The Downs

Boatmen of The Downs
"And braver deeds than ever turned the fate of Kings and crowns Are done for England's glory by her boatmen of the Downs." Robert Southey, 1813

The rocket cleaving the midnight sky, the five-minute gun from the distant lightship, the dim surge-swept form of the wrecked vessel, are appeals for help to human ear, to which the splendid answer from the shore is, 'Man the Lifeboat!' Treanor
The names and descriptions below are taken from a number of books in the local history collection of Deal library (see notes at bottom of page). For more information, including contemporary and first-hand accounts, about the work of the early lifeboat crews in rescuing, or attempting to rescue, shipwrecked sailors in the Downs, I would urge the reader to seek out copies of these books through their local library or second-hand bookshop.

Boatman	Descriptions¹	Picture³
Simon Pritchard	A fine seaman, lost with 7 others in the wreck of the Deal lugger Reform in 1871.
T. Cottle E. Trott E. Penn J. Wilkins G. Trott W. Baker W. Middleton	Lost with Simon Pritchard attempting to effect a rescue in bad weather "a fine body of daring seamen who had taken part in many gallant rescues."
George Reynolds Bayley	Notable Channel Pilot Master of the first lugger Albion Lost at sea in 1870²	yes (1)
Henry Axon (of Walmer)	One of the last of the Channel cruisers	yes (1)
Charles Fish	Coxswain of Ramsgate lifeboat	yes (1)
William Cooper	Coxswain of Ramsgate lifeboat lifeboat crewman from the age of 19, still serving at age 52	yes (1)
William Hoile	Coxswain of the Deal lifeboat Charles Dibden	yes (1)
William Stanton	Coxswain of the Deal reserve lifeboat	yes (1)
James Pay	Coxswain of the Kingsdown lifeboat	yes (1)
Jarvist Arnold	Coxswain of the Kingsdown lifeboat	yes (1,3)
William (Bonny) Adams	Coxswain of the Deal lifeboat Charles Dibden during WW1. In charge of galley punt Hope (1889) Adams was a lifeboatman at Deal for 50 years.	yes (1)
Richard Roberts	Coxswain of North Deal lifeboat. 22 years service in 1907	yes (1,3)
John Roberts	brother of Richard
Edward Hanger	2nd Coxswain of Deal lifeboat
Harry Parker	acting coxswain of Walmer lifeboat
Will Axon	acting 2nd coxswain of Walmer lifeboat
Mackins	coxswain of Walmer lifeboat
Rev. T. Stanley Treanor	Chaplain, Missions to Seamen, Deal and the Downs	yes (2,3)
S. Wilds	bowman of galley punt used by Rev Treanor in his Mission
G. Philpott	crewman on galley punt used by Rev Treanor in his Mission
George Marsh	lost on the Goodwin Sands
Henry Marsh (Black Harry)	born around 1810	yes (2)
Bowbyas Obree Erridge Buttress	skilled boatmen lost with their boat on a fine calm day on the Goodwin Sands
Edward Young	Walmer lifeboatman drowned October 23 1896 trying to climb a rope up the steep sides of a steamer aground on the Goodwins	yes (2)
Freddy Upton	Coxswain of Walmer lifeboat Charles Dibdin. Went to sea with his father aged 10; at 15 had his own boat taking pilots on and off vessels in the Downs. Long family association with the lifeboat service; grandfather lost on the Goodwins.	yes (3,4)
George Dadd 'Lardy' Dadd	crew of Walmer lifeboat with Freddy Upton	yes (3)
Thomas Heard Harry Pearson 'Young' Dick Mercer 'Young' Joe Mercer	variously 1st or 2nd coxswains of Walmer lifeboat	yes (3)
Mr Axon Mr Axon Mr Pearson 'Old' Mr Parker 'Old' Mr Jordan 'Old' Joe Mercer	regular crew members of Walmer lifeboat	yes (3)
Henry (Harry) Meakins Charlie Pritchard David Pritchard Edward Griggs Dick Brown Tommy Baker (Jim Brown)	crew of the Deal motor boat Lady Beatty mustered on 17th March 1929 to rescue the crew of the Gull Lightship, which had sunk. Harry, Charlie and David, with Dick and his son Jim, made up the crew of the Lady Hale, which rescued a group of 20 visitors from St Margaret's bay when the village was cut off by heavy snow. Harry Meakins was landlord of the Port Arms and owner of the motor boat Lady Haigh. Once piloted the Royal Yacht in the Downs. Brothers Charlie and David Pritchard had the Skylark and the Titlark as well as various smaller boats for hiring out to visitors during the summer season.	yes (3,4)
'Cookie' Baker Budd Baker Kelly Baker	described as "three old salts"	yes (3)
Tom Adams	familiar face on Deal Beach before WW2	yes (4)
Ben Bailey	fisherman working off Deal Beach in the 1950s	yes (3)
Jack 'Spainard' May	Deal Hoveller	yes (3)
Albert Emptage	coxswain of Margate lifeboat
Mr Troughton	frequently accompanied rescuers to give first aid drowned in the capsize of the Margate surf boat Friend of all Nations
R. Smith	2nd coxswain of Margate lifeboat
W. Mackie	bowman of Margate lifeboat
J. Jones George Read R. Gilbert John Epps jnr T. Campany Walter Ladd Will Parker A. Twyman Jas. Pitcher T. Sandwell	crew members of Margate lifeboat

1. Pictures and information on this page are taken from: 1. Seamen of the Downs by George Bethel Bayley published by William Blackwood & Sons Ltd., London, 1929 2. The Cry from the Sea and the Answer from the Shore by T. Stanley Treanor published by The Religious Tract Society, London, c.1900 3. Deal in Old Photographs by June Broady published by Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester, 1989 4. Bygone Deal and Walmer by Beryl Foley-Fisher published by Phillimore, Chichester, 1989 top ... 2. The work of the Deal luggers was considered so hazardous that Lloyds would not underwrite the risk, with the result that the boatmen-owners were uninsured. top ... 3. The books contain photographs of some of the boatmen - the numbers refers to the titles as above.

Deal Index

Boatmen of The Downs