Read for ou h We at he r . y R g . T H E OY ST E R D R E D G E R S A B L E WH IT ST . V D E N OLLA D O E N C R . ’ the sa nction ' of the l zts ta ble lS/z e f Com a n y p y . i nnhnn O E H CO A RD J S P LL , A R W CEI I ING R SS R A G W C C . L ASS H S E T R EE 4 3 O O D , . ; 45 O U S T , . 2 I H F I EL T R E ET CA M R I G E CI R US W 4 L TC D S , B D C C . 1 90 2 . P R I GH C O Y T . ’ Ent e ed a t Statio ne r s H a ll "r . ) P R E F A C E . ‘ V ery little is really known of the history and s urrou ndings of the fishermen whose lives ar e spent in a W ab c ultiv ting th e hitst le oyster . I e e far t is, tru th y do not have to seek their living from and ea ar e home , for that r son not shrouded in quite so ‘ much romantic mystery as their brethren of the herring Y e e sea . e t fl et , or th "deep trawler the dredger , who a fe w the works along miles of coast , frequently encounters ' a m h e lin his live l a as s uc p ri y sm ck , those who have m e and a to face it in deep r water larger bo ts . This small v olume lays no claim to being an exh a ustive a W t e ccount of the hi stabl industry, though it may, n r ad d a little e ar e pe haps, fr sh information for those who n e d a i ter sted in oysters, an more especially i n the Roy l W ’ e a . e ar . My thanks speci lly due to Mr H Reev s , " ' ’ ' f Whitstab 1e fo r a o as o , ne rly ph tographs used A CO R o . D . L LA , 8 Bu cki ngham Street , Strand , W C London , . L IST OF IL L U ST RA T ION S FRONTI S PIECE Whit st ab l e Bay a nd H a r b o ur The Wh t st ab e o e s i l Sl p . S o m e o ld r e ma ins o n the B each Pl ea se R e memb er the G ro tter A b it o f o ld Whitst ab le A m odern co rner o f Whit sta b l e I sle o f She ppey a nd River Swa l e andm ar R ecu lver To wers . A L k A vestige o f the River Wa ntsu m e ' A a nt s Ch rch Wh t st ab le ll S i u , i e a sa te r C r ch W tst a b e S l hu , hi l Tr ade Mark a nd S ea l s The Fl e e t at Anchor S pa t o n Oyst er She ll n a The Be a nd Oar Old I nsig i . ll The tr e et Wh t st ab e S , i l “ The Ke nti sh H oy G o od I nt e nt ’ A Flatsman s Ge ar ' The R oyal Vvhitsta b le N a tive Oyst er ’ ' z A N ative Oyst er . Ostr ea E a d z s “ ” A Po r tugue se Sho eho r n Oyst er C ulling Oyster s A Yawl b e ing t owed o u t Dredge s on the r ail L anding Oyst er s Butto n Oyst ers The B eehi ve Spa t Coll ecto r te B r oo d at &c. Oys r , S p , Br ingi ng Oyst er s a sho r e ’ The Co mpany s S to r e s as seen fro m the B each The Lice nse o f Mor tmai n Shifti ng Oyst er s fr o m b oa t t o b oat ’ The C o mpany s S t or e a nd Office s LI ST O F IL LU STR A TI O NS . Old S to re Ro o m fewering Oyste rs i nto Pi t ou t o f Pi t ' s H all A Whit sta bl e Ya wl Co mi ng H o me Culling o u t Oyst ers in S tore 0 0 S a mian Ware fro m Puddi ng Pa n Rock T o o we H em e Ba A and a e C c . m r h l k T r, y L k A a ndm a ill . L rk andm a Borsta l Mill . A L rk Carryi ng Oyste rs u p the b each T H E OY ST E R A N D D R E D G E R S E WH IT T B L O S A E . Dotted round the coast of Great Britain ar e ‘ r o ns many small towns , which from being me e T w . " fishing villages have gradually developed into ma co astin r s ll ports for g vessels , as well as summer resorts fo a T O r j ded town dwellers . all Outward appearance the esidents ' b Of in diffe r e nce to wa r d s may exhi it an air visitors , though as a matter Of fact their arrival each summer is hailed with real c Of b lw pleasure , for it is the ause much ustle and profit fo lo invi o ing , probably , a very dull winter . To most visitors the g w r f rating sea air and ate are su ficient attraction , but there are others who seiz e the Opportunity of searching out all the interesting and historical places to be found in the neigh b ttrhOOd n Of e O . I deed the resourceful residents some seasid places seem to possess quite a genius for mapping out trips , r w e by land o water , to remarkable places , hich before , wer ‘ a alm o st u n wo r th Of loc lly considered y existence , and the w r guide books teem ith advice and assistance to the travelle . I t must be confessed that some Of these m od ernised seaside towns are in themselves not particularly attractive or K a historical , causing a ent coast resident once to m ke the r W can surprising rema k , hat you expect with land only on one side a nd se a water on the other I n spite Of the gu ide ' b k i at W the oo not be ng very much in evidence hitstable , locality is one around which many thrilling events have I I ' O in E i v r n - ccurred nglish h story, and isito s eed never spend d a e r e i le moments there if ctivity is pr fe red to eas , for intel li e nt of a e as ' a cce ss g enquiry will reveal no end p l ces of y , C ese r worth visiting , of which anterbury alone d rves mo e e K t h than one pilgrimage , and if rurally inclined , th en is a h woods , lanes , orch rds and op grounds are always beautiful . The impression that a first glimpse of fi t “ W i a hitstable leaves on the m nd is , perh ps , I?l s e f a i h r tha of a bustling, thriving, h rdwork ng é igt ab e . t e fishing town , thoroughly and legitimat ly a its - l i bsorbed in own well being , and not who ly gnorant of The Wh its t le l e a b S op s . a its import nce . The smallness of the Older houses near the ' ' S a a and a hore is lso feature , some of t he w e athe r b oard e d cottages rather remind one of little D utch residences in a u ' H oll nd , tho gh the former are not treated to quite so 1 2 w a W a e the ere o much hite p int . hitst ble do s not possess st e a r an typ d front promen de , though f om artistic point of v a e Of . a s iew this is no loss , for the irregul r lin quaint cott ge l S om e o d rem a ins o n t he Beach . ’ and S i er at e a a h e hipbu ld s sheds th he d of the be c , th har r w a bou closely packed ith s iling vessels, and the stocks h r h . u r r a r ar e on the s o e w ich support vessels nde going ep i , allm and u ost interesting picturesq e . Another point which will not esc ape a Pleas e a a 18 r e m em b e r str nger s ttention , the absence of empty t h e e w e e e ” oyst r shells, hich might b exp ct d in G r ott e r .