#23 The Jon Egging Memorial

The Jon Egging Memorial

The Jon Egging Memorial, located on East Overcliff Drive, was opened to the public on Wednesday 29^th August 2012. The Memorial serves as a permanent, dedicated location for local residents and visitors to pay their respects to Flt Lt Egging, and reconfirms the Town’s respect for the Red Arrows.
Flt Lt Jon Egging tragically died when his Hawk aeroplane crashed after displaying at the Bournemouth Air Festival on 20 August 2011. Following the tragedy the strength of public feeling was evident. The Council decided to approach Flt Lt Egging’s family—his wife Emma and mum Dawn—about the provision of a permanent Memorial in the Town, dedicated to Jon’s memory.
At Emma’s request, the Council ran a competition for schoolchildren to send in designs for the Memorial. The chosen design, from pupils at Kinson Primary School, was selected by Emma and Dawn Egging.
Artist Tim Ward, from Circling The Square Ltd, who was selected by Emma and Dawn to create the memorial was subsequently commissioned by the Council to work with the schoolchildren in interpreting their drawings for the final design.
The final sculpture stands five metres high and is made up of three stainless steel contrails covered in red, white and blue glass discs with three glass Red Arrow jets soaring into the sky. The sculpture is accompanied by a memorial plaque which reads: "Always follow your dreams. Blue skies."

Link to website http://bit.ly/11hVcVv


Link to trust http://bit.ly/12bMj1r

#22 Bournemouth - The Hotel Miramar

 

 
Link to video http://bit.ly/14gGXXc

Tolkien and the Miramar Hotel

If you were thinking of staying in Bournemouth during the 1960 summer season, the advert for the Hotel Miramar on the East Overcliff Drive might’ve caught your eye. Described as “An hotel of unusual charm”, the advert went on to say that the entire frontage of 180 feet faces the sea, has a full south aspect and commands uninterrupted views of the whole of Bournemouth Bay.

Sounds the ideal place to stay; we’ll book a room.

What the advert didn’t mention was that the couple in rooms 37 and 39 might well have been J R R Tolkien and his wife. Yes, the author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings often stayed at the Miramar when visiting Bournemouth during the 1950s and 60s.

Whilst his wife, Edith, enjoyed the facilities at the comfortable and friendly hotel, Tolkien used one of the two rooms as a study to do some writing. Sometimes he could be seen sitting on the veranda smoking his large and pungent pipe, or chatting with the proprietors, Douglas and Minnie Steel, with whom they became good friends.

Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries

 http://www.miramar-bournemouth.com/

#21 Bournemouth The Russell Cotes Museum

Try the interactive QR Code Trail inside the Museum!

Link to soundbite http://bit.ly/13WTSx8

 

 

1# The Bournemouth Library

Bournemouth Library

The main town centre library in The Triangle opened to the public on 24^th April 2002 on the site of an NCP car park.  For many years prior to that the plot had been occupied by Robson & Son, whose well-stocked store included grocery, provisions, fruiterers, poulterers and hardware of all kinds.

Built under the government’s Private Finance Initiative, construction work began on the new library in November 2000 by Henry Jones, part of the large Kier Group. The two floors of the library have dedicated zones for children and teenagers on Floor 1, whilst specialist music and local heritage resources are on Floor 2.

In 2003 the library won the Prime Minister’s “Better Public Building” Award.

Bournemouth’s first public library opened in temporary premises at Cumnor Terrace at the beginning of 1895, just off Old Christchurch Road. The first permanent library in the town opened in Winton in 1907 and after a number of refurbishments, still provides an excellent service for that neighbourhood. The former Central Library, now part of Bournemouth & Poole College, opened at The Lansdowne in 1913.

Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries

# 25 Bournemouth - IMAX

See video of the virtual demolishment of this hated building during the Arts by the Sea Festival in
2012

http://youtu.be/18rgkMq0AF4

20# Bournemouth - The Royal Bath Hotel

Royal Bath Hotel

The foundation stone for Bournemouth’s very first hotel was laid in 1837. Built from designs by Christchurch architect Benjamin Ferrey, it was officially opened by Sir George Tapps Gervis on 28^th June 1838, the very day of Queen Victoria’s Coronation.

The Bath Hotel, as it was originally known, was THE place to be if one was staying in the newly developing seaside settlement of Bournemouth.

In December 1876 an hotelier from Glasgow, Merton Russell-Cotes, bought the hotel. Two new wings were added, designed by Christopher Crabb Creeke. It was reopened by the Lord Mayor of London as the Royal Bath Hotel on 11^th August 1880, the same date that Bournemouth’s second pier was opened.

A new wing was added in 1887, with further additions in 1913. During the Second World War, between July 1941 and September 1946, the hotel was requisitioned for use by the Royal Canadian Air Force as officer’s accommodation. A third of the hotel was engulfed by fire in January 1979, taking over a year for renovation work to be completed.

Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries

# 19 Bournemouth - The Lansdowne

The Lansdowne - Lansdowne Hotel on the right and Queen Hotel on the left.

1865

Day Collection. Bath Road showing corner of Holdenhurst Road and Christchurch Road. The house "Lansdowne House" stood on site of present Metropole. On the right of Bath Road stands the Imperial Hotel and on the left the Queens and St. Mark's Church. The roads were not properly made up, there was no drainage, therefore no gutters etc.