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A Brief History of the |
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Charles Dickens, from "Our English Watering Place" describing Broadstairs.
BACK - SECTION I - 250,000 BC - 55 BC
BACK
- SECTION II - 55 BC to 1683 AD |
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1700 Visitors come to the Seaside |
Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate developed as seaside resorts - visitors travelling from London came by 'hoy' or stage coach. Ramsgate achieved distinction as an ideal harbour for ships to shelter in foul weather. Broadstairs was involved in fishing, especially Icelandic cod, and also in shipbuilding by the White Family. Margate monopolised the Thanet corn trade. |
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| 1723 | Smuggling was a major industry in which all classes of people were involved. Few thought it dishonest or would betray the smugglers. Daniel Defoe visiting Thanet in this year was told that if he asked too many questions "some serious ill might befall me". To this day the whole of the island has an underground network of tunnels. | ||
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| 1736 | The first sea water bath was built in Margate by local carpenter Thomas Barber. | ||
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| 1741 | Joss Snelling, the notorious smuggler, was born in this year. By the time he died at the age of 96, he was already a legend. Whilst numerous contemporaries and associates were hanged or deported, Snelling not only avoided capture, but had become such a celebrity that he was introduced to the future Queen. | ||
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1749 Ramsgate Harbour and Pier Built |
Ramsgate harbour was built to provide a safe haven for vessels seeking shelter. The pier was constructed a year later at the cost of half a million pounds.
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1750 Thanet good for Health |
The emergence of the seaside holiday which really brought about the development of the Isle of Thanet as it is known today. This was due to three main factors: 1. Dr John Russell published a work claiming that ailments had been cured by seawater - either taken internally (not recommended!) or by bathing (highly recommended!). His wealthy patients were advised to visit the seaside. 2. The extension of inland and water transport linking London to Thanet. 3. As with today - the lovely extensive sandy beaches on the island. |
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| 1753 | At Ramsgate Harbour a timber structure was built by local carpenter, Jacob Steed as a way down the cliff face to the West Pier. This was built some yards to the east of the present flight of steps still called Jacob's ladder. | ||
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| 1754 | The first bathing machine was introduced to Broadstairs. | ||
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| 1760 | Kingsgate Castle was built by Lord Holland. | ||
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| 1767 | Cecil Square in Margate was developed by Edward Cecil with other gentlemen, and later Sir Henry Hawley developed Hawley Square. | ||
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1769 The Battle of Botany Bay |
Thanet's close proximity to Europe, together with its secluded, cave-ridden bays, made it a perfect haven for smuggling. For hundreds of years local men were provided with a livelihood this way. The famous Battle of Botany Bay took place when Joss Snelling and other smugglers were ambushed by the Revenue men, while unloading their contraband on Botany Bay. Many of the smugglers were killed, but Joss Snelling and four others escaped through an opening in the cliff. At the top of the cliff they shot a Riding Officer who attempted to stop them. The officer was taken to the Captain Digby where he later died. Snelling escaped, but others were tried and hanged at Gallows Field in Sandwich. It is possible that Botany Bay is so-called because those found in possession of smuggled goods were deported to Botany Bay, Australia. |
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| 1776 | Pierwardens, Francis Cobb and John Baker were granted a licence to hold a market in Margate. | ||
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| 1784 | Building of the Theatre Royal in Margate | ||
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| 1788 | John Wesley visited and preached at the meeting house which was built in St Peter's for the Wesleyans. | ||
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| 1789 | Margate Pier was re-built - later to be damaged in the great storm of 1808 | ||
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| 1791 | John Coakley Lettson MD founded the General Sea Bathing Infirmary. Special carriage way was made to the sea so patients could be carried to the sea for beneficial sea bathing. | ||
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| 1798 | Pierremont Hall was built in Broadstairs by Thomas Forsyth to a design by Samuel Pepys Cockerel, a descendant of the famous diarist. Some of the original trees and parkland still remain. | ||
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| 1800 | During the early 1800s Margate became the first seaside resort in which donkey rides became a popular amusement. | ||
