The sea defence diaries 14/03/12

The early part of this week has seen some very good low waters especially in the mornings. This has been an ideal opportunity to get around the out side wall of the Margate stone pier and this week I had some company as the metal detector guys are searching just north west from the seaward corner of the square head. A few days ago the area looked horrendous after the contractors had finished and the unsettled weather had washed through where the contractors had been digging. leaving stone blocks and piles of twisted scrap metal laying around. All this being old debris from the 1953 storm and harbour activity. However, the contractors did return and leveled off the area a bit making the harbour entrance ideal for metal detecting. Speaking to one of the metal detector guys who I know very well I was able to catch up on their finds.

It appears the metal detecting finds have been slow and no gold has been found. There have been a few silver coins found from the George III period and top of the list is a 1804 Bank of England dollar struck by the Bank of England as trade coinage.

I am sure in the coming weeks the metal detectors will be making some good finds and hopefully I will get to hear of them.

I am not using a metal detector at present and I am relying on what I know and where to look.

I was not to be disappointed as I found some copper old boat fittings including a copper keel bolt all good exhibition material.

Elsewhere work is being carried out on the last remaining wall of the old boating pool that houses the Tivoli brookes freshwater outfall pipe which I am sure will be completed by Easter. Once again this digging will provide good metal detecting hunting ground.

The photograph to the left is a Sidney Holden Canterbury ginger beer bottle found in Margate Harbour. It is impressed Lovatt & Lovatt as was made at Langley Mill Nottingham. It dates from 1917 to the mid 1920's.