Dreamland, The theme park with attractions luring in many tourists all the way back to 1920 when it was purchased by John Henry. By 1940, the era of war, the world of dreamland had been created including a cinema, created in 1935, a ballroom and restaurants for tourists to enjoy a great day out visiting the famous wooden roller coaster created all the way back in the 1920s. Although, due to World War Two occurring in the 1949s, dreamland had to take a break from its leisure to benefit the war that was happening around it. The entire dreamland site was requisitioned by the government due to the Dunkirk evacuation where British and allied soldiers were rescued from beaches after being cut off by the German army. Due to this, Dreamland was used as a purpose of a base for soldiers, with the restaurants being used as treatment centres, the ballroom being used as makeshift dorms for troops and the famous 'Garden cafe' being used as a interrogation centre for officials to pick out spies within the troops. Every soldier was provided with a picture postcard of Margate to address to his wife or mother, with a message to say he was safe. These were collected, and arrangements made with the Post Office for free postage. About 2,000 soldiers were stationed at dreamland in world war two, including members of the ENSA, the entertainment national service association. Luckily, due to their presence, shows did continue through the years of ww2, but it wasn't until 1946 that dreamland was fully up and running again, creating a relief from the end of war.
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