Geocache: Margate - The Shelter

GC998XN
Location: virtual – The TS Elliot shelter, actual – flowerbox, Marine Drive
Title of geocache: ECC Margate The Shelter
Coordinates for geocache: N 51° 23.211 E 001° 22.527

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 to each location, using poetry, music, historical research and conversation to bring new meaning to familiar places.

The Shelter
‘Sandy Sandwiches' written and read by Takumba, about a trip to Margate as a child.

Transcript

Sharon: Well done, you found cache number one. Yay! Welcome to Turner Contemporary’s geocache tour in Margate. Well done, you’ve found the first cache. Here you have found the shelter where TS Elliot wrote The Waste Land and to the left a new work by artist Michael Rakowitz called April is The Cruellest Month. The sculpture is part of new artworks along the coast as part of Enagland’s Creative Coast.

Takumba:
We are sitting in the shelter
All together, we can watch people playing, swimming, eating and feel the beats on sunny days
Or we can watch scrunched up swaying people, protecting themselves against the roaring slap of the waves on wild days
All the while guarding our eats from feisty seagulls who are everywhere
We are sitting in the shelter, overlooking the beach with memories flooding through
4am setting off from London in the jalopy 
After the beach and sandy sandwiches, nanny took me and Jane on the high walk
Past the Lido sign, the first shelters in their splendour crammed with people. Each family had their spot. 
Cross the bridge, past the bandstand then finally a seat for nanny!
We sat on her lap or crossed legs below her.
We stayed put, staring at the sea.
Ears perked, listening to the chit chat. 
In our shelter, we felt posh.

At 67 I sit in the shelter on my mobility scooter, and I’m still filled with sheer delight

Music is ‘Summer Holiday' by Cliff Richard and The Shadows.
Sound collected and edited by Dan Scott.  
Geocache container is by Elouise Farley. Insta: @ladywood___