Old Ramsgate (then and now)

Ramsgate Municipal Airport

Members of the public being given a "field talk", c.1937

Factory buildings mark site of Airfield, 2007

I recently heard a rumour there had been an old airfield (pre-WW2) somewhere in the fields behind my house (near Newlands Road), that run between Ramsgate and Broadstairs.

After doing a bit of digging, I found that indeed there was, and as it turned out, Ramsgate had it's own Municipal Airport! (And I don't mean Kent International at Manston!)

The airfield was situated next to Pyson's Road, with the main entrance from Rumfields Road, and was known as Ramsgate Municipal Airport.

Ramsgate Airfield, early 1930's

Airfield site, 2007
Pysons Road is to the left, running from top to bottom in both pictures (top towards Ramsgate, bottom towards Broadstairs). The footprint of the old airfield site remains, but has since been covered by industrial buildings, showrooms and workshops, with newer roads intersecting it. There is little left on the ground to show that this was once a bustling local airport prior to World War 2

I'm not sure of the exact dates the airport was in use, but I believe it's heyday was in the late 1930's, but was actually in use right up until the late 1960's(?)

Ramsgate Municipal Airport, 1937
The "new" terminal building can be seen towards the rear of the field, in front of the hangar

Same view, 2007
Now a retail and industrial complex

The site is now an industrial estate, it's largest occupant being the Sericol ink factory, however, the names of the new roads that intersect the estate give a clue as to it's previous life, with names such as Anson Close, Blenheim Close, etc, no doubt named after the classic planes that graced the airfield in it's heyday.

The 'new' terminal building, 1937
This was a revolutionary design at the time, and I believe won some architectural awards. Note the water tower in the background, still a prominent landmark on Rumfields Road.