Westgate-on-Sea

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption=West Bay
official_name= Westgate-on-Sea
latitude= 51.3832
longitude= 1.3353
population =6,594 (2001 census)
shire_district= Thanet
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= North Thanet
post_town= Ramsgate
postcode_district = CT8
postcode_area= CT
dial_code= 01843
os_grid_reference= TR321701

Westgate-on-Sea is a seaside town in northeast Kent, England, with a population of 6,600. It is within the Thanet local government district and borders the larger seaside resort of Margate. Its two sandy beaches have remained a popular tourist attraction since the town's development in the 1860s from a small farming community.

The town is notable for once being the location of a Royal Naval Air Service seaplane base, which defended the Thames Estuary coastal towns during World War I. The town is the subject of Sir John Betjeman's poem, "Westgate-on-Sea". Residents have included the 19th century surgeon Sir Erasmus Wilson and former Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple. The artist Sir William Quiller Orchardson painted several of his most well-known pictures while living in Westgate-on-Sea. The British composer Arnold Cooke attended the town's Streete Preparatory School in the early 1900s.

History

Before the 1860s, Westgate consisted of only a farm and a few cottages. These were located beside the coast at St Mildred's Bay, named after Mildrith, Thanet's patron saint and a onetime Abbess of Minster. The town inherited its name from the Westgate Manor, which was located in the area in medieval times. During the late 1860s, businessmen developed the area into a seaside resort for the middle-classes.cite book | title = Old Margate| last=Mirams| first=Michael| publisher = Maresborough Books| year = 1984 ] A stretch of sea wall, with promenade on top, was constructed around the beaches at St Mildred's Bay and West Bay, and a housing estate was built with the intention that the resort would benefit its residents rather than occasional tourists.cite book | title = The British Seaside: Holidays and Resorts in the Twentieth Century (Studies in Popular Culture)|year=2000 | publisher =Manchester University Press| isbn=071905169X ] cite web | title = The Boltons and Redcliffe Square area - The Gunter estate, 1864-78| publisher = British History Online| url =http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=50024 | accessdate = 2001-05-28 ] The opening of a railway station, in 1871, led to the rapid expansion of the population, which reached 2,738 by 1901.cite web | title = A vision of Westgate on Sea CP | publisher = VisionOfBritain.org.uk| url = http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10228591 | accessdate = 2007-05-28 ] The demands of the increasing population led to the building of St. James' Church in 1872, and St. Saviour's Church in 1885.cite web | title = An Abbreviated History | publisher = St. James' Church | url = http://www.stjameswestgate.org.uk/page5history.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-22 ] In 1884, it was reported that Essex, on the other side of the Thames Estuary, was hit by a tremor so large that it caused the bells of St. James' Church to ring. [cite web | title = Weather: this week in history | publisher = BBC| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/weather/history/weeklyfacts17.shtml | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] In 1884, ownership of most of the resort passed to Coutts Bank, after the previous proprietors had gone bankrupt. [cite web | title = The Boltons and Redcliffe Square area: The area after 1878 | publisher = British-History.ac.uk| url =http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=50025 | accessdate = 2007-05-29 ]

Around twenty schools were opened during the late 1800s, although many had only a few pupils or closed within a few years. The largest of the schools were Streete Court School, Wellington House and St Michael's School.cite book | title = Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881 Public Record Office RG11 Pieces 983-985] cite book | title = Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891 Public Record Office RG12 Pieces 725-726] cite book | title = Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901 Public Record Office RG13 Piece 820] Streete Court School was opened in 1894 by John Vine Milne, the father of the author A. A. Milne. In the 1890s, the school was attended by St John Philby, the father of the spy Kim Philby.cite book | title = Eminent Georgians: The Lives of King George V, Elizabeth Bowen, St. John Philby, and Lady Astor|year=1997 | publisher =Palgrave Macmillan | pages=132 |isbn=0312176856 ] cite web | title = Streete Court School | publisher = streetecourtschool.co.uk/ | url = http://www.streetecourtschool.co.uk/ | accessdate = 2007-05-23 ]

