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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Kent Lookup Requests => Kent => England => Kent Completed Lookup Requests => Topic started by: Chilis on Thursday 12 January 06 17:41 GMT (UK)
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My gt. grandfather built some seaside bungalows in the early 1880s and was also the Manager of the Westcliffe Hotel, Birchington on Sea at the time and in 1887 lived at 4 The Tower Bungalows.
Does anyone have any pictures of the Hotel or The Tower Bungalows? I know they are no longer in existence, having paid a brief visit to Birchington about 6 years ago.
I have two short descriptions taken from "Birchington on Sea" by Athol Mayhew, published 1881, but no pictures...
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Hi Chilis
Tried a few web sites...
www.thebirchingtonroundabout.co.uk I couldn't get this one to work,but, you might have better luck :)
www.barecards.de
Also, on ebay: item number 624323200 has two old postcards....dont know if they have anything you are looking for.
Have you tried the local council offices?
good luck,,,,best wishes
Iris :)
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Hi Chilis
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Hi Chilis
Had another thought.....try...
Thanet District Council
P O Box 9
Cecil Street
Margate
Kent CT9 1XZ
01843 577 000 if you live in U.K that is :)
www.thanet.gov.uk
they may be able to put you in touch with local libraries in the Thanet area who holds documents etc; for Birchington
Iris....... ;D
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Yes, Margate library do have a good local studies collection as do most of the main Kent libraries:
Margate Library
Cecil Square
Margate
CT9 1RE
Tel: 01843 223626
Fax: 01843 293015
http://www.apps.kent.gov.uk/e&l/artslib/openingtimes/
http://www.familia.org.uk/services/england/kent_margate.html
There is also some limited information online at the following site ie. photographs/directories etc.. - try Birchington and Westgate-on-Sea for both properties/addresses:
http://www.hereshistorykent.org.uk/
Casalguidi :)
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Many thanks, Iris, for coming up with the suggestion of old postcards, as well as an introduction to ebay. Do you think they will give you some commission?
Also the address for Thanet.
My thanks too to Casalguidi for the Margate Library contact info and the other sites. All much appreciated. In fact, I think I can say that this COMPLETES my request for help. Brilliant.
Chilis
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Hi Chilis
No problems :) ....as for ebay...I would probably end up paying them commission...LOL
Hope you find what you are looking for.
Best wishes.....Iris :)
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Dear Chillis,
Would it be possible for you to tell me what was in the Birchington Book, sounds really interesting. I can ask at Margate Museum for you, see if they have any pictures. I could also trace him through the directories, at Tower Bungalows, and wherever else.
Suzannah
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Sorry to be a pain, looked for Tower Bungalows and one is still standing in Spencer Road, Grade II listed, was John Taylor your great grandfather?
Suzannah
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Hi Susannah
Thank you for following through on my Birchington postings.
I have managed to get hold of extracts from "The Bungalows of Birchington" as well as some pages from "Birchington on Sea" by Athol Mayhew and also from "The Bungalow" by Anthony D King and published 1984.
It appears that John Taylor and architect and builder, J P Seddon, were in partnership at one time, but Taylor dropped out of the partnership and Seddon went on to build the Tower Bungalows in Spencer Road and also The Bungalow Hotel.
My gt. grandfather was William E Martin, an architect and builder who worked with/for J P Seddon. There is an advertising page in "Birchington on Sea" listing W E Martin as 'Contractor for Building & Engineering Works' who appeared to be building the seaside Bungalows 'from the designs and under the superintendence of J P Seddon.' He later became the Manager of the "The Bungalow Hotel" (aka The Westcliffe Hotel).
W E Martin wrote a series of 27 articles in 1905-6 for "Building News" about the Tower Bungalows.
Because of my gt. grandfather's involvement with the Tower Bungalows and The Westcliffe Hotel, I was hopeful of locating some actual pictures. I have the articles and illustrations of ground plans, etc. from Mr King's publication, however.
I am interested to know that one still remains standing and is now Grade II listed. Do you think someone would be able to take a picture of it for me?
Interestingly, I have a daughter now working in much the same capacity as W E Martin, as well as a son who is a Building Consultant. At the time they chose their future career paths, neither was aware that the our family's history was littered with Architects, Builders, Surveyors and Civil Engineers.
Again, thank you for adding to my posting.
Chilis
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Hi Chilis
There is a modern day picture of "Tower Bungalows" on the "Images of England" site.
You will probably need to log in http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/default.aspx and use the advanced search for (building name) Tower Bungalows
Casalguidi :)
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Well thank you, Casalguidi
Not a very inspiring Bungalow, is it? Useful description though and I'm pleased to be able to include it in the Family History folder.
Would still hope for a picture of "The Westcliffe Hotel" at some stage.
AND, thanks for pointing me to Images of England. I've registered to use the site and immediately found my last house had been photographed whilst I lived there, without my being aware of it!
Thanks again,
Chilis
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I'm researching the bungalows of Westgate and Birchington. I understand that Taylor and Seddon used W E Martin as their builder and I'm keen to learn more. I appreciate that Chilis' request for images etc was some time ago now, but there's a few images at http://www.birchingtonheritage.org.uk/beachavenue/bu1914.htm. The Westcliffe Hotel and the Bungalow Hotel were one and the same.
I'm a novice, so forgive any lack of protocol please.
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Ah, Taylorian, am I to assume you are a descendant of John Taylor?
I was amazed that your post above was of 'yesterday', as I have not had Internet access for some time - whilst my daughter was building me a house - and having had a new computer installed last evening, what should pop up but your posting!
It is actually all of 6 years since I was delving into my gt. grandfather's association with J. P Seddon and John Taylor, so would like maybe to return to the theme over this winter.
I have no information of any significance to add to previous postings, but would like to be in contact with you on this one, so will shortly send a Personal Message. In the meantime, thank you for your post and the connection to some later pictures of the Hotel. I have to say that I'm somewhat under-whelmed with its appearance in view of many other attractive buildings that have gone before, but presumably it was built as an opportunist money-spinner at the time.
Chilis
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Chilis, Taylorian will need to make three postings on the boards here before their Rootschat personal message system is fully activated. Taylorian, replying twice more to this topic will sufficec.
Lovely photographs of Birchington by the way :)
Casalguidi :)
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Thank you, Casalguidi, I had overlooked that rule...
So, Taylorian, can you post maybe a simple confirmation that you are interested particularly in John Taylor, and another quick relevant post, after which I presume you activate your access to the Personal Messages feature of this group..
I can then send you my e-mail address, as privacy prevents the display of same on here, quite rightly of course.
Chilis
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I'm not a descendant, but a fan - I think he deserves much more credit as an architect, and I wondered if research into W E Martin might be able to shed more light on his work. I look forward to sharing more of what I have learned.
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W E Martin was manager of the Bungalow Hotel for a while; unprepossessing it may have been, but it was the place to stay when people went to see the nearby Taylor wooden bungalow in which Rossetti had died in 1882.