The Turner Centre site how it was in the 1920's in Photographs

One of the main visual attractions of the  Margate harbour area in the pre Second World War years was a huddle of buildings around the harbour area and on the clifftop and road leading to Margate harbour. Some buildings dated as far back as the 1690's. All by the outbreak of the second world war were to fall to one of the worst planning decisions in Margate's history. In 1935 the local council made a decision under a so called "slum" clearance programme to compulsory purchase the areas of Bankside (Turner fame), Paradise Street and Fort Road with the intention of demolishing the entire area and replacing it with a dual carriageway to be known as Fort Hill. Even though there was strong local opposition to the idea the Council still went ahead with the programme and by January 1939 most of these buildings photographed had gone.

Above the most famous victim, the Metropole Hotel site of the modern day Turner Centre . The construction of the Turner Centre has seen the single carriage way reinstated to how it was in the 1920's when the name of the road was Paradise Street. In fact a very good comparison can be made today standing in the same position. To the left of the photograph is Neptune Square that can been seen photographed below.

Neptune Square with many wonderful buildings spanning all eras from the 1690's. In the top right hand corner of the photograph is the seaman's institute photographed below.

The seaman's institute built in 1865 had many uses and was also used as a look out and for signalling..An effort was made to save and conserve the building as a maritime museum but the council was determined to annihilate the area and this was refused.

Also for the axe Fort Road and Fort Arcade, this area was opposite the current Police Station site.Note the top of the seaman's institute above the second and third shop in from the right.

Bankside , All the buildings to the right of the stairs were demolished including  Caudle's restaurant , the Hotel Metropole and the Ship Hotel. Note the imposing seaman's institute almost central to the photograph.

Finally above, the end result a dual carriage way to nowhere, concrete walls and a bleak landscape. All thankfully has now gone thanks to the Turner Centre.

All photographs originate from the Mick Twyman archive please feel free to download and reproduce.

The Mick Twyman collection - The Royal Sea Bathing Hospital Margate

                                                    

More photographs and postcards from the late Mick Twyman collection of the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital Margate. As I find more I will add them to this posting. These images are for sharing so please feel free to download.

The gate house 1907

The hospital grounds undated

Front view  of the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital  view dated 1905

The front view again undated 

Children's  veranda

                              

Inside of Victoria Ward undated

                                 

Arial view

                                 

High view of front of the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital

                                 

Chipperfields circus at the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital including the four images below

Because of the large volume I am dealing with at present I do not have the time to research each view individually, so please feel free to comment.

Mick Twyman archive - Early 20th Century Margate people

During the 1890's Margate saw a rapid expansion in the development of the industry tourist industry providing much needed employment something we hear so much of today. All jobs then were related to the Tourist industry from construction, maintenance, farming and  retail to feed a booming industry. In the Mick Twyman archive I have come across a few photographs of local people from the early part of the 20th Century employed in these industries, many  I have no doubt are related to local  people today. As usual these articles are for sharing and downloading as Mick did not build up an archive to remain locked away from public view, this is our heritage.

The Cliftonville newspaper seller

The Ladies of Love Lane, not to sure what their jobs were but I could hazard a guess.

The Promenades had to look smart then, work men painting the railings

At Clifotnville new roads were built and maintained . Cliftonville was so posh in those days even the road labourers wore shirts and ties

This photograph was taken opposite Margate Railway Station in Station Road

The staff at Palm Bay in 1913

Not sure who these  people are, but they are local anyway.

Mick Twyam archive - ships aground

 In the Mick Twyman archive there are easily over a thousand images of ships, paddle steamers, the coal trade at Margate and of the RNLI. This represents a lifetime collection of a subject Mick was deeply interested in. I have giving the Ramsgate Maritime Museum 474 images of ships and paddle steamers to add to their archives. Below I have selected ships aground from the archive.

