August 1914– Outbreak of World War I On the perceived premise that Russia was about to attack Germany, the Germans, under Kaiser Wilhelm II (1888-1918), in accordance with the Schlieffen plan, on Saturday 1 August 1914, declared War on Russia, … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust (ABCT) is a registered charity that was founded in 2006 as a non-profit organisation. They work to preserve and protect airfields in Great Britain, as well as educating people about their history and providing … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
It is known that Anne Pratt (1806-1893), one of the Victorian age best-known English botanical writers and illustrators, was for seventeen years a resident of Dover. Born on 5 December 1806 in Strood, Kent, Anne was the eldest of three … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
Continued from Swingate Part IIIa – World War I Front Line Aerodrome 1918 April – Dover and a new enemy attacks The Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed on 1 April 1918 by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
Continued from Swingate Part IIB – World War I Front Line Aerodrome 1918 January – March – Dover and will this war ever end? January and February 1918 On a freezing cold New Years Day in 1918, the children with … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
The tiny Chapel of St Edmund on Priory Road, sometimes in 19th century books referred to as the Church of St John, has had a chequered history. It is believed that a ‘Cemetery of the Poor’ was established in 1131 … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
Continued from Swingate Part IIa – World War I Front Line Aerodrome 1917 – On the Offensive & the Americans come to Swingate Attacks on neutral shipping continued. Typically from the beginning of the War to the end of 1916 … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
Swingate is a large stretch of downland on the east side of Dover Castle. It is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the history of the site is internationally unique, particularly in relation to communication. This essay is … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
Dover is a positive treasure-trove of historic jewels, many neglected, some forgotten and some, like Swingate Downs, described by one of the town’s moronic councillor/business person as wasteland while a stalwart on Dover’s tourism and Dover Harbour Board committees wants … Continue reading →| The Dover Historian
Part One of the Stembrook Tannery to Pencester Gardens story looked at the development of the area from medieval times to the 1920s. For much of that time a large part of the site was owned by the …| The Dover Historian
