In 1861 Edward Allchorn, a fisherman, reasoned that as it was becoming fashionable to holiday at the coast, it would probably be more profitable to take visitors for trips along the coast during the summer months, rather than continue fishing at this time. Thus the pleasure boat business begun in Eastbourne.

Commencing with a large sailing lugger named 'Skylark', and a number of rowing boats, situated on the site of the present boatstand on Grand Parade, he went boating during the summer and returned to fishing during the winter, aided of course, by his family among whom was his son William, after whom the current largest boat is named.

The Allchorn family are of original Sussex and Kentish stock, the heart of the Sussex Allchorns appears to be around Rotherfield, where old records and graves testify to their standing in the area. Many graves carry Christian names, which have been perpetuated unknowingly down through the years to the present day. One Thomas Allchorn, who held one of the manors of Eastbourne, was made High Sheriff of Sussex in 1701. The family were landowners and farmers but legend has it that after a row, there was a split and one branch turned from the land to the sea. It is also said that the aforementioned manor of Eastbourne was taken from the family as punishment for the smuggling activities of this branch of the family.

Coming back to more recent times, with the advent of railways giving easy access to the coast, business increased and other boats were purchased, the sailing smack 'Golden City' being one of them. Shortly after this the first of the early small marine engines made their appearance and, although not very reliable, they enabled the boats to work in calm conditions, whereas sailing vessels remained immobile.

The First World War did little to affect trade; apart from the fact the sons were in the armed forces, with older members of the community being brought in to take their place until hostilities were over. The eldest son, George, was killed at Gallipoli and his brother William was wounded whilst fighting with the Royal Naval Division, but the others came through unscathed and had soon settled back into the business. A decision was then made to have more boats built and Tom Sisk, a local boat builder with premises in Beach Road (where Blount Aerials now are), was engaged to build two motor boats, 'Eastbourne Belle' and 'Skylark'. A third boat, 'Enchantress', too big for the premises of Tom Sisk, was built by W. Prangnell and Sons in their premises on the foreshore just west of the Life boat House.

The lifeboat has figured prominently in the family with a fair percentage of them in the crew in years gone by, with Edward Allchorn being awarded a silver medal back in the old pulling and sailing days. His grandson Tom, being awarded a bronze medal and clasp in more recent times.

The boats, at one time, were hauled out of the water onto the shore at the boatstand on Grand Parade each night. At first this was done by hand winches and later on by motor winches, and this continued right up into the 1960's until increasing vandalism forced us to either anchor the boats off at night, or put them ashore at our winter quarters at the Fishing Station if the weather was inclement- no harbour in those days!

The working day was a lot longer during the '20's and '30's, starting at 8am and often continuing until dusk on fine summer evenings. Then there were the early morning 'shouts', when low water in the morning prevented the boats being launched. The first 'shout' was at 4.30am, then progressively later by half an hour each day until normal launch times at 8.00am were reached. The boats were anchored off the boatstand and the crews brought ashore by rowing boat. Then, if you were lucky, it was back home for another hour or so in bed on the earlier 'shouts'.

The passengers were ferried out to the boats in large rowing boats during periods of low water, each boat carrying a dozen passengers or more, who were as often as not 'piggy-backed' to and from these boats. In our younger days we would quite often, on hot days, wade out, pushing the ferryboat before us, to the anchored motorboat. There were very few days in any case, when we came home dry footed.

The 1939 season, despite the looming threat of war, was little different from the preceding year, and the boats were overhauled and refitted as usual, all ready for the next season, but the German Blitzkrieg through the low countries and France brought the world of normality to a close and, with our forces trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk, an urgent call was sent along the coast for all small craft capable of carrying passengers to proceed to Dover forthwith. So 'Enchantress' and 'Eastbourne Belle' were launched and, in the company of a variety of other boats, they set course for the Dover Strait. Upon arrival the boats were taken over by naval personal and our men sent home. It was not until things became desperate shortly afterwards that boat owners took their boats across themselves. Another factor soon realised was that owners understood the idiosyncrasies of their own craft and engines.

Unfortunately we were one boat short when they eventually returned, 'Enchantress' having been sunk off the beaches when a bomb landed close alongside. It was only around a week later when the call came yet again, this time for boats to be taken to Newhaven where they were towed across the Channel, with their own crews this time, to St Valery en Caux, where the Fighting 51st Highland Division were trapped on the beaches. The Germans were already on the cliff tops above however, and our boats were unable to approach the shore even at night.

