by Tessa Gibson

Philip Heal and