OFF TOPIC - Rediffusion Westwood

[SteveB]

Someone here is bound to know the answer to something that is really bugging me!

I stumbled across this picture of the old Rediffusion building at Westwood

I actually remember it (or am convinced I do - there may have been a similar building around that I am thinking of!) but cannot remember exactly where it was.

My gut feeling is that it was on the corner at the Westwood Roundabout, directly opposite Debenhams, where the new BHS, Brantano's and Dunelm Mill are. The thing that puts me off is that I know Bowketts used to be on that corner. I also can sort of picture it nearer the Broadstairs end of Poorhole Lane or where the Build Center was until recently.

Can anyone with a better memory than me remember it?

Steve

[JeremyJacobs]

Someone here is bound to know the answer to something that is really bugging me!

I stumbled across this picture of the old Rediffusion building at Westwood

I actually remember it (or am convinced I do - there may have been a similar building around that I am thinking of!) but cannot remember exactly where it was.

My gut feeling is that it was on the corner at the Westwood Roundabout, directly opposite Debenhams, where the new BHS, Brantano's and Dunelm Mill are. The thing that puts me off is that I know Bowketts used to be on that corner. I also can sort of picture it nearer the Broadstairs end of Poorhole Lane or where the Build Center was until recently.

Can anyone with a better memory than me remember it?

Steve

 

 

Amazing Steve, I was only thinking about Rediffusion yesterday. On the Broadstairs side of the road at Westwood and I think the location you have is correct. In 1963 we had cable television installed at home in Cliftonville. The first cable supply was in 1951 when Margate became the first town in the world to have cable tv.

 

[SteveB]

Cheers JJ. I thought it was there.

Some fascinating stuff on that site about how Broadstairs was key in the launce of cable relay television, particularly http://www.rediffusion.info/FHAusten/

[JeremyJacobs]

Cheers JJ. I thought it was there.

Some fascinating stuff on that site about how Broadstairs was key in the launce of cable relay television, particularly http://www.rediffusion.info/FHAusten/

 

 

Just seen this on the internet!

 

http://www.rediffusion.info/history.html

[Drummer]

Cheers JJ. I thought it was there.

Some fascinating stuff on that site about how Broadstairs was key in the launce of cable relay television, particularly http://www.rediffusion.info/FHAusten/

 

 

Just seen this on the internet!

 

http://www.rediffusion.info/history.html

I well remember the old Rediffusion building at Westwood - along with the Rogers "Model" bakery two outstanding buildings. Whilst on the subject, have a look at this site http://www.britishpathe.com/results.php?search=margate. Loads of great stuff about Margate in its prime. Film of Dreamland including the miniature railway, breaking up trams presumably at the recently demolished tramshed, an "unsinkable" lifeboat featuring Taffy Rooke, Congregational Church being used as the post office, soap box Derby, loads more. Well worth a look.

[ramsgate60]

Cheers JJ. I thought it was there.

Some fascinating stuff on that site about how Broadstairs was key in the launce of cable relay television, particularly http://www.rediffusion.info/FHAusten/

 

 

My Dad worked for many years out of the Reddifussion Bulding which i can confirm was on that corner whih is the carpark for BHS etc, it was a big white building spilt in 2 halfs, on the right were the admin offices in the middle was where the entrance and small car park for Reddifussion vans only, and on the right weree the warehouse and store rooms, My Dad was a TV repairman for them and in the summer i was allowed to go on his rounds as he fixed TV's, (yes they did repair TV's in them days) and carried them to the van if he wasnt able to repair it, and give the customers a replacement one whislt theirs was being repaired, i also remmember some good Xmas'es there two, the area has changed dramatically since the 70's, beyond belief...it was demolished i believe around the late 80,s, and the Build center, is the last to go,.. we all move on .......

[Broadstairs Dave]

The tram in the clip was being scrapped at st peters tram depot where dc homewood etc are now to be found I believe

[Drummer]

The tram in the clip was being scrapped at st peters tram depot where dc homewood etc are now to be found I believe

Cheers Broadstairs Dave. I just assumed that it was the other Tramshed - thanks for the info.

 

Great stuff on that site though isn't there?

[phil d]

The tram in the clip was being scrapped at st peters tram depot where dc homewood etc are now to be found I believe

Cheers Broadstairs Dave. I just assumed that it was the other Tramshed - thanks for the info.

 

Great stuff on that site though isn't there?

 

I do believe that sericol was just along from there possibly where pizza hut is as well

[mace]

Steve - interesting. I also remember the building but wouldn't remember where it was ... looks like it's very close to the road ( facing what's now the roundabout ?) diagonally opposite Debenhams ? If so , that site's seen some buildings in recent ( ish ) history ... the parade of stores recently knocked down were only built around 1995

 

Drummer - excellent site with some great footage, not only of Margate but Ramsgate too. Not got round to looking for Broadstairs yet but there's bound to be some. Thanks for posting that.

 

phil - yes, Sericol's Finance and IT building (which was previously part of the waterboard) would have been whereabouts pizza hut is now. The main factory and offices was between there and poorhole lane. The whole site relocated to the current Pysons Rd site in 1997( parts of which were previously Lexterton's and BOC )

[Drummer]

Steve - interesting. I also remember the building but wouldn't remember where it was ... looks like it's very close to the road ( facing what's now the roundabout ?) diagonally opposite Debenhams ? If so , that site's seen some buildings in recent ( ish ) history ... the parade of stores recently knocked down were only built around 1995

 

Drummer - excellent site with some great footage, not only of Margate but Ramsgate too. Not got round to looking for Broadstairs yet but there's bound to be some. Thanks for posting that.

 

phil - yes, Sericol's Finance and IT building (which was previously part of the waterboard) would have been whereabouts pizza hut is now. The main factory and offices was between there and poorhole lane. The whole site relocated to the current Pysons Rd site in 1997( parts of which were previously Lexterton's and BOC )

[/quote

 

I can remember Sericol opening - around 1959/60 I think. The local carried an advert for staff and you had to get there on a Saturday morning for open interview. Never seen such a queue.

[mace]

The land was bought in 1959 , construction started 1960 and was completed 1962.

 

Head office remained in Parsons Green Lane,London ( the company was then called Screen Process Supplies ) with the rest of the Admin and R+D facilities relocating to Westwood in 1962.

 

The queues you speak of would no doubt have been for factory operators.