Does anyone remember Claremont House? This picture was sent to me but so far we do not know where this was situated. The name rings bells but thats all. To the left of the picture there is just a part of another building showing. Looks like letters on the roof perhaps a cafe or shop.
If you can help please comment below.
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There used to be a Claremont Club, in the late 1920’s/30s, which was in the road that ran down the side of Cox’s Stores. My mother used to sing there when my parents lived in ‘Westward Ho’ in Station Road. i don’t know if this was the same place.
You could well be on to something Maureen. That letter on the roof of the building next door is probably a ‘C’.
I definitely think your in the right area Maureen, my first flash of memory was the name ‘Claremont’ written in a stained glass door frame and then associated that with the big house the Niles built on the corner of Dovercliff Rd or Westcliff Gdns. I’ll be round that way tomorrow so I’ll check it out.
The house that the Niall family (apologies for mis_spelling in previous post) built is on the west corner of Westcliff Gdns and South Parade.
The building is now virtually surrounded by trees and the configuration on the front of the house seems to have been changed, so I was unable to see the name in the glass door.
There are still coloured glass motifs in the windows that are visible. However, there is a wooden name-plate inscribed ‘Claremont’ on the side of the house facing South Parade.
I clearly remember this property under construction(must have been late 50s/ early 60s) but I’m not sure whether it was flat field or overgrown debris prior to the build. Obviously, the Nialls had some knowledge of the history of the site.
This story solves a mystery for me. A previous comment on this site quoted that there was a “Clarendon Club” down Clarendon rd off Seaview rd. I knew this was a mistake because I grew up in a house called Clarendon down Clarendon rd which is off Mornington rd near the newlands area. It was obviously the “Claremont Club” they were thinking of! Nice to join up the dots.
I was born at Claremont in 1948 and can answer most of the questions if anyone still interested !
We are very interested in anything you can tell us about the place please E W Nial
well my dad bought the site in 1947 he bought it with the intention of building a new house utilising the materials from the old Claremont hotel but unfortunately by the time the sale went through the old Claremont had been dismantled and only the old barn was left I was born in the old barn while he built the new house on the corner of westcliff gardens and dovercliff road I lived there till I was 21 so I still think of it as my home we were good friends with the Thouposes who owned beach house and the surgeons wHo lived originally in ozonia stores I remember the flood the new house fortunately is on slightly higher ground and was built well above ground level so we were lucky I have some old photoes somewhere there was a good one of my mum being carried by a flood relief worker in the canvey press i was a member of the chapman sands sailing club mainly sailed sheerwaters Catamarans built by Prouts Sailed round the light house many times my sister jean went with some friends and had food in the old light house they had a rowing boat they went from the jetty to the light house I think every few weeks they rowed ashore and picked up most of their food from ozonia stores we used to have holiday guests in the summer for bed and breakfast I remember picking mushrooms in the fields to the east I remember all the unmade roads we actually laid the concrete roads round the property ourselves digging them out with a calfdozer and driving the dumper and cement mixer I went to st Joseph’s primary taught by the nuns so did my wife but I didn’t meet her till many years later ! I haven’t been back there for many years I expect it’s all changed I notice the population gone up considerably
I just bought this house so it’s lovely to hear a bit of it’s history. The stained glass windows are still here and I think they’re lovely. I’d love to see any old photos and know a bit more.
Hi, is there any more pictures or stories on this house? I’m enchanted by it and it’s up for sale!!!
No that’s all we have. Interesting to hear it is up for sale.
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