I can only say that a lot of people probably find this sort of posting rather dull, but I find the civil engineering works on the harbour and cliff façades very interesting, if you happen to be likeminded I can thoroughly recommend, “An Historical report on Ramsgate Harbour 1791” by John Smeaton, click here for a sample read
So today has been devoted to local history which means there will be a new local history book out tomorrow, I have indulged my customers, and myself and turned my back on unpleasant local issues.
DULL!! never, very interesting set, they show how well built the harbour is, unfortunately the silt covers most of it now. Any idea if they are repairing the slabs due to the force of water from the sluices?
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing the sluices in action and the force of water was quite incredible.
If you don't blog about what interests you how will you find blogging interesting? I say blog about what matters most - besides it adds some depth and flavour to local blogging.
ReplyDeleteSorry that should have said "blog about what matters most to you".
ReplyDeleteI was looking at a recent photo of the sluices and there are 11 courses of stonework above the left hand arch, 6 in the 1905 / 1910 photo. Were the slabs used to increase the height of the cross wall?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know when the sluices were last run and were the gates removed?
Definitely NOT dull, keep up the good work.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteLocal history is always interesting. Your efforts here are not in vein! Keep up the good work.
Well people thanks for the vote of confidence, Tony I haven’t found out about these photographs yet, I bought them at Sundays boot fair from a chap who found them in the attic. They will eventually find their way into one of my books.
ReplyDeleteI find it very ironic that had he donated them to the Kent archive or the National Maritime Museum, were they would have been insignificant and there would probably have been better copies already, hardly anyone from Ramsgate would ever have seen them.
Sound advice Matt.
Cassoulet if you email me the picture I will try to resolve that one, I suspect the sluices have been rebuilt on several occasions, if you click on the link to Smeaton’s book in this posting you will see a map showing a very different crosswall and sluice arrangement.
Cassoulet has sent me the pictures he mentioned earlier and I have published them with the others, link on this post, you can see what he means it is obvious that at sometime the crosswall was built up to increase its height.
ReplyDeleteEven with the increased height it has been immersed in 18 inches of water during tidal surges, something that are often underestimated in Ramsgate.
Another interesting point here is that this means that sides of Smeaton’s dry dock must have been raised at some time.
Michael, I think there is a bit of confusion. The first picture of Cassoulets is of the West Gulley sluices, which does have more courses of stone than the East gulley sluices,shown in Cassoulets second picture and in the 1910 photo.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, Tony the steps are a bit of a giveaway, what with posting a postcard of Worthing labelled Margate its definitely as well people are keeping an eye on me.
ReplyDeleteA while ago I posted a card of Folkestone labelled Ramsgate and have just put together three new books of Ramsgate postcards containing about 500 pictures in all, probably with one of Folkestone, so I had better get onto that one too.
Whoops my mistake. Only excuse is similar camera angles, the fact that the other photos were obviously of the eastern sluices didn't ring alarm bells.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading about the sluices I came across a paper which mentioned discharging 30,000 tons of water in 15 minutes when acting violently.