Old Ramsgate (then and now)

Identical scenes from the town of Ramsgate (Isle of Thanet) from past centuries and today

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Saturday, November 10, 2007

Ramsgate Sands and Eastcliff

Ramsgate Sands, and another visit to the East Cliff...

c.1900

2006

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Eastcliff Promenade, c.1895

Eastcliff Promenade, 2006

The Granville cinema building is the most prominent new addition

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The new Eastcliff Promenade extension, c.1905

The "new" promenade extension, 2006

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The San Clu hotel, c.1895

In those days it was called the "Hotel Saint Cloud"

San Clu hotel, 2006

Half the building is now missing, since the original postcard was drawn. Apparently it was destroyed in a great fire of 1928, one of the largest fires in Ramsgate's history

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Ramsgate Main Sands, c.1900's

Same view, 2006

The domed structure on the left is the top of a lift shaft leading to the beach (now closed)

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Main sands and pavilion, c.1900's

Note the bathing machines in the sea!

Same view, 2006

Minus the bathing machines, and people! The pavilion is now the Grosvenor casino

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The "New" Pavilion, c.1905

Same view, 2006

The Pavilion is now a popular casino

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View from the Pavilion, c.1905

Same view, 2006

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Wellington Crescent, c.1895

Wellington Crescent, 2006

The main new addition in this picture is the bandstand, which in 2006 has just completed a major renovation

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Eastcliff promenade and Granville hotel, c.1895

Eastcliff Promenade, 2006

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Another view of the Promenade, c.1895

Same view, 2006

Nice to see that the Victorian Shelters are still very much intact! The bandstand is missing in the modern picture however.

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The imposing Granville Hotel, c.1895

Note the bust of Augustus Pugin on the plinth in the foreground, and the two lion statuettes to the right

Granville hotel, 2006

The picture on the left shows the original lion statues as they are now... They were moved from their original location in the picture above, to reside in their new location on the other side of the Granville Cinema building, facing in the opposite direction. As you can see, one of the lion statues (in the foreground) has been vandalised, having been crudely smashed off it's plinth (and stolen?) which is a real shame.

Similar lion statuettes also sit atop the entrance to St. Augustines abbey, another Pugin building on the Westcliff of Ramsgate.

<---> View of the Ramsgate Sands station, c.1905

Same view, 2006

Site of the original station (and subsequent amusement arcade) is now just a waste ground, awaiting development into luxury apartments.
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Eastcliff Promenade, c.1895

Another view of the promenade, this time from the other direction

Eastcliff Promenade, 2006

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Ramsgate Sands entrance to the scenic railway, 1936

Same view, 2006

No trace of this station remains. You can just make out the end of the original concrete platform to the left of the parking sign (in lighter coloured concrete). The railway tunnel is still accessible, but only via a locked iron gate and steel door. The local council have put a lot of effort in recent years to keeping this old tunnel system locked and secure. The other end comes out in undergrowth near Dumpton Park Station, with a spur tunnel leading off to the old Hereson Road station (see earlier pictures)

26 Comments:

Blogger www.doverpast.co.uk said...

Niec pictures !

Shame about that lion, I drove past a few weeks ago and saw it lying smashed on the floor. Hope it has been taken somewhere safe.....

10:48 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

lovely images and what a great project!

7:47 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

lovely images and great project

7:48 pm  
Blogger Richard Eastcliff said...

Another magnificent crop, Mr R! And so many pictures of my cliff top mansion!

12:08 am  
Blogger SkinOfStars said...

What an awesome site. One of my absolute favourites :)

As to where that picture is from, I feel uncomfortable even guessing at it being eastcliff side... hmm, just not sure.

Keep up the good work

10:43 am  
Blogger Little Weed said...

Well done - thank you for all of your work I really enjoy your site.

11:09 am  
Blogger Vince R said...

Many thanks folks for all your kind comments!

