20 Leigh Village and Harbour. 



In those pre-railway days Leigh was a market town. The 

 market-place was a large open space extending from the foot 

 of the hill, opposite the Ship Inn, across to the High Street 

 and right on to the beach. The area in question has since 

 been, bit by bit, encroached on. First by the railway running 

 through it where now is the cart crossing, new railway 

 bridge, signal box and adjoining ground, and portion of the 

 down platform and afterwards by erection of houses facing 

 the beach. 



At the first census taken in 1801 the entire population 

 consisted of 570 individuals. Possibly two-thirds of these 

 were fishermen and families, or others connected with maritime 

 pursuits. Census 1891 gives 2. 108 population, with about one- 

 third fishermen and families.* 



The Harbour. The inner creek-harbour and embayment 

 out to the Leigh Road during the decade end of thirties to end 

 of forties presented a different aspect to subsequent years. To 

 as far as " Clam-shell gut " there was plenty of water at all 

 states of the tide. The fishing boats, chiefly " Pink-sterns," 

 with very few " Square-sterns," were remarkably small craft, 

 the largest no more than four tons. They lay well together 

 moored anchored fore and aft close alongside the quays, and 

 as a rule used " legs " or struts to keep them upright when the 

 tide was out. They had no small boats with them to land when 

 tide was up. Each craft paid a weekly sum to a party (Mr. 

 Sam. Johnson) who kept a small flat punt for taking the crews 

 aboard and ashore each fishing trip. 



Biggish vessels, traders, coasting schooners and such like, 

 along with Alston's deep-sea oyster dredging fleet of smacks, 

 anchored at "Clam-shell gut," where the water enabled them 

 to swing freely with the tide. None of the then small fishing 

 craft anchored outside in the Kay as is now the case, and yachts 

 and yachtsmen were an unknown quantity. Instead, there 

 strutted in the street or loafed round the publicans' doors the 

 declining remnants of Norden and Camden's "lusty seamen. "f 



* Now doubled within the last 9 years. t Magna Britannia, 1720. 



