HARBOUR DOCK PERMITS -- WW1
Two permits issued to local people
By John Hills
My grandparents Charles and Mary Collington were both born in Newhaven in 1877 and 1880 respectively. Charles was born in 4 Catts Cottages on Denton Island, the cottage would have stood about where the new bridge joins Denton Island today, and Mary in 68 Lewes Road, Newhaven the first of 11 children born to Joseph and Jane Pittam.
Charles and Mary married in St Leonards Church, Denton in 1901 and together ran a wet fish shop at 19 Chapel Street (at the time these permits were issued) and later they became publicans of the The Volunteer Inn, 1 South Road, Newhaven. Finally moving to 18 South Road and went back into the trade they loved, a Wet and Fried fish shop until they retired in 1955.
Charles and Mary would have needed the permits to enable them to meet the early morning train and collect the wooden boxes containing iced fish, sent down from Grimsby overnight. With 20 or more boxes onboard a large hand-cart Mary would push the hand-cart from the town train station up to their Chapel Street shop.
Interestingly in Mary's permit book (page 8-9) an entry can be seen for the port of Dover, this I believe was to meet her younger brother Joseph Pittam when he was repatriated with other wounded soldiers - sadly he later died from his injuries. His name together with the other members of the parish killed in World War 1 is inscribed on a stone plaque in St Leonards Church, Denton.
Mary's Permit book Page 1
© Hills private collection
Pages 2 - 3
© Hills private collection
Pages 4 - 5
© Hills private collection
Pages 8 - 9
© Hills private collection
Charles Permit book Page 1
© Hills private collection
Pages 2 - 3
© Hills private collection
Pages 4 - 5
© Hills private collection