The Flickr Elgate Image Generatr

The Postcard

A postcard that was published by Elgate Postcards of Fort Mount, Margate, Kent. The card was posted in Thanet, Kent using a 3½p stamp on Tuesday the 23rd. July 1974.

It was sent to:

Mrs. & Mr. Hedges,
211, Hook Road,
Epsom,
Surrey.

The message on the divided back of the card was as follows:

"Dear M & B,
Still having a nice time.
Went to Broadstairs last
night to see my friends &
going again on Thursday
for the day.
Spent all day on the beach
yesterday - very hot, but it
rained hard at 6 o'clock
this morning, but it's quite
nice now with the sun out.
So will go on the beach.
Wish you were here - it
would do you a lot of
good.
Hope you are OK.
Love Ciss."

Cliftonville

Cliftonville is a coastal area of the town of Margate, situated to the east of the main town. It contains the area known as Palm Bay.

The original Palm Bay estate was built in the 1930's as a number of large, wide avenues with detached and semi-detached houses with driveways, garages and gardens. This land was sold by Mr Sidney Simon Van Den Bergh to the Palm Bay Estate Co. on the 23rd. June 1924. Such avenues include Gloucester Avenue and Leicester Avenue.

East Cliftonville

The Palm Bay estate covers the eastern part of Cliftonville, and was fields before the first avenue was built. It extends east beyond Northumberland Avenue and has been developed in phases. The later phase extending eastwards of Princess Margaret Avenue is a modern-style housing estate with small houses largely identical in appearance and of less substantial build quality than the original 1930's estate.

The eastward expansion of Cliftonville has included much of the former parish of Northdown, including Northdown Park and House.

West Cliftonville

West Cliftonville was originally developed as the up-market alternative to bustling Margate, and had many small private hotels and guest houses with outstanding Victorian architecture which catered for the many visitors to what was in the first half of the 20th. century a thriving holiday resort.

Many of the large hotels have been converted into one bed flats; this has brought about positive action from Thanet District Council which introduced selective licensing, ensuring that quality home improvements are maintained by landlords (2006) and restricting planning permission for one bedroom flats (2007).

Cliftonville now has many of its streets protected by conservation area orders. The seafront area once included many large hotels, including at one time a large Butlins complex. Some fantastic hotels remain, e.g. Smiths Court Hotel overlooking the sea, and The Walpole Bay Hotel.

Tourism and visitor numbers have increased in Cliftonville (2018) with the addition of newly opened bed and breakfasts changing the Cliftonville landscape. Northdown Road and Cliff Terrace have also had a resurgence, with many trendy and hip businesses opening up.

The Oval Bandstand and lawns run by community group GRASS Cliftonville bring an opportunity to bring community engagement to Cliftonville, and they host a monthly award-winning farmers' market on the last Sunday of every month.

During the summer there are a number of activities and events, including musical shows. The Tom Thumb Theatre brings a host of music events and theatre to Cliftonville.

Writing and Poetry

During the first half of the 20th. century, Cliftonville was considered the fashionable hotel quarter of Margate. It was during the autumn of 1921 that T. S. Eliot spent a period of convalescence at the Albermarle Hotel. His widow has confirmed that he found inspiration for, and wrote significant sections of 'The Waste Land' in the Grade II listed Nayland Rock promenade shelter.

The spirit of early 20th. century Cliftonville was caught by John Betjeman in his poem "Margate Pier".

Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard was born in Cliftonville on the 29th. September 1913.

An Attempt to Bring Down an Aircraft

So what else happened on the day that the card was posted?

Well, on the 23rd. July 1974, British Airways Flight 6356, flying to London after taking off from Belfast with 92 people on board, made an emergency landing in Manchester.

This was because an Irish newspaper and a news agency were tipped off by an anonymous caller that a gelignite time bomb had been placed on the aircraft.

A two-pound bomb was found in a paper bag under a seat on the Trident jet, apparently after being placed there by a passenger who had flown to Belfast and left before the plane departed again for London.

The plane was carrying a crew of seven and 85 passengers, including James Flanagan, police chief of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

The IRA claimed that they had put the bomb on the aircraft. They said that the bomb was not primed, and was not meant to detonate, but that it had been planted as a symbolic act, to show that they could get through the security at Aldergrove Airport, near Belfast. It is unknown how the bomb made its way on board.

