The Sun Deck c1955, Margate
The Sun Deck c1955, Margate Ref: M31314
Memories of The Sun Deck c1955, Margate
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Margate & local memories
Read and share memories of Margate and Kent inspired by Frith photos.
Dreamland Zoo
I have just spent the weekend with my father, his father was the keeper at the Dreamland Zoo in the summers of the late 1920s/early 1930s. My grandparent's (and my dad's) home was a living wagon. My grandad - Leonard Robinson - upset my grandmother by taking his infant son into the lion's cage, and sitting the baby on the lion's back. My father, & grandfather survived the jaws of the lion - and my nan's wrath! No too sure about the lion though?
The Town of my Birth
This is one of my endearing images of Margate. I was born at 5 Market Place, which lies just behind the lower white buildings to the centre rear of the photo. It was 1952 and my father was a bus inspector on the East Kent Road Car Co. He loved Margate and the sea air, he was born in Tottenham and really appreciated it. We used to fish from the harbour and pier, my dad was a keen angler, and we enjoyed it too. Living in Margate to me was an adventure, there was so much to do. The beach was perfect, and we spent many hours in Dreamland Park. I am in no doubt that those years that I lived in Margate were some of the best I'd had. I went to St. Gregory's School, and remember buying sweets at the "Coffin Corner" shop on the way to and back from school.
There were still visible signs of the war in Margate. I can remember the old... Read more
70s Thoughts
I came from the north to work in Margate from 70 to 72--at what was then called the Isle of Thanet District Hospital, Margate Wing. For my first 2 months I lived in staff accommodation at the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital. I'm sure that people in far more upmarket accomodation would have killed for the sea view from my room. I paid a return visit to Margate in 2006 and was struck by how little it had changed from my era.
FAMILY HOME IN THE CHURCHYARD
My grandmother was born in the churchyard - as was my mother and her siblings- well actually in a cottage which abutted the church wall - the family lived in the cottage for almost 100 years until it was condemned and pulled down in the 1920's - they built an air-raid shelter on the site during WWII and now they have built St Johns Communtiy Centre there. The place was Vine Cottage -Wheatleys Place, there were connecions wth the cottage and the Theatre Royal going back to the late 1700 early 1800's.
Under Holy Trinity Church
The Margate cliffs were chalk. An extremely tall church named The Holy Trinity Church sat in the middle of Trinity Square about 800m from the sea. During the war, the roof had collapsed leaving the outer walls, tower and spire still standing. Over the years, the roof rubble had been removed from inside leaving the floor intact, the font, marble and tiled floor still in good order. Tony knew the ruin and took Laurie and I up the tower. The stairs were rickety and completely unsafe, but the view was fantastic. He climbed out of the tower and edged his way along the top of the unsupported walls, about 20m above the ground, looking for newly hatched pigeons. He did the same trick on other days until he managed to get some to raise as pets.
When the roof fell during the war, the toppling stonework had uncovered an entrance to a tunnel beside the nave and a side entrance. Someone in authority, probably the... Read more
Holy Trinity Church 1891, Margate
The Margate cliffs were chalk. An extremely tall church named The Holy Trinity Church sat in the middle of Trinity Square about 800m from the sea. During the war, the roof had collapsed leaving the outer walls, tower and spire still standing. Over the years, the roof rubble had been removed from inside leaving the floor intact, the font, marble and tiled floor still in good order. Tony knew the ruin and took Laurie and I up the tower. The stairs were rickety and completely unsafe, but the view was fantastic. He climbed out of the tower and edged his way along the top of the unsupported walls, about 20m above the ground, looking for newly hatched pigeons. He did the same trick on other days until he managed to get some to raise as pets.
When the roof fell during the war, the toppling stonework had uncovered an entrance to a tunnel beside the nave and a side entrance. Someone in authority, probably the... Read more
The Stone Family of Margate
What wonderful memories I have of my childhood holidays in Margate. Reading others memories bring them all racing back. The children born just after the war were so lucky. Although we really had nothing as regards money or material things I think we had everything. Freedom to roam and caring parents. We could not afford holidays and although we had a nice house in Dagenham Essex it was pretty built up. I was so lucky that my Grandparents lived in Margate and I would spend all my holidays there. My darling Grandad worked in the Lido. I thought he was the bees knees when I was younger as he would stand outside the door and take the tickets for the shows. He was always respendant in his wonderful uniform. He would take me back stage and I can remember all the dancing girls making a fuss of him (and me) We had great times on the main beach at Margate. I also remember the wooden Tea Rooms that stretched out... Read more
My Father's Connection as A Photographer in Margate
I came down to Margate to live in Westbrook with my family when I was about 18 months old, probably around mid 1943. My dad was a local photographer then. He had a photographic studio in New Street which used to be horse stables at one time. My dad was a one man band, he took the photos, and developed and printed them himself, then used to take them round to the local guest houses to sell so the visitors could take a souvenir photo back with them. He used to drive a 'dot' motor cycle combination and would put his benches in it, set them up in front of the guest house. The guests would come down and take their places and dad would put his camera up on a tripod in the road, complete with dark cloth, and would instruct everyone to "watch the birdie" amongst much laughter and hilarity, which always resulted in a good picture. He had a Kodak camera with glass plates. I... Read more
The Lido.. The Best Place on Earth!
Two of my aunts had guest houses in Cliftonville and every year we ventured from Berkshire by train or by coach via Victoria coach station for our annual holiday in Margate.
My memories are simple and straightforward, to me it was the happiest place on earth.
From the time I saw the noticeboard in Birchington advertising 'What's On' at the Winter Gardens to the time we rolled out 2 weeks later, it was a very special place.
Wandering around the empty, virtual derelict Lido recently, my heart sank when I recalled the scramble for deck chairs to hear Tony Savage and his Organ. Sitting on the ledge outside the Tropical bar I badgered my parents for pennies or even a threepenny bit to play the slot machines down below.
I also remember standing in the queue to take the cable car down to the beach. You can still just see the old tracks.
Timing was essential if you wanted to see the 'Royal Sovereign' or... Read more