The Coronation Bandstand was built by the cliff edge in 1903, at a cost of £350, to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII.cite web | title = The Westgate Pavilion | publisher = WestgatePavilion.org.uk| url = http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:lOe27Jzjv54J:www.westgatepavilion.org.uk/history.asp+Westgate+Coronation-Bandstand&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1 | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] The following year, a group of French Ursuline nuns, who were banned from teaching in France, fled with some of their pupils to Westgate-on-Sea and established the Ursuline Convent School, which in 1995 was re-established as Ursuline College.cite web | title = History of Ursuline College Westgate | publisher = Comenius-St-Angela.org| url = http://www.comenius-st-angela.org/schools/hiswestgate.php | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] In 1910, a Swiss-Gothic styled town hall was built. However, it was soon decided that the building could be put to better use, and in 1912, it was transformed into the Town Hall Cinema. In 1932, it was renamed the Carlton Cinema. [cite web | title = Carlton Cinema | publisher = CinemaTreasures.org| url = http://cinematreasures.org/theater/15032/| accessdate = 2007-05-27 ]

On 1 August 1914, after the outbreak of World War I, a Royal Navy seaplane base was opened by the coast to defend the Thames Estuary naval towns against attack. It was at first used for both seaplanes and landplanes, but due to landing problems, a separate landplane base was opened in Manston in 1916. After the war, the seaplane base was decommissioned, and the landplane base in Manston eventually became Kent International Airport.cite web | title = Kent International Airport | publisher = AirportGuides.co.uk| url = http://www.airportguides.co.uk/guides/kent-international/ | accessdate = 2007-05-29 ] [cite book | title = Military Airfields of Britain: South East Kent,Hampshire,Surrey,Sussex|year=2005| publisher =The Crowood Press | pages=266 |isbn=1861267290 ] During the war, the Coronation Bandstand was converted into sleeping quarters for use by the Royal West Kent Regiment. In 1925, the bandstand was refurbished and reopened as the 600-seat Westgate Pavilion theatre. By 1931, the town's population had reached 4,554. During World War II, several schools were evacuated to inland areas, [cite web | title = Manors and other estates | publisher = British-History.ac.uk| url = http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18624&strquery=westgate-on-sea |year=1992 | accessdate = 2007-05-29 ] with some, such as Streete Court School, leaving the town permanently. On 24 August 1942, a German fighter pilot was captured after being shot down and crash landing in a field just south of the town. [cite book | title = Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten|year=2004 | publisher =Osprey Publishing | pages=31 |isbn=1841767867 ] [cite book | title = The Luftwaffe Fighters' Battle of Britain|year=2001 | publisher =Crecy Publishing Ltd| pages=200 |isbn=0947554815 ]

In 1975, five historic church bells were transferred to St Saviour's Church from the Holy Cross Church in Canterbury, which had closed in 1972. Three of the bells date back to the early 1600s and one was cast in 1300s. [cite web | title = Westgate-on-Sea, St Saviour | publisher = Church Bells of Kent| url = http://kent.lovesguide.com/westgate.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] From the 1970s to the 1990s, the Westgate Pavilion was a bingo hall, after which it closed and became derelict. In 2001, a group of volunteers formed a charitable trust to repair the pavilion and it was eventually reopened as a theatre.

Geography

Westgate-on-Sea is located at coord|51|22|60|N|1|20|07|E|city (51.3832, 1.3353) in northeast Kent, on the coast of the Thames Estuary. It is bordered by the town of Margate to the east and the village of Birchington-on-Sea to the west. The town is built beside the two sandy bays of St Mildred's Bay and West Bay, which both have a sea wall and groynes to prevent coastal flooding. Chalk cliffs are present in between the bays and either side of the bays. The whole of the northeast Kent coast has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. [cite web | title = Geological Sites Map | publisher = Natureonthemap.org.uk | url = http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx | accessdate = 2007-04-24 ]

The town is situated on the Isle of Thanet, a separate island from mainland Kent until around two hundred years ago, when the channel in between silted up. The geology of Thanet consists mainly of chalk, deposited when the area was below the sea. Isle of Thanet became exposed above sea-level once the English Channel broke through between Kent and France, causing the sea-level to fall.cite web | title = Isle of Thanet | publisher = BBC | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2006/05/15/thanet_history_feature.shtml | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

Climate

In East Kent, the warmest time of the year is July and August, when maximum temperatures average around convert|21|°C|°F. The coolest time of the year is January and February, when minimum temperatures average around convert|1|°C|°F.cite web | title = Wye 1971-2000 averages | publisher = Met Office | url = http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/wye.html?s=043330&refer= | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] The average maximum and minimum temperatures are around 1/2 °C higher than the national average.cite web | title = England 1971-2000 averages | publisher = Met Office | url = http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/england.html | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] East Kent's average annual rainfall is about convert|728|mm|in|0, with October to January being the wettest months., compared with the national average of convert|838|mm|in|0.

