Fishermen of Hastings

Hastings is one of Britain's oldest fishing ports. Boats have worked from the beach in front of the ancient town for over a thousand years.

There are more than 25 boats, the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Britain, based on The Stade.

This project hopes to gather together the family histories of the Fishing community, perhaps building new trees to accommodate them.

If you have a connection to these families, or are interested in the subject, please join the project - you are invited to contribute in any way you can!

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If your family includes any Hastings Fishermen please add the profiles off fishermen of Hastings on Geni to this project and link their names in the list below. Names with Bold links are to Geni profiles. Non-bold links take you to other biographical web pages.

Where more than one fisherman of the same surname is known they have been added as a sub-list under the main name.

A list of Hastings Fishermen in 1623 taken from a return of "The names of the Seamen inhabiting w'thin the town and port of Hastings' dated iij April 1623, in the Public Record Office (SP. 14/142/24) is included in J. Manwaring Baines' book "Historic Hastings". The names on that list are included in the list below and marked ✔

A

• Adams
• William Aylesbury ✔
• Robert Arthur ✔
• John Austin ✔
• John Aynett ✔

B

• Ball

• John Ball ✔ Possible match
  
• William Ball Died 1559
  

• Barrey

• Mark Barrey ✔
  
• Richard Barrey ✔
  

• John Barry ✔
• Bartholomew

• Edward Bartholomew ✔
  
• Edward Bartholomew (2) ✔
  
• Robert Bartholomew ✔
  

• Barton
• Bayley

• Albert James
  
• John Bayley jun ✔
  
• John Bayley sen ✔
  
• Samuel
  

• Betts
• Marke Black ✔
• Bosam

• Henry Bosam ✔
  
• Henry Bosam (2) ✔
  
• John Bosam ✔
  
• John Bosam (2) ✔
  
• Xpofer Bosam ✔
  

• Bourne

• Peter Bourne ✔
  
• Simon Bourne ✔
  

• Boys

• John Boys ✔
  
• Simon Boys ✔
  

• Breach
• Breeds
• Bumstead

C

• Chatfield
• Chepman

• Henry Chepman ✔
  
• John Chepman son of William ✔
  
• William Chepman ✔
  

• Chowll

• James Chowll ✔
  
• John Chowll ✔
  

• Michael Cloyden ✔
• Henry Coombes ✔
• Coosens

• Richard Coosens ✔
  
• Thomas Coosens ✔
  

• John Coxe ✔
• James Crosse ✔
• Curtis

D

• Nicholas Daniell ✔
• Dighton
• Steven Duke ✔

E

• Earle

• Michael Earle ✔
  
• Moses Earle ✔
  

• Thomas Elmes ✔
• Edmunds

F

• Fawteley

• John Fawteley jun ✔
  
• John Fawteley sen
  
• John Fawteley (svt of John Meadow) ✔
  

• George Fellow ✔
• Foster
• Fullager

G

• Gawen

• Geffrey Gawen ✔
  
• John Gawen ✔
  
• John Gawen son of Geffrey ✔
  
• Richard Gawen ✔
  
• Samuel Gawen ✔ and his servant Penvocle
  
• Stephen Gawen son of Thomas ✔
  
• Thomas Gawen ✔
  
• William Gawen ✔
  
• William Gawen son of Steven ✔
  

• Gearing
• John Grygge ✔
• John Guy ✔

H

• Haddon

• Mark Haddon ✔
  
• Steven Haddon
  

• Harffey
• Haste
• Hide