12:07 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've really enjoyed to see your pictueres! I have been only 1 week in Ramsgate and I am delighted at this town as well. Of course my photos aren't so interested :)

6:06 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well doneVin,Your picture of the tunnel scenic railway brought back distant andgood memories of being taken on the train with my granny and seeing the tableaux. It was quite scary and exciting for a young child.A brilliant sight. Can't wait to log on to underground Ramsgate!

9:50 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thinking of moving to Ramsgate. What a terrific site. Thanks for all your work. Luxury apts. on the site of the old train station? Will Ramsgate become a la Eastbourne?

6:20 pm  
Blogger DavidR90 said...

I've just found a November 2004 "As Time Goes By" article from the Isle of Thanet Gazette. It says that the San Clu suffered 'one of the biggest fires in Ramsgate's history in October 1928, which would seem to be the reason half the hotel is now missing. Do you want a scan of it?

2:22 pm  
Blogger Vince R said...

Thanks DavidR90. Yes, would be great if you could email me a scan of that article! (my email is in my profile). I have also updated the caption now for the san clu picture. Thanks again!

9:43 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Born in Ramsgate in 1942.Family moved to Australia in 47.But some how feel 'home sick' on viewing your 'photos'.

10:00 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please can someone help i use to go on holiday to Ramsgate in the 1960s and we stayed in a holiday camp called stone chimney,does anyone remember this place?.I have recently moved to the area and just cannot remember where in Ramsgate it was located. I remember we use to also watch the hovercraft which i think was quite near the holiday camp.

4:14 pm  
Anonymous kate said...

certainly makes you realise the ugliness of progress.

8:51 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Still love Ramsgate but your pictures really show the area has become run down.Spent many happy holidays there in the 60s and70s.

7:19 pm  
Blogger Vince R said...

Hi All - Just wanted to say thankyou for all your positive comments and questions. Sorry I haven't been able to reply to individual questions as yet, but will try to do so as soon as I get some time!
Stay tuned, as there are more updates to the site pending! ;-)

4:12 pm  
Anonymous Ann Greetham said...

I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the photographs of Ramsgate past and present. Thank you to those responsible for creating such an interesting record. As a Ramsgatonian in exile, it made me feel very homesick.I,like many others have happy memories of traveling on the underground railway from Dumpton to the sea front as a child.I am sure that if the railway could have been maintained and retained it would have been a tourist attraction to this day.It seems that the people who make the decisions as to what should be retained and what should be demolished have not always decided wisely.But Ramsgate is so beautiful that even neglect can'nt destroy the magnificance of the town, I do hope that there are more pictures to come, Ann Greetham

1:32 am  
Anonymous wevsky said...

the stone chimney holliday challets are in southeastern road still there!!

12:23 pm  
Blogger paul_m said...

My and my mate went in the cliff tunnel through the dumpton park entrance. I remember having to climb carefully down a grass verge. I remember thinking how creepy the tunnel is - no light and silent. Needless to say we never reached the end of it before doubling back.

1:47 pm  
Blogger Steve Nightingale said...

Weirdly, i found an old enamel sign for the Hotel St Cloud by the side of the old railway line in Bath. I have no idea where a sign for a hotel in Kent would be in Somerset. It's very old, the phone number is 80. just 80

7:26 pm  
Anonymous Debbie said...

I used to go to the Stone Chimney holidays chalets too, but I cant find them on any website. Anyone have any ideas where I might be able to find pictures?

7:49 pm  
Anonymous Sue Hillage said...

My ancestors come from St. Lawrence, Ramsgate. STEADS. I enjoyed your photographs very much.

4:06 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

DEBBIE....Go to www.192.com and enter the address as Stone Chimneys Post code CT11 9TR (I think it's 194, Southeastern Road) and you'll get a close up picture.

3:30 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anonymous
Enjoy looking at old and new photos of ramsgate as my Mumand Dad used to take me to Ramsgate regular in the 1950's and so it brings back memories

11:24 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Remember as a child ,going with my parents to the Pavillian every night as they had entertainment,children couls get up and sing and later in the evening adults could,also you could get drinks and chips ,great memories

11:28 pm  

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