Picture of quayside flour men explained
SUPPORTING the theory that it pays to advertise, there was one vital response to the request for an explanation of the photo of the flour men somewhere on the quayside.
My informant from Telscombe Cliffs (and the son of a Newhavener whose father was born at Tidemills) had the recollection that the railway uniformed man was a Mr Gutsell, the harbour master Reg Cardy.
The occasion it seems was a matter of praise for the war time abilities of Mr Gutsell who it appears had an uncanny ability to recognise the sound and sight of an enemy plane which might have evil intentions around the harbour area, which was always a possible target, the marine workshops being a likelihood. Naval craft were serviced there.
Mr Gutsell it seems was invested with a whistle with which he could indicate possible danger resulting in the workers seeking urgent cover.
It is assumed the war is now over and Mr Gutsell is being awarded the grateful thanks for his service by none other than the very boss of the Southern Region based at Southampton, none other than Eustace Missenden. Later knighted. (That name I well remember from the base of signs around the harbour, what may or may not be permitted).
The other gent in a grey trilby is thought to be the bosses accomplice for the event. Thanks Ted for your contribution. Any other source of information would be appreciated.
Picture No 1 is a fine air view of our town and port, sometime after 1964, at the ramp is one of the twins of the first French car ferries here, the first being the Villandry of that year.
The East Quay, still boasts all the wonderful warehouses from the 1880s, better known as The Sheds.
The continental platform is in good condition with a shunting track close by. The harbour dredger is hard at work, but no sign of our tug, the Meeching, probably at sea, to empty a filled mud barge.
Although not yet back into use, the latest news from the Kent Thames backwater is that she is still being improved and looks surprisingly smart. What a fine sweep of the ever enlarging Cresta Marine, no sign of a yacht club yet, (later the Villa Andriana) but what there was had been developed on the grass bottom left.
Moving along towards the Rec is a private boat house, that appears to be positioned exactly as was the famous old Ark House, which was positioned there when it arrived from Rye in the early 1800s. It was a wooden barge, onto which was built two semi detached wooden houses with slate roofs. Bedrooms were in the hull, with windows only facing SE.
Lived in until the last war. There you had a mix of cafe, sweet shop, fish bate, ice cream and if you wanted to imagine smugglers gathering there, a very romantic spot. Suffered badly from the war time big explosion on the shingle beach, it was later demolished.
Photos of it in its heyday – at museum. It must have been positioned there before the bank enclosing Sleepers Hole was built, because the small bridge which was enclosed was too low to have enabled passage for the barge. Timbers – Sleepers, used for harbour and pier construction, were pickled there, in rafts, before railways were invented.
Note the Sheffield Hotel and the Air-Sea Rescue base in Huggets Field.
Beyond the Catholic Church in Fort Road, in the trees, is a minute vertical white triangle.
Picture No 2 the rear of the house Lorraine, site of now fire station, with white turret is seen. Near, a small glass house, a cutting from there still fills my greenhouse with black grapes. On the river wall to the left, in a corrugated shed, are the offices of the famous shipping agents J H Bull & Co.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Lewes
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
