Saturday, 27 July 2013

The Mick Twyman collection


It is almost three years since Mick Twyman died and at the same time Margate lost a true friend. Mick was totally dedicated to conserving the history of Margate especially at a time when there was little interest in sea side history and during his lifetime he built up a huge archive of research and photography.
Margate has undergone a renaissance and Margate's seaside history does attract considerable interest and thanks to the internet Margate's sea side history can now be accessed and promoted  in a positive way.
Recently I received from Mick's widow a number of disc's containing some of Mick's collection of photographs and postcards. I know for a fact that Mick would supply images from his collection to whoever asked for a particular  image for nothing as long as it was used for education, research, media and to publicize Margate. The discs I have cover almost every avenue of Margate's sea side heritage and if you require a particular image just email me and I will see what I have got.
Subjects include Bathing machines , Margate Sands , Cliftonville , Hotels , Shipping , Events , Dreamland Margate Pier , Harbour, etc.,, All you have to do is ask.

I like this photographic postcard above. Customers for the bathing machines would enter a board walk from narrow gates in the railings on the sea front. The gates are still visible to day.
The  customers would then  climb aboard a high wagon that will take them out to the bathing machine in the water.


4 comments:

Tony2 said...

Wouldn't be lovely if his stories were published as a collection too.

Anonymous said...

Hi there, Are there images of seaside entertainers in the collection? How would I be able to see them online?
Many thanks,

Tony Lidington

Roger said...

Hi, I have a copy of an article titled @Boatmen one, minstrels nil', a Victorian interlude, that was written by Mike Twyman. I would very much like to use some of the observations in this article in a biography of Alfred Bone, also known as Uncle Bones. Alfred was my second great granduncle and appears to have been quite a character in Margate and beyond. Could I ask if you have any original material relating to the above incident or indeed any other information relating to Alfred that you would be prepared to share?
Many thanks

Anonymous said...

I do have some materials on Alfred Bones - you can contact me on info@prom-prom.com.