This handsome bench commemorating author H G Wells and his association with Sandgate now has pride of place on Sandgates small green at the Military Road/Sandgate High Street crossroads.
For some time well known local resident and historian Linda Rene-Martin had dearly wanted to commemorate H G Wells and his association with Sandgate from 1898 to 1912. Linda approached Barry Feldman (benchmaker) with her ideas and drawings of an H G Wells bench and after months excited anticipation Linda proudly watched as the bench was put in place on Thursday 9th September by Alan Coller (installer).
The H. G. Wells’ bench was Linda’s idea and it was funded by her and the Roger de Haan Charitable Trust with help from Ann Nevill & The Sandgate Societ
y.
It is hoped that Wells’ great grandson Dominic Wells and great, great grandson Alex will official unveil the bench during the H G Wells’ Festival History Walk Through Sandgate on Saturday 18th September.
David Cowell of the Sandgate Community Trust arranged for the bench to be sited on the Green and acknowledged the sterling support that had been received from Shepway District Council’s Ground’s Manager Chris McCreedy and his team. “It really was the District and Sandgate working together; it was a delight to be involved”. said David.
Notes from Linda’s book ‘Rise and Progress of a Village‘
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H.G. Wells (1866-1946) visiting New Romney as a sick man, chances upon Sandgate. Late in 1898, he rents Beach Cottage on Granville Parade. In March 1899, Wells takes a 3 year lease on Arnold House (20 Castle Road) while, as a man far ahead of his times, he commissions C.F.A Voysey to design Spade House on one off the finest sites in Sandgate. Renewed in health and spirit, Wells raises a family and produces 17 novels, and other stories and studies during his 12 year stay. They include Kipps, Ann Veronica and The Sea Lady, a fantasy on Sandgate’s fish-tailed temptress. If Sandgate is good for Wells , so Wells is good for Sandgate. England’s literary lights are at his door - George Gissing, Arnold Bennett, Anthony Hope, Sir James Barrie, G.K. Chesterton, A.E.W. Mason, John Galsworthy, Hilaire Belloc - and Fabians such as Hubert Bland, the Webbs, Graham Wallas and Bernard Shaw. |
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