Broadstairs, United Kingdom

In 1538, the road leading to the seafront, known as Harbour Street, was cut into the rough chalk ground on which Broadstairs is built, by George Culmer. Going further in defence of the town, he built Flint Gate in 1540, a portal that still spans Harbour Street and which then held two heavy wooden doors that could be closed in times of threat from the sea. The fishery in Broadstairs saw exports of cod to Iceland before 1594. A map of 1596 has the name Brod Stayers for Broadstairs and Domptons Baye for Dumpton Gap.. In 1646, a petition was put forth by fishermen in Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate for a convey and protection while fishing for herrings.

Smuggling was a large crime and resulted in the Battle Of Botany Bay at Kingsgate in 1769, which saw the smuggling gang of John Snelling ambushed by Revenue Patrol. The patrol saw ten of the gang members killed and eight captured.

The bathing machine was introduced to Broadstairs in 1754. An old hotel building in Broadstairs is the Phoenix Inn built in 1760 now part of the Royal Albion Hotel. The building that became in due course the Captain Digby pub was part of developments on the seaside Thanet estate of Lord Holland between 1763 and 1768. The construction of Pierremont Hall was over seen in 1785 by Samuel Pepys Cockerell for Thomas Douglas Forsyth. For being built in such a remote place it was also known as Forsyth's Folly. The initial wooden pier had been destroyed three times by storms in 1763, 1767 and 1774. The pier and harbour of Broadstairs were repaired and rebuilt from 1791. This was supported by a public Act of Parliament that was signed in 1792 by George III to repair and rebuild the pier adjoining the harbour of Broadstairs.

By 1795, Flint Gate was restored by Lord Hellkier to repel any threat from the French Revolutionary Wars and renamed York Gate after the Duke Of York. In the same year, the first lightvessel was placed on the Goodwin Sands. Also in 1795 the present flint walled Brown Jug pub just within Broadstairs near Dumpton Park commenced treading as The Queen’s Arm Tap. The following year, Princess of Wales was launched at Broadstairs as a Margate hoy. Irish Melesina Trench, poet and writer, came to visit Broadstairs in 1798 for the summer. During the 18th century, the cod fishery that had brought trade from Iceland was destroyed during war with France.

In 1837 it was reported that in the 18th century the finest Indiamen came from Broadstairs shipyards.

As threat of Napoleon Bonaparte grew in 1803, requests for the number of carronades were made for the vessels at Broadstairs and Ramsgate. A total of 253 Sea Fencibles were deployed along the coasts of Broadstairs and the surronding Ramsgate and Sandwich. His Majesty's Ship (HMS) Monarch was sent off the coast of Broadstairs and sent reports to (HMS) ships at in North Sea. An act was signed by George III for the repair and rebuild of the pier adjoining to the harbour in 1806 and plans for an eastern battery were made the next year.

A tragedy in 1820 resulted in a ship from Broadstairs sinking off the North Foreland and resulting in the deaths of six of all the crewmen onboard. In 1824, the Royal Paddle Steamer was established between Broadstairs and Margate, with rides between the two free of cost. The young Princess Victoria and her mother, the Duchess of Kent, were summer visitors 1826–1836, staying at Pierremont Hall. By 1830 traditional smuggling to evade customs and excise duties had ended. In 1834, Broadstairs was described as attractive and fashionable and saw the arrival of 13 families in July of that year. Throughout the 1830’s and 1840’s, Broadstairs became a favoured seaside retreat to Charles Dickens as he resided in Bleak House. The arrival of wealthier families was highlighted in 1842 in the newspapers.

“Broadstairs has undergone a greater change in its character as a watering place during the last few years than any other perhaps that can be mentioned. From an animated little place, frequented by a number of genteel families which formed a social and agreeable society with one another, it has now become a quiet hospital for invalids and a nursery for children.”

Lifeboats arrived in Broadstairs in 1851, and saw its first use on 6 March 1851, when the brig Mary White became trapped on the Goodwin Sands during a severe gale blowing from the north. A ballad was written to celebrate the occasion, "Song of the Mary White". Broadstairs' lifeboats were further supported by a fund established in the 1860s by Sir Charles Reed FSA. Broadstairs was not directly served by the railways until 1863. Rail access to Broadstairs had previously relied heavily upon coach links to other railway stations in the district or region; with firms such as Bradstowe Coachmasters, operated by William Sackett and John Derby.