Some thoughts on taking a paddle steamer from London to Thanet from 1816 onwards

 The first paddle steamer got from London to Margate either in 1815 or 1816, depending on which local history books you read.

During Victorian times it was usual for reasonably wealthy families to rent a house by the seaside for the whole of the summer season, moving ones servants, horses, carriage etc too. The man of the family would take the "Husband Boat" to London every week to continue earning the money, service his mistress and stay at his club.

The best personal account of the early steamboats is in the book "Fragments of History - Ramsgate" by CT Richardson. We publish a cheap reprint of this book here is the link we also often have original copies in stock for about £100 if it is in nice condition and has its scarce frontispiece. I would recommend coming here to Michaels Bookshop in Ramsgate and giving it a thorough browse,  

Here is what CT Richardson writing in 1885 has to say.

Next follows some pictures, from the Mick Twyman collection and my collection, of  steamers that visited Thanet 

London Boat at Ramsgate

Broadstairs

We went to Broadstairs yesterday, I think it's the first time I've been since Broadstairs Bookshop closed, insert moan about shops turning into cafes if you like.

The video is of the band at the bandstand playing Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, Seven Fat Cows?

We took some photos, here they are

Ramble, well if you got through all those pictures I imagine you are expecting me to say something here. It's Monday morning and I am back at work in a fairly quiet bookshop here in Ramsgate. We had lunch at Broadstairs Pavilion which was good. It is possible to get a seat there, with a sunshade and a view of the beach which we achieved. Very much a lazy day off but to be honest I miss the book browsing, which is theoretically work.

Here is the link to the secondhand books we have just had come in