As restoration continues on Folkestone’s historic Leas Lift, the stories that surround it are being carefully preserved alongside the physical structure. Among those helping to capture these memories is Kate Anderson, an animator, illustrator and filmmaker whose work spans digital and analogue drawing, film and installation.
For Kate, the Leas Lift oral history project offered a meaningful way to connect her creative practice with the local community. “Multiple things appealed,” she explained. “Being a newcomer to Folkestone, I'm thoroughly enjoying learning the town's varied history, and as a fan of quirky engineering, the Leas Lift is certainly a highlight.”
With a background in filmmaking and storytelling, the opportunity to train in oral history and put those skills into practice was a natural fit. “I am a film maker and artist, so it was a brilliant opportunity to access oral history interview training and put it into practice. I love how this project it is centered on normal people, who for whatever reason feel a connection to the Lift. We already have the conventional history of dates and facts, but preserving personal memories of the Lift and town is something special.”
Through her interviews, Kate has uncovered a wide range of vivid and often unexpected memories. “The moments that immediately spring to mind are not about the Lift but locations nearby,” she said. “I loved learning from one lady that donkeys used to pull bath chairs up the Road of Remembrance. They were in a ‘donkey park’ on the cobbles by the shops. This conjures up a great scene in my mind.”
Other stories have been just as memorable. “Another lady talked about going to dances at the Leas Cliff Hall, doing the foxtrot, the waltz, the creep. And she described the exact moment she met her future husband there. Though many decades ago, she recalled it in perfect detail as if yesterday.”
Each interview has added something unique to the growing archive. “Every person really did add something distinctive to the collection, which shows how valuable collecting these histories is.”
Alongside the oral history work, Kate has also been creating animations inspired by the Lift and its stories. Her approach draws heavily on the details within people’s memories. “I always find the small detail of peoples' stories special, they really make a story authentic and genuine. If you have an array of memories and stories from different people, you might pick and choose bits to amalgamate. I pay attention to what resonates with me and then try and strike a balance with what you want the audience to feel. Is this the right combination of fun, emotion and information?”
Kate is currently working on a new animation ahead of the Lift’s reopening, designed to help people better understand how it works. “We're creating a short animation to explain how the Lift works, in an easy-to-understand way, and highlighting some of the new improvements too,” she said. “Researching the history of the lift, it's been interesting to see how engineering components have been added or adapted over its 140-year life span.”
Having followed the restoration closely, she is particularly excited about how past and present will come together. “I've been following updates from the team and contractors, and I think the mix of meticulously preserved heritage alongside modern additions will be something special. 19th century meets 21st century technologies, working together.”
Through her work, Kate is helping to ensure that the Leas Lift’s history is not only recorded, but experienced. By capturing personal memories and transforming them into new creative outputs, she is adding another layer to the story of the Lift, shaped by the voices and experiences of the community it has served for generations.
