Friday, 6 November 2026

Old Thanet Pictures and experimental video

 The first one the file says Marina Gardens so this is the beer gardens roughly outside where Nero's was in Ramsgate


The next one by the harbour in Margate from the clothing around 1900


The next one The old six bells in st Laurence I think that was near to ashburnham road 


The next one Margate sands from the clothing I am guessing 1950s 


The next one I think it's a newspaper clipping and about the Viking ship 


The next one is manston road level crossing 


The next one is digging out the site for the winter garden's 


The next one is Zion place which they seem to have spelt wrong on the front of the card looking at the clothing particularly the hats I'm guessing 1920s 


The next one a newspaper clipping of st Lawrence high street sorry someone seemed to clipped a bit too much 


The next one Margate Harbour interestingly this is at low tide and it obviously being dregged quite a bit by the harbour wall but I know idea of the date 


The next one says something like around the world in a skiff and seems to be dated 1911 and I think oh yes it says Margate on it 


The next one is high streets and Lawrence and the advantage of it being a newspaper cracking is that you can be sure of the date 


And the last one is a tram I should know the location but maybe Westgate or Westbrook


Finally a thought here about old people and mobile phones. Working here in Michael's Bookshop in Ramsgate a lot of my customers, particularly the customers who buy Thanet local history books have got themselves into a bit of a tangle when it comes to IT.


The main problem is they either haven't got or haven't learned to use their smartphone and then at some point in their 80s they realize that they are going to get several more years of usable life if they can do things like point the smartphone at the page of a physical book and get the smartphone to read it to them. Or of course they get to the point where their hands won't type anymore and of course with the smartphone they can do what I'm doing now which is reading it into my smartphone and this text is being typed out on the computer in front of me. And of course if they've got to old to learn to do these things then they are snookered.

















Wednesday, 4 November 2026

Old Thanet picts video about the book Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang


So the first one is King Street Ramsgate and this is where Boots is now. Cinque Ports pub on the left. This was all demolished to make way for Boots in the 60s or 70s I think. 


Next one Margate Tudor house 


Next one st Catherine's hospital Ramsgate High Street. 


Then another one of the same hospital. 


Then marine drive in Margate.


The harbour restaurant in Margate. Note the sailors retreat lookout slightly left of Centre. 


Then Pearks store in Margate. 


Then the white heart hotel Margate. 


I think this next one is Margate but I can't remember where it is. 


Another Tudor House one. 


Arcade in Margate. 


Then the Roman columns from Reculver


Followed by a picture of the explanatory text


Then The sportsman Inn


Then the Ramsgate one that says Canterbury road Mews 


Then Ramsgate Westcliff with snow. 


It's been a very busy morning here at Michael's bookshop in Ramsgate. Mostly local history enquiries which take a long time to sort out so I have got a bit behind with the post and not researched some of the photos properly. I'm afraid you'll have to do your best with what you've got.






















Friday, 30 October 2026

Thanet pictures

 Sorry the descriptions have all gone up backwards.

Some old Thanet pictures today. Before I start with the descriptions you will have to excuse me. It is busy, being market day, here in Michael's Bookshop in Ramsgate and I have just changed my smartphone, which does nearly all the work in posting to Facebook, for a new second hand and more complicated one. 


The first picture is a carnival float and I think Ramsgate and I assume 1950s.


The second one is the children's corner at Ramsgate marina, this is adjacent to where Nero’s was. I think this was early in the 1950s 


Next one Ramsgate Sands and on the right you can see through the station.


The next one is looking towards Merrie England in Ramsgate. 


Ramsgate you can see the Marine Theatre in the middle Ramsgate Pier on the right and I can't really understand what the hoardings are on the left.


Then the one that says Ramsgate Parade, your guess is as good as mine. 


This is Coleman's yard off Queen Street opposite Leopold Street and I think I'd posted it before sorry about that. 


The Margate ones come from the Mick Twyman collection and some of them I really can't understand why they're there. 


The first one looks like a world war two military vehicle, possibly a Bedford OX, I don't understand why it's in the collection about Margate unless it's actually in Margate which it probably is. 


The next, one the building of a ceremonial arch. I think this is Margate High Street. Correct me if I am wrong. 


The next one another ceremonial arch probably Margate High Street again I assume the EKMR stands for Royal East Kent Mounted rifles.


The loading of the barges I don't understand, I don't think it’s Thanet


The next one is Vye and Son Station road Westgate. 


The next one and unknown barge probably in Margate. 


This one says Tank (Active) on the file name I suppose it could be in Margate but it seems unlikely. 


The one that says Dolby square on it is of course all be square.

















Wednesday, 28 October 2026

Thanet pictures Moon Tiger book by Penelope Lively video

 The first three pictures are of the frozen sea in 1963. Ramsgate, a lifeboat at sea probably Ramsgate from the shape of the cliff and Margate.


Next a barn at Garlinge 


Garlinge crossing 


Then Kandy's tea room which was on the Canterbury Road around the Westbrook Garlinge area I think. 


The sailing boat at sea I think may have something to do with Thanet 


Then a print of Broadstairs and 1796 


I think the flowers in May arch is possibly Margate. 


Then Margate fireman, I think 


Then the fairly sea plane at Westgate on sea. Part of the WW1 station there. 


Then the tobacconist on the corner of Harbour Street Ramsgate now Timpson’s shoe repair. 


Then Ramsgate town hall the reading of the election result in 1904 I have based the date on Harry marks being Thanet MP from 1904 to 1910 but I should have said 1906 see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Isle_of_Thanet_by-election


And finally one of Ramsgate town hall which I'd probably published before but just to give you some idea. The site is now the Halifax in Ramsgate


The post all done between customers here at Michael's secondhand bookshop in Ramsgate so apologies in advance for any mistakes. At least you know it's me and so it isn't AI generated slop.



Jack Milton says
Lifeboat's not at sea, that's at its mooring in outer harbour
22h
Reply
Michael Child
Jack Milton second photo
8h
Reply
Jack Milton
Yes, 2nd pic, you can see the cover is still on the bridge and fenders over the side, had it been at sea the crew would have been on deck as well.

Nigel Stephens says
Fishing boat is the angler

Philip Williams says
The Garlinge barn pic is looking North along what was Rodney Lane, with the old school on the left. The pic was taken from outside the pub I would think, as the pub fronted the lane and not the High Street in those days.



Philip Williams says
The Garlinge Crossing pic is very early, looking north there are no buildings between the crossing gates and the sea! Just a few trees and farmland.


Michael Garland says
The Sailing Barge looks very much like the Cambria. She was the last working Thames Barge, with her skipper Bob Roberts. Bob sang regularly in The Butt and Oyster in Pin Mill and I'm pleased to say that although I missed Bob singing I do know his daughter who plays fiddle, very well, for Kings Morris in Kings Lynn. I've danced a Morris Jig to her music which was a great delight, and I regularly sing songs made famous by Bob.