The British Airline Pilots' Association called for sterner security measures at Aldergrove Airport, such as banning hand luggage, banning cleaners from boarding the aircraft during the turn-round, and not taking on catering supplies at Aldergrove.

Maurice Greene

The day also marked the birth, in Kansas City, Kansas, of Maurice Greene.

Maurice is a U.S. Olympic sprinter, gold medalist in the 100m dash in 2000, and winner of gold medals in three world track and field championships in 1997, 1999 and 2001.

Guide to gender/sex identity for humans:

Has penis/balls not vagina at birth = M
Has vagina not penis/balls at birth = F
Social media entity owned by Elon = X

There are only two genders - male and female - evidenced at birth by whether a person has penis/balls or a vagina - unless there is a 'mental defect' and/or a chromasomal defect in a person's DNA.

Humans are born either male or female and that is both their gender and their 'sex'.

If you feel your sex defined by your chromosomes at the time of conception is incorrect and does not define your 'gender' then you have a mental defect.

This is completely different to your sexual preferences.

An early view with British Railways Seaspeed branding, before 'stretching'.

Built 1968 British Hovercraft Corporation, Cowes

SRN4 = Saunders-Roe Nautical 4

Lengthened by 16m and widened and uprated in 1978 to Mk III standard. At some point was renamed 'The Princess Margaret'

Became part of the Hoverspeed fleet from 1981, a merger of Seaspeed and Hoverlloyd.

Scrapped 2018.

Elgate Postcard in collection

Early SNCF car ferry on the Dover - Calais route, seen here in early livery prior to branding in early 1970's.

Sold away from the Channel in 1981.

IMO 5077905
Built 1958 Chantiers de Normandie, France
3,467 grt
Scrapped 2012

Valentine's (Elgate) Postcard in collection

Belgian Marine Administration car ferry on the Ostend-Dover route, seen here in the original colour scheme prior to any logos being added in the early 1970's.

Sold to Greece in 1983 for further service.

IMO 6510851
Built 1965 Cockerill, Hoboken, Belgium
3,023 grt
Scrapped 2009

Valentine's (Elgate) Postcard in collection

A line-up of early car ferries at Dover Eastern Docks.

Left-Right

Maid of Kent (1959) - BR Sealink
Compiegne (1958) - SNCF
Lord Warden (1952) - BR Sealink

Elgate Postcard in collection

The classic BR Sealink Turbine Steamer 'Dover' at sea.

Later became 'Earl Siward', 'Sol Express' and then the Nightclub ship 'Tuxedo Royale' at Newcastle for 20 years. Fire in 2017 while laid up.

I always thought this ship was a good example of the design evolution of British Railways Car Ferries.

IMO 6510784
Built 1965 Swan Hunter, Wallsend
5,888 grt
Scrapped 2018/19

Elgate Postcard in collection

A multiview postcard depicting 4 well-known cross-channel car ferries.

Compiegne (1958) - SNCF
Roi Baudouin (1965) - RMT
Free Enterprise (1962) - Townsend
Dover (1965) - BR Sealink

Elgate Postcard in collection

The Postcard

A postally unused postcard published by Elgate Postcards of Fort Mount, Margate, Kent. The card has a divided back.

Although the pier at first sight appears to be deserted, in fact it isn't - there is a pair of female legs sticking out beyond the small pavilion in the foreground.

Brighton

Brighton was called 'The Queen of Watering Places' by the poet Horace Smith (1779-1849).

When the Brighton Trunk Murders came to the public's attention in the 1930's, the term 'The Queen of Slaughtering Places' became popular.

The writer William Donaldson commented in 2002:

"In the 1920's and 1930's it was highly
unusual in Brighton for a week to pass
without the body of a dead woman
turning up in a trunk."

The West Pier

The West Pier was designed by Eugenius Birch, opening in 1866 and closing in 1975. The pier was the first to be Grade I listed in Britain, but has become increasingly derelict since closure to the point of being virtually unrecognisable.

Construction of the West Pier

The West Pier was constructed during a boom in pleasure pier building in the 1860's, and was designed to attract tourists to Brighton.

