Ramsgate, Beach and East Cliff c1920

Fishing

My greatgrandfather Giles Chandler ran a small fleet of fishing smacks from Ramsgate harbour in late 1800s and early 1900s. The Progress, Peace and Spray were some of them. The Progress was lost with all hands during a storm in October 1911. Several other fishing smacks from Ramsgate were lost at this time.

The Post in the Centre of the Bay

I am not sure which grandfather it was (how many greats do you want?) but the old part of my family, the Strevens, have lived in Broadstairs for the last five hundred years, and have the honour of having erected the post in the middle of the bay. This was one of five snubbing posts that allowed the barges to warp right up to the pier where they loaded tar and coke from the gas works at the top of Harbour Street (now a car park). The tar pipe is still visible in the side of the pier where it used to run down the hill still hot from the coke ovens, and into the barges.

Broadstairs and St Mary's Home 1957

I was 6 years old and had had bronchitis and asthma and so I was sent away from smoggy London to St Mary's Home in Broadstairs. I was taken with other young children on a train by a nurse in a brown uniform. We all slept in dormitories and every Wednesday we had early morning exercises. Sometimes we were taken down the steps to the beach which was lovely. A friendly nurse sewed me a smocked dress, it was very pretty. All parents arrived every Sunday and took us out... it was so exciting to hear your mum calling you as the gates were opened. I remember feeling very lonely and I was moved from my dorm to another as unkind children called me 'ten ton Tessy!' My best memory was the sweets. We had to put the sweets given by parents to the staff, but they were never seen again, so my parents told me to hide my sweets in my coat pocket and every day I would have a few. My Auntie Tess and cousin Margaret came down to stay in Broadstairs for a week and took me out every day, it was brilliant. I have mainly good memories. I seem to remember getting better. I was there for 6 weeks in June/ July 1957. One girl came with severe burns all ova her, a result of a house fire.

WERE YOU AT PORT REGIS Convent for delicate girls DURING 1950''''S

I was at Port Regis between 1954 and 1956. I was 8 when I got there and left just before my 10th birthday. Was anyone else at Port Regis, Broadstairs when it was a convent for delicate girls?
I did read one input here, but it was from 1946 I think. The nuns, thinking about it now, resembled Roman Catholic ladies who were probably forced in many cases to be nuns. This was a great honour during that time for a Catholic daughter to be come a Roman Catholic nun.
I was NOT a Roman Catholic at all. Neither was my family, but as we children were forced to pray to the Rosary several times a day I assume it was Roman Catholic, also the Virgin Mary was the main issue in the chapel.
The treatment there was out of this world CRUEL. Some of the punishments we children had to stand was plain abuse. It was a horrible place. It gives me small goose pimples just thinking about it.
I remember Cathrine Waring as the girl in the next bed in the dormitary where we all were sent to bed at 5.30 pm!
I also remember Sister Mary Bonventure and Sister Mary Audrey. It would be good therapy at a late date to be in touch with women who were there and also experienced this wicked treatment that as a child as I received.
I tried to contact these nuns at a later date but heard they were either passed or in The Holy Cross nursing home and rather confused.
The child abuse there has of course left a nasty scar but I've managed to stay on the straight and narrow and have a wonderful daughter, her partner and two small grandgirls! Nan's diamonds!
It would be lovely to hear from you,
Rita Pilbrow
positiveenergy@live.se

Was anyone else convalescent here?

I think this was where I was sent at age about 4. I lived in London and was packed off with some other children on a train. I remember the nuns that looked after us and the stone steps cut in the cliff where we would access the beach. It was winter and freezing cold. I was there for a month and remember the church services on a Sunday and also being visited by a soldier who they told me was my dad. He and my mum had separated so I didn't really know him.

I never thought about going home, just remember being surprised when they came and said I was going home that day.

I tried to find it again some time ago but I think it's been pulled down. If anyone has any more information I'd be interested to hear from them.