These are average temperature and rainfall figures taken between 1971 and 2000 at the Met Office weather station in Wye, around convert|25|mi|km|0 southwest of Westgate-on-Sea:

Infobox Weather
metric_first=Yes
single_line=Yes
location =Wye Weather Station, Wye, Kent, England
Jan_Hi_°C = 7.1 |Jan_REC_Hi_°C =
Feb_Hi_°C = 7.2 |Feb_REC_Hi_°C =
Mar_Hi_°C = 9.9 |Mar_REC_Hi_°C =
Apr_Hi_°C =12.1 |Apr_REC_Hi_°C =
May_Hi_°C =15.9 |May_REC_Hi_°C =
Jun_Hi_°C =18.7 |Jun_REC_Hi_°C =
Jul_Hi_°C =21.3 |Jul_REC_Hi_°C =
Aug_Hi_°C =21.6 |Aug_REC_Hi_°C =
Sep_Hi_°C =18.4 |Sep_REC_Hi_°C =
Oct_Hi_°C =14.5 |Oct_REC_Hi_°C =
Nov_Hi_°C =10.3 |Nov_REC_Hi_°C =
Dec_Hi_°C =8.0 |Dec_REC_Hi_°C =
Year_Hi_°C =13.8 |Year_REC_Hi_°C =
Jan_Lo_°C =1.5 |Jan_REC_Lo_°C =
Feb_Lo_°C =1.3 |Feb_REC_Lo_°C =
Mar_Lo_°C = 2.8 |Mar_REC_Lo_°C =
Apr_Lo_°C = 4.3 |Apr_REC_Lo_°C =
May_Lo_°C = 7.3 |May_REC_Lo_°C =
Jun_Lo_°C =9.9 |Jun_REC_Lo_°C =
Jul_Lo_°C =12.2 |Jul_REC_Lo_°C =
Aug_Lo_°C =12.2 |Aug_REC_Lo_°C =
Sep_Lo_°C =10.1 |Sep_REC_Lo_°C =
Oct_Lo_°C = 7.2 |Oct_REC_Lo_°C =
Nov_Lo_°C =3.9 |Nov_REC_Lo_°C =
Dec_Lo_°C =2.6 |Dec_REC_Lo_°C =
Year_Lo_°C =6.3 |Year_REC_Lo_°C =

Jan_Precip_cm = |Jan_Precip_mm = 72.0
Feb_Precip_cm = |Feb_Precip_mm = 44.7
Mar_Precip_cm = |Mar_Precip_mm = 53.5
Apr_Precip_cm = |Apr_Precip_mm = 50.8
May_Precip_cm = |May_Precip_mm = 45.3
Jun_Precip_cm = |Jun_Precip_mm = 51.8
Jul_Precip_cm = |Jul_Precip_mm = 47.1
Aug_Precip_cm = |Aug_Precip_mm = 55.9
Sep_Precip_cm = |Sep_Precip_mm = 65.3
Oct_Precip_cm = |Oct_Precip_mm = 85.4
Nov_Precip_cm = |Nov_Precip_mm = 78.7
Dec_Precip_cm = |Dec_Precip_mm = 77.3
Year_Precip_cm = |Year_Precip_mm =727.9
source =Met Officecite web
url =http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/wye.html?s=043330&refer= | title = Wye 1971-2000 averages | accessmonthday =Jan 9 | accessyear =2008
publisher =UK government | language = ]
accessdate = 2008-01-09

Transport links

Westgate-on-Sea railway station is on the Chatham Main Line, which runs between Ramsgate in East Kent and London Victoria. Other stations on this line include Broadstairs, Margate, Herne Bay, Faversham, Gillingham, Rochester and Bromley South. [cite web | title = Timetable | publisher = National Rail Enquiries | url = http://ojp2.nationalrail.co.uk/en/pj/tt | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] Westgate-on-Sea is around 1 hour and 45 minutes to London by fast-service train. A National Express coach service runs between London Victoria and Ramsgate, [cite web | title = Timetable | publisher = National Express | url = http://www.nationalexpress.com/bp/b2.cfm?id=84618113 | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] and a selection of trains run to London's Cannon Street station, primarily for business commuting. There is a Stagecoach bus service running to neighbouring Birchington and Margate, and a service running between Broadstairs and Canterbury via Westgate-on-Sea. [cite web | title = Stagecoach Bus | publisher = Stagecoach | url = http://www.stagecoachbus.com | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] The A28 road runs between Hastings and Margate via Ashford, Canterbury, Birchington and Westgate-on-Sea. convert|4|mi|km|0 southwest of Westgate-on-Sea, the A28 crosses the A299 road, which leads along North Kent towards London, becoming the M2 motorway at Faversham. [cite web | title = Map | publisher = Yahoo.com | url = http://maps.yahoo.com/broadband/#mvt=m&q1=51.3832,1.3353&trf=0&lon=1.261196&lat=51.359241&mag=6 | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

