Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
Video: fisherman Johnny Doughty leads a rollocking Rye pub singalong – and big changes in boatbuilding
Old Johnny was an extraordinary character. But this YouTube has me wondering: however did he keep his hat on?
My thanks to Nick Dow for tipping me off about this.
Brilliant but a long way from home. Johnny was a Brighton fisherman, folk singer and story teller. The fishing boats are still on display, including a smoke house, at the hard on Brighton Beach between the two piers. They still sell fresh caught fish there. That’s where Johnny had his quarters.
Wasn’t he also a ferryman at Rye Harbour? There used to be what I took to be a photo of him on the wall in the pub there. I don’t know whether it’s still there…
A great find. Looks a real character!
He was a Gasson family friend – I met him in that setting.
He was my husband great uncle Jack
Brilliant but a long way from home. Johnny was a Brighton fisherman, folk singer and story teller. The fishing boats are still on display, including a smoke house, at the hard on Brighton Beach between the two piers. They still sell fresh caught fish there. That’s where Johnny had his quarters.
Wasn’t he also a ferryman at Rye Harbour? There used to be what I took to be a photo of him on the wall in the pub there. I don’t know whether it’s still there…