Deal, High Street c1955

Deal High Street - the other end!

I spent my youth with my family "above the shop" in Deal High Street.  My father, Morris Orchard, first worked in, then inherited, the family shoe shop, which had been in business since my great grandfather's time.  In those days it was F. H. Orchard and Son, Bespoke Bootmaker - we still had stationery lying around with his name on it, and out the back we had the workshop, still with old tools, bits of leather and so on. It passed to my grandfather, M. H. Orchard, whom I remember as a very gruff, frightening old man, who had been injured in the First World War and only got around with difficulty. My father Morris lived his whole life over the shop, except for his war service, his parents moving out after his marriage to Peggy, a library assistant (he proposed on a library reservation card!).  I was born in December 1949, my sister Nic in 1952, and my brother Adrian some time later in 1958. We all attended the parochial school on London Road, headmaster Mr Scholl.  We were allowed out on our own around town from the age of about 7 - I remember being charged with taking my sister to school when she started.   
My sister and I were known by all the other shopkeepers in the High Street. We had a nightly ritual of waving to the jeweller across the street as he put up his shutters. Shining into our bedroom from across the road was a gas street lamp, automated, but regularly manually cleaned.
We were given a day off school, but first had to stand outside and wave a flag, in 1958 when Prince Philip arrived to open the new pier.
Another great memory is seeing the last steam train go through Deal, I think I was 10. We were, of course, standing on the footbridge, to wave to the engine driver, and get covered in smoke.
Some of the other shops and institutions that impinged on our lives:
Kings the toy store.
Meesons, the sweet shop.
Woolworths, next door.
The National Savings Bank, where we saved our pocket money.
The roundabout and later crazy golf, on the seafront, for good behaviour.
The pier, with its old-fashioned penny slot machines - we loved the one where the graves opened and the skeletons looked out.
The Guinness clock, each summer - a large open-air clock with moving mechanical figures - action each quarter hour, just time to get an ice-cream between each quarter's show.
The Regatta - sailing and rowing races for the adults, children's sports on the green,  Forrest's Fun Fair, which is those days was on the sea front in the North End, and best of all, the carnival procession, which came right beneath our windows.

I was born in the shop on left hand side, White Fuller (Kent)

The shop on left hand side is White Fuller (Kent) Ltd, 68 High Street, Deal. My father, Cecil Prime, was the owner. Our mother, Phyllis, my brother John Prime and myself lived there. John and I were both born there he in 1948 and myself in 1947. We spent all our formative years here. I have been looking for photos of this building to include in a memory book for my brother's birthday. If there are any other photos around from 1947-1960 I would be interested. John joined the Royal Navy and retired as a Commander and now lives in Portsmouth. I worked at Pfizer, married David Wellard, moved to Hong Kong in 1972 and then to New York State in 1977. We retired to Florida in 1999. The building next door was Brown and Phillips.

Deal Railway Station

I moved to Deal when I was 3. We lived in a house owned by the railway in the station approach. My father was linesman on the railway. I went to the parochial school on London Road. The Headmaster was Mr Scholl and my teacher, Mr Rose. My father's name was Ernest Turner and my mother's was Lily. Her maiden name was Skinner. I had a brother called Brian. On leaving school I worked in Riceman's and also the sweet shop in London Road. It was owned by a Mr Corcoran. He also had one in South Street opposite the bus office where I later worked until I got married in 1962. I can remember a small garage being next door and think it was called Bourners. Opposite the station was a coal yard with an office. Freddie Wisdom (brother of Norman) worked in there. Next door to that the Eagle Tavern. Near the railway fence was a small cafe/cabin that sold hot drinks etc and think it was run by a Mr Vic Boar. He had 2 daughters, Sheila and Valerie. At the north end of Deal I can remember a roller skating rink, and also a place to play Bingo. I used to go with my mum and if you won you got a token. The more tokens you could get, the better the prize you could pick. My mother's family lived in Northwall Road. They were a large family, Gert, Nellie, Win, George, Fred, Sonny (he worked in Jobs in West Street), Lily (my mum) and I think one died. The wife of Fred is still in the same house in that road. Gert and I think Win worked in Lamberts Laundry for years. I can remember the photographer on the seafront and also a boat that did day trips to Clacton-on-Sea from the end of the pier. I married David Maxwell in 1962. His parents lived in Palmerstone Avenue, Marjorie and Monty Maxwell. We retired to Spain in 1994 and returned 4 years ago. We spent 6 months back in Deal and loved it but now live in Lincolnshire to be nearer our daughters. We do get back now and again but not often enough.