Welcome to Margate … translated.
Margate in Kent, a popular seaside resort since the 18th century, is possibly best known these days as the town where artist Tracy Emin grew up. But did you know that it was home to J.M.W. Turner?
“Where therefore, and in this very town of Margate, [Turner] lived, when he chose to be quit of London, and yet not to travel” John Ruskin
Although I wasn’t thinking of Turner when I discovered this photograph of Margate and its harbour dated 1897 (Wikimedia), I might have been ‘channelling’ him!
The Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate writes that ‘Turner’s connection with Margate was the founding inspiration for our organisation. He loved Margate for the sea, the skies, and his landlady Mrs Booth.’ Don’t you just love it that he was potty about his landlady!
Visit Thanet gives some interesting snippets about Margate:
- In the 1700s, bathing in the sea and drinking seawater became a fashionable cure for all sorts of diseases. From the Georgian period onwards visitors from London began flocking to resorts like Margate for the seawater cure and increasingly as a place to socialise. Margate has built a reputation as a place for bathing in the sea – both for health and pleasure.
- Margate has a special place in the history of the ‘Bathing Machine’ with Benjamin Beale inventing the modest hood in 1753. This canvas canopy could be lowered and raised by the driver of the machine, allowing bathers a modicum of privacy as well as some protection from wind and waves.
- Whilst in Margate recuperating from a nervous breakdown, TS Eliot sat at the Grade II listed shelter on Margate seafront and composed the key lines in his poem ’The Waste Land’ – “On Margate Sands./I can connect/Nothing with nothing./The broken fingernails of dirty hands./My people humble people who expect/Nothing”.
- Margate, was the first place to offer and popularise donkey rides on the beach, starting back in the early 1800s.
So now you know!
Available at the following galleries:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Fine Art England
Saatchi Art
Take care and keep laughing!
I’ve never visited Margate but knew about the Turner connection because I watched Mr Turner a few months ago (and thoroughly enjoyed it). I’m fascinated by the bathing machines…:) Great image and it does have all the charm of the victorian era and more!
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Thanks so much, Olga. Mr Turner is on my must-see list!
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Wonderful, very evocative.
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Thanks, Gayle.
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You have managed to turn a rather dowdy seaside town into an exotic-looking Mediterranean harbour, Sarah. I would never have recognised it.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Much thanks, Pete. They say Margate is on the up-and-up again!
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I don’t know about drinking seawater and donkey rides, but the rest sounds absolutely splendid 🙂
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I’d avoid the drinking of seawater and donkey rides as well!
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Wonderful blog and of course I love the beautiful texturized effect of the image! I need to put this place on my bucket list!
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Bless you, Syd. I think it’s a good place to put on a bucket list as I’ve read that new life is being breathed into the resort!
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