Nostalgic memories of Deal's local history
Share your own memories of Deal and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 21 - 29 of 29 in total
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 ...see more
In my young days the greater part of the Prom was crowded with fishing boats. My grandfather, Ted Smith, often purchased the whole of a boatmens' catch. An entry in his old ledger [sadly destroyed in the war] had 'a cran of herrings' for a shilling - a 'cran' was a thousand fish. These were filletted and smoked, at the rear of his premises at 3 Alfred Square, or hawked in the town and around Sandwich.
Riceman's fire was Sunday 6th October 1963. I am researching a book on Deal's shops and have been given the local newspaper for that week. The front page banner headline is "Deal store destroyed by fire." And the introduction reads "Within 90 minutes of first being spotted, fire reduced Deal's largest departmental store, Riceman's, to a jungle of twisted steel girders late on Sunday afternoon ..." A few weeks ago ...see more
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 ...see more
My family were Skinners of Deal. My mum Sheila used to work at the Regent cinema on the sea-front. I used to love being able to go & see films over & over when she as working there, (I remember seeing "The Music Man" 7 times!). Does anyone remember the little pony & trap that used to give rides to the children? It used to leave from round the entrance to the pier & go along the sea-front and back - a ...see more
My gt. grandfathers married sisters named Brothers. The three familes have been in and around Deal for centuries Gt. grandfather Maxwell was a Royal Marine, as was grandfather Piddock. My father 'Phys' Pidddock was welterweight boxing champ RM in 1925. Smiths were in the fish trade. Ted Smith had the first Fish and Shop in Deal [North side of Alfred Square] well before WW1. Grandfather Piddock had sweet shop in ...see more
How could I forget these shelters (there were two of them)? We moved to North Deal in 1954 when I was 10. The shelter at the top of Farrier Street was nearest to me - a place to stand in a storm, I practised hitting hockey balls against the concrete steps, my beloved Granny used to sit on one side and watch the sea, our tenant, in Indian Army officer (retired and without much money) used to sit in the shelter too, very ...see more
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 ...see more
About 1943 - disabled Spitfire landed 30 yards from beach opposite Golden Hind cafe and just beyond hotel on right. 3 or 4 chaps stripped off, swam out and pulled pilot from aircraft. I hope pilot survived but don't know if he did. Does anyone know?
