Ramsgate 1949

[Dave Smith]

CAT. You're so right, you went to the seaside to go to the beach. Maybe the council wanted you to go through the town to get to the beach so that you might spend some money locally? A bit like supermarkets nowadays, special offers before the actual items you've come to buy!

[CAT]

Certainly the beach was much widely used as was typical of most seaside town beaches

[Lyn L]

The old Ramsgate Station must have been brilliant for the beach !


 I remember Dumpton Gap and the tunnel down to the sands well , think only went down it once, as we lived close enough to walk from home. More remembered for the Greyhound track as my Dad was a frequent visitor there 

[CAT]

I think its more due to the coastline of Kent not suitable for getting trains close to. Places like Folkestone had a spur line that took trains right across the harbour and direct to the ferry, whilst Ramsgate had a tunnel that put passengers to a station immediately to the north of their harbour.

[Dave Smith]

Diapason. In GtP, your mention of Dumpton Park, brought back memories- & you Lyn? I remembered that we too, used to change there when we went for the day to Ramsgate pre WW2. Strange that a lot of seaside places had their station a fair walk from the beach e.g. Herne Bay & Margate. But, as youngsters, that walk wasn't going to deter us from "the seaside"! 

[Dave Smith]

Smiffy, from me also thanks. I thought the film was going to be a short documentary but was probably a B movie- which I enjoyed. I shall also watch some of the others during this next self isolation. Definitely Clifftonville with its chalk cliffs in one shot, we preferred it to Margate- good sand & no crowds, although a very long walk from Margate station. I wonder whether Dreamland was in there as there was quite a big roller coaster but as I went there prior to WW2, it's too long ago for me to remember details.   

[Lyn L]

I lived in Ramsgate then , plenty of places I recognised but I was only three so I wasn't in the film   Ramsgate Harbour, with Merry England in the background where the bumper cars were. Could be a number of colliery's  but don't know which one. Betteshanger, Chislet, Snowdown, Tilmanstone. Someone may know though. Also I think Cliftonville was in there , saw a little sign to the Lido  but didn't ever go there.
Thanks Smiffy nice to see the old place again .

[Smiffy]

Here's a film which I'm sure will stir some seaside memories for many.

This is apparently set mainly in Ramsgate and Thanet but as I'm not familiar with the area I can't confirm if this is the case - although the North Foreland lighthouse is clearly visible in one scene. Perhaps someone who knows the area can identify the other locations, including the coalfield which is featured.