Once home again, the boats were hauled into their winter quarters, well away from the sea, and there they remained until 1945 when they were put back into service for the first post war season. All the fishermen and boatmen meanwhile, along with others, were engaged in building a double row of 'dragons teeth' along the shore from the Redoubt to Hastings. Beaches were mined and strewn with barbed wire and all boating activities ceased, apart from a restricted amount of fishing. Troops were once again manning the Redoubt, a six-inch naval gun was installed in a fortification at the Wish Tower, and the coast was declared a restricted area in that September, with invasion deemed imminent, the civilian population were asked to leave, and pleasure boating was shut down for four and half long years.

William Allchorn & Sons, following the death of William in 1935, had now become Allchorn Brothers, with five of his sons (he had eleven children in all), William - (Merrylegs), Fred - (Chesel), Jack - (Mizaire), Albert - (Sam), and Tom, who for some reason never acquired a nickname. With the war now over, a start was made to get the business up and running again. Commodities and materials of all descriptions were in very short supply, a fuel allocation had to be obtained, boats overhauled and certificates applied for, but despite all these difficulties, in early June the first post war trip left for the lighthouse. This was the start of what was to prove a very busy time for all those engaged in what is now known as the tourist trade. People, sick and tired of five years of hardship and restrictions, not to mention the attendant dangers and misery, suddenly felt free once more to take up their lives again. To the vast majority, that meant a holiday at the seaside. They had received their post war gratuities, but, with little in the shops to spend it on, they descended on such seaside amenities as were available with a vengeance and the boating fraternity thus enjoyed several halcyon years.

In 1948 a new 'Enchantress' was built by Cantells of Newhaven, compensation having been received for the loss of the original one. This was followed by the launch in July 1950 of the 'William Allchorn', again by Cantells. She was the biggest pleasure boat to have worked off the beach, and so unsure of their ability to haul her ashore were they, that for several weeks she was taken back to Newhaven each night. However, once a suitable winch had been obtained and the beach levelled off to a smooth slope, she soon proved as easy, if not easier, than the smaller boats. Indeed, in my rasher younger days, when I knew it all, I have launched and recovered her single-handed which, upon reflection, is not something I would recommend. We did three main trips in those days, the Circular Cruise-90 minutes, Beachy Head and the Lighthouse - 45 minutes and a Channel Trip - 30 minutes. The Circular Cruise was at 10.30 each morning, and at 2.30 each afternoon early and late in the season, Beachy Head trips at 30-minute intervals throughout the day, and the Channel trips occasionally as a 'fill in', usually at .the end of the day.

Once D.U.K.W's came on the scene, during the mid to late 1950's, life became much easier, principally at low water time when passengers could be moved with ease, and in larger numbers, to the boats. No more sloshing about in the water
for us, and much more convenient for the passengers. The ramp, which used to be towed to and from the seafront by boat, was now towed along the sand at low water instead, and the runplanks, which used to be pushed individually to the seafront along the promenade in the early days, could now be taken up across the back of the D.U.K.W.

Trade quietened down as the years progressed and in 1964 Sayers Brothers, our competitors closed down and we bought them out, selling off their largest boat 'Eastbourne Queen', and retaining the 'Southern Queen', which, after an extensive refit we put back into service in July 1965. We sold off the 'Enchantress' a year or so later, which left us with the ideal combination of two large boats, six hands, two ashore and four afloat.

My father, Albert - (Sam), had taken over the business which he passed on to my brother Colin and myself, it thus remaining Allchorn Brothers and it remained so until Colin pulled out in 1990 when it acquired its current title. This, of course, meant an increase in the winter workload, for I had always done the engineering maintenance while he, very capably attended to all the woodworking matters. Advancing years, coupled with this extra workload, and a lot of new and costly regulations, due to come into force shortly, led to the prospect of retirement becoming rather attractive. So, in 1996, after forty-five years, I called it a day, sold the business, and left, looking forward to now having time to indulge my hobbies and interests.

With hindsight, what I miss most is the men I worked with, a good crowd of blokes, loyal, trustworthy, and more than a little capable, many of whom came back to us year after year. I feel proud to call them all friends, and, as you can imagine, there's always something to yarn about when we get together.

Brian Allchorn, May 2003