St George’s Church has a flagpole again after four years

Th flagpole is back Photos Christine McNaught and Piggotts

A replacement flag pole at St George’s Church in Ramsgate has been installed.

It is four years since the church last boasted a flagpole. In December 2013 in a freak accident the pole at the top was knocked over.

The church and the insurance company called on Piggotts Flags and Branding to create a replacement. Piggotts had to source the wood, which is a Douglas fir that had to be shipped over to them. They then had to carve it into the correct shape and size.

Photo Christine McNaught

The pole was completed at the  end of 2016 and then work began on repairing the weather vane that sat atop the pole.

The weather vane  has a bullet hole in it which was said to have happened during the Second World War. This is believed to have happened when a Canadian soldier staying nearby took a pot shot at it.

Photo Christine McNaught

The vane is gilded in gold and had to go through its own restoration to return it to its former glory.

Once the flag pole and weather vane were complete it took a while to get all the various other parts to come together to then get it placed back on the church’s spire which sits some 80 feet above ground level.

The 65ft pole was put in place by Lee Lifting Services.

Tony Fitt was responsible for the operation that cost the church, in total, £5,000.

Photo Christine McNaught

The crew made quite sure it was delicately put into position by a securing rope leading from the bottom of the pole to the workers who were waiting in the belfry. They then pulled the structure in place under the guiding eye of Mr Fitt.

Report and photos Christine McNaught