• John Howlett ✔
• Hyde

• Michael Hyde (son of Richard) ✔
  

• Hyde

• John Hyde ✔
  
• Richard Hyde ✔
  

I

J

• Joy
• Joye

• John Joye sen ✔
  
• Marke Joye ✔
  
• Thomas Joye ✔
  
• Xpre Joye jun ✔
  

K

• Kent
• Thomas Kitchen ✔

L

• Lamb
• Daniel Larey ✔
• Lote

• Edward Lote ✔
  
• John Lote ✔
  

• Robert Lovell ✔
• John Lowll ✔
• John Luccas ✔
• Luckett

• James Luckett ✔
  
• John Luckett ✔
  
• Mark Luckett ✔
  
• Mark Luckett sen ✔
  
• Mark Luckett jun ✔
  

M

• John Mabb ✔
• Mann
• Martin
• John Meadow ✔
• Anthony Midimore ✔
• Mitchell

• John Mitchell sen ✔
  

• Moon
• Moore

• Mathew Moore ✔
  
• Thomas Moore ✔
  

N

• Robert Nicholas ✔

O

P

• Page

• Andrew Page ✔
  
• Thomas Page servant of Robert White ✔
  

• Palmer

• Edward Palmer ✔
  
• Henry Palmer ✔
  
• Nicholas palmer ✔
  
• Robert Palmer ✔
  
• Thomas Palmer ✔
  
• Thomas Palmer jun ✔
  
• Thomas Palmer son of Thomas ✔
  

• Richard Penvocle ✔
• Pepper
• John Perigoe ✔
• Peters
• Phillip

• John Phillip
  
• Mark Phillip ✔
  
• Robert Phillip ✔
  
• Robert Phillp sen ✔
  
• William Phillip sen ✔
  

• Phillips
• Pomphrey
• Mark Puntes ✔
• Robert Pyme ✔

Q

R

• William Reignold ✔
• Rowes

• Thomas Rowes ✔
  
• Thomas Rowes servant of William Sargent ✔
  

• Thomas Rowland ✔

S

• John Salmon ✔
• Mark Sargant jun ✔
• Sargent

• Edward Sargent ✔
  
• John Sargent sen ✔
  
• John Sargent son of John sen ✔
  
• Richard Sargent ✔
  
• Thomas Sargent son of John sen ✔
  
• William Sargent son of Edward
  

• John Sargeant jun ✔
• Sargiant

• Mark Sargiant sen ✔
  
• Mark Sargiant son of Robert ✔
  
• Robert Sargiant ✔
  
• Thomas Sargiant son of Mark ✔
  

• Robert Scott ✔
• William Seale als Gynner ✔
• Simmons
• John Smyth ✔
• John Sparrow ✔
• Edward Sparow ✔
• William Stan' ✔
• Peter Stanbynorth ✔
• John Standybnorth ✔
• Steven

• Andrew Steven ✔
  
• Henry Steven ✔
  
• John Steven ✔
  

• Stonham
• Thomas Stryde ✔
• Sutton
• Swaine

T

• Timms
• John Tompsett ✔
• Robert Tought ✔
• Henry Tyers ✔

U

V

• Veness

W

• Thomas Wales ✔
• Anthony Waters ✔
• John Whelpdale ✔
• Wheeler

• John Wheeler, son of Richard ✔
  
• Richard Wheeler ✔
  

• White

• Edward White sen ✔
  
• Mark White ✔
  
• Richard White ✔
  
• Robert White ✔
  
• Thomas White ✔
  

• Willis
• Winckfeild

• Daniel Winckfeild
  
• Peter Winckfeild
  
• Thomas Winckfeild ✔
  

• Wingfield
• Wood

• James Wood ✔
  
• Thomas Wood ✔
  

• John Woodford ✔
• Wright

• James Wright ✔
  
• Mark Wright ✔
  
• Michael Wright
  
• Robert Wright ✔
  
• Thomas Wright ✔
  

Fishermen's Nicknames

Few fishermen used their proper names, nicknames were universal. A man may have been christened Tom Smith, but few would know who that was as he would be given a nickname, sometimes arising from some event or story, and often running in the family., Thomas Adams, for instance, might belong to the 'Toller' branch of the Adams family, and so would be known as Tom Toller.

