| Revision as of 07:42, 15 September 2004 edit155.91.19.73 (talk) →Broadstairs - a brief summary.← Previous edit | Revision as of 08:36, 29 September 2004 edit undoFaedra (talk | contribs)1,681 editsmNo edit summaryNext edit → | ||
| Line 41: | Line 41: | ||
| 2): With the closure of the Culmer~White boatyard at Broadstairs in 1824 boatbuilding operations were transferred to the Isle of White where the firm of ] became established. | 2): With the closure of the Culmer~White boatyard at Broadstairs in 1824 boatbuilding operations were transferred to the Isle of White where the firm of ] became established. | ||
| It has been suggested that news of the loss of the Irish Packet 'Royal Adelaide' with 250 lives, on the tong of the sands off ] on ], 1850 prompted old Thomas White to present one of his lifeboats to his home town of Broadstairs that summer. As recited in Song of the Mary White a ballad was written to celebrate the occasion, the then unnamed Lifeboat which had only recently (July 1850) been presented to Broadstairs by the Shipwright Thomas White, saw its first use on March 6, 1851. On this occasion, the brig "]" became trapped upon the Goodwin Sands during a very severe gale blowing from the north. | It has been suggested that news of the loss of the Irish Packet 'Royal Adelaide' with 250 lives, on the tong of the sands off ] on ], 1850 prompted old Thomas White to present one of his lifeboats to his home town of Broadstairs that summer. As recited in Song of the Mary White a ballad was written to celebrate the occasion, (]) the then unnamed Lifeboat which had only recently (July 1850) been presented to Broadstairs by the Shipwright Thomas White, saw its first use on March 6, 1851. On this occasion, the brig "]" became trapped upon the Goodwin Sands during a very severe gale blowing from the north. | ||
| 3):In 1841, forty four mariners were recorded as resident, then in Broadstairs, nine of these being specified as fishermen, and of course the residual boat building activity that remained after the Culmer~White yard closed was of necessity still continued, although there were only four Shipwrights recorded in the Census, Solomon Holbourn and Joseph Jarman amongst them. | 3):In 1841, forty four mariners were recorded as resident, then in Broadstairs, nine of these being specified as fishermen, and of course the residual boat building activity that remained after the Culmer~White yard closed was of necessity still continued, although there were only four Shipwrights recorded in the Census, Solomon Holbourn and Joseph Jarman amongst them. | ||
Revision as of 08:36, 29 September 2004
Broadstairs is a town in Kent, England. Between Margate and Ramsgate, Broadstairs is one of the seaside resorts on the Isle of Thanet.
The town lies above a harbour, historically known for smuggling. More recently, Charles Dickens was a frequent visitor and the house he stayed in which he wrote David Copperfield and part of Bleak House can be visited.
Broadstairs - a brief summary.
Broadstairs is a very popular holiday and day triper resort with its close location to Dover and Canterbury, and is within a one hours drive of the M25, London's orbital motorway.
Broadstairs has 7 bays of golden sand, the main bay being Viking bay, which has won many awards including the European 'Blue Flag'. People comment that Broadstairs has changed very little over the last century, an asset that brings visitors back time and again. Its wealth of history and good shopping as well as a variety of good pubs and restaurants makes it a fine all year round destination.
Broadstairs has a small cinema in Harbour Street as well as a fine venue called the 'Pavillion on the sands', which hosts a summer show as well as all year entertainment and which offers an extensive view across the bay.
The towns water gala held in August has been a part of the summer calendar for over 117 years a full fun filled day of familly entertainment compliments a folk festival and a 'Dickens festival' held in June.
As a child Queen Victoria spent many summers in Broadstairs staying at Pierremont Hall.
Notable residents.
One time Conservative leader and Prime Minister, Sir Edward Heath was born in Broadstairs.
Charles Dickens wrote many novels in the town.
Oliver Postgate, creator of the childrens TV puppet shows, the "Clangers" and "Bagpuss" is reported as a c21st resident.
History of Broadstairs.
Reference to the Culmer family is found in the pages of a Thanet history book: "Mockett's Journal" (1836) its author being Churchwarden, John Mockett (1775~1848). Mention is made by Mockett of the will of a Richard Culmer, who was, in 1434, a carpenter. Shortly thereafter in 1440 an archway was built by George Culmer, across a track leading down to the sea, where the first wooden pier or jetty was built in 1460. A more enduring structure was to replace this in 1538.
