Friday, 11 September 2026

This post is about Harbour Parade during the 1800s when it was called Harbour Street.

The first picture of what became Albion Hotel looks to have been painted around 1820. Many thanks to Sally and Rob who bought it for bringing a decent copy here to Michael’s Bookshop so I could share it with you.


The second picture is an engraving from the 1817 book Picturesque Views of Ramsgate by Henry Moses. We do a cheap modern reprint and you can come and browse it in the bookshop, alternatively you can buy the original online for about £500.


The third picture is the Albion Hotel that was demolished to make way for Madeira Walk in the 1890s.


The fourth picture is taken from what is now Pier Yard car park and shows the back of some of the buildings facing the harbour side of Harbour Parade. Note the police station on the left of the picture.


The fifth picture, a general view, the entrance to what is now Harbour Street being in the middle.


The sixth one is taken from the cross wall next to the second set of lock gates that were removed. 


The seventh is a detail from the sixth with coloured arrows that point to the buildings of interest


The red was built as the harbour offices on the ground floor and the commissioners wosisname upstairs, committee room, dining room and so on depending on what you read. This later became the custom house.


The Green one I think is the Harbour Master's House.


The purple one points to the Clock House, which is still there.


The blue one points to the Harbour Store.


The Clock House shown 1842 to 1881 when it had a black face


The last one is a section from the 1849 map, we sell this a paper sheet here at Michaels Bookshop in Ramsgate. I have also put a link to the whole map below.

https://www.michaelsbookshop.com/1849map2/











Monday, 7 September 2026

Ramsgate York Street shops back in August 2009 + Book recommendation video

Only 17 years ago. I've tried mostly to put in pictures where things have changed. This is part of my obsession with local shops and obviously stems from opening Michael's Bookshop here in Ramsgate in 1987 and watching virtually every other independent shop and Ramsgate close in that period of almost 50 years. I'm sorry it wasn't until about 2009 that I realised what was going on and started taking pictures of Ramsgate's shops.













Nights at the Circus a fantastical book by Angela Carter

Saturday, 5 September 2026

Ramsgate King Street, Harbour Street and Harbour parade in August 2009

Only 17 years ago. I've tried mostly to put in pictures where things have changed. These are snapshots on an early morning walk, hence the uncollected rubbish and the poorly aligned photos.