My Memories Of Margate

A Memory of Kingsgate.

I have many fond memories of Margate as I spent lots of my school holidays there during the 1970's, my nan lived in All Saints Avenue opposite the Park. We lived in Wolverhampton but would take the long trip down to Kent, via the North Circular in London, at least 3 times a year for what seemed to take an eternity - mainly because I spent all of it sat between my 2 sisters who would continually be sick into bags along the journey. A stop was always made at the halfway house so my dad could have a cheeky pint before the last leg of the journey. I always remember my parents telling me I would be dropped off at the naughty children's home which I always remember to be on the right hand side as we approached, I am not sure if this was ever true though but it did seem to keep me in check for a while.

My dad would always drive along the sea front before we got to my nans. I remember the excitement even now. My sisters and I would spend days on dreamland, the big slide, that old rickety roller coaster and the wall of death, which was my favourite attraction, spending my parents hard earned cash. The sun always seemed to shine everyday and we would spend hours in the sea. I remember the life boat rocket used to go off and the life boat used go off the old pier; I was gutted when we returned one year to find it no longer there. There used to be man with a monkey who used to take your photo with it.

The Lido was near to where my nan had a boarding house, the old chaps and dears used to sit on the deck chairs listening to someone playing an organ, at the time it was very boring for a 7 year old but it was very popular. My nan passed away in the middle 80's however I did pass through in 2004 and was upset to see how everything had changed, not the Margate I used to love.