Broadstairs - Notable Residents and Visitors

Notable Residents and Visitors

  • Thomas Russell Crampton, MICE, MIMechE, railway engineer, was born in Broadstairs in 1816.
  • Sir Edward Heath, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was born in Broadstairs in 1916 and lived there until going to study at Balliol College, Oxford in 1935.
  • Charles Dickens visited Broadstairs regularly from 1837 until 1859 and described the town as "Our English Watering Place". He wrote David Copperfield while staying at Bleak House.
  • Oliver Postgate (he of the Clangers) was a longtime resident of Broadstairs and his life is commemorated by a beautiful mosaic of the Clangers and a blue plaque on the front of his home in Chandos Square. The mosaic was made by local artist Martin Cheek.
  • Derek McCulloch, the presenter of Children's Favourites and Children's Hour on BBC Radio and who was known professionally as Uncle Mac, visited Broadstairs often.

However, the stone cairn and plaque dedicated to "Uncle Mac" in Victoria Gardens on the seafront is in memory of J.H.Somerton an entertainer whose venues were the Pier and the Beach during the 1890s - 1930's and who was also known as "Uncle Mac".

  • John Buchan apparently based the title of his novel, The Thirty Nine Steps after the set of steps on the beach at a house called St Cuby, Cliff Promenade at North Foreland, Broadstairs, where he was recuperating from illness in 1915.

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Famous quotes containing the words notable, residents and/or visitors:

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