BRIAN’S MEMORIES:
Page 1
Photo from family collection
Old Ben Lacey lived on a houseboat opposite Waldo Beales’ garage
John Beales and Pat Deane told the Hickling Local History Group a bit more about Ben Lacey.
John Beales said that old Ben Lacey - a 20 stone ex-navy man, and a good juggler - also lived here [on Staithe Road] for a while, but eventually he moved out and lived in a boat on the Staithe.
Pat Deane added:
“At the end of the Parish Staithe there was an old tarred boat about 14 feet long. It was on a grassy mound on the shore and inhabited by a retired seaman called Ben Lacy.
He lived there with his black and white mongrel called Popeye. He always wore rubber boots, a navy Guernsey and a cap. He smoked a clay pipe and walked with his stick to the garage to collect his daily paper.
Ben ended his days around 1944 and the old boat was burned.”
You can hear Pat’s memories of Ben Lacey here.
Page updated 17/5/19