This list has been taken from J.Manwaring Baines book Historic Hastings,compiled from various lists - Page 358 Appendix III

• Adams ... Toller, Towser, Brummy, Nunkum, Civil Dick, Old Grout, Old County, Skooney, Jits.
• Ball ... Priggy, Blucher, Limpey.
• Bates ... Betty, Freezer.
• Breeds ... Tiny, Bones, Cockern, Old Beardey, Old Towser, Bobey Rucks.
• Bumstead ... Haughty, Bumper, Old Bull, Dixey, Hoyler, Tipper, Jamsey.
• Button ... Shadrock.
• Chatfield ... Pilot, Old Alex, Jack Alex, Butter Nose.
• Clark ... Squeaker, Nibbles.
• Cobby ... Tambourine jack.
• Cruttenden ... Trucks.
• Dighton ... Old Wynd.
• Edmunds ... Bonny, Dial, Old Boxer.
• Evans ... Jackdaw, Gasser, Old Pots, Old Dime.
• Foord ... Busy, Monkey.
• Fullager ... Hard Times.
• Gallop ... Old Western, Arch, Soles, Hawkey, Towser, Pungey, Doctor Dutton, whip-me-naked, Old Hat, Jack Livers, Burney, Skemer, Bullus, Wick, Little Mackerel, Linnet Dick, Old Junk, Old Mackerel, Bodkin.
• Gibbs ... Pitch, Mop, Small Bones, Rock Hunter.
• Grisbrook ... Fudge.
• Hadden ... Blow-hard.
• Hall ... Pullan.
• Haste ... Shuckum, Old Spike,, Punch, Old Grey.
• Hide ... Devil, Dick Struggles, Old Teazer.
• Hutchings ... Wiseman-in-the-East.
• Kent ... Cadge, Old Snap, Goosey, Ramson, Dirty Baker, Banky, Doey, Grockoe, Rank Butter.
• Larkins ... Baiter, Champo.
• Mann ... Whymy, Hoblehooe, Gammy, Didloe, Rainer, Padey, Boiler, Readymade, Old Amon, Yafler, Old Diamond, Cruety, Greens, Muggens, Old bangers, Dolly, Old tar, Mingey.
• Martin ... Mushy, Buffalo, Dry Eyes.
• Maycock ... Snotty Dick.
• Mitchell ... Quid, Quiddy.
• Moore ... Gowens.
• Page ... Jack Mouse, Gim Mouse, Fretfull, Nick, Bullet, Slow, Stockings.
• Peters ... Shanter, Jack tar, Barlow.
• Phillips ... Surley Dick, Surley Will, Scotchy, Chub, Old Duke, Gunners, Dongate.
• Pomphrey ... Gentleman Teg, Tedey.
• Ransom ... Beadle.
• Richardson ... Mux.
• Riddle ... Slenderman.
• Rolfe ... Rushes
• Salmon ... Old Beltman, Penny Dog.
• Sargent ... Bounce.
• Simmons ... Chummy.
• Smith ... Cribb.
• Stevens ... Togman.
• Stonham ... Sasa, Tuppey, Cuckoo, Jacob.
• Streeter ... Banjo.
• Sutton ... Lawyer, Coaly, Jerry, Guineapig, Licksnot, Gobler, Lily Boot.
• Swaine ... Snatcher, Bushel, Bonny, Cockbird, Rattler.
• Tassell ... Curly, Rum Cheese, Wadgell, Live reve, hado, Reefer.
• Taught ... Curly, Lightfoot, Toot.
• Upton ... Brisher, Burdett.
• Veness ... Bungey.
• Wakeford ... Old Toss
• Waters ... Trump, Old Blade, Pusser.
• White ... Galyass, Codey, Mother's Baby, Yellowlegs, Weazel, Clipper, Hard-pudding, Jack, Hold Her Mother, Two Cock, My Uncle, Long Cock, Shiner, Cruty, Cod, Snowball, Bant, Tank, Old Boss.
• Willis ... Tit, Bones.
• Wingfield ... Clorpork.
• Wood ...Loskins, Embow

Resources

• Hastings Winkle Club
• Hastings Fisherman's Protection Society
• Fishermen of Hastings, 200 Years of the Hastings Fishing Community Publication: Gresley Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea, News Books, 1985 ISBN: 0951070606
• Historic Hastings - A tapestry of Life - J. Manwaring Baines F.S.A

this project is in History Link