Dear xxxx,

Welcome to the August Ramsgate Society Newsletter. It’s high summer season for the Town and we are limiting our own Ramsgate Society public activities but there is much else to enjoy. The Ramsgate Festival of Sound kicks off from August 22nd and you can click here for the full programme of events: https://www.ramsgatefestival.org/full-line-up

A day earlier on Wednesday Aug 21st Ramsgate Society members are invited to a book launch of photographs of Thanet by Mike Goldwater, accompanied by poems from Sarah Tait. This takes place between 5pm and 7pm at Sugar Rush (the former W H Smith) in the High St.

Our own talks programme will restart in September, when we add to the Heritage Open Days activity with two talks centred on our Royal Harbour. Unlike other months, our talks (plus the ones from the Pugin Society and Ramsgate Tunnels) will be free and open to all.

Ramsgate Society members benefit by being among the first to know of our events and you have the opportunity to reserve your places (see below) in advance of more general publicity.

Terry Prue

Ramsgate Society Communication Lead

Heritage Open Days Festival September 6th to 15th

Heritage Open Days is the country’s largest heritage festival with around 5,000 events, over 40,000 volunteers and more than three million visitors taking part. Celebrating local history, architecture and culture, the ten-day event offers everyone the chance to see hidden places and experience something new, all of which are completely free to explore, though donations are very welcome.

For several years now, the Society has coordinated the Thanet Heritage Open Days in collaboration with TDC Tourism and Information.  Sixteen Ramsgate venues/events are planning on opening/taking place during the Heritage Open Days Festival:

Ramsgate Tunnels at Marina Parade, CT11 8FH

Friday 6th – Sunday 15th September 9.30am – 4pm

The Cervia Steam Tug, Ramsgate Royal Harbour, CT11 9RN

Friday 6th – Sunday 15th September 10am – 4pm

The Clock House Museum Exhibition at Arch 6, Military Road, CT11 9LG

Friday 6th – Sunday 8th & Friday 13th – Sunday 15th September 10am – 4pm

The Sailor’s Church, Military Road, CT11 9LG

Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September 10am – 4pm

St. George’s Church, Church Hill, CT11 8QY

Saturday 7th & Saturday 14th September 10am – 4pm

Holy Trinity Church, Bellevue Road, CT11 8ET

Saturday 7th September 10am – 3pm

St Augustine’s Church – walk from  Minster Abbey, Church Street, Minster CT12 4HF

Saturday 7th September 1pm – 4pm

A Day in Paradise, Ramsgate CT11 9TX

Saturday 7th September. Viewing from 12 noon. Music and Performance from 4pm

Ellington Park, Park Road, CT11 9TL

Sunday 8th September 11am – 3pm

‘Heritage Harbours’ Ramsgate Society Talk by Henry Cleary OBE

Monday 9th September 7pm at the San Clu – see details below

Evacuees – A Talk by Helen Seaton at the Ramsgate Tunnels, Marine Parade, CT11 8FH

Thursday 12th September 6.30 – 7.30pm

‘Royalty and the Everyday’ Ramsgate Society Talk by Diane Harvey-White

Friday 13th September 7pm at the San Clu – see details below

Radford House (The Old Fire Station), Effingham Street, CT11 9AT

Friday 13th & Saturday 14th 10am – 4pm

The Grange and St Edward’s Presbytery, St Augustine’s Road, CT11 9NY

Friday 13th – Sunday 15th September 10am – 4pm

The Italianate Glasshouse, King George’s Memorial Park, Montefiore Ave, CT11 8BD

Friday 13th & Saturday 14th September 10am – 4pm

Spencer Square, Ramsgate, CT11 9LD

Sunday 15th September 11am – 6pm

In addition, there will be other events & surprises in and around the harbour to celebrate the harbour gaining Heritage Status including:

The Royal Harbour Costumed Walk

The Clock House, Pier Yard

Saturday 7th at 2.30pm

It is possible that there will be changes and additions to the list of Thanet Heritage Open Day participants and details so you are advised to check the listings on the Visit Thanet site before making your final plans.

Susanne Ford

Lead on Events and Community Engagement

Talks to support Heritage Open Days

1.Where Heritage Harbours have come from and what they could achieve 7pm Monday Sep 9th at the San Clu

Image from The Illustrated London News June 1850

For our first Ramsgate Society talk on the Monday of the week of Heritage Open Day activities we welcome Henry Cleary OBE, Chair of the Maritime Heritage Trust, the national membership organisation for heritage vessels and maritime projects. This timely event celebrates the accreditation of Ramsgate in 2024 as a ‘Heritage Harbour’.

This new accreditation scheme is a joint initiative of the Maritime Heritage Trust, National Historic Ships UK and Historic England.

