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).

Although free, we are requiring you to book here so we can control numbers and you can do so here: https://bit.ly/3ymo3U0 or click the website link below