Margate As I Remember It: A memory of Margate

Margate As I Remember It

A Memory of Margate.

This is a very evocative picture. My parents used to take me on two week long summer holidays to the Kent coast in the 1950s to early 1960s - Margate, Westgate, Broastairs, Birchington. They were exciting times. Although it was only an 80 minute journey from Bromley, where we lived, it was like entering a different world to me.
The scene in this picture, with a packed beach, summons up a bygone era when most people still holidayed at a British coastal resort. It's a long time since I have been back to Margate but by all accounts the place is a shadow of its former self. Very sad.

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Added 14 September 2012

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My mum & dad used to take me and my sister to Margate (Cliftonville) for 2 whole weeks back in the late 50s/early60s. I shall look up some old photos when I have a chance. Although we didn't have much money then, we took a bus from East Malling, Kent to the Maidstone Bus Station where we travelled on the sea coach to Margate, stopping off at a cafe in Molash for our halfway break. We visited Margate once last year and were so surprised that it is not the same anymore. We did find The Shell Grotto which I can remember. We were also there a few weeks ago and sat on the beach. Not the same any more and even Dreamland costs quite a lot of money now.

By Wendy King on Thu Sep 24th 2015, at 10:31 am

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Perhaps it is best that I don't go back, and just remember it as it was.

By Peter Leach on Thu Sep 24th 2015, at 1:47 pm

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