This photograph (above) is the only one I have that predates the building of the incline and the sands station, I think it’s about 1850 the building in the foreground is the coastguard station, the others relate to the various shipbuilding activates that took place there.As you see they resolved the problem of cliff falls then by keeping an area at the bottom of the cliff clear for them to land on.
The three photographs above I think are probably all pre-war, any help dating them accurately is always appreciated. I am not sure when the dilapidation of the bottom of the incline started to occur and any help on that would be appreciated.Obviously the council knocked down the main theatre building (Nero’s) about 12 years ago, the rest though where the derelict open arches are, does anyone know how and when this happened.
The photograph above must date from an earlier time, my guess is before 1910 and shows the whole Granville Marina development much at its designer intended. Something of historical interest here is that the Granville Marina incline is the first of the seafront inclines in Ramsgate and predates Madeira Walk.
Prior to its construction to get from the hotels and houses on Ramsgate’s select Eastcliff by horse and carriage, one would have had to have gone down Plains of Waterloo and through the town.
Prior to its construction to get from the hotels and houses on Ramsgate’s select Eastcliff by horse and carriage, one would have had to have gone down Plains of Waterloo and through the town.
To promenade from the Eastcliff to the sands one would have had to go down Augusta steps and over the railway bridge at the bottom, these considerations may seem to be of minor import today, perhaps less so to the Victorians.
It is important to remember that this whole construction was about seaside entertainment click on the link for some more pictures http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/blogpicts11/id24.htm
Sorry if I am rambling a bit here I am trying to put together an historical picture of this little area of Ramsgate.
I will add to this one as the day goes on.
Michael, your 1910 photo "Rough sea at the Marina" is very interesting. It shows waves over-topping the sea wall at that time. Have things really changed much?
ReplyDeleteReadit in a word no, that amount of overtopping occurs often, the sea isn’t very rough and the tide not very high.
ReplyDeleteIn the surge storm of 1953 the wave overtopping was sufficient to sweep a 12 ton crane over the top of the sea defences where the new development is going.
It is very hard to gauge what amount the sea has risen since then, looking at the Dover tide gauge records I think it’s about 10cm in the last 10 years.
With the new building, I think it reasonable that we can expect something that will last until 2100, so I think it would probably better for the developer to follow the Environment agency’s advice and get a professional flood risk assessment, before they start building.
How could they demolish that lift? Was the condition a threat?
ReplyDeleteJust seen a photo from the 70s during the neros era, the pretty original brickwork of the lift was painted a gross lime green and the domed roof was removed so it appears it had already been destroyed before they pulled it.
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