A HOME TOWN - AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS

AS I WALK ALONG THE STREETS OF MY HOME TOWN sometimes I remember the almost forgotten days of childhood, when there were all sorts of places to play - some where we should be playing and some where we were not supposed to be.  
Places that have changed so much over the years it is hard to remember what was there before and others that seem to have remained the same for ever.

THIS IS MY PERSONAL RECOLLECTION OF RAMSGATE not the town where I was born but where I have spent most of my life.

 Ellington Park:- so much of my childhood seems to have been spent here. Playing on the rockery, collecting conkers (Chatham House School was better), and playing on and around the bandstand.

http://oldramsgate.blogspot.co.uk/2006/05/ellington-park.html 

What used to be one of the many sweet shops we used to go to - this one was very small inside.  It is just outside the park.

This was a fairly large wood yard on the corner of Southeastern Road. It doesn't seem that long ago it was still being used.  They seem to have managed to get a lot of accommodation on the site.

The shops that are now concentrated at the bottom of the High Street, Harbour Street and part of King Street and Queen Street once used to extend out in all directions.  
This used to be COLES a store similar to Wilkinsons but it was not part of a chain.  A little further down there used to be Skitt's the Chemist.  Further back towards the park was a Co-op and one of the many toy shops.  I think it was KINGS and I got my Britain's animals from there.

This row of three houses used to be among my favourite shops.  This is where Lovely's Art supply shop and the Albion Book shop used to stand on the corner of Chapel place.  The book shop wasn't big but it was the best place ever!

 This was Fine Fare where my brother worked after he left school.  But more importantly the cafe above the supermarket was where my friend and used to go after trying on all the hats in Littlewoods.  This is on the corner of the High Street and George Street, George Street was important to me because this was where the fabric shop was and another toyshop.

Coomes that can be seen here was once part of Littlewoods (the part with the hat department) and just a little further down the road behind the tree was Woolworths - home of broken biscuits, loose biscuits, wonderful Easter Eggs made of sugar and toys and all sorts of other good things.

From here PIG ALLEY next to what was the Freemasons pub can be seen.  We used to live near the top of the alley and spent many happy Saturdays going down it at speed on our scooters.  On the corner of the alley was a very good sweet shop.

  Saint Georges Church.  One of our many playgrounds was the churchyard, the Vicar didn't mind us playing there as long we didn't go in the Garden of Remembrance.  The gravestones against the dividing wall to Chatham house School made it easy to climb over so we could collect conkers and pretty much just run around (these were the days before anti-Vandal paint)  I do remember a rope burn on my neck where I hadn't noticed the cricket pitch roped off.  This is where I went to Sunday School and my Brownie pack was based here.
Going out to play always gave a host of opportunities - from parks and the beach where we should have been to the derelict buildings (and the piles of rubble they became), burn out Tizer lorry on some waste ground and the waterfall at Maderia Walk that we were supposed to not to be. 

A WALK TO WORK - a journey in pictures

cherry blossom

just a house I like

After a weekend of near solid rain it was nice to have a sunny walk this morning (even if it was to work)  I got dropped off at the end of one of the roads leading to the sea, on the west side of Ramsgate.
It was usually the beaches on this side of town that we were taken to as very young children (although I do remember the main sands and donkey rides).  

bluebells under a beech hedge

A long promenade with gardens, putting,bowls,and croquet greens leads to sweeping paths to the undercliff and beaches. 
It is lovely to see the shelters some of which had become virtually derelict being restored.

Over to the west stands the last reminder of Richbourgh power station.

Deal pier stretches out into the English Channel and is clearly seen across Pegwell Bay.



Leaving the clifftop behind I walked down one of the paths to the undercliff and the sea.

This is a lovely time of year to walk by the cliffs because so many plants are flowering. In places it is hard to see the chalk at all.

looking back up the cliff face

waves breaking over the paddling pool

A rather grey looking high tide this morning - mostly caused by the chalk.  I can remember seeing the Devon sea for the first time and being amazed how blue it was.

looking out to sea

Sea Holly growing on one of the beaches shows how forgotten they are now a road to the harbour has been built, at times it feels like a private run of beaches.  
It is very sad because my memories take me to beaches that were full of people enjoying themselves.  It used to be such a pleasant area to 
walk with Chalets and cafes, 

The lift down to the beach - now derelict and a home for pigeons.
 I always liked the times we could use the lift when it was time to go home.
To the left of it are the steps leading to Govenment Acre.

just to show the weather hasn't cleared up yet

A cave high in the cliff guarded by pigeons with wallflowers growing under it.

Jacobs Ladder

The last bit of my walk takes me past  Jacobs Ladder, I used to think nothing of walking up and down these steps - now I would do anything to avoid them.

Onwards past the home for Smack Boys and along the inner Harbour wall.  
I love living near such a beautiful harbour, even if I don't see it every day I know it is there.

looking across the inner basin of the harbour