Heritage Harbours are about a joining up between historic vessels, buildings and the land and water space around them and attracting support from the wider community to help them survive and prosper. Smaller ports are critical for the historic vessel fleet and there is increasing support for the amenity and health benefits they can offer. From 7th September 2024 there will be 14 Heritage Harbours and Heritage Inland Ports nationally, supported by National Historic Ships UK, Historic England and the Maritime Heritage Trust (which currently hosts the national meetings). For the future the challenge is to grow and strengthen this network through joint promotion, lobbying and co-operation.

Come along to the San Clu Hotel on September 9th to hear more about the scheme and what it could mean for Ramsgate. Doors open at 6:30 with talk and questions between 7pm and 8pm. As part of the Heritage Open day initiative this talk, although organised by the Ramsgate Society, is open to all and free of charge (though voluntary donations welcomed).

Booking essential and you can do it by clicking below:

2.A Pugin Society Event: 30 Years On – Celebrating the 1994 V&A Exhibition 5pm Wednesday September 11th at St Augustine’s Church

We are happy to help promote a Pugin Society event that will also be taking place within the Heritage Open Days activities in September.

Paul Atterbury, exhibition curator at the V&A for the 1994 Pugin exhibition and familiar to many through the Antiques Roadshow, will be in discussion with Rosemary Hill, author of the outstanding biography of Pugin ‘God’s Architect’. They will reflect upon how Pugin has come to be regarded over the last 30 years since the V&A exhibition and after this the floor will be open for questions and debate.

This event is free and all are welcome with no pre-booking so just turn up in good time at St Augustine’s Church.

3.Ramsgate Society Talk on Ramsgate Harbour – Royalty and the Every-day 7pm Friday Sep 13th at the San Clu

Image of the Royal link being reinforced by a crown designed by Theresa Smith on the toilet block in 2014

For the second Ramsgate Society talk on the Friday of the week of Heritage Open Day activities we are delighted to welcome back Diane Harvey-White. As a freelance heritage consultant Diane was part of the design team for the architects appointed in March 2023 for regeneration projects in Ramsgate Harbour and, more recently, provided a historic background for Ramsgate Town Council on Radford House.

Bestowed with the honour of becoming the Royal Harbour in 1821, Ramsgate is the only Royal harbour in the country. But what did this actually mean? Harbour business was conducted with the focus on the working requirements of the industries or organisations based in or using the harbour and yet throughout the nineteenth century royal visits would embark and disembark from Ramsgate. This included the voyages of the European Royal families and their entourages. Diane Harvey-White explores the impacts and comedic elements of a working harbour that had to accommodate royal personages at the same time as operating efficiently for the every-day occurrence.

Included in her talk will be content to help understand why George IV chose Ramsgate as his departure point in 1821, but it will then focus on the harbourmasters and the royal visits up until the Royal Temple Yacht Club was granted its Royal title.

Doors open at 6:30 with talk and questions between 7pm and 8pm. As part of the Heritage Open day initiative this talk, although organised by the Ramsgate Society, is open to all and free of charge (though voluntary donations welcomed).

Booking essential and you can do it by clicking below:

Ramsgate Main Sands Water Fountain Installation

Launch photo by Terry Prue: (l. to r.) Helen Webb (Sea-Changers), Laura Fidler (Town Clerk), Rachel Lopata (Sea-Changers), Steve Albon & Raushan Ara & Tricia Austin (Town and TDC Councillors), Phil & Deb Shotton

Inspired by the #RiseUpCleanUp community group in Margate, Cllr. Tricia Austin from Ramsgate Town Council and myself from the Ramsgate Society successfully secured funding from Sea-Changers, a charity focused on reducing coastal plastic pollution. The funding facilitated the installation of a water fountain on Ramsgate Main Sands, promoting the use of refillable water bottles and reducing plastic waste. The fountain, installed at the beginning of August, became operational following health and safety checks, with a formal unveiling that took place on August 14th. Additionally, Southern Water is working with Thanet District Council to sponsor more fountains along Ramsgate seafront and other coastal areas, further enhancing the initiative’s impact.

The Ramsgate Society is delighted to have been able to partner with Ramsgate Town Council, Thanet District Council and Sea-Changers to get this water fountain installed on the Main Sands. It’s a simple but effective way to do three things – help tackle climate change, reduce beach litter and save money for residents and visitors – a real win-win-win! We’re very grateful for the support of RTC, TDC and Sea-Changers for this project.

Phil Shotton

Ramsgate Society Lead on Environment and Climate Change

Chairman’s Report to AGM 2024

For those who were unable to come to the AGM that followed the talk on progress with the Clock House and Maritime Museum, we have posted the chairman’s review of the Society’s activities over the last year.

You will be able to read and print out this report here

Contact the Ramsgate Society

If you have any queries about or for the Society please get in touch

Members with events, workshops or news that you would like the Society to consider featuring in its newsletter please contact: news@ramsgate-society.org.uk