The photographs above and below are of the "Coronel" ashore February 1910. In the booklet Bygonne Margate published 2000 by the Margate historical Society on page 38 Mick writes , "When the morning fog cleared on Sunday February 10th 1907 this was the sight which greeted the eyes of astonished Margatoniians. The 5,000 ton Norwegian steamer "Coronel" had blindly blundered onto the Longnose at Foreness Point on a falling tide during a voyage from Rotterdam to Barry Docks for a refit. Being in ballast, the efforts of "Coronel" to free herself had simply resulted in turning her bow seawards, the stern with its deeper draught remaining firmly wedged. an offer of assistance from the lifeboat was refused but the Margate surf boat "Friend to all Nations" was employed to run out anchors to assist the vessel to get herself  off on the evening tide.With her own steam winch and a pull from the Ramsgate tug "Aid" the "Coronel" floated clear and continued her voyage undamaged. During the day she had attracted the attention of large crowds of sightseers"

I must add that in the foreground are the sewage outfall pipes at Foreness point that are visible today and are now redundant.

Above the "Coronel"

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In the the Kingsgate coastguard log 1924 to 1956 there is an  entry the SS Orchis photographed above. The "Orchis" ran aground at 08:15 on 25th July 1934 in the Fog on the rocks at Foreness Point. All authorities were informed including Lloyds agents at Dover. No assistance was requested and the SS Orchis re floated under its own power at 08:50 the following day.

The minesweeper HMS Yarmouth aground after dragging anchor. At present I have no research details

HMS Yarmouth different view.

The "Dunvegan" ran aground and wedged on a groyne at Fort Point Margate west of the Margate Winter Gardens 28th April 1919. Note Margate Jetty in the background.

In Mick's archive there are also a series of photographs of coasters stranding in the entrance of Margate harbour with their cargoes of which I will post at a later date.

Mick Twyman archive - early Margate beach photographers and beach views

Looking through the Mick Twyman archive there are many examples of early twentieth century beach photography and among the archive I came across a photograph of the people who were responsible for capturing such an lasting example of seaside social history, The Margate beach photographers.
In the picture above is Robert Vanhear one of the Margate beach photographers with his equipment. I am not sure who the other person is.
Below are examples are of beach pastimes during the early part of the twentieth century and each of the photographs capture the ambiance of the era. Please feel free to download and add to your archive these examples are for sharing.

I must add that photographs and local comments are also on two  facebook pages. Either on my page Tony Ovenden or Suzannah Foad's Margate Local and Family History. Myself and Suzannah will be covering different subjects and she will specialize more on Cliftonville and Dreamland etc., I will cover more coastal as the name of my blog implies.

                           

                           

Mick Twyman archive - Dreamland miniature railway

Mick Twyman


More from the late Mick Twyman archive.

"A popular feature of John Henry IIes Dreamland railway.Dreamland was the 15 inch gauge
miniature railway. This postcard from 1921 shows the first locomotive "Prince Edward of Wales" which came from Rhyl miniature railway having previously operated at White City in London. The Rhyl concern also supplied six carriages and the station and track side equipment. The Locomotive, a class 10 built by Bassett - Lowke in 1908 was joined in 1928 by "Billie", a product of Albert Barne's Albion Works at Rhyl. Barnes being the engineer of the Rhyl railway. Both locomotives ran in concert until the War, by which time "Prince Edward of Wales" was worn out. After the conflict, "Billie" worked alongside with the other locomotive left parked in the station for effect. A petrol locomotive entered service in the mid 1960's to work alongside "Billie" and "Prince Edward of Wales" was sold in 1968. The line was closed in 1979." Mick Twyman  2000 Bygonne Margate page 49.

This article and photographs are for sharing please feel free to download,

Mick Twyman archive - Margate Jetty 1853 to 1877 in photographs.

Mick Twyman is and was the most knowledgeable person on Margate Jetty or Margate Pier as it is commonly known. Going through his archive I have come across three photographs from the 1853 to 1877 period. Even though the photographs are dated 1870's is does give some idea what the Jetty looked like around the 1850's / 1860's when the purpose of the Jetty was to load and unload passengers at low water from the London paddle steamers.
I spoken to Eve Twyman and she has agreed that I share Mick's work with everyone who has an interest, so please feel free to download.

The Jetty how it looked from when it first opened before the 1877 extension was built.

The Jetty how it looked in 1877

1877 again , however in this photograph the pile driving work on the extension can be see