Show on mapI can find no details about this little character perched up in a birds nest, any info would be gratefully received.
The mast is a half-scale replica of HMS Redcar, a ‘Racecourse’ class minesweeper that was sunk on 24th June 1917 near Dover.
 
Update 2/3/2011 : The mast and most of the old tourist information centre were demolished today. It looks like the plaques were taken away beforehand, hopefully the little cat was rescued too !
I believe the information on the plaque about the sinking of HMPS Redcar is incorrect. At the time of the sinking the Redcar and Kempton were involved in pair sweeping, the Redcar was first to strike a mine, the Kempton came in to pick up survivors and in turn hit a mine.
Thanks for that, not the first time i’ve seen inaccuracies on a blue plaque.
You may already know this but the cat and mast are now located at the bottom of the high street in the communal park near the bus station.
my grand uncle john grimes lost his life on board the hms redcar. so i would be grateful for any more information regarding relics etc of hms redcar. regards, john grimes.
My Gran Uncle Joseph Hall Was a casualy on the Kempton
Pat Hall Limerick Ireland
Dear Pat of Limerick. My son in Canada passed on this link. Joseph Hall who was killed on HMS Kempton was my mother’s father, my Grandfather. He died leaving Five children, my mother Mary the youngest. I’d love to hear from you. Geraldine Bosworth.
could be clutching at straws here, but every time i saw the cat with the eye patch i always assumed it was a reference to the 1871 poem ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ that I read as a child. I remember looking at the sculpture at the end of the high street and seeing it for the first time (It is quite ‘out of the way’ if you know what i mean, but i think that adds to it’s quirkiness) and vaguely remembering the details of the story. I looked around on Google with the basic premise of the poem in my head and eventually found it and remembered reading it when i was younger. Could just be my interpretation, but it’s the only instance of a sailing cat i can think of!
According to the local Councillor, the two blue plaques are to be renovated before being put back on public display.
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