Geocache: Margate - Dane Park

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Location: Dane Park, in the rocky area behind the fountain
Title of geocache: England's Creative Coast Margate Dane Park

The Margate GeoTour was created by a group of people living locally, who were interested in uncovering Margate’s unique history. Through discussion and research, sharing memories and local knowledge, they selected six locations in Margate to make up the GeoTour.

In March 2020, the UK went into a national lockdown and the project was put on pause. When the group reunited almost a year later, they revisited their relationship to the local area. Working with sound artist Dan Scott, they created a series of audio responses for each location, using poetry, music, historical research and conversation to bring new meaning to familiar places.

Dane Park
Hear Marion reimagine the time when the Lord Mayor came to Margate to open the procession at Dane Park in 1898 in all its glory.


Transcript


Sharon: Well done, hey! You’ve discovered the fifth cache on Turner Contemporary’s geocache tour as part of England’s Creative Coast. Well done, you’ve made it into Dane Park which used to have lots of peacocks. Let’s see if you can spot any.

Marion: On Wednesday the 1st of June 1898 Dane Park was opened by the Lord Mayor of London, Col. H D Davies MP. He arrived at Margate Station at midday, with a party from London, to be met by more local dignitaries, and the 27 horse drawn carriages that were waiting to take them to the park.

Thanet Times as the time said "The state carriages, resplendent in all the glory of gold trappings, and with the numerous attendants and officials in glittering uniforms and costly raiment" and, "The City Marshall, distinguished by his splendid uniform, was in attendance, and a detachment of the 10th Hussars from Canterbury was drawn up in the Station-yard, giving a finishing touch to the scene, which for civic splendour has rarely if ever been equalled in Margate. The members of the Council and invited guests, having regained their carriages, the fine band of the Royal Marines struck up a martial air, and the imposing procession moved off through the densely crowded streets."

Again, the Thanet Times says "It was astonishing to see what a splendid capacity Margate has for entertaining visitors. There must have been fifty or sixty thousand people all anxious to catch a glimpse of the Lord Mayer and were enabled to do so with ease and comfort."

On arriving at the main gates of the park there was a splendid ceremony, with music from the bandstand, followed by refreshments for the guests in the tea rooms. They might have played games of cricket or tennis and the children could have played in the playground. They would certainly all have enjoyed watching the peacocks who lived in the park. It must have been glorious.

Music is Nimrod (from Elgar's Enigma Variations) by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
Sound collected and edited is by Dan Scott. 
Geocache container is by Elouise Farley. Insta: @ladywood___