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Westmarsh
Westmarsh maps
Historic maps of Westmarsh and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Westmarsh maps
Westmarsh photos
We have no photos of Westmarsh, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Ash| Monkton| Minster-In-Thanet| Minster| Wingham| Upstreet| St Nicholas At Wade| Wickhambreaux| Ickham| Sandwich| Eastry| Littlebourne| Birchington| Hawthorn| Reculver| Hillborough| Nonington| Pegwell| Sturry| Westgate-On-Sea| Fordwich| Aylesham| Bekesbourne| Patrixbourne| Ramsgate| Herne Bay| Bridge| Margate| Bishopsbourne| Deal
Westmarsh area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Westmarsh and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Westmarsh
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Westmarsh.
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Bligh Family
I have recently lost my uncle David James Bligh and I am trying to find some details with regard to his paternal family. I understand that his Grandfather William Frederick Bligh and his mother Elizabeth Rosey lived in Upper Stourmouth in the 1940s. David's father was James (Jim) Robert Bligh who died in North Africa during the Second World War on 26 April 1943 aged 24 yrs. If there are any descendants or anyone that knows or knew of the family I would be grateful for any information.
Great Times
I lived with mum and dad, Len and Anita, younger sister Linda and baby brother Anthony in what was then Forstall Farm, Westmarsh from 1956 to 1962. Dad had a very small smallholding and a poultry farm next to what was then known as the Rose Inn. I went to school in Sandwich and worked for Stickles when I left, it was a five and a half day week then and all for 3 10. 00 (3.50). Those were the best times of my life. I used to go fishing, shooting, rafting on the main stream, and us lads used to have soapbox carts which the dog used to drag along, I loved walking across the field to Pluck's Gutter with my dog Rex. Rex used to love swimming and very often came home with fishing hooks still with line attached hooked into his body. I'm sure that there were very many angry anglers. Next door was Wilmshurst's the village shop which was also the post office and bakery, next was... Read more
Kent memories
Ash by Sandwich 1789-1848
Ash is three miles west from Sandwich, a village lying 2 and a half miles south-westfrom Richborough Castle. The Church of St Nicholas has an interesting interior with monuments and effigies. Zachariah Pettman of Littlebourne married Sarah Jordan of Woodnesborough at Ash on 31 October 1789. They bore 8 children at Ash between 1790 and 1798. They were Edward, Sarah, Sophia, John, William, Thomas, James and Zachariah. Zachaiah Pettman senior died and was buried in Ash in 1819 leaving his wife Sarah a widow On 31 January 1826 it is possible that she is the widow Sarah Pettman who marries William Mummery (widower), a shoemaker of Woodnesborough, with witnesses John Bramford(signed) and Elizabeth Elgar. William's former wife was Mary Justing and his son William was also a shoemaker who lived in Upper Deal. His son Francis was a shoemaker in Margate A few years later persons "John Mummery and Abraham Mummery & Mrs Mummery of Manston" who could have be relations of William were occupying property at Ash and are mentioned in spinster Eleanor... Read more
Childhood in Minster
My two brothers, my sister and I were all born in Minster in what is now called Turner Cottage but was then "The Swifts". My granddad was a village postman and my best friend's granddad was also a postman and we used to race to school perched on the baskets on the front of their bikes! At Watchester Farm we fed the ducks and loved seeing the piglets with the sows. We bought fishing nets in the corner stores (now "Morton's Fork") and fished for newts and minnows in the streams and dykes at Watchester Farm. We begged the metal ties from the potato sacks from the greengrocer and caught cobwebs on them from the fences in St Mary's Road on the way to school. In summer we'd play outside all day long, either "down the rec", in the street or on the marshes. Mum knew we'd stay together and look out for each other and we always did. If we cut or grazed our knees we'd lick... Read more
The Youth Club
There was a youth club held in a building across the carpark from Minster Primary School. I think this building was called the Leisure Centre, it also hosted Brownies and Guides. For a few pee we would spend hours playing Adam and the Ants records on a tiny ancient record player and jump around on the torn worn fake leather furniture and spend the rest of our money on shandy bass or crisps. Living on Monkton Road, we took the short cut to the youth club up the "bumpy way" skirting Spanton's fields to Molineux Road and the school.
I was really jealous of my older brother who went to cubs in an old stone building down near the Church. They built an assault course in the hall with ropes and crash mats and had a great time. Brownies was nothing by comparison!
The Newsagent in Minster High Street
I have only just seen this site for the first time and was very surprised to see the photograph of the newsagent's shop in the High Street. My mother's sister Elsie Atwell, nee Keen was married to the owner, Reg Atwell. When they were first married they lived in Ramsgate with a relative known to me as Aunty Nan. When their first and only child, a son called Clive was born he and I used to play together a lot in their house in Edith Road. My mother used to clean Elsie's house for many years, but sadly after a very bad argument one day, the sisters never spoke again. I do not remember what year they moved to Minster, but we were told of Reg's sudden death, followed by Elsie's when she was only about 50 years of age. Clive then carried on running the newsagents.
Childhood
I was born at Peartree Cottage which was half way down the high street. For a young boy growing up the war was one big adventure. The fire station was opposite our house and they made me some really great wooden toys. As kids we would watch the aerial dog fights, not appreciating people were dying. We made canoes out of jettisoned petrol tanks and collected persex from plane canopies which could be carved into rings etc. After the war my father who had been a Royal Marine returned home and after many and varied 'recession' jobs became the village postman for part of Minster and all of Monkton. He was a village councillor and an ERDC councillor for Monkton and was awarded the Imperial Services Medal for his work. In those days everyone knew each other and my god father Mr Cheesman was the sub Post master. I went to the two village schools in turn and then on to St George's in Ramsgate. It was a really safe... Read more
