Re: New members
Post by: castle261 on February 16, 2021, 07:09:10 PM
Seems a new member is - shortbros - surely with a name like that - MUST have a tail to tell ?
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Dave Smith on February 18, 2021, 11:32:17 PM
Castle. I too am intrigued by shortbros. Was he "just passing" I wonder? There can't be many people left who worked there, so if he is still in contact, please own up & write a few lines.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Alastair on February 27, 2021, 12:14:14 PM
Greetings, Everyone.
New member, originally from the old forum and just found that this one exists. Very pleased it does.
The tragedy of losing the old forum is the loss of all the information on there.
Anyway, I hope to make a contribution to this one.
Lived 50 odd years in Kent but now live in Cornwall. This place doesn't have the historic attraction for me that Kent did. I spent many years researching things that took my fancy - history of Deal and its families, White Cliffs gun batteries, etc.
Kind Regards
Alastair

Title: Re: New members
Post by: Lutonman on February 27, 2021, 12:44:02 PM
Welcome to you Alastair
Title: Re: New members
Post by: stuartwaters on February 27, 2021, 01:48:09 PM
Hi Alastair and welcome along. I couldn't agree more with your statement about the old Forum. It's loss was indeed a tragedy. Some of the information on there is still retrievable using the "Wayback Machine", but that's very hit and miss and articles on there take a lot of time and patience to find.


The history of Deal is interesting and I hope to visit the Deal Museum once Boris lets us out to play. I'm especially interested in the Downs Anchorage and the Naval Yard which used to support the warships assembled there.
Title: Re: New members
Post by: Alastair on March 01, 2021, 12:08:34 PM
Thank you Stuart and Lutonman for your kind welcome to the Forum.
With regards to the Deal Naval Yard, little is known but here is a bit of what I do know.
There was originally a small yard, no-one is sure where, inland from the sea. In 1696 the yard was deemed to be entirely inadequate and a new, bigger yard was built in 1703. It contained a large brick storehouse, a house for the storekeeper, three boathouses, five capstans, sheds, offices and a brewing house.
It occupied the land immediately north of the Timeball Tower, where the gates were, up to Deal Castle Road and down to Victoria Road. The purpose was to service the Royal Naval ships that were stationed in the Downs. At that time we were at war with France.
The yard developed and grew - guard houses, mast houses, blacksmith's, cordage and sail stores. sawpits, cooperage, victualling yard and engine house.
It closed in 1863 and the land was developed into the residential site it is today, then called Victoria Town. The Captain of the Yard lived in an imposing Georgian house that stood on the site of the Bus Station.
Regards
Alastair