Saturday, 3 October 2026

Old Ramsgate and Margate and Neil Gaiman books

 


The first picture is Ramsgate looking down on the pavilion and on the left of the picture you can see the railway turntable in front of the lift. Datewise I would guess around 1920. 


The next picture is Hazardous Row in Margate. So this is the back of Margate lower High Street when the buildings on the sea side were much lower, extended much less far towards the sea and sea extended much further towards the High Street. These were basically changing rooms with steps down to the sea.


The next one is an early one of Ramsgate, so well before the Red brick archers and the construction of most of the buildings next to the Harbour that are there now.


The next one, Margate Hazardous Row on the left Albert terrace on the right, at least one of the Albert terrace buildings are still there. 


The next one is Clifton Gardens Margate. 


The next one an aerial view looking down on Ramsgate harbour's crosswall. This is when there were two lock gates the one we have now is in the foreground. I think this is a fairly early aerial view from the early days of aviation. 



The next one an 1805 aquatint etching titled Margate, Inner View of the Pier, Bathing Rooms taken from the Shipwrights by English artist John Raphael Smith.


The next one is the paragon in Ramsgate and it looks to be early 1900s. 


It's possible to unscramble what the buildings in the pictures were used for and who lived in them by coming here to Michael's bookshop in Ramsgate and working through the old Street directories. You have to be very careful as Street numbering changes as you go back in time, so always best to start from the most recent 1970s directories and work your way back way back to the earliest directories which is 1849. It's also very good way of working out who lived in your house over the years.














Friday, 2 October 2026

Thanet pictures and video in secondhand Lord of the Rings books

 First picture Ramsgate sands looks to be about 1910. Note at this time when the tide came in there was no sand at all. I think those strange groynes and antiquated sea defences are still underneath the sand now. 


Next picture is Neptune Square in Margate. 


Next picture is the back of the Clock House in Ramsgate, the buildings on the back had various uses at one time I believe they were tea rooms and at other times used for maritime things to do with the Harbour. 


The next one is Margate lifeboat. 


The next one is the Ramsgate tidal ball when it had the structure at the bottom. 


The next one has the explanation on the picture. 


The next one showing the sailing ship on Morton's patent slipway as the face of the clock on the clockhouse is black this dates a picture to between 1842 and 1881. 


The last one the launching of Margate lifeboat. 


For further information I recommend coming here to Michael's Bookshop in Ramsgate and browsing our local history section which is fairly comprehensive.