Aspects of Kentish Local History

   "We the Parishioners of Deale whose names are under written do acknowledge Mr Henry Gerard to be opprest in his poor Assesmt and are willing to abate him 10s pr Assesmt: wch: before amounted to 1£: 10s Dated ye 8th of May 1696"
   Will Boys Deputy                       Arthur Wallinger
   Tho Horne    }                           Richard Neale
   James Neale } churchwardens   Abra: AH Hudson
   Dudley St Leger                         Edward Hosellwood
   Tob. Bowles                              Richard Ciss
   Gab Millison                              William Wihthead
   Jeffery Saffery                            John Pickle
   Will Ockman                             Thomas ffox
   John Pye                                    Will Birch
   Tho: Pye                                    John Bone
   Samll ffasham                             Jnº Smith
   Jos: Lane                                    Geo Hulk
   Jos: Nicholl                                 Antho Bowes
   Robt Hughes                              John Carter
   Cha: Whiing (a "t" left out)          Will Mumbray
   John Lee                                    John Middelton
   Tho: Brothers                             Henry Parsons
   Robert Jefry                                       ??  his mark
   John Wildes                                John Scarlett
   John Mount Travers                    Wm Snoad
   Robert Wood                                    his mark
   Edw Soles                                  Seemery Banes
         his mark                               William Cobb
   John Underdown                        Danll Denne

   "Wee Whose names are under written Parishioners of
   Deale do allow to reimburst Mr Boys Deputy as also
   other Ensuing Deputyes their Incident Charges Dated ye
   8th of May 1696 And (erased) ye Sd reimbirstment to
   be allowed out of ye Poor Assesmts: not exceeding ye
   sum of eight Pounds Part whereof is towards
   ye Treating ye Goverr. of Dover Castle
                                 (Signed) Henry Gerard Rector"
and thirty parishioners, all of whose names occur in the previous list.

   The sub-parish of St. George's had its beginning, with its Chapel, through the great commercial and naval activity which centred in the shipping making use of the roadstead of The Downs from the latter part of the seventeenth century. Ships were becoming more seaworthy, Henry VIII's coast-defence forts were giving a certain amount of protection, and Sandwich, up a winding tidal river, was useless for vessels running for shelter, or for immediate supplies by the ships' chandlers and the bum-boat women. Hence there was a rapid increase in Deal's population on the shingle ridge and immediately behind; still seen in the many late seventeenth century brick houses in Lower Deal.^{1
   1} See Dr. F. W. Hardman, "The Sea Valley of Deal", Arch. Cant., L (1938) pp. 50-59.