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| 1801 | The first official census taken recorded only 1,568 people living in Broadstairs and St Peter's. | ||
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| 1802 | Ramsgate is one of the first harbours to have its own lifeboat station. | ||
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| 1808 | A great and terrible storm which did untold damage all around the island | ||
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| 1809 | Marine Parade in Margate was widened and later Marine Drive was built out from the old sea wall. | ||
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1810 Margate Harbour Built |
Margate Harbour was built by John Rennie. | ||
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| 1812 | Sir Moses Montefiore, noted Jewish philanthropist, first came to Ramsgate. He was later to buy East Cliff Lodge, which he offered to the Duchess of Kent and her daughter Princess Victoria while they were holidaying in Ramsgate. | ||
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| 1813 | The new Margate Pier was completed | ||
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1815 Victory at Waterloo
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During the Napoleonic Wars a house on Broadstairs Beach (now Eagle House) was part of the naval signalling system to warn of invasion from France. The signal would go from Eagle House to a position on Crow Hill in Broadstairs, then on to the tower of the church of St Peter in Thanet, and so on through to London. This system could get a message from Broadstairs to London in just under 2 minutes. The church of St Peter in Thanet retains the right to fly the White Ensign on special occasions. In the Spring of 1815 thousands of troops were taken from Ramsgate in large rowing boats with single sails to Waterloo. News of the victory at Waterloo - very important from a commercial point of view - was brought back by Major Percy. Due to inclement weather, he was unable to land at Dover, and was forced to land at Broadstairs. He came up the beach and stopped at the pubs at the top of Harbour Street, where he was supplied with horses (and no doubt, refreshment!). He carried on up Crow Hill, through St Peter's, then on to London. Along the way, his news was greeted with great acclaim, and the fact that his journey took some two days, suggests that celebratory 'refreshments' may have featured more than once on the route. |
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| 1821 | King George IV decreed that Ramsgate Harbour be a 'Royal Harbour'. The obelisk on the harbour commemorates this. | ||
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| 1823 | Queen Victoria as a girl stayed both at Albion House and Townley House in Ramsgate. In 1829 at the age of ten she stayed with her mother at Pierremont Hall in Broadstairs, where she was introduced to the "famous Broadstairs Smuggler", Joss Snelling. | ||
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| 1824 | The Isle of Thanet Gas Light and Coke Company in Margate was constituted by Act of Parliament - Margate was growing in size and prosperity | ||
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| 1824 | The Church of St George the Martyr was built in Ramsgate. | ||
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| 1829 |
Steam packets were replacing the sailing hoys and the Margate Steam Packet Co. was established. The number of visitors grew - 50,000 by 1825 and 135,000 by 1836. Tivoli Pleasure Gardens opened. |
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| 1830 |
Enormous taxes were levied to pay the national debt from the French wars. Produce prices fell. The ancient poor law gave way to the grim workhouses. Farmworkers were forced to labour and starvation as well as competition with new machinery. As a result they rebelled. 'General' Moore of Garlinge lead men with blackened faces to destroy thrashing machines at Shuart, Monkton and St Nicholas. Six machines were smashed. Elizabeth Studham burned down the workhouse. She was transported to Tasmania for life and said to be of "bad behaviour". The rebellion which started in East Kent and swept Britain was savagely put down. |
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| 1840 - 1850 | It was at this time that the end came for the smugglers. An enlarged revenue service with fast cutters, steamships and stations at regular intervals along the coast brought an end to the "trade". Most coastguard cottages were built in this era. | ||
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1843 The Pugins |
The famous architect Augustus Welby Pugin built the Grange in Ramsgate where he lived until his death in 1852. Next door he designed and built St Augustine's Church. His son, Edward completed many of his Father's buildings. Edward also designed and built the Granville Hotel in Ramsgate. | ||
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1846 Rail Link |
Margate and Ramsgate were linked to South Eastern Railway. It was the coming of the railways that really brought development to Thanet. | ||
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| 1850 | The White Family presented Broadstairs with its first lifeboat. | ||
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| 1851 | This lifeboat was the first to carry out a rescue from the Goodwin Sands. | ||