Demographics

As of the 2001 UK census, the Westgate-on-Sea electoral ward had 6,594 residents and 2,845 households. Of those households, 38.0% were married couples, 8.4% were cohabiting couples and 9.4% were lone parents. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.9% had someone living alone at pensionable age. 23.6% of households included children aged under 16, or a person aged 16 to 18 who was in full-time education. There was a high percentage of households made up of individuals, compared with the percentage for the whole of England. The average household size was 2.74.

The town has a low proportion of non-white people compared to national figures; the ethnicity recorded in the 2001 census was 97.4% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.4% Chinese, 0.6% other Asian, 0.3% black and 0.3% other. The amount of foreign-born residents is relatively low, with the place of birth of residents in 2001 being 94.5% United Kingdom, 1.0% Republic of Ireland, 0.5% Germany, 0.6% other Western Europe countries, 0.3% Eastern Europe, 0.8% Far East, 0.6% North America, 0.5% Africa, 0.4% South Asia, 0.2% Middle East and 0.2% Oceania. Religion was recorded as 75.8% Christian, 0.5% Muslim, 0.2% Hindu, 0.1% Buddhist and 0.3% Jewish. 14.4% were recorded as having no religion, 0.3% had an alternative religion and 8.3% did not state their religion.

The age distribution was 5% aged 0–4 years, 13% aged 5–15 years, 5% aged 16–19 years, 28% aged 20–44 years, 22% aged 45–64 years and 27% aged 65 years and over. There was a high percentage of residents over 65, compared with the national average of 16%, mainly due to seaside towns being popular retirement destinations. For every 100 females, there were 85.7 males.cite web | title = Neighbourhood Statistics | publisher = Statistics.gov.uk | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadHome.do;jsessionid=ac1f930bce6a711447e60ba4446bb56c21648d42c51.e38PbNqOa3qRe38OaNeKahqMai1ynknvrkLOlQzNp65In0?bhcp=1 | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

Economy

As a seaside resort, the economy is mainly based around tourism; there are several hotels and guest houses near the seafront, to accommodate the influx of visitors during the summer. The High Street has a variety of shops and services, and there are a small number of factories. The elderly population has led to many health and social care jobs at local care homes. As of the 2001 UK census, 6.9% of the population resided in a medical or care establishment, compared with the national average of only 0.8%.

As of the 2001 census, the economic activity of residents in the Westgate-on-Sea electoral ward was 32.9% in full-time employment, 12.3% in part-time employment, 7.8% self-employed, 4.3% unemployed, 2.1% students with jobs, 4.3% students without jobs, 18.1% retired, 6.2% looking after home or family, 9.5% permanently sick or disabled and 2.3% economically inactive for other reasons. The percentage of retired people was significantly higher than the national figure of 14% and the percentage of unemployed people was high compared with the national rate of 3.4%. The number of permanently sick or disabled people was much higher than the national figure of 5.3%. 12% of residents aged 16–74 had a higher education qualification or the equivalent, compared with 20% nationwide. The Office for National Statistics estimated that during the period of April 2001 to March 2002, the average gross weekly income of households was £430 (£22,421 per year).cite web | title = Model-Based Estimates of Income for Wards | publisher = Statistics.gov.uk | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=5945207&c=westgate&d=14&e=4&g=460460&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=266 | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

The industry of employment of residents, at the 2001 census, was 16% retail, 16% health and social work, 13% manufacturing, 9% construction, 9% real estate, 9% education, 7% transport and communications, 5% public administration, 5% hotels and restaurants, 3% finance, 1% agriculture and 6% other community, social or personal services. Compared with national figures, there was a relatively high number of workers in the construction and health and social care industries and a relatively low number in finance and real estate. Many residents commute to work outside the town; as of the 2001 census, the town had 2,388 employed residents, but only 1,464 jobs.

