The oldest ‘harbour duck’

On Wednesday, February 22, Jeffrey celebrated his ninety-fifth birthday.

He is the oldest ‘harbour duck’ in Rye Harbour. This term refers to those people who have been born in the Harbour. Initially the people of Rye used it as a slur but the residents of the village took it to their hearts and now consider it a term of endearment.

Jer, as he is known by his family, was interviewed by his son Mick and daughter-in-law Sheila, so that his recollections could be recorded and archived for future generations.

What are your earliest memories of being in Rye Harbour?
“Being flooded. This was early ‘30’s and I was about two at the time. I was born in 1928 and I remember my father with gum boots on in the garden and the cellar was all flooded.
Also, we never had any electricity down here in the Harbour till 1933. I remember paraffin lamps with their very strong smell.

“We were all born at Belgrave Cottage on the main road and I lived there till I got married.
I had six brothers and one sister.” (Sheila laughed and said: “You got that right!”)

What games did you play as a child?
“We used to play mainly on the road as there were only three cars in the village. We had metal wheels and would wheel them along with a stick. We used to play with tops but we had to be careful. I don’t think we broke any windows.”

Who had the first car?
“Mr Tonbridge, who owned the Red hut, he had two. And some of the shopkeepers had one, including the Watson’s.”

What things do you miss from the old days?
“I think the freedom of being able to go anywhere we liked as children. One of the worse things is being crowded with visitors: we are, after all, a very small village. It has changed a great deal.”

What helped you achieve the grand old age of ninety-five?
“Probably diet. When I was growing up there was nothing processed, nothing posh. No chocolates or sweets, you just relied on the meals that your mother provided which were all home-grown and fresh. People kept pigs at the allotment too; we were as self-sufficient as we could be.”

What jobs did you do during your working life?
(Sharp intake of breath!) “My first job was with Jack, my brother, and we painted barges in one school holidays. After school started, an apprenticeship at a garage at Monkbretton Bridge. I wasn’t there long as the fishing started up with the little boats and there was big money in it in those days. There weren’t many cars anyway.

“I left fishing after ten years, in 1952. I gave it up because it was difficult to get a mate to come along with me as most people were going out on their own and I started courting and I needed a stable salary. Then I went Spun Concrete for two years as Deidre worked in the office there. During the winter when things were slack they stood us down so it wasn’t a job that was good for a married man. I went to work with a small building firm in Rye, Chapman Builders, and then I got a job at the oil refinery. They were hard times.”

Jer has so many more stories of growing up in Rye harbour and wonderful memories of times gone by. Perhaps we can persuade him to share some more.

Image Credits: Sheila Caister .