Louis Hope Furminger was born 31^st March 1844 in Brede, East Sussex and died in 1918 at Eastry, nr Dover.

He was the first son born to Louis and Elizabeth and I suspect he aquired the middle name Hope after Louis's first child Louis Phillip died in infancy aged 2. His mother and Louis's first wife Charlotte probably died giving birth to Louis Phillip.

The earliest record I have of Louis's life in Folkestone is from the 1861 Census where he is recorded living with his parents at 7 Alfred Terrace (Which was located near Cherry Garden Road) neither roads exists today and I can only guess that Cherry Garden Road was somewhere near the present day Cherry Garden Avenue at the Cheriton end of Folkestone.

According to the census his occupation was a Carter (Agricultural), his father Louis is also shown with the same occupation, so it seems they were working together.

In 1868 Louis Hope married Susannah FAGG,(b.abt 1845 d. 1919) in Folkestone. (I do not as yet have the marriage certificate, so the actual date and place are unknown) Susannah was the only daughter of William & Ann FAGG from Folkestone. (She did have three older brothers, John, William, Henry and one younger brother George.)

Later that year his mother Elizabeth (nee BEARMAN) died.

Shortly after their marriage, it seems they moved to Dover as their first child Louis F was born 1869 in Dover, followed by a second child Ann G in 1870. On the 1871 Census Louis, Susannah and the two children are shown as living at 5 Upper Court, Finnis's Hill, Dover (I currently have no idea where that was in Dover) and Louis had a new job, Labourer - Engine department (There is something written on the census between Labourer and Engine, but I am unable to make out what is says). I have also just noticed that their daughter Ann G is shown as Anna E, I will need to confirm which is correct.(Note - the 1881 Census says Anne E)

Still in Dover, their third child George Henry is born 1871, the fourth Harry is born 1873 and the fifth Kate Malvania is born 1874. It then seems that the family moved to Seabrook where their sixth child William was born in 1876, followed by their seventh, Charles in 1879.

It would appear that sometime between 1879 and 1881 the family may have moved to Ashford, as their eighth child Nelson was born 1881 in Ashford, but prior to the 1881 census they were back in Folkestone at 26 Sidney Street, with Louis's occupation now shown as Marine Stoker (Seaman).

1882 and 1883 saw the births of their ninth and tenth children, Frank Hope & Mark both in Folkestone.

In 1885 Susannah gave birth to their eleventh child Susannah, but she unfortunately died soon afterwards, the following year 1886 Alma was born, then a further two years later on the 21^st April 1888 their thirteenth and final child, James was born in Folkestone.

The next record of the family comes from the 1891 Census with the family now living at 55 Bridge Street, except Kate Malvania. Louis has his occupation a Stoker Steamboat. I do not know when the family moved to 55 Bridge street, but Louis's father Louis was living with the family at this address, when he died on 8th January 1891.

The 1901 Census has Susannah living at 73 Linden Crescent, Folkestone (which was just a few streets away from Sindey & Bridge streets) with children Louis F, Charles, Frank, Alma, James and also Anne with her husband Edward CLAY and their two children George b 1893 and Susannah b 1895.

Louis Hope is on a seperate 1901 Census working on board the Steamboat SS Boulougne as a stoker, it would seem that on the night of the census (31^st March 1901) the vessel was in Boulogne. (Note: His brother in law Henry FAGG was also listed amongst the crew)The SS Boulogne was a cargo carrier, built by Earle's Company, Hull in 1878 and was 407 Tons, she was owned by the South Eastern Railway Company,and was one of their first screw vessels along with her sister ship the SS Folkestone. In 1899 the S.E.R merged with the London, Chatham & Dover Railway to form the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company. The SS Boulogne was sold to the British Central Africa Co in 1903.