Digging up Georgian Margate.
Finding any item apart from coins and tokens relating to
Georgian Margate is a very difficult task due to the modern development of the Margate.
Even though many fine Georgian buildings remain in the town today it is very
difficult to find any items relating to life in Georgian Margate apart from the
artwork and archive records in the local Margate museum.
Since the
construction and opening of the stone pier in 1815 and the construction of the
sea wall that forms Marine Terrace there has been a continuous build up of sand
and silt in the area. This in turn has
buried some evidence of life in Georgian Margate under layers of silt and sand in
the harbour and main sands area. With items remaining buried and only
accessible when there is sand erosion due to storms or during sea defence
construction and repair works.
In the past there have been opportunities to find
Georgian items like the aftermath of the storm of 1978 that destroyed the Jetty.
The demolition and clear up that followed and the construction of a new sea
defence behind the Droit house in 1985 did lead to a few finds. Most of the
finds being George II, George III and George IV coins and tokens that were
found using a metal detector as this was the only search option because of
tidal conditions. Other items made of lead and copper were also found but it
was difficult to date these items and establish a provenance from the Georgian
period because of the abundance of Victorian items in the area originating from
the Jetty and the Victorian Marine Palace site at the Rendezvous car park. Examinations of all old non metallic items
found in the area at the time were found to be all Victorian, Georgian items
like ceramic and glass were found to be nonexistent in these areas.
The under pinning works of the Stone Pier in the spring
of 2012 provided another window of
opportunity as the excavations that were to take place would lead to some deep
digging in the Harbour area. Digging took place close to base of the stone pier
wall and sheet piling was driven in and then capped with concrete. Old
underpinning from the 1953 reconstruction work was also removed from around the
square head area and the lighthouse and replaced. During the 2012 underpinning
works a few Georgian items were found during excavation and these items were spread
over a wide area, this was probably due to the fact that dredging took place in
the Harbour in the 19th century for the paddle steamers and later in
the 20th Century for the colliers removing items from the area.
In one area around
the square head remains of the balustrade that surrounded the base of the
lighthouse that was lost in the February 1953 storm were found, this included
some lead work used in the construction of the stone pier. Inside the Harbour
easily identifiable finds like clay pipe stems and bottle necks were found,
unfortunately no complete bottles or clay pipe bowls were found. Behind the
Droit House on the sea ward side digging unearthed Georgian coins and some
shattered remains of the original Droit House bombed during the Second World
War which is consistent with the finds found when the cold harbour sea defence
was constructed on the site of the Jetty entrance in 1985.
Every year since the summer of 1998 there has been
erosion on certain parts of the low tide mark at Margate main sands on a
regular occurrence. On some occasions small areas of sand will shift leaving
evidence of the clay base of the old creek and brooks that ran through Margate.
When this happens large quantities of ceramic and glass items can be found on
the surface including intact items. Most items generally date from the 1840’s
to the present day. When this occurs there is always an abundance of Victorian
and Edwardian items and on some occasions identifiable Georgian items can be
found. I have listed Georgian items that have been found in this area along
with items found during the sea defence digging and items found in the town.
The list is small but each item does have a genuine provenance to Margate.
Tony Ovenden
Yesterday I became a card carrying member of Friends of the Margate Museum no 43 and along with my renewal as a ten year member of the Margate Historical Society and my life membership of the Margate Civic Society. I think it goes without saying that I am taking the Margate Heritage Renaissance seriously.