Politics

Since the constituency was created in 1983, the Member of Parliament for North Thanet, covering northern Thanet and Herne Bay, has been the Conservative Roger Gale. At the 2005 general election, the Conservatives won a majority of 7,634 and 49.6% of the vote in North Thanet. Labour won 32.2% of the vote, Liberal Democrats 14.4% and United Kingdom Independence Party 3.9%. At the 2001 general election, the Conservatives had a higher share of the vote with 50.3% but a lower majority of 6,650. During Labour's landslide victory at national level at the 1997 general election, the Conservative majority in North Thanet was reduced to 2,766, with the Conservatives on 44.1% of the vote and Labour on 38.4%. The voter turnout during the past three general elections has been between 59.3% and 68.8%. [cite web | title = North Thanet | publisher = Guardian.co.uk | url = http://politics.guardian.co.uk/hoc/constituency/history/0,,-1183,00.html | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

The town is in the Thanet local government district. It is within the electoral ward of Westgate-on-Sea, which has three of the fifty six seats on the Thanet District Council. At the 2007 local elections, two of those seats were won by the Conservative Party and one by an independent candidate. [cite web | title = Councillors | publisher = Thanet District Council | url = http://www.thanet.gov.uk/news/latest_press_releases/election_results_04-05-07.aspx | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] Conservative candidates in the ward won 45.8% of the vote, independent candidates won 27.0%, Labour Party candidates 17.6% and a Grey Party candidate 4.6%. The turnout was 34.5%. [cite web | title = District Council Election | publisher = Thanet District Council| url = http://www.thanet.gov.uk/pdf/TDC%20Election%20results%20030507.PDF |format=PDF|year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-05-26 ]

Education

The town's secondary school is Ursuline College, a specialist sports college and Roman Catholic aided comprehensive school, with nearly 800 pupils and facilities for boarding students.cite web | title = Ursuline College | publisher = Ursuline College| url = http://www.ursuline.kent.sch.uk/MainFrame.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] In 2005, 32% of its pupils gained at least five GCSEs at grades A*–C including English and maths, ranking it 71st out of Kent's 120 secondary schools. [cite web | title = Schools in Kent
publisher = BBC | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/04/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/886_gcse_lea.stm | date=2005-10-19|accessdate = 2007-04-24 ] Many secondary students commute to schools in other nearby towns, especially to the grammar schools in Ramsgate and Broadstairs. There is the Westgate College For Deaf People for students aged 16 and over, [cite web | title = Statement of purpose | publisher = RSDCM.org.uk| url = http://www.rsdcm.org.uk/generic_pages/streamfile.aspx?fileid=10|format=PDF | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] and London House School of English, which provides English language courses for foreign students. [cite web | title = Directory of english language courses | publisher = Europa-pages.com| url = http://www.europa-pages.com/uk/south_east2.html | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

The primary state schools are St Crispin's Infant School and St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, [cite web | title = UK Schools and Colleges Database | publisher = Schoolswebdirectory.co.uk | url = http://www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk/postcode.php?searchword=ct8&action=Search | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] which is owned by the church but run by Kent County Council. [cite web | title = Schools and the Church of England | publisher = Church of England | url = http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/education/schools/ | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ] Chartfield School is a private primary school. [cite web | title = Chartfield School | publisher = IndependentSchools.com | url = http://www.independentschools.com/england/chartfield-school_1482.html | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

Culture

The town has sandy beaches at both St Mildred's Bay and West Bay. The larger of the beaches is at St Mildred's Bay, where it is possible to hire beach huts, deck chairs and jet-skis. The beach is a short distance from tennis courts and a golf putting course. At West Bay, there are many small rock pools, which are popular with children. Each beach has nearby cafés, restaurants and public houses, and a European Blue Flag Award is shared between them due to their cleanliness and safety. [cite web | title = West Bay, Westgate | publisher = BlueFlag.org.uk | url = http://www.blueflag.org.uk/beach2007.asp?beachid=221 | format=PDF| accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

The town centre has several Victorian canopied shops, a library and the three-screen Carlton Cinema. In addition to the theatre, the Westgate Pavilion is a venue for discos, yoga, indoor bowls and dance classes.cite web | title = The Westgate Pavilion | publisher = WestgatePavilion.org.uk| url = http://www.westgatepavilion.org.uk/history.asp | accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

Formed in 1896, [cite web | title = Westgate and Birchington Golf Club | publisher = Westgate and Birchington Golf Club| url = http://www.westgate-and-birchington-golfclub.co.uk/ | accessdate = 2007-06-06 ] Westgate and Birchington Golf Club has an 18-hole convert|4889|yd|m|sing=on course on the cliff tops between Westgate and Birchington. [cite web | title = Westgate and Birchington Golf Club | publisher = GolfLinks.co.uk| url = http://www.golflinks.co.uk/golf-course/golf-club/1594/westgate+and+birchington+golf+club.html | accessdate = 2007-05-29 ] Based at Hawtreys Field, Westgate-on-Sea Cricket Club runs two Saturday teams and two Sunday teams. As of the 2007 season, both Saturday teams played in the Kent Cricket Feeder League East; the Saturday 1st XI team in Division 1C and the Saturday 2nd XI in Division 2C. The Sunday teams do not play in competitive matches. [cite web | title = Westgate-on-Sea Cricket Club | publisher = Westgate-on-Sea Cricket Club| url = http://westgateonsea.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp | accessdate = 2007-06-06] In 2006, Thanet Council opened a free skatepark at the Lymington Road recreation ground. Designed by local young people, the park caters for skateboarders and in line skaters of all ages and skill levels. [cite web | title = Take off for Westgate Skate Park | publisher = Thanet District Council| url = http://www.thanet.gov.uk/news/press_release_archive/westgate_skate_park.aspx | accessdate = 2007-04-23 ]

There are four local weekly newspapers providing news on the Thanet district area. "Isle Of Thanet KM Extra" is owned by the Kent Messenger Group, [cite web | title = KM Publications | publisher = Kent Online | url = http://www.kentonline.co.uk/km/publications/ | accessdate = 2007-04-14 ] and the "Isle of Thanet Gazette", "Thanet Adscene" and "Thanet Times" are owned by Trinity Mirror. [cite web | title = Regionals | publisher = Trinity Mirror | url = http://www.trinitymirror.com/brands/regionals/southern/tms/ | accessdate = 2007-04-14 ] "Isle Of Thanet KM Extra" and "Thanet Adscene" are free newspapers, whereas the other two are paid-for. "kmfm for Thanet" is a radio station on frequency 107.2FM, owned by the Kent Messenger Group and previously known as TLR (Thanet Local Radio). [cite web | title = kmfm | publisher = MediaUK.com | url = http://www.mediauk.com/radio/229/kmfm-%28thanet%29 | accessdate = 2007-04-14 ] KOS publish newspapers covering this area.

Notable residents

Notable residents of the town have included the 19th century surgeon Sir Erasmus Wilson, who spent the latter part of his life in the town until his death in 1884, [cite web | title = Wilson, Sir William James Erasmus | publisher = Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online| url = http://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/biogs/E000207b.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-23 ] and former Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple, who died in the town in 1944. [cite web | title = William Temple | publisher = SchoolNet.co.uk| url = http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REtempleW.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-23 ] In 1888, the astronomer and journalist Joseph Norman Lockyer built an observatory on the side of his house in Westgate-on-Sea, from where he took observations that formed the basis for his book, "The Sun's Place in Nature". [cite book | title = Agnes Mary Clerke and the Rise of Astrophysics| isbn=0521808448|year=2002 | pages = 53–55] British composer Arnold Cooke attended Streete Preparatory School in the early 1900s. [cite web | title = Arnold Cooke Biography | publisher = Musicweb-international.com| url = http://www.musicweb-international.com/cooke/page2.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-23 ] The artist Sir William Quiller Orchardson painted several of his most well-known pictures while living in Westgate-on-Sea. He was buried in the town in 1910. [cite book | title = Dictionary of National Biography: Second Supplement. Volume 3 |publisher=Adamant Media Corporation|year=2001|isbn=0543881083| pages = 50–51] While staying at nearby Birchington-on-Sea in the 1930s, the poet Sir John Betjeman wrote about the town in his poem "Westgate-on-Sea". In 1957, suspected serial killer Dr John Bodkin Adams spent two weeks in hiding in the town (to escape the press) following his controversial acquittal at the Old Bailey. [Cullen, Pamela V., "A Stranger in Blood: The Case Files on Dr John Bodkin Adams", London, Elliott & Thompson, 2006, ISBN 1-904027-19-9]

External links

* [http://www.westgateheritagecentre.co.uk/ Westgate-on-Sea Heritage Centre]
* [http://www.margatewestgatepavilion.co.uk/ Westgate-on-Sea Pavilion]

References