It was the town's second pier, joining the Royal Suspension Chain Pier of 1823. It was extended in 1893, and a concert hall was added in 1916. The pier reached its peak attendance during this time, with 2 million visitors between 1918 and 1919.

Decline in Popularity

The West Pier's popularity began to decline after World War II, and concerts were replaced by a funfair and tearoom.

A local company took over ownership in 1965, but could not meet the increased maintenance costs, and ultimately filed for bankruptcy.

They could not find a suitable buyer, so the pier closed in 1975 and subsequently fell into disrepair.

The Collapse of the West Pier

The pier gradually collapsed during the early 21st. century. Major sections collapsed in late 2002, and two fires in March and May 2003 left little of the original structure. Subsequently, English Heritage declared it to be beyond repair.

Structured demolition took place in 2010 to make way for the observation tower i360; further structural damage from storms has occurred since.

The West Pier Trust currently (2018) owns the pier, and has proposed various plans to renovate it. Some schemes have been opposed by local residents and the owners of the nearby Palace Pier, who have claimed unfair competition.

The Pier in Films

The pier can be seen in several films, notably in 'Oh! What a Lovely War' (1968) and also in 'Carry On Girls' (1973) which was filmed on the pier and in locations nearby in Brighton.

Routemaster bus caricature made of plastic with pull-back motor, made in China but with ads saying 'Best of British'! This has the name Elgate on the base sticker, assumed to be the distributer. Length approx 60 mm.

The Postcard

A postcard published by Elgate Postcards, Fort Mount, Margate, Kent. The card was printed in Ireland.

The card was posted on the 12th. March 1977 to:

Mr. & Mrs. Fuller,
10 Neuchatel Road,
Perry Hill,
Catford,
London S.E.

The message on the back of the card was as follows:

"Spending a day here.
Weather good so far.
Hope all is well at your
end.
Love Esther".

'Eastbourne' by Dave Griffin

Here is a great poem about Eastbourne:

'In Eastbourne, in winter,
Pinched ladies hum under their breath
In charity shops
That smell of ironing boards and musty suits,
Belonging to men recently buried.
The promenade, set with magnolia-washed hotels,
Is too cold, dear, for an afternoon stroll,
But carers pushing wheelchairs, three abreast,
Heavy with their silent, sullen,
Ungrateful charges,
From the Autumn Leaves nursing home,
Cheerfully defy the east wind,
And look for: 'Somewhere That's Open -
Where we can get a cup of tea'.

Eastbourne in winter.
Its grand buildings stand as rigid,
As bustled great-aunts at an Edwardian wedding.
The town awaits springtime church-outing coachloads,
Who will fill the Nelson tea-rooms,
And elegant graffiti-free sea front shelters,
With nattering Methodist wives.
They are of a fellowship.
They know about net curtains, pleats and hat pins,
And remember the war.

On Wednesdays, the Eastbourne Rotary Club meets,
And there is a matinee of Arsenic and Old Lace,
At the Pier Theatre,
As well as a coffee afternoon at St. Peter's.
All are welcome, invites the fluorescent,
Happing notice outside.

Eastbourne in winter,
A town where men wear ties on their day off,
Adding a V-necked pullover in retirement.
The warm library reading room is full.
Walking sticks hang over the backs of chairs.
A pensioner with a magnifying glass,
Studies tonight's Hackney form,
And another pours tea, surreptitiously,
From an ancient Thermos.
She offers a sip to her friend, who declines,
With a disapproving shake of her head,
And ponders how much it would cost
To heat the flat all day in this weather

The floral clock is being dressed for summer.
Its hands painted by young men,
In an old folks' town.
The wrought iron street lamps,
Thickened with another coat of corporation gloss,
And inside peeling terraces,
Old men polish their medals,
And press their trousers,
For tonight's reunion at the Grand Hotel.
They will observe a minute's silence,
To their fallen comrades.
Each year they are fewer in number,
In Eastbourne, in winter,
The saviours of the world drive Invacars.
Instead of tanks'.

(....The Floral Clock in Eastbourne? I don't think so ......)

The Postcard

A postcard published by Elgate Postcards of Wadhurst that was posted in Ilford on the 26th. April 1973 to:

Mrs. Hubble,
16a, Sedgemere Avenue,
Finchley,
London N.2.