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| 1857 |
With the rapid growth of Margate and its visitors, water supply became ever important, and the Margate Waterworks Co was formed. Margate was granted its Charter of Incorporation , the first mayor elected being Alderman J Hunter. |
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| 1859 | Thomas Russell Crampton (notable Victorian railway and locomotive engineer) built the water tower in Broadstairs. He provided the town's water and gas works. The tower is now the Crampton Museum, and is open to visitors. | ||
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| 1863 | Broadstairs was linked to the London Chatham and Dover Railway Company's line. | ||
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1876 Hospital |
A cottage hospital was established in Victoria Road, Margate, designed to accommodate poor people who were suffering from accident or disease and had given good service for 50 years. | ||
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| 1881 |
There was a thriving fishmarket in Ramsgate Harbour. The 'Smack Boys Home' was opened. When on shore the' smack boys' lived here. These were the apprentices to the fishing smack crews and the smack owners paid for their keep. The home was closed at the outbreak of the First World War when the smacks left Ramsgate. |
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| 1884 | Ramsgate was created a Borough. | ||
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| 1892 | Victoria Gardens in Broadstairs opened by Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria. | ||
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| 1897 | The clocktower was built on Margate seafront to commemorate Queen Victoria's Jubilee. | ||
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| 1901 | The Isle of Thanet Electric Tramway opened and ran trams between Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate until 1937. | ||
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| 1911 | The Winter Gardens at Margate was built. | ||
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| 1914-1918 | The Great War was the first for hundreds of years to affect the population of Great Britain. Thanet, as a coastal region, suffered more than any other part of the country | ||
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| 1915 | An Airfield was opened at Manston. | ||
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| 1919 |
Official peace celebrations - a 'cross of light' erected on the tower of St George's Church which was visible across the sea to the coast of France. After the Great War, scientists prepared for the next. Sound location, predecessor of radar, was first tried out at Joss Bay in Broadstairs |
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| 1920 | A larger hospital was needed and the General Hospital in St Peter's Road in Margate was built. | ||
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| 1926 | The direct Margate-Ramsgate railway line closed when the towns became part of the Southern Railway. The last train to run from Margate Sands to Ramsgate Town was on 2nd July 1926. | ||
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| 1939 |
During the Second World War Thanet became part of the front line in England's defence. The bouncing bombs used by the Dam Busters and designed by Barnes Wallis, were tested at Reculver. Until recently, the rusty fragments of two of them remained beside the sea wall. |
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| 1940 | 4,200 little ships left Ramsgate Harbour to rescue men from the beaches in Dunkirk. Many of the boats did not return, but some 80,000 men were brought back to safety in Ramsgate. The 'Perseverance', a pleasure boat based at Broadstairs, was among those 'little ships. She returned safely, and continued to carry visitors from Broadstairs Jetty until the 1960s. | ||
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| 1949 | The main bay at Broadstairs was re-named Viking Bay after the commemorative landing of a Viking ship, which had sailed from Denmark. The Viking Ship, 'Hugin', now stands on the clifftops over Pegwell Bay. | ||
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| 1953 | The great storm washed away the Margate Lighthouse and did great damage along the coast. | ||
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| 1965 | The first Annual Folk Festival in Broadstairs. | ||
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| 1966 | The first commercial hovercraft service in the world operated between Ramsgate and Calais. | ||
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| 1970 | The new shopping precinct called "The Centre" was opened in Margate, and new Municipal Offices followed later. | ||
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| 1974 | The establishment of Thanet District Council | ||
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| 1990 | 25th Anniversary of the Annual Broadstairs Folk Festival | ||
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| 1999 | Thanet Tourism & Leisure Web Site goes on-line. The RAF leave Manston. | ||
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BACK - SECTION I - 250,000 BC - 55 BC BACK - SECTION II - 55 BC to 1683 AD |
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