HISTORY of DEAL: KENT: UK
Pictures and Stories of the Old Days

Deal as it Was

 

  From Sandown Castle to just past the coast guard station; there was a small sea wall with occasional wooden groins, these were replaced in the 1950’s with the now metal groins with greenheart wood and a new sea wall was built from the coastguard station southwards to Farrier Street, the beach used to come right up to the houses at North street and along; the sea girt was pulled down in this period.

 South of the coastguards stood the rowing club, RNA held meetings in here in the 1980’s, the Forrester’s, North Star, the Angling club which is the old North Deal Lifeboat house. Mick Walls had a small amusement park and skating ring just north of the seagirt, now built on; there were public toilets there as well.

 At theTop of exchange street, Opposite the Mission to seaman’s House, were Claire Hickman’s boats, the “If Not” and “Why Not” Alf  ( Sonny ) Betts boat the “Rose Mary” also the Skylark; the Royal Exchange Hotel (pub) was located here, and just to the south the “The Mary Hougham Alms Houses” which were for allocation to fishermen only.

The sewer pipe was in location opposite Golden Street

 The Seagirt had a Lewis Gun on its parapet during the Second World War

 This area was the capstan grounds with a few boats still in location in the 1950’s

Moving South past the Alms houses we pass several pubs including the Pelican, and Three Compasses, almost opposite the Covering Seats at the top of Farrier Street lies Mc Donald’s paper shop..

  Entering Farrier Street we precede townwards and on the left is the Deal Lugger shop. Turn left into middle street and on the left is Old Mother Crews shop, then the fat Ladies junk store a bit further along on the right is Barlow’s shop with Bob Ables Deal marine craft boat building store ( I served my apprenticeship here) opposite side of the road is Terry Franks gun and tackle shop and my Uncle Georges shop.

 Turn up Coppin street; half way up were the Harris family and the Buds then next to the three compasses was Tommy Upton’s house; on the right was Jonny Buds house , behind this was formed the first Salvation Army hall, which backed onto our house at 6 Brewer Street. At the top of Coppin Street we see Togo Harris boat; moving south we come to Jim Skardons boat “ Mary Anne” then Tommy Upton’s Boats. In the early 1960’s the Golden Harvester and Skylark were here as well, and Bob Able took over Tommy Upton’s plots with his fleet of Blue Line boats, I used to skipper the Heidi.

   Tommy Had a Large hut opposite Brewer Street from which the Parrot resided. We then go south and come to the Fascinator and Bill Baileys boats; then Togo (John) Bud’s boats; reaching the Royal Hotel. 

  On the opposite side of the road at the top of brewer street we have Adelaide house, going down Brewer Street My family’s home at No 6 which had a fish business and large smokery, father used to buy thousands of herring for smoking in the winter and trade was  good, horses were kept here and later the stables were turned into a cold store and shop, at No 5 was Bill Bailey; at No4 was Mrs Upton, at No 3 were the Willis brothers bait diggers, then at No 2 the nutty Moore’s sisters, and the Dola Dairies runnuing to the bottom.

  On the other side from the top of the road was Winstanley, in the cottage were 2 old ladies cant remember their name then the wood yard which went through to Oak street, then the Nook, then the Sunday School (feed my lambs) once a soup kitchen at the bottom of Brewer St, in Middle Street was Johnny Rogers, a bait digger, turn left and you have Skardon’s fish and chip shop, then a small junk shop; opposite this was the old Mansion, now a car park, the first Nuclear shelter was situated here, Turn up Oak Street.

  On the right was Edgintons building stores, on the left a derelict bomb site, then Bob Skardon, then George Skardon, and Cavell’s office, opposite this was the storage yard for Cavell’s wood. Next the alley then the Star and Garter on the corner.

 We turn right into Beach Street, with Goymers café on the right, the Ice cream parlour with the Royal hotel on the seaward side.

 The Skipjack lie to the South of Tommy’s hut from which trips were offered during the summer before the war, during the war scaffold poles and wire stretched the length of the foreshore to evade an invasion, with a couple of breaks to allow boats to be launched.

  One of Tommy Upton’s Boats the “Minnie Ha Ha” was bought by my Father James Skardon in the late 1050’s, taken down to his farm and completely rebuilt, she was then named “Fair Chance” and stationed at the top of King street with the Mary Anne and  his other boat the Fairway, once owned by Harry Meakings and called the Lady Beatie”

 Tommy Upton’s boats were also= paddle punts; Golden Warbler; Tom; Kittiwake; Isobel; forsale mizzen punts; Fascinator, (later owned by Burt Tookie) and the Kingfisher: the Galley Seaman’s Hope and Bluebell;

  Harry Upton had the punt Ethel and the cod punt Little Dick,

Bill Bailey was situated a bit further south opposite the Star and Garter Pub, and lived in 5 Brewer Street, he had the motor boat Irene skippered by Frank Preston also two paddle punts one was the Jessie

  In the 1950’s Bob Ables boats graced the stage at the top of brewer street, with Johnny (nutty) Revel, Joey Smith, Ernie Slack, myself David Skardon as beach help, and old George (Bubbles) Fouey as winchman,, these were used for angling parties, although in the winter sprats and herring were pursued. , I used to trammel for Huss during the spring and summer.