Old Margate Map Madness

The publication of the two old pictures of Margate this week which I think date from the period between 1860 and 1870 has meant that I have gone in search of a detailed map of Margate for that period.

The nearest I have been able to come up with is the one printed on the endpapers of David Scurrell’s book, The Book of Margate. As far as dating this map goes, if the date is mentioned in the book I haven’t found it. The part on the back endpaper shows both Margate stations so the map must be after 1863. I am guessing that it is about 1870.

Update I now have the date for the map, I found it in the book 1873.

For comparison here is a snapshot of the Google map which is up to date.

Searching for old maps of Margate I also came across one for this part of Margate in 1809 from the book I publish http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/catalogue/id322.htm

If you click on the maps they will enlarge and if you click on the enlarged map it will often enlarge again, you can then do what I have been doing, placing the photographs and speculating about the changes to Margate seafront.

Some pictures of Margate in about 1900

Trials and Errors, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/trialsanderrors/ has just remastered some more Photochrom prints by Photoglob Zürich, of Margate between 1890 and 1900, from the Photochrom Prints Collection at the Library of Congress and emailed me so that I can publish them too. He has also reworked the one he published before.Click on them to enlarge and then click on them again to make even larger.

When I posted the picture above before Tony Beachcomber commented.
“The original photograph is the "Royal Sovereign" at the jetty 1894. This is dated by the colours of the funnel of the "Royal Sovereign" at the time. On the right the walk way leading to cold harbour is open. This was damaged during the storm of 29th November 1897 and never reopend, which is a handy thing to know when dating prints., etc. This colour format is the one used on boxes of sweets, rock etc., that were sold as gifts at the time. I think the originals carried "a present from Margate".”

I am not very good at dating and identifying Margate pictures, so this was of help and any more would be welcome.

Incidentally when the jetty appears in later pictures there is a barrier between the jetty and the spur walkway and part of the planked decking is missing.

I find that I am particularly attracted to this method of presenting photographs.

Pictures of Margate in 1902

I have just started on the reprint of a Margate guide for the 1903 4 season and although the print quality owes much to the school of potato printing and there will be much enhancing of the pictures to get it into print, here are a few initial pictures from the pictures.

Very few of these guides have much in the way of photographs of local shops and hotels and although photographs come up where the quality is better it is often difficult top date them or to work out where the building is.

Anyway if any of you fancy taking a stab at working out where the buildings are of were here is the link http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/410/id16.htm