The message on the back of the card, which was written in a childish hand, was as follows:

"Dear Graham, Uncle & Auntie,
I am having a lovely time
here.
The weather is lovely.
I hope Graham is enjoying
his stay.
Love Hilary".

Elvis Presley

So what else happened on the day that the card was posted?

Well, on Thursday the 26th. April 1973, Elvis Presley performed before a capacity crowd of 14,535 people at the Sports Arena in San Diego, dressed in a white suit studded with silver and jewels.

'Tie a Yellow Ribbon'

Also on that day, the Number One chart hit record in the UK was 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon (Round the Old Oak Tree)' by Dawn.

The Postcard

A postcard published by Elgate Postcards of Fort Mount, Margate, Kent. Note the greengrocers on the left which is now a rare sight in the UK.

The Lanes, which contain a number of antique and other shops catering mainly for tourists, were built up in the late 18th. century, and were fully laid out by 1792.

The card was posted in Brighton and Hove on Tuesday the 14th. September 1976 to a recipient who was staying at the Hotel Imperial, Hythe, Kent.

The message on the back of the card was as follows:

"Bet I'm the only person this
summer to have a wet week!
Came down Fri. and picked
up Frank.
We went on down to Dorset
to friends for the weekend -
lovely weather there - shocking
here!
The Dudley is just as nice.
Just off to tea with a friend and
we have theatre seats for
tonight - Evelyn Laye and Dulcie
Gray in 'Ladies in Retirement'.
Hope you're feeling better.
Love xxxx" (name crossed out)

A Mass Resignation

So what else happened on the day that the card was posted?

Well, on the 14th. September 1976, all 20 members of the cabinet of Japan's Prime Minister Takeo Miki resigned at his request in the wake of the Lockheed bribery scandals.

These scandals involved a series of bribes and contributions made by officials of U.S. aerospace company Lockheed from the late 1950's to the 1970's in the process of negotiating the sale of aircraft.

The scandal caused considerable political controversy in West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan.

In the United States, the scandal nearly led to Lockheed's downfall, as it was already struggling due to the commercial failure of the L-1011 TriStar airliner.

Evacuation From Vietnam

Also on that day, the International Red Cross completed its evacuation from Vietnam of foreigners who had been stranded since the fall of South Vietnam on the 30th. April 1975.

They brought out the last 215 non-Vietnam residents on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly the South Vietnamese capital, Saigon) to Bangkok in Thailand.

In all, more than 3,000 people had been repatriated after Vietnam allowed them to leave.

The Accidental Loss of an F-14 Fighter Plane

Also on the 14th. September 1976, an F-14 fighter plane, equipped with one of the new top secret AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air guided missiles and the F-14's computerized firing and tracking system, accidentally rolled off of the deck of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy.

It plunged into the North Atlantic Ocean and sank to a depth of 1,890 feet (580 m) at a location 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Scotland.

The sinking prompted a salvage operation to prevent the Soviet Union from salvaging the newest U.S. weapon first.

The F-14 had been on the forward flight deck in preparation for a catapult-assisted take-off when the automated control system began powering up one of the jet's engines.

Because the brakes were locked, the F-14 veered at an angle across the deck while the pilot and navigator were inside. Before the pilot could activate the fuel-cutoff valve, the jet fighter rolled off the side of the carrier while the two crew ejected to safety.

The loss of the F-14 came two weeks after one of the Soviet Union's newest jet fighters, a MiG-25, had been landed in Japan by a defecting pilot of the Soviet Air Forces.

The guided missile was finally located on the 31st. October 1976. Recovery of the jet and the missile cost $2.4 million, about 15 percent of the Tomcat's original cost of $16 million.

The Birth and Death of a Serial Killer

The 14th. September 1976 also marked the birth of Vladimir Tushinsky, a Russian serial killer and paedophile who killed at least five girls and women over a three and half year period.

Though sentenced to life imprisonment rather than execution, he died in 2016 from "sudden cardiac arrest without signs of violent death" while being transferred to another prison.

ABBA

Also on that day, the Number One chart hit record in the UK was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. It's a sobering thought that this classic floor-filler is now (2022) forty six years old.