Pegwell
Pegwell maps (2 available)
Map of Kent
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
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Pegwell books (16 available)
- 10 photos on Pegwell appear in 4 Frith books - View photos of Pegwell
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Pegwell and Kent
Pegwell memories
Read and share memories of Pegwell and Kent inspired by Frith photos
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You can also read memories of nearby places in Kent below.
Kent memories
Fishing
My greatgrandfather Giles Chandler ran a small fleet of fishing smacks from Ramsgate harbour in late 1800s and early 1900s. The Progress, Peace and Spray were some of them. The Progress was lost with all hands during a storm in October 1911. Several other fishing smacks from Ramsgate were lost at this time.
A memory of Ramsgate contributed by Pat Mills
Children's beach events, mid-1950s
I can remember organised races and games, promoted by the publishers of 'Sunny Stories' and the Hulton Press comics, which took place on Viking Bay or Louisa? Bay. You needed to have a copy of one of the papers to participate; in my time it tended to be the 'Swift'.
The Punch and Judy shoes put on by a guy called Rollo (I think) were a bit violent.
I can't remember it raining, either. If it did, I'm sure we blamed it on contemporary atomic bomb tests.
A memory of Broadstairs contributed by Peter Yates
Cafe
I remember coming here as a child. My Mum used to go to Broadstairs every year when she was young & we used to have day-trips for my Mum & Nan as a nostalgic visit. We always used to go into this cafe (can just see windows on left of pic) for breakfast & even after 40 odd years it was still being run by the same family and they always recognised my Nan's (really not that Cockney) voice! Bearing in mind that they only visited once a year I always used to think that was amazing! Unfortunately, it has now been sold and is now a pizza place. Have never been in there, and to be honest, don't think I ...read more here
A memory of Broadstairs contributed by Catherine Murray
Port Regis
I had a couple of holidays at Broadstairs, staying at the Convent at Port Regis. I attended St Philomena's in Carshalton Surrey and I think they owned the Convent at Port Regis. I can remember Broadstairs and going to Margate. I now live in Sydney, Australia but will be in England in September and I hope to get down to Kent (amid a very busy itinerary) and relive those memories. Bette Schoots (nee Miller).
A memory of Broadstairs contributed by Bette Schoots
Extracts From Pegwell & Kent books
On the right is the old Belle Vue Tavern
dating back to the 1760s, which was an
earlier haunt for smugglers. In 1831,
the landlord Mr John Cramp received
a visit from the Duchess of Kent and
her daughter Princess Victoria; they
dined on potted shrimp paste. Later,
Mr Cramp received the Royal
Appointment of Purveyor of Essence
of Shrimps in Ordinary to Her Majesty
the Queen. On the left are the Floral
Tea Gardens followed by the Pear Tree
Inn, later Samuel Banger’s potted
shrimp paste factory. His small paste
pots had highly decorated lids
depicting scenes of Pegwell; today
they are valuable antiques.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Here we have a closer
view of the wall and walk
built from the cliff
opposite, encompassing
the ground later laid out
as gardens, and earlier as
a swimming pool, by the
Pegwell Bay Reclamation
Co. The gardens were
known as Ravens Cliff
Gardens. Also built on
this reclaimed land was
the Conyngham Hotel;
access to it was gained
via steps from the bay.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Pegwell village overlooks a
large bay, which has in the
past been named Hope Bay,
Greystone Bay, and
Courtstairs Bay, and today is
simply known as Pegwell
Bay. The wooden steps give
access to the ground below
and also serve as a lookout
tower for the coastguard
station, and pictured below
is a coastguard cutter on
davits ready for any
emergencies. The gardens
beyond belonged to the
Conyngham Hotel.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
This is a closer view of the
Conyngham Restaurant with
its extensive well laid-out
grounds, which include
swings and other children’s
facilities. Behind is the tall
tower of the Working Men’s
Club and Institute Union
Convalescent Home, once
the Clifton Hotel; the tower
and the new wing were
added in 1897. On the
extreme right are the stumps
of an earlier pier, built by
Daniel Curling in 1784.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
The Working
Men’s Club Union
Convalescent Home at
Pegwell Bay had a
Mrs M E Boyland as
superintendent, and
B T Hall as secretary.
The main hotel at
Pegwell Bay was The
Belle Vue, run by
William Shaw.
An extract from from"Around the Kent Coast".