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Deal Kent, David Skardon

Old Boatmen Families

Bobby Osborn

Deal Kent, David Skardon
david Skardon Deal beach

Bobby Osborn

Imformation supplied compliments

of Paul Osborn

   Bobby Osborn was born in Deal in 1850 and lived all of his life in the town, working firstly as a 'waterman' and later as a fishmonger, selling his wares from the handcart he pushed around the streets.

   The Deal watermen took not just water, but other victuals and supplies out to the boats anchored off the Goodwin Sands in an area known as The Downs. The strong suggestion is that many of the watermen returned with various items of contraband that went on to form a lucrative trade or provide a few luxury items for the people of Deal. Whether Bobby engaged in this activity is unknown, although it is known that he was a highly puritanical individual and may therefore have frowned on these illegal activities.

   Bobby's change of trade from waterman to fishmonger may have resulted from the increasing age and subsequent death in 1907 of his father-in-law John 'Fiddler' Beney who was also a fish-monger in later life as well as being the fiddle player in Skardon's band.

   Bobby would push a hand-cart around Deal with his cries of "Rye Bay Plaice" and "Dover Sole" ringing out around the town. It was said that on a still evening, these cries could be heard as far away as the South Foreland lightship!

The Harris Family

from Coppin Street. Deal.Kent

   Togo Harris comes from an old established Deal Family and his wife Kirkby , who was originally from Fife in Scotland  came to Deal as a schoolgirl,, she worked for Mr Charles Collins, proprietor of Deal's first cinema, the Marina Picture Hall. Getting married on november 28th 1931 they resided  in Lantern Cottage, No 7 Copping Street, where they raised their family of four sons Terry; Alistair, George,?

  Togo having taken part in many convoys during the war also aided  the D Day landings, taking in the Mulberry Harbour.  After the war Togo had boats built and they were situated on Deal beach, the Kirkby was stationed opposite Coppin Street, and in the mid 1950's  was later  moved up near the Royal Hotel

 

   Terry Harris one of Togo's sons, was, like many of us, raised up on the beach, and followed the sea line, obtaining his boatman's licence at a young age. Togo had the Four Brothers built at Bob Abel's boat yard in Middle street, Being mainly boatmen that earned their living taking out angling parties Togo and Terry were common characters on the beach, the like of which will never been seen again.

   Terry took on many adventures in his career, he was on the Walmer lifeboat serving with Harry Brown and was renowned for his excellent seamen's skills, like others before him he launched to many casualties and rescued lots of souls from disaster on the Goodwin sands. His career was wide and varied and he held many certificates to do with work at sea. Stories which we could talk about for hours.

Deal Kent UK

Left Terry Harris and his mum Kirkby

I would like to thank

Kerry Harris

for the family pictures

The Harris Family were

great Characters who

Lived in

Lantern Cottage

7 Coppin Street

Deal

Right- Alistaire -Terry

Mum Kirkby

and Dad Togo Harris

Deal Kent UK
Deal Kent Uk Deal Boatman

Picture Of Terry Harris with the  Kirkby situated at the top of Oak Street circa late 1950's

Deal Kent UK Deal Boatman
Deal Kent Deal Boatmen

Terry Harris

A well liked and well known Deal Boatman

who sadly died a tragic death in Dover harbour in the 1970's

Terry Harris and Harry Brown

aboard the Walmer Lifeboat Hampshire Rose

Deal Kent, David Skardon
Deal Kent David Skardon

Togo Harris in the Four Brothers

Circa 1950's       

Terry Harris left top- ? - Wilf Wilmington right

bottom left Freddie Marchant - Ginger Riley

all held Boatmens licenses

The Newton Family

from Deal.Kent

A Deal family that were Boatmen for generations

And Emigrated to New Zealand

 

  The history of the Newton family has been sent to me by James Newton's great, great, great grandson, Robin Newton, who originates from New Zealand, but now lives in Perth Canada and gives a short insight into the Newton Family that lived for many generations behind the old Fountain inn Deal, Kent. From 1851 they  lived in number 5 and 7  Beach Street Deal. Not allot of information is available about their exploits in Deal, but there is a short description of their later times described here.

