More Pictures and Video Links

A big thank you to John for sending around 80 very interesting photos of Old Ramsgate which have been posted in the picture album. Included are many shots of businesses in the town and I’m working my way through them trying place them. If you can help please leave a comment or send an email.

Shown above is the Odeon Cinema on the corner of King Street and Broad Street, latterly known as the Classic Cinema. I recall being told that this is the site where horses were kept at Hodgman’s Yard for pulling the Fire Pump which was housed in York Street. When a fire was reported the horses ran down to the Fire Station to be harnessed up. Does anyone else have any knowledge of this and does anyone know when the Odeon was built?

Can you help identify the premises above? There doesn’t appear to be any clues in the picture other than the name and it appears to be on a hill.

Although Ramsgate had more than its fair share of breweries, I’ve been unable to find any details of “Ramsgate Brewery”. Could this be the Ramsgate branch of another brewery such as Tomson & Wotton? There is clearly something else on the sign before Ramsgate Brewery. Can you help?

There are now links to some interesting old Ramsgate videos on the side bar. Many of them are Pathe News previews going back to 1919. Let us know if you recognise anyone.

13 comments:

derick97 said...

From kelly's 1936

Port S R
builders merchants
68 Boundary Road
Ramsgate

John

Phil said...

Many thanks John.

Michael Child said...

Sorry pour water on this the photograph is in the advertisement that appears in Ramsgate & Broadstairs By Camera & Pen 1904–5 and the address on the advertisement is 66 High Street.

There is also a bit of information in Cockburn’s Diary
Ramsgate Life in the First Word War


The Ports had several different places in Ramsgate it would seem.

The wedding was on Saturday August the 1st, and after seeing Charlie and his wife off by the 11.20 train from the L.B. and S.C. Railway [London Brighton and South Coast] I went on to the Pantiles [Tunbridge Wells] with Sidney Port and Wilfred Burfield. Here also the band had been recalled, and instead of commencing at 11 am as advertised, it was past 12 o’clock when a scratch band, hastily secured and brought in by motor car, began to play.

I left Tunbridge Wells with Sidney Port for Ramsgate at 6.10 pm. The trains were all late, and contained many soldiers and sailors hastening to their various posts. The evening papers were more depressing than ever. The great Question was, is Germany playing a great game of bluff, or will she really force a war? Many people tried to believe the former, but most of us went to bed fearing the worst.

Michael Child said...

And more.

I ran around to Langdon House [Carlton Ave] to tell Bertie Port what I could about the damage done, and then started out again with Mummie and the children. First of all we went to Alpha Road and found that they were all right and then went up Eagle Hill into Chatham Street and saw the damage to Desormeaux’s shop. The bomb must have hit it fair and square as the whole of the top part of the premises were wrecked. However no one was injured here I believe as the people had run out into the street to look at the aeroplanes.

Hear that the Gas Works is hit, also bombs in Boundary Road, near Sid Port’s [68 Boundary Road] and in South Eastern Road, opposite Aberdeen House [68 Ellington Road].

The gas getting into sewers etc. and travelling some distance is of course a source of danger. About 11 a.m. today, Friday, some of this “run away” gas exploded under Sid Port’s premises in Boundary Road which were badly damaged. Bert Port, who was working in his father’s office was knocked off his stool, Sid Port, who was in the yard cutting glass was lifted several feet off the ground by the force of the explosion and the glass breaking cut an artery in his wrist. Fortunately there was an ambulance man handy who rendered first aid promptly.

Phil said...

Michael, I’m beginning to realise that shop owners often had premises scattered around the town. I think some leg work is required on this one as we now have S. Port at 66 High Street and 68 Boundary Road. I think the only clue will be the gradient of the hill and maybe some existing structure.

Personally I’m going for 68 Boundary Road because of the gradient. I suspect this was just up from Chatham Place. 66 High Street is just up from George Street where the gradient is not so pronounced.

As an example of “chain stores”, H.C. Child, Draper, Costumier & Ladies Outfitter (any relation?) had premises at 1 Cliff Street and 62 Queen Street. This is shown in a picture of his shop at no.12 somewhere else!

Phil said...

On closer inspection of street directories, 68 Boundary Road would have been on the corner with Stanley Place which means the gradient is the wrong way for that side of the road.

The gradient is correct for 66 High Street which would have been four buildings up from George Street. The 1872 Ordnance Survey Map shows this building as being on the corner adjacent to Stone Yard, which would be through the side gates in the picture.

Anonymous said...

Closer inspection would also show H.C. Child at 62 Queen Street is the same shop as 2 & 4 Cliff Street and No.12 is King Street.

Anonymous said...

Photo of T & W public house is not Earl St Vincent its Duchess of Kent - 116 King Street, Ramsgate...

Anonymous said...

Armed Drifters in Ramsgate Harbour

R246 Loyal Star
R212 Olivae
R220 Unicity
Acceptable & Campanula

Anonymous said...

Francis Twigg 18 High Street Ramsgate. 1897-1918

Phil said...

Thanks for your info Anonymous. Well spotted re. H.C. Child at Cliff Street, that information was in front of me all the time but I missed it.

I've updated the pictures in the album. The one that caused concern is the Earl St Vincent/Duchess of Kent. The photo sent to me was labelled Earl St Vincent but there appears to be little to confirm it in the picture. John Land's excellent book of Ramsgate Pubs (now re-published by Michael's Book Shop as Thanet Pubs) makes no mention of the Vincent ever being a Tomson & Wotton pub.

Thanks to your info I've had a closer look at my directories and next door but one to the Duchess of Kent is Daniel Hawkes, Fishmonger at 120. Between the two premises was Edward Sutton at 118, which was probably accessed via a small entrance that can be seen in the photo.

That's fairly conclusive to me. Again, many thanks to Anonymous.

Anonymous said...

Port S R
Building Merchants
66 High Street
Ramsgate

http://picasaweb.google.com/115229654097861593494/OldRamsgate#

This link shows you old pics of ramsgate and it shows a picture of the building merchants and says where it is.... Check it out!!

Phil said...

Thanks anonymous 23:10. The Picasa Album was updated from the information on this blog. Originally the photos were posted on Picasa but then republished on our own site because of complaints about slow loading of Picasa.

The new album at RamsgateHistory.com contains more photos and will be updated.