I don’t know the date of this photograph once again, but it is before the end of the pier was lost on 29th October 1974. Although we don’t see many people collecting sea coal now it can still be seen some days on the beach. Tib Fodor remembers: “As kids, we used to collect sea coal as it was free fuel for the fire. We made paper cones, filled them with the sea coal, burn them and make toast in front of the fire! Wonderful memories!” Jayne Atkinson comments: “This is a message for Eric Johnson to whom the photograph is attributed; the three people look very much like my dad, brother and sister.“
Image courtesy of Eric Johnson, thanks to Tib Fodor for the memories and Jayne Atkinson for the update.
My Brothers and I used to Sea Coal on Skinningrove Beach; lug it all the way to Liverton Mines after dropping some at my Aunt Ada’s next to the School, just off The Square.
It was hard graft!
Our Family lived in Dormanstown, my Father worked at Dorman & Long Warrenby. I would meet him at the Halt off night shift with the sacks, a shovel and a home made rake. Then down onto the beach to gather the Sea Coal. It was a hard push home with two bags on the bike over the sand, easing once you made the roads. I recall filling the cones and my Mother called them Sea Coal “Patties” You can still you can see small amounts of the coal on the beach today, but not in the same thick layers we gathered.
This is a message for Eric Johnson to whom the photograph is attributed; the three people look very much like my dad, brother and sister. Thanks