   James Newton was a Deal Boatman, and had 11 children. Five sons and six Girls, all survived to adulthood. The three oldest sons drowned at sea in the 1850's  whilst going to the aid of a ship off Walmer in 1848.

    James Newton also drowned in a shipping accident off Walmer Castle on November 3rd 1855. Later his wife Jemma was interred with him, then his daughter Martha Ann.

 The two youngest sons with their young families emigrated to Lyttleton, New Zealand, accepting assisted passages on the ship "Mystery" in December 1858.

    Edward James name appears on a Dept list of the "Mystery" as Balance, December 10th 1858  up to September 30th 1872  £34/-/- , it is classified as a doubtful debt. a Boatman with a very large family to support.

 John Henry (Snr) 1826 - 1918. born in Deal. Kent. and arriving in Lyttleton, New Zealand  in 1859. John resided  at 41 Exeter Street, Lyttleton  NZ. He was the  last of the boatmen from Deal who came to Lyttleton to enter pilot service, and he served in the capacity of pilot until the pilot station was shifted to the Lyttleton Heads. He then followed the occupation of waterman and fisherman until his 75th year when he retired, He left 5 sons one who resides in Belfast, one in Lyttleton, and another in Wellington, two are employed in the postal service and telegraph service at Christchurch. He is also survived by two daughters who reside at the port and by 28 grand children and 45 great grandchildren John Newton was buried on 12th August 1918 age 93

  Two of the Newton daughters are recorded as living in the Almshouses with their husbands in the 1891 census

Family History by Stephen Holbourn

Stephen has written down some of the history of his family the Newton famils and several other families A very interesting article if you are releted in history to these old families

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ARTICLE.

David Skardon. Deal Kent Boatmen
David Skardon. Deal Kent. Boatman

4 Generations of the Newton Family

Seated - right - John Henry Newton 1826 - 1918. (He was the brother of Edward Prebble Newton)

Standing - Back - Issac Samual Newton. 1855 - 1921. (3rd child and 2nd son of John Henry Newton)

Seated - Left - William Bertie Newton. 1888 - 19?  (1st child and elder son of Issac Samual Newton)

Baby - Stanley William Newton. 1914 - ?  (1st child of William Bertie Newton)

Photograph take in 1915 possibly 31st January the date of Stanley's christening, by hillsdon,

Littleton. New Zealand

Story and pictures compliment of Pam Newton

The Budd Family

from Coppin Street. Deal.Kent

Johnny Budd was a prevalent character on Deal beach, with a family history of being old boat owners and boatmen. Living in Coppin Street the Budd's along with the Harris family were very well know,.

David Skardon. Deal Kent Uk Deal Boatmen

Young Billy-John- & old John.

Jack Budd was born on 4th August 18666 and had boats back on Deal beach in the 1800's and like many of the old Boatmen, he served the community respectfully with many rescues being made on and around the Goodwin Sands.

Johnny Budd was a prevalent character on Deal beach, with a family history of being old boat owners and boatmen. Living in Coppin Street the Budd's along with the Harris family were very well know,.

  

   Raising a Family in Coppin Street they could always be seen around the area. And the Britannic was a popular boat stationed opposite Broad Street she was always busy taking trippers around the downs or out to the Goodwin Sands where many wrecks could be seen.

Pictures compliments of Billy Budd

See the story of the Budd family and many pictures

in Deal's History Part 12

on my Youtube channel

David Skardon. Deal Kent UK. Deal Boatmen
David Skardon. Deal Boatmen. Deal Kent

John & George Budd &  Eliza & Bill Casse

Johnny And George Budd late 1950.

David Skardon. Deal Kent UK. Deal Boatmenudd 00007.jpg
David Skardon. Deal Kent UK. Deal Boatmen- George Budd.
David Skardon. Deal Kent UK. Deal Boatmen

Derek Budd died on the Jubillee way

on his motorbike

Jack- John- George Budd.

