Margate in the Great War
Welcome to the town page for Margate. Explore your town map to discover people who lived in your town during the First World War.
Don’t forget to visit the 100 MILES page for the Trail information and downloadable leaflet, booklet, walking directions and quiz. These trails were developed in partnership with Dr Dawn Crouch, Ian Dickie, Su Jones and Margate Museum.
A popular tourist destination before the First World War, Margate has a rich history as a seaside town. With the start of the War in 1914, Margate, and the surrounding villages, became a haven for many people with not only the opening of The Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital at Quex, but also through Margate’s numerous hotels which were considered perfect for use as convalescent homes. The town wanted to continue to attract visitors despite the War as evidenced by entertainment provision, for example at the famous Winter Gardens and in 1915 with the opening of a Cinema de Luxe.
Nevertheless, Margate was not immune to the devastating effects of the War. The town was shelled from the sea despite the defence tactics of situating guns along the seafront at Palm Bay.
As well as from the sea, there was also a danger from the air. The Zeppelins were particularly frightening for the local residents as they could glide in silently, and sometimes there was no warning. By 1917 there were improved air defences which halted the daylight raids, but night time attacks continued, with civilians using the Margate Caves to shelter from the bombing.
As well as from the sea, there was also a danger from the air. The Zeppelins were particularly frightening for the local residents as they could glide in silently, and sometimes there was no warning. In March of 1916, Margate witnessed the demise of the first Zeppelin to be brought down by a gun crew, when it crashed into the sea. The air ship broke up upon the Margate Sands, although these lie off the coast 6 miles distant from the town, at low tide parts of the wreckage is still visible today.
However it was not until Margate was attacked by aircraft that there were civilian deaths, with the names of eighteen persons who lost their lives in enemy air raids on Margate in WW1 listed separately on Margate War Memorial. By 1917 there were improved air defences which halted the daylight raids, but night time attacks continued.
The Royal Naval Air Station at St Mildred’s Bay, Westgate-on-Sea opened in June 1914 and continued throughout the war. An airfield adjacent to the seaplane base was opened in 1915 and, the following year, an airfield was opened at Manston – just three miles behind Margate.
Men from Margate served in all of the services, including the mercantile marine, and within the town there is a War Memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives. Also included on the Memorial are the names of ten munitions workers who lost their lives in the Faversham Uplees explosion of 2nd April 1916.
Please add information to your town page by clicking Upload Your Story. Tell those important stories about your relatives – share their experiences to help build a picture of your community during this period. Don’t forget to check out your local clubs and societies, and whilst you are exploring our site take a look at the other towns around the coast to discover more about Kent’s rich history during the First World War.
1. Royal School for Deaf Children
2. The Gardens
3. Tents on Tennis Courts
4. St Mildred’s Hotel
5. RNAS
6. HMS Boxer
7. Westgate Town Hall
8. Wellington House
9. Tom Setterfield
Picture of Tom Setterfield in uniform of Chief Fire Officer
10. 1 Cuthbert Road
1 Cuthbert Road – now Laundrette – formerly Setterfield’s dairy – MILK still visible on chimney stack
11. Coronation Bandstand
12. High Beach
High Beach as it was. Demolished 1998 Replaced by 25 Sea Road San Remo apts
13. Captain Leonard Neville Rogers
Captain Leonard Neville Rogers (HU 125126) Captain Leonard Neville Rogers. Unit: 1st Battalion, attached to 18th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Death: 11 April 1917 Western Front Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205387966
14. Rogers Family
15. Hubbard Family
Both daughters were VAD nurses in High Beach hospital in Sea Road. Dorothy Hubbard, born in 1888 went to serve in France where she got 3 white stripes. Her brother-in-law Charles Mylne was acting as a chaplain in a hospital in France when he was wounded in a German air raid in 1918.
16. Margate College
17. Fletcher
18. Chiesman
19. Rhodes
20. Police Naval Reserve
21. Barnstable
22. Cornwall Gardens Dugout
23. Foreness Point
24. Jetty Defences
25. Margate College
26. Wanstead House School
27. Cottage Hospital
28. Volunteer Force
29. Mayor received EK Rifles
30. Parade at Cecil Square
31. Soldiers at Cecil Square
32. Map of Dugouts
33. Trinity Square Dugout
34. Victoria Road Drill Hall
35. Naval Review
36. Drill Hall Hawley Square
37. Bomb Sites
38. General Inspection in Dane Park
in Dane39. Bishop of Dover
40. Athelete Volunteer Force in Dane Park
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41. Hodges Gap
42. Margate Boys’ Xmas Fund
43. Mayor Presenting Award
44. Mayor Awarding Medal
45. Athelete Volunteer Force in Cecil Square
46. Marine Drive
47. The Parade
48. Union Cresent
49. Newgate Gap, Cliftonville
Margate
The transcribed text reads:
R.E.K.M.R.
56 Trinity Square
Margate
Bailing Parade
Dear A
Just going to have a dip. Are you coming? All mixed bathing. Here is lovely. There is 300 in the water now. Heard from Lizzy yesterday and she tells me she will be home for a fortnight soon. How are all at home. I am writing this on the sand waiting for my turn to go and change. We are billeted close to here in haste.
From Bill
To Miss A Ellen
Next Black Horse
Hawkinge
Folkestone
50. Isle of Thanet Evacuation Plan
51. Westbrook Promenade
The seaplane referred to in the transcript below was most probably based at St Mildred’s Bay Westgate which was a Royal Navy Air Service ( RNAS) base from 1914. In early August the call went out locally for volunteers to relieve the guard of 15 men at the airbase. There was also an airfield at the top of the cliffs but this was a very difficult place to land or take off from and after several accidents the land based aeroplanes were moved to Manston from 1915-1916.
The transcribed text reads:
27 May 1915
From: 6 Jubilee Terrace, Margate
Dear M,
We arrived safe had a nice journey not so much walking about. It is lovely down here, been sitting down on the sands all afternoon had a lovely view of a seaplane going over the water
Love to all
George
Mrs F Dunster
Chapel House
St Michaels
Tenterden
Kent
Image courtesy of Darrienne Price
52. Private Frank Allan Urry
Broadstairs War Memorial WWI Casualty list:
Private Frank Allan Urry
Son of: Walter B & Elizabeth Frances Urry of ‘Staveley Lodge’ 3 Northdown Ave, Cliftonville, Margate
Service Number: 52024
Unit: 24th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
Date of death: 2nd May, 1917
Age: 30 yrs
Research courtesy of John T Williams
53. Sergeant Leofrie Arthur Harrison
Broadstairs War Memorial WWI Casualty list:
Sergeant Leofrie Arthur Harrison
Son of: Arthur Harrtson of Broadstairs
Husband of: Florence Mary Harrison of Rose Cottage, Linksfield Road, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent
Service Number: 17573
Unit: 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
Date of death: 28th May, 1918
Age: 24 yrs
Burial Location: Berlin South Western Cemetery
Grave Ref: XIV, D, 4
Research courtesy of John T Williams
54. Private Robert George Greenstreet
Broadstairs War Memorial WWI Casualty list:
Private Robert George Greenstreet
Son of: George Greenstreet of Margate
Husband of: A.J. Greenstreet of 7 Laume Villas, Gordon Road, Westwood, Margate
Service Number: G/26252
Unit: 11th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
Date of death: 5th August, 1917
Age: 35 yrs
Burial Location: Bedford House Cemetery
Grave Ref: Enclosure No 4, VII, B, 19
Research courtesy of John T Williams
55. Lieutenant Walter Owen Edis
Broadstairs War Memorial WWI Casualty list:
Lieutenant Walter Owen Edis
Birth Location: Bedfordshire Yeomanry
Son of: Harry and Laura Edis of 42 Connaught Road, Margate, Kent
Commissioned: August 1916
Rank: Lieutenant (February 1917)
Date of death: 29th March, 1918
Age: 25 yrs
Memorial location: Pozieres Memorial
Reference: Panel 7
Research courtesy of John T Williams
56. Private Arthur Harry Edis
Broadstairs War Memorial WWI Casualty list:
Private Arthur Harry Edis
Son of: Harry and Laura Edis of 42 Connaught Road, Margate, Kent
Service Number: PW/5484
Unit: 1st/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
Date of death: 24th August, 1918
Age: 29 yrs
Burial Location: Vis-En-Artois Memorial
Grave Ref: Panel 8-9
Research courtesy of John T Williams
57. Palm Bay Cliftonville
This postcard shows a view of Cliftonville, Margate. The card was sent 23rd July 1915
The transcribed text reads:
‘My Dear Flo, All’s well so far as regards my pass, and hope to be @ London Rd Station somewhere here around 10’clock tomorrow night. If anything else turns up, will give you all news when I come. Your Old Bert xxxxxxxxxx’
‘Miss V. Vass, 2 Totness Road, Manchester, Lancashire’
Courtesy of D Price
58. The Chetwynd Family
Pictured here is a sketch of Denis Chetwynd’s mother who was a Red Cross Nurse at Quex Park Mansion in Birchington during the Great War. Quex ParK became a Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital in 1914 by its owner Major Powell Cotton. Mrs Chetwynd nursed the wounded Belgians at the beginning of the war and later went on to also treat many other nationalities.
Denis also told us about his father who enlisted early in the war, but was invalided out after 6 weeks on medical grounds from a childhood accident that resulted in limited mobility of one arm. He subsequently spent the remainder of the war as a Telegraphist (his peacetime occupation) around the coasts of England and Northan Ireland on secret war work with the armed forces.
Image and information courtesy of Denis Chetwynd
59. Guns defending the coast at Margate
'The two images show guns defending the coast against further German bombardment of Thanet from the sea. Both images have a note on the back stating that the guns were located at Margate. I believe that the guns were located east of Cliftonville and near Foreness. None of the buildings shown in these photographs exist today.'
'Thanet was bombarded by German destroyers on two occasions; once on the 25th of February 1917 and again on the 27th of April 1917. Three lives were lost at Broadstairs (at Reading Street) in the first raid* and another two lives were lost at Ramsgate in the second raid. Fortunately, there were no casualties from those raids at Margate. Although there was also damage to property, the loss of lives throughout Thanet from those raids were relatively minor compared with the heavy loss of life from enemy air raids.'
Image and text courtesy of James Brazier
*Further information received:
The three civilians who lost their lives during the first raid were Mrs Morgan and her two daughters, Phylis and Doris Morgan.
60. Unveiling of the Margate War Memorial
The moment of the unveiling of the Margate War Memorial on November 5th 1922
Courtesy of James Brazier, Margate Civic Society
61. Unveiling of Birchington War Memorial
Unveiling of Birchington War Memorial on 28th March 1920
Courtesy of James Brazier, Margate Civic Society