For so many months the Clock House has been the place of work for a wonderful group of 50+ local volunteers helping us re-catalogue the artefacts in the Clock House Museum. As we reported in the June newsletter, that task has been completed and the majority of the artefacts moved to safe storage so now is the perfect time to thanks everyone for their involvement. Over 2,000 hours of voluntary help was given by the teams – the work could not have been completed without them and the Society acknowledges the dedication and positive effort that was given so readily.

A few of the larger pieces remain but these will also be moved out or appropriately protected in situ while the work on the building takes place. At time of writing the Clock House Museum is quiet and out of bounds awaiting the contractors appointed by TDC to start the necessary work to make the building fit for reoccupation and a rebirth of a much-improved museum. It is understood the building work will take place over the second part of 2025 and into 2026.

While all this has been going on inside the building, it was a delight to see the exterior take pride of place for the commemoration of the 85th Anniversary of the Dunkirk Little Ships. The video mapping project, especially designed for the Clock House, included newsreel footage, personal accounts, and animations to bring alive both the horror on the beaches and the relief of those who got away. The crowd watching was large and the response enthusiastic – leading to a re-run.

The film was produced by Howard Griffin and the event part of the project ‘Let’s do the time walk again! Exploring the East Kent Coast Through Digital Heritage’, led by Canterbury Christ Church University and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Due to the success of the event, the film is being reimagined for this year’s Ramsgate Festival of Sound and it is hoped to be a part of an installation in the crypt of St George’s Church in September.

Rob Warren,

Curator and Lead on the Clock House Project