Old Town Characters
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In 1928, the Hastings & St Leonards Observer commenced a monthly series of character portrayals of well-known individuals of the Old Town[1]
2 - Mr. Philip Pomphrey[edit]
Everyone who has taken a stroll on a sunny morning past the Fishmarket towards Rock-a-Nore, has seen Mr. Philip Pomphrey, sitting in a sheltered corner, and puffing away at his pipe.
Aged 76, he was born in All Saints-street on a snowy April morning. He has never, except for a brief period when he went away to work, lived more than 40 feet from the place of his birth.
For two years, he served in the Hastings fishing boat "Black Bess" under the command of Mr. Charles Gallop. Fishing, boating and boat-building have occupied him most of his life, though about 20 years ago, he spent some time at Plymouth, helping to build a dam for the Great Western Railway. This was to him a great adventure[2].
3 - Mr. Thomas Betts[edit]
Memories of the palmy days of Hastings boat-building are recalled by Mr. Thomas John Betts, whose life has been devoted to the craft.
Aged 75 in August, Mr. Betts started work when 16 for Mr. Henry Kent. Thirty years ago, he set upon his own account, and has built, among others, the fishing boats "Alice", "Albert Edward", "Enterprise", "Lord Brassey", and the "Elizabeth of Brighton.
Still a batchelor, like several other of his contemoraries, Mr. Betts has lived all his life in All Saint's-street, save for 18 years spent in Queens-road.
If you draw him out, he loves to tell of the terrible gales of 1875, when rope shops in the Old Town were washed away, and three successive onslaughts of the sea struck terror into the hearts of house-holders on the sea front. Though no longer actively engaged in his trade, he still haunts the remaining boat-builders' shops, where he can be seen any day puffing away at his pipe and thinking of the boats he has built[3].
8 - Mr. Horace Harffey[edit]
"Happy Dick," otherwise Mr. Horace Harffey, despite his one eye, lives up to his name. He is proud of the fact that he is a grandfather at the age of 51, and that he has French blood in his veins, while his jokes are famous from the Lifeboat House to the Dust Destructor.
Going to sea at the age of 13, he has served in fishing craft and in small passenger steamers. Forsaking the sea for a while, he was employed for 13 years in the Corporation Electricity Dept. Fitting Shop.
When the war broke out he went mine-sweeping in the Channel, and in 1916 lost an eye through the accidental explosion of a detonator. This handicap did not prevent his sailing in the Hastings fishing fleet, both as skipper and deck hand, for several years, but he has left the sea now, and acts as general handyman to the fishing industry. He is also a lamplighter to the Corporation[4].
11. - Mr. George Haste[edit]
“He’s one of the straightest men ever I’ve known—as straight as a gun-barrel—a man you could always trust.”So said one of the most respected Hastings fishermen of Mr. George Haste, who at the age of 92 is the “father” of the Old Town.“
He’s always been very regular in his habit,” added the same man. “He always insisted on having his meals punctual to the minute, and he would have his one glass of beer and no more. If the King himself asked him to have another I don’t think he would have done.”
Perhaps this habit of self-discipline explains why Mr. Haste has only had two serious illnesses in his long life, once 37years ago when his wife died, and this spring, when he had an attack of bronchitis from which he is recovering.Sent to sea at the age of ten, Mr. Haste served his apprenticeship in the hard school provided by the luggers, which in those days sailed from Hastings to the Cornish coast or the Dogger Bank. Later he bought his own boat, the “Two Brothers”being the first, and he continued to be actively engaged as a fisherman until he left off going to sea at the age of 75.As senior fisherman, the honour of presenting the replica of the oar mace to the Prince of Wales should have been his, but he was unfortunately not well enough to do so.
Mr. Haste, who lives at 88, All Saint’s Street, has three children, seven grand-children and five great-grandchildren[5].
References & Notes
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 31 March 1928 Pg. 0006
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 7 April 1928 Pg. 0006
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 12 May 1928 Pg. 0006
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 2 June 1928 Pg. 0006
