BLUE PLAQUES OF RM&HT
Pictures, wordings and locations of the blue plaques
ADDINGTON STREET
The original town centre of Ramsgate, this street has been the focal point for shopping, eating, and celebrating throughout its history. Hosting Napoleonic garrisons and mess halls, as well as holding many celebrations for large events, such as the Relief of Mafeking during the Second Boer War. It suffered heavy bombing during First and Second World Wars.
Find it on the Falstaff Inn's Kitchen Cafe, 20 Addington Street.
EFFINGHAM STREET
Formerly known as Brick Street, in 1785 it was ‘the most eligible place for persons of refinement’. Many Lords and Admirals called this street home, including Rear-Admiral Fox (1733-1810). He lived and died in Effingham Lodge, which later became The Ramsgate Fire Station. Many of the buildings are Grade II listed due to their unique architectural designs.
Find it on the side of Miles & Barr Lettings, 47-49 Queen Street.
GRANVILLE HOUSE
Designed by E. Pugin in the gothic style, once The Granville Hotel, this grand building was the place to stay for the well-to-do looking for a seaside break. It had 25 different types of baths. Rebranding as a hotel in 1869 until sale in 1946, becoming the flats of today. Between 1915-17, it was requisitioned by the Government and called The Granville Canadian Special Hospital.
Find it to the right of the main entrance to Granville House.
LIVERPOOL LAWN
Built between 1827-1836 in the Regency style, the residential area was named after former Prime Minister (1812-1827), Richard Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool. All the houses here are Grade II listed. During the Second World War, the lawn was the site of an entrance to the Ramsgate Tunnels. Its location is visible during the summer, when the grass above dies.
Find it at 18 Liverpool Lawn.
OLD TOWN HALL
On this site once stood the old Town Hall, built in 1839. At ground level, it was an open-air marketplace, above was the municipal centre for the town. It was demolished in the 1960s to widen the high street, being replaced by Burton’s and later, Halifax.
Find it on Halifax, 2 Queen Street.
RAMSGATE'S FIRST ZEPPELIN RAID
1:48am, 17th May 1915, 20 bombs were dropped on the town in one of the country’s first air raids.
The attack destroyed the Bull & George Hotel, injuring 3 people, 2 of whom later died. The site would eventually become Woolworths and later Poundland.
The raid also damaged nearby shops, such as David Greig Tea & Provision Merchant, now Holland & Barrett.
Find it on Poundland, 12-14 High Street.
ROYAL HARBOUR AND LITTLE SHIPS
The UK’s only Royal Harbour, given this title by King George IV in 1821.
The Royal Harbour was a chief embarkation point during the Napoleonic Wars and both World Wars.
It served as a main port during Operation: Dynamo. From here, a flotilla of ‘Little Ships’ set sail for Dunkirk and helped evacuate 338,226 soldiers, between 26th May – 4th June 1940.
Find it on Little Ships Restaurant, 54-56 Harbour Parade.
SHRINE OF ST. AUGUSTINE
Constructed between 1845 and 1852, St Augustine’s church was designed by Augustus Pugin, architect of the Houses of Parliament and ‘Big Ben’. The church is in the gothic style and follows Pugin’s ‘true principles of Christian architecture’. He called this his ‘ideal church’ and he is buried within. As of 2012, it is the official shrine to St Augustine, housing a reliquary containing a fragment of the saint’s bones.
Find it on St. Augustine's Church, St. Augustine's Road.
SPENCER SQUARE
Having housed famous people, such as Vincent van Gogh, it is not surprising the houses here are Grade II listed. Before any houses were built here, this was the site for military drill practice during the Napoleonic Wars. Very little survives from this period. A Second World War tunnel entrance is located in the northern corner of the gardens.
Find it on the Tennis Court Coffee Hut, Spencer Square.
SUNDOWNER
This ‘Little Ship’ was owned by Commander Charles Herbert Lightoller DSC*, RD, RNR (1874-1952), second officer and most senior surviving crew member of RMS Titanic, survivor of two sinking ships and two world wars. He captained Sundowner across the English Channel, leading a fleet of ‘Little Ships’ to aid in the evacuation of Dunkirk, rescuing 130 people in one trip on 1st June 1940.
Find it on Little Ships Restaurant, 54-56 Harbour Parade.
TOLL GATE
Originally a toll gate for the East Cliff Esplanade, middle-class Victorian gentry would pay for the privilege to promenade in their finery along this once exclusive clifftop walk. Operating as a toll booth from c.1866-c.1900. In recent years, it has kept its holiday spirit as a kiosk for holidaymakers.
Find it on the Toll Gate Kiosk, 3a Victoria Parade.
TOMSON & WOTTON
On this site stood part of the large brewery complex of Tomson & Wotton. Brewing from at least 1634, it was the oldest brewery in the country until it closed in 1968 when bought by Whitbread. The oldest records of land owned by the Tomson family in Ramsgate date back to 1554.
Find it on Waitrose's Queen Street entrance, above the trolleys.
WELLINGTON CRESCENT
Built early 19th Century in the Regency period, similar in style to Nelson Crescent. This was the location of many military installations in the Napoleonic Wars and both World Wars. Large gun emplacements, batteries, and fortifications were sited for the Second World War, including HMS Fervent, an underground Royal Navy headquarters.
Find it on the perimeter wall of the bandstand, west entrance facing the sea.
SPECIAL MINI-PLAQUES
These plaques were given out as special awards for the exceptional amount of time and effort that was put in by these three volunteers.
Ralph Hoult OBE helped write many of the pages for the booklet, donated his library of old Ramsgate photos, and wrote the foreword.
Wendy Morris spent hundreds of hours researching, writing and developing the trail; providing a critical eye over draft guidebooks and helping to shape the routes we can all walk today.
Zoe McCready also spent hundreds of hours researching and writing various sites for the Trail, with a particular interest in Julius Caesar and his landing at Ebbsfleet.
We had many other, invaluable volunteers whose names can be found on page 2 of the guidebook.