The Culmers nestled their boatyard on these protected sands. It was in 1538 that the road leading onto the seafront, known as Harbour Street, was cut into the rough chalk ground Broadstairs is built upon. This was accomplished by the local shipwright, George Culmer. Going further in defence the town, he then built the 'York Gate' in 1540, this being a portal that still spans Harbour Street, and which then held two heavy wooden doors that could be closed in times of threat from beyond the sea. By 1795, 'York Gate' was in need of some repair on account of worries over the French Revolutionary Wars, the subsequent renovation was undertaken by Lord Hanniker in the same year as the first lightship was placed on the Goodwin Sands.
A brief outline of the history of Broadstairs Pier is given in Broadstairs, past and present, in which mention of a storm is made that occurred in 1767 during which Culmer's work was all but destroyed. At this time it was of considerable importance to the fishing trade with catches as far afield as Yarmouth, Hastings, Folkestone, Dover and Torbay and elsewhere being landed. It had become so indispensable that the Corporations of Yarmouth, Dover, Hythe and Canterbury with assistance from the East India Company and Trinity House subscribed to its restoration with a payment of £2000/~ in 1774.
Maritime history
1): On the occasion of the landing at Thanet, of Major John Percy, on June 21, 1815 with the captured French Eagle Standard taken at Waterloo, a tunnel stairway from the beach to the fields on the clifftops above, was excavated, and christened 'Waterloo Stairs' to commemorate the event. Broadstairs being the first town in England to learn of this now historic victory.
2): With the closure of the Culmer~White boatyard at Broadstairs in 1824 boatbuilding operations were transferred to the Isle of White where the firm of J. Samuel White became established.
It has been suggested that news of the loss of the Irish Packet 'Royal Adelaide' with 250 lives, on the tong of the sands off Margate on April 6, 1850 prompted old Thomas White to present one of his lifeboats to his home town of Broadstairs that summer. As recited in Song of the Mary White a ballad was written to celebrate the occasion, (Song of the Mary White) the then unnamed Lifeboat which had only recently (July 1850) been presented to Broadstairs by the Shipwright Thomas White, saw its first use on March 6, 1851. On this occasion, the brig "Mary White" became trapped upon the Goodwin Sands during a very severe gale blowing from the north.
3):In 1841, forty four mariners were recorded as resident, then in Broadstairs, nine of these being specified as fishermen, and of course the residual boat building activity that remained after the Culmer~White yard closed was of necessity still continued, although there were only four Shipwrights recorded in the Census, Solomon Holbourn and Joseph Jarman amongst them.
Others may have been elsewhere on census day. 'Steamer Point', as the pier head at Broadstairs was then known, would have been fairly busy with shipping movements, with consignments of coal and other produce traded thereabouts. There were also the regular visits of the steam packet from Ramsgate.
Mixed feelings must have been strongly expressed by the Thanet boatmen in general, as the unrivaled speed of the steam packet was outmanoeuvring all other classes of vessel, but brought a new prosperity to Thanet.
The Steamboats had begun to take over from the Hoys and sailing packets around 1814 and like all "new-fangled devices" were accepted readily by some and despised by others. However the sailing Hoys might take anything up to 72 hours to reach Margate from London, whilst Steam ships were capable of making at least nine voyages in this time!
Ramsgate (The Kent Coast at its best) Pictorially Presented a "guide book" of the 1930's, by A.H.Simison, a photographic chemist, in its section on Broadstairs describes the town as having developed 'always with a consistent policy of retaining those characteristics for which it has for so long been renowned.'
Although there were numerous holiday makers staying in all three of the Thanet towns during the Victorian era, their was to be no railway link until 1863. Whilst William Sackett and John Derby operated as the Bradstowe Coachmasters, nearby Whitstable had begun its railway service as early as 1830, one of the first in England, with its pioneering Stephenson's engine The Invicta and by 1851 the basic local rail network had been put in place. This largely comprised the London to South Coast route with a coastal link from Chichester to Ramsgate, the cross country service between London and Dover and the mid Kent route linking Redhill, Tonbridge and Ashford, with a new terminal at Waterloo having been opened in 1848. It was not until 1860 that Victoria Station was completed, followed by Charing Cross and Cannon Street.
The Shrine of Our Lady, Bradstowe is another important topic in the town's history.
Category: