Another massive fire in Margate - Grosvenor Place

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/KFRS/pageid/518/offset/0/releaseid/987/Press/Press.html

I've only just heard and haven't been down to see the damage yet. What a way to wake up on Sunday morning. Tragic, tragic, tragic. Come on Margate, you can do better. Grosvenor Place is lovely.

Edited to correct the address to Grosvenor Place.

I've been out there this morning. Fire crews are still working on it with cranes and the road is closed off. The fire started in house where a fire had previously taken place recently. This is now gutted. The terrace involved has iron balconies to the front. A passing resident remembers how Grosvenor place used to the a very smart street. How different it is today because of badly maintained buildings offering low standard rental.

Ambulance crew attending drunk kids in the graveyard

All go at the graveyard tonight. It's a busy Friday night and an ambulance crew were called out to attend to a girl who was collapsed. There were more drunken and rowdy kids inside the graveyard itself and one other collapsed in a similar state. I spoke to a number of them and for some it was their first time there. Apparantly, it's a real meeting point that's growing on Friday nights. Great! No one begrudges teenagers the chance to meet up, hang out and have fun. But when it's in a place as unique as the graveyard and if they are hell bent on damaging it, then I do object.

As far as I know, areas like graveyards and public parks are alcohol free zones in Thanet. Being a secluded spot, it's easy for it to get out of hand in the way that it has been. I thought the police would intervene given it's a regular meet up now.

Let's hope it rains soon and they'll go home.

Update on Zion Chapel Burying Ground

I've received historical records from the ever resourceful local historian Mick Twyman regarding the cemetery. It was always locally known as the Zion Chapel Burying Ground. The history of the site is interesting, which makes it all the more important it is preserved. The following is information kindly received from Mick:

The Chapel had its roots in the preachings of George Whitefield (1714-1770) who, in his younger days, was a great friend and follower of the Wesleys in the propogation of Methodism. However, in 1741 there occurred a profound difference of opnion between him and the Wesleys on a point of doctrine, with the result that Whitefield henceforth went his own way, promulgating Calvanistic based doctrines both here and abroad, although tied directly to no specific sect. His work caught the imagination of The Countess of Huntingdon (1707-1791) who endowed the funds for many Chapels and Colleges for Whitefield and his followers to preach their doctrines in.

A close associate of The Countess of Huntingdon was Lady Anne Erskine, who had long been a friend and adherant of George Whitefield, was chosen on the death of The Countess to carry on with the task of spreading the word. Consequently, in 1797 a Zion Chapel was opened in Canterbury and its appointed first Minister was Thomas Young (1764-1844). He had been a member of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion since his youth, and was much thought of for his work.

In 1802, the Zion Chapel at Margate was opened in Long Mill Lane, now Victoria Road. Contrary to often expressed opinion its site was not that of the present church building, but rather the Pastor's House (usually referred to now as The Vicarage) stands next to the graveyard. In 1811, Thomas Young was appointed the Pastor of the Margate Chapel - a post he filled for 33 years until his death on October 9th , 1844. The last Pastor of the Zion Chapel was the Reverend David Lloyd, who was still in office in 1881 when it was demolished to make way for the errection of the new vicarage to accompany the new church then being built on the site of the old Pastor's house - the Emmanuel Church. Although this might seem a little complicated, all it means is that the buildings swapped their individual sites with the new ones.

The Emmanuel Church was in use up until the outbreak of WWII, when it was abandoned for the duration. On October 30th 1942 at 1040pm, when the streets were mercifully deserted, a lone German aircraft dropped its load of bombs over the area. One bomb dropped directly over the road from the Church in the grounds of the Royal School for the Deaf, demolishing the headmaster's house and killing Mrs Kate Kyley and injuring sic other people. The blast from this badly damaged the front of the Church, the soft brick facade of which was badly peppered by bomb fragments. But it was the tower and steeple at the south-eastern corner which suffered most, causing its subsequent removal. The Church did not reopen for religious purposes after the hostilities, although its adjacent Sunday School functioned until the early 1960s before being taken over by the Margate Ambulance Corps, and after some use as a storage area was finally disposed of for commercial purposes. The textile firm of Kentex using it for many years.

The article to follow plainly shows some of the diseases present on the site from burials. Steaned on the grave plan means brick-lined and new burials were banned in 1857.

Article from Margate Historical Society Publication:

A Healthy Resort? Some Facts about the Zion Chapel Burial Ground by Mick Twyman and Alf Beeching.

'Legs' Beeching has been researching the Old Zion Chapel on my behalf, and with the assistance of the ever helpful Whitfield Archive has produced not only a chart giving individual grave locations, but a record of burials telling us what the deceased actually died of. For students of social history such facts are rivetting stuff and give a rare insight into the conditions of the day and they also illustrate how grim the ever present threat of disease must have made life for the people. The Zion Chapel burials represent a good cross section of society, and I have selected a thirty year period between 1808-1838 for this small sample study which involves a total of 280 internments over that period. Although I list the causes of death for those under the age of 16 I have not included them in the final statistics, which relate to adult deaths above that age. The survey is thus based on a total of 208 deaths.

Over the period in question, 42 people died of Consumption, the biggest single cause of death and easily outstripping the 26 souls listed as passing through 'Nature's Decay', or old age. As frightening as that figure sounds, I feel it may even have been higher as a further 9 are listed under the title of 'Decline' (and some of those in their 20s and 30s), and another 2 under 'Inflammation' and 'Inflammation of the Lungs'. I feel that Consumption was possibly the real cause of these as Stephen Wales (of Grotto fame) and whose Death Certificate plainly shows a serious case of Consumption is listed at a later date as dying from an 'Internal Abscess'. Whatever the reality, Consumption was the scourge of the people.

Also listed are deaths from Cholera and Typhus Fever, diseases which are thankfully almost unknown in the civilised world today, although still prevelant in the Third World and Smallpox. Among the young there are 10 cases recorded of Hydrocephalus (water on the brain), a case of Scurvy and 3 of Scrofula, a tubercular condition of the glands and bones. Measles carried off 8 youngsters and complications arising from the basic process of teething a further 7. Amongst other illnesses and diseases we find that 6 died from Pleurisy, 6 from mortification (gangrene), 3 from Gout, 6 from Apoplexy, 7 died from Cholic or Billious Fever and 4 from 'Sudden Death'. A total of 5 died from complications of the blood and a further 4 suffered their end through ruptured blood vessels. Rather surprisingly, only 3 ladies appear to have died through childbirth.

This makes for sombre reading and we should be thankful that advances in medicine and treatment, which we take for granted today, has improved not only our quality of life but our life expectancy too. From these records I have extracted the following information which gives a graphic insight into those times. At death the average age was only 46 years, that figure being made up of the female average of 51 years and the male of 41. How lucky we are today!

Given the information of the number of infectious diseases of the deceased and the fact that many of the graves were brick lined and burials forbidden after 1857 (although family members allowed later), it seems inappropriate that this site should be used for a play area for primary school children.

I have obtained a useful handbook called Saving Cemeteries from the National Federation of Cemetery Friends. I'm about to read through it. From first glance, it looks really useful. A copy can be obtained by contacting them.

There will hopefully be an article in this Friday's Thanet Gazette. There have been more incidents of vandalism, graffiti and the police and TDc have been notified.



One of the gravestones to have been damaged is that of a Thomas Gardner (I need to check the spelling of this). It is situated in front of the Cobb memorial at the back right hand side of the graveyard. It states on the stone that he served as 'her Majesty's bodyguard'. Next to this was a heavy stone monument.

This has now been pulled off the base.

The piece has been smashed. The main remaining piece hidden in the bushes is so heavy that two people cannot lift it.

It had taken therefore a group of people to remove it and damage it. How sad and quite frankly mindless.

More damage and litter at the Countess of Huntingdon's Cemetery

I went in this morning and I'm not sure if I'd just not seen it before, but there are now two more broken gravestones at either side of the path as you enter the graveyard. The litter from yesterday has been added to, so it's clear it's not been checked by the department responsible for litter picking in the area.

I've created a flickr group for the cemetery. Please add any pictures you have new or old to the group.

I've started research on setting up a charitable friends of trust. The police have been notified, but it is the responsibility of the owners, TDC, to report any damage.

Former Countess of Huntingdon's Connection graveyard, Addington Square

I've been visiting Countess Huntingdon's graveyard, a small secret garden of a place, tucked away behind the post office sorting office on Addington Square for a couple of years. It is a wonderful, special place. Unique in a gentle form of decay that resembles a monument. The sun comes in, dappled through the trees and in its seclusion it is absolutely peaceful. This quality of the place also makes it occaisionally the location for less than welcome visitors. It's an ideal spot to hide out and do secretive things away fro the hub bub of the main road. But by and large it is quiet, intact and save for the occaisional dumped matress, a special place to visit.

Here are pictures taken by a Margate resident in January this year:





The complete set is here:

But for the last month, I'm sad to see that it is becoming used by less conscientious visitors. There are nightly visits by groups of teens who leave behind them the whole place strewn with litter of sweets and fizzy drinks. No one begrudges them a place to meet and talk. Afterall we all remember being teenagers. But the destruction is also going beyond litter. There are freshly broken and smashed gravestones, the pieces of which have been laid out in small circles, obviously to create little stools to sit on. There are also some broken branches and strewn plastic chairs lying around. The litter remains in place for days.

Here are pictures of the damage:








This has moved me to gather the pace on an idea that was mooted by myself and other concerned residents who regularly use the graveyard. The idea is to form a 'friends of' trust or simple group. We would ensure the interests of the graveyard are carried forward and that it can be carefully nurtured and tended so it is preserved. This is not about clearance of the precious foliage that has grown in wonderful wildness. This is about the preservation of a place where the passage of time has left its mark.

The graveyard contains a memorial to the Cobb family, possibly the most important Margate family in history. The memorial has been badly damaged by vandals.


On making enquiries, it was briefly mentioned that perhaps TDC was minded to give the use of the cemetry to the local primary school. It is difficult to imagine how such a place would be deemed safe and suitable for primary school age children without mass clearance of the site on health and safety grounds. All that is wonderful about the place will be lost. There is also the fear that once cleared, the site would at a later date be eligible for building on. Perhaps the authorities are unaware of the people who regularly use the graveyard.

There are examples of graveyards that have been embraced by their communities and preserved for the use of the community without clearing them. Tower Hamlets for example has a wonderful programme on biodiversity and is treated as a monument. More info:
http://www.towerhamletscemetery.org/

If you are interested in getting involved in helping preserve the Countess of Huntingdon's graveyard for everyone, please get in touch. I can be emailed at margatearchitecture AT gmail.com.

Exhibition - Open

Opening event of the new exhibition 'Open' at the Turner Contemporary Project Space on Saturday 27 June at 12.20pm.

Margate Urban Panel Review document for download

The document that marked for restriction and exempt from FOI requests is also available to download:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dftfpjqm_0gtppzmc8&hl=en_GB

Answers on a postcard as to why it was requiring restriction.