"Gustus" Jack Budd

Phyllis-Sheila-Kath Budd and friends

another part of Coppin Street, Deal

See more pictures of the Budd family on the Boatmen's Page

and their family video on my Youtube Channel

click here

Deal Kent Families David Skardon Deal Kent UK

The Sutton Family
Kingsdown

Kingsdown  Family "Sutton" 1909

Picture of the family of George William Sutton

taken in 1909.

 

Members of the Sutton Family dating 1841 to 1881 were

                       James R Sutton - age 55 years in 1871   -      John G Sutton -  age 71 years in 1881

                       Stephen Sutton - age 20 years  in 1841  -     George W Sutton - age 58 years in 1881

                       Thomas Sutton -  age 53 years in 1861   -     Daniel F Sutton -  age 38 years in 1871

                       Stephen J Sutton -age 19 years in 1861  -     Jarvis R Sutton - age 22 years in 1861

                      William G Sutton - age 24 years in 1871 -     Henry P Sutton - age 37 years in 1871

                       Frederick Sutton - age 33 years in 1881 -     William Sutton - age 16 years in 1871

                       Stephen Sutton -  age 43 years in 1881   -     George Sutton - age 21 years in 1871

                      Alfred G Sutton -age 29 years in 1881     -     William C Sutton - age 24 years in 1881

                      James Sutton - age 39 years in 1881        -     William W Sutton - age 24 years in 1881

                      James W Sutton - age 18 years in 1881    -     Rundall Sutton - age 23 years in 1881

 

These were Kingsdown Mariners and descended from

Stephen Sutton 1774 -1837 who was himself a mariner.

Many of the Suttons were Lifeboatmen including William Sutton who was coxswain when the Kingsdown Lifeboat station closed in January 1927

James Allen
Family

Deal Boatmen Albert Edward Wood and 2 brothers.j

Albert Edward Wood & two brothers

James Allen Family History

 

   In the old days most boatmen had nicknames and also referenced to the beach they operated from with names like. Sou'enders; Nor'enders; Walmer roaders and Donkey landers.

 

   James Allen was born in Kingsdown, his mother (maiden name Sheila Wood) was born in College Road and his father Raymond Allen was born in Ringwould, James has a long connection with Deal through several old Deal family names, including the Arnold's and Upton's; he started life on Deal beach in 1983 as a shore help for Ben Bailey, his father who was born in 1929 used to work for Doctor Bailey in the old days, when they only had one motor boat, they would tow the punts , with the anglers aboard, out to sea and drop them off, picking them up and towing them ashore later in the day.

   James Allen's Great Grandfather was Albert Edward Wood, Deal Pier Master until 1923, from which date his son Albert Wood took over; he died just after the Nora went through the pier in 1940.

 The other side of James Allen's maternal line was his Grandfather, James Taylor Wratten who had a boat called 'Lady Clara' opposite Adelaide House, this is mentioned in the book "Deal to South Africa" his son Jim Wratten was part of Tommy Upton's crew in the galley races.

   The  Allen family line has been in Deal since 1729 and had surnames of "Wood; Wratten; Allen; and Woollett" their occupations from the period ranged from; publicans; farm labourers; boatmen and boat builders, like many old Deal families records are scarce.

 James Allen's grandmother was Helen Cecilia Wratten; known on the beach as Nelsa; consequently her father named his punt 'Little Nell' after her

  The Woollett's were the millers in the big windmill on the Ringwould Straight which were there until 1935 when the windmills sweeps came off, they were not the owners but operated and ran the mill.

   James Allen's Great Grandfather was a farmer at Sutton.

Imformation supplied by James Allen

Deal Boatmen at Central parade early 1900's.

Central Parade early 1900's

Deal boat the "The Little Charm" Cat boat 1910.

James Tailor Wratten's  'Little Charm'

a Cat Boat, opposite Adelaide House

If you are from an old Deal Family and you would like
your pictures and history placed on this website
please Contact me

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