Guess the Place

[John Walker]

Overlooks a large village situated on a well used A Road.

[John Walker]

Looks a bit like my pre WW2 memory of Darland Banks?- apart from the seat!

Not Darland Banks Dave Smith.  Need to head South East.


The seat replaced two large stones that have been re-sited.

[John Walker]

It might have been this John.


https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205201825
 
 
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205201828

Also just found this ...

DREAMLAND, MARGATE  1940s

The first half of Dreamland’s 1940s was, of course, dominated by the war effort on the home front and overseas. The cinema and ballroom initially remained open at the outbreak of World War II, though any prospects for anything like a normal summer season in 1940 were abandoned when the entire Dreamland site was requisitioned by the Government. This June 1940 order was made on the back of the Dunkirk evacuation, where thousands of British and Allied soldiers were rescued from the beaches after being cut off by the German army.
The restaurants served as treatment centres for the wounded and the ballroom was converted to a makeshift dormitory for troops. Meanwhile, the Garden Café was used as an interrogation centre to root out possible spies and armers. 2,000 troops were later stationed at Dreamland, including many from the Entertainment National Service Association (better known as ENSA), including actor Jack Warner of Dixon of Dock Green fame and Ralph Reader, creator of The Gang Show.

[Dave Smith]

Looks a bit like my pre WW2 memory of Darland Banks?- apart from the seat!

[grandarog]

It might have been this John.


https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205201825
 
 
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205201828

[John Walker]

Thanks Beachbum.  I recall reading about somewhere in or near Dreamland being requisitioned as a reception centre for soldiers returning from the war.  I can't find it now


Next one - where and what?

[MartinR]

Best coordinates I can get are:

• WGS84:     51°23'11"N, 001°22'30"E or 51.3863771,1.3749312
• Post code: CT9 1XP or 1XN
• Grid ref:     TR 34918 70664

It must have been quite a ballroom.  At that length you'd only get half way around before the music stopped.  Great for quicksteps! 

[Beachbum]

You are at the right spot JW.
So this was a former Station of the South Eastern Railway (1846) known as the Margate Sands Station. It is adjacent to the Dreamland Cinema and opposite the Main Beach.It became the MCC Casino Ballroom and then a Restaurant.
Over to you John Walker.............

[John Walker]

Anything to do with the Dreamland site.  I seem to recall there being a hall that could feed over 1000 during one of the wars.  Might have been a railway station?

[Beachbum]

It had connections to Ashford.............

[grandarog]

Not far from last place, I will wait a while give others a chance.

[Beachbum]

Thanks JW, I was born there (no blue plaque yet).
Okay folks, try this one..........

[John Walker]

You have it Beachbum.  The Ramsgate General Hospital, now residential.    I wondered if you would get it first.  Guessing you have connections with the area.

51.33071203433421, 1.410873221349325


Over to you ...

[Beachbum]

The former Ramsgate Hospital?

[John Walker]

Deal?  Or Kingsdown?

Sorry if I've misled you MartinR,  My clues were generalising rather than specific.  Grandarog is very close but wrong town.