Ethelbert Crescent
Cliftonville
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above postcard, date unknown. |
Above postcard, date unknown. |
Above photo showing the lawn tennis ground in 1893. |
Above photo from the Sketch, 28 March, 1923. |
Above plaque, date unknown. |
Above photo date unknown. |
Above postcard, date unknown. |
Above postcard, date unknown. |
Built in 1868.
I am informed by Mervyn Hughes that the name changed in 1917 to ffennell.
The furthest back so far is 1916, during WW1. Although I haven't found any
information regarding this myself yet.
Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 23 April 1870.
PRESENTATION.
A few days since a number of the sporting gentlemen of the Isle of
Thanet assembled at the "Cliftonville Hotel," at the close of a hunting
meeting, and presented to Mr. Ambrose Collard, jun., a handsome gold
watch, in recognition of the valuable services he has rendered for some
time past as honorary secretary to the Thanet Harriers. A short
inscription on the inside of the case referred to the connection of Mr.
Collard with the sporting gentlemen of the island.
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Maidstone Telegraph and West Kent Messenger. 28 August 1870.
LONDONER'S BY THE SEA.
The City Press of the 13th inst. contains an article bearing the above
heading, and in it remarks that “Some of the better class of hotels at
both places are very fairly patronized; at the "Cliftonville,” at
Margate, Mr. Sidney Spencer appears, indeed, to have his staff of
assistants pretty fully employed; whilst the latest “big” addition to
Ramsgate—or rather St Lawrence-on-Sea, as the new district on the West
Cliff is called—the “Granville," appears to increase its list of
patrons; and the "Royal Albion" overlooking Ramsgate harbour, has a
rather busy appearance. This, one of the largest, if not the largest, of
the old-established hotels in the town, has really a claim to the prefix
“Royal,” for its comfortably furnished rooms have often been occupied by
Royalty in times gone by; and Mr. E. Tomkins, the proprietor, still
shows to visitors the well-proportioned and tastefully decorated
ball-room, which has been the scene of many extremely brilliant
gatherings, and is now for the matter of that, later in the season. But,
as already stated, Ramsgate is anything but full. Perhaps the unsettled
weather that has prevailed on the coast recently has something to do
with this. If, however, the visitors are not so numerous as they are
sometimes, those who have flitted from the populous city to the breezy
beach and cliffs of Margate and Ramsgate do not seem less intent than of
yore on making the most of their respite from business cares, and
enjoying themselves..........
At Margate the pier and jetty form the general rendezvous as long as
daylight lasts; and for the evening's amusement there are the Assembly
Rooms; the Theatre (now under the management of a clever actress well
known to London boards. Miss Sarah Thorne); and the "Hall-by-the-Sea." The
last-mentioned place of amusement seems to increase in popularity, and
that is no wonder, for it has a spirited and judicious manager in Mr. Hingston, who organizes an entertainment that is well calculated to
please both the lovers of good music and the votaries of Terpisochore.
There is a capital band, containing some renowned performers, and having
an efficient leader in Mr. Thaddens Wells; there is a vocal concert,
with the veteran composer and musician, Mr. J. L. Hatton, as conductor;
Mr. George Grossmith highly pleases the audience nightly with the
"Adventures of Mrs. Brown," &c.; and a ball, with a good list of dances
and a courteous M.C., winds up the evening. Messrs. Spiers and Pond's
arrangements in the refreshment department, as in the others, appear to
give unqualified satisfaction.
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Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Saturday 29 July 1893.
THE CLIFTONVILLE HOTEL, MARGATE.
The Cliftonville Hotel, which has been acquired by the Gordon Hotels
Company, was reopened to the public on Thursday week. Those who knew the
old Cliftonville will be surprised at the wonderful change which has
been made in two months and result is a triumph of harmony and good taste. It is enough to instance
the gothic octagon, of which mention has been made; for which an antique
pattern has been especially designed; the rich brown and green of the
entrance hall, with its mahogany dado, and the delightful terra cotta of
the reading-room, which suggests repose without gloom. The furniture of
the public rooms, by Messrs. Maple and Co., carries out the same idea,
and the Chippendale style of the drawing-room blends admirably with the
old gold. The dining-room is a spacious hall, the walls covered with a
rich Japan paper, and the ceilings with a beautiful anaglypton. There is
a billiard-room, which will be furnished in a day or two, and the other
usual public apartments. The bed-rooms, although there is accommodation
for two hundred and fifty persons, are unusually spacious, and on three
stones there are balconies to each. The situation of the hotel is
unique—it is just far enough from central Margate to be out of the
bustle, and not too far to be within easy reach of it. In front, between
the hotel and the sea, is the spacious lawn tennis ground retained for
the use of visitors to the hotel, and behind is an extensive garden.
