The seaside town of Broadstairs lies on the Isle of Thanet in East Kent.
Situated on the cliffs above the bay, the town gained its name from the
stairs that were cut into the chalk cliffs down to the shore. Fishing
and smuggling were the mainstays of Broadstairs until much-improved
transport connections to London in the nineteenth century led to the
development of Broadstairs as a modern seaside resort, though still
retaining its historical character. In this book author Andy Bull delves
into the fascinating history of Broadstairs, including characters
associated with the town such as the scandalous eighteenth-century
politician Charles Fox, Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Oscar Wilde,
as well as the creators of Billy Bunter and The Clangers. The tales of
the town include the country's oldest lighthouse, the smuggler presented
to Queen Victoria and the preserved German shell hole in the house of
the proprietor of the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, which was intended
for Lord Northcliffe himself, and many more remarkable stories. Secret
Broadstairs explores the lesser-known episodes in the history of the
town through the years. With tales of remarkable people, unusual events
and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, it
will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this seaside
town in Kent.