Messrs. Jennings, the sanitary engineers, who have done the sanitary
work of the other great hotels of the company, have executed the very
complete arrangements which have been earned out at the Cliftonville.
All the waste service is led outside the building—there are therefore
absolutely no drains. Although opened at such a rate of high pressure
the hotel is already in remarkably good working order, both as regards
cuisine and attendance, and it is well that this should be so, for
already—on Saturday last—there were so many visitors that several could
not be received. The tariff, including the wine list, is exceedingly
moderate, and with such a good start even now before the Margate season
has begun the new enterprise promises to be very popular indeed. Our
pictures arc engraved from negatives taken for us by Messrs Goodman and
Schmidt the well known photographers of Fort Hill, Margate. Our picture
shows the front elevation of the hotel and a section of the beautiful
tennis lawn which separates the hotel from the edge of the cliff.
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Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Saturday 25 July 1914.
A Noted Seaside Hotel.
The structural alterations and other improvements initiated by the
directors of the Gordon Hotels are being rapidly finished. The new
lounge of the "Hotel Victoria," Northumberland-avenue, was opened last
month, and important changes in the "Cliftonville Hotel," Margate, have
just been completed. Perhaps the most notable of these changes is the
extension of the old lounge, which faces the sea, and the redecoration
of the new, or inner lounge, which was built three years ago. The
dining-room has also been enlarged, the entire hotel redecorated, and
every part of the hotel modernised where there was scope for
improvement.
Above photo showing the dining rooms.
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From The Bystander, Wednesday 7 March 1923.
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Thanet Advertiser, Friday 23 December 1949.
By Order of Cliftonville Hotels limited.
The "Cliftonville Hotel," Ethelbert Crescent, Cliftonville, Margate.
The whole of the remaining furnishings of the hotel including. Mahogany
bedroom furniture, divan-beds, overlays, Axminster, Wilton
and other carpets and runners, pillows, blankets, bedspreads,
eiderdowns, large quantity of valuable linen, curtains, easy chairs,
full-size billiard table, deck chairs, wicker chairs, cafe tables,
dining chairs, iron frame, grand pianoforte by Forster, office safes,
writing tables, very valuable kitchen equipment including "New World"
multiple gas cooker, occasional chairs, show cases, assorted
tables, two Prestcold refrigerators, electric bacon slicer, together
with china, glass, plated goods, motor lawnmower, together with
outside and other general effects in all some 2000 lots, which Messrs.
Daniels (Kent) Ltd. will sell by public auction upon the premises
on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 4th, 5th and 6th January, 1950, at 10
a.m. each day and on the following days as required.
On view Tuesday, 3rd January, 1950.
Catalogues (price 1/-) of the auctioneers.
7 Cecil Square, Margate (phone 2054)
75 High Street, Broadstairs (phone 17) and
The Central Auction Rooms, 3 Duke Street, Margate.
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Taken from Kent a Chronicle of the Century book 3.
Cliftonville evacuation.
March 4th 1952: Occupants of the former Cliftonville Hotel, now converted
into flats, were evacuated today as one of the biggest fires since the
war swept through the building.
So severe was the blaze that appliances from Folkestone, Canterbury
and Maidstone came to the aid of the Margate firefighters.
It took 70 firemen with turntable ladders and all the modern
equipment and expertise to quell the massive blaze. Many of the
apartments were severely damaged.
The 63 men, women and children evacuated found temporary
accommodation in Greylands Hotel.
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LICENSEE LIST
SPENCER Sidney 1870+
GRIEVE John 1881+ (also wine merchant)
WILLATS Henry R 1890-91+
HOLLAND Arthur J 1901+ (manager Gordons Hotel Co)
GORDON HOTELS LTD 1903+
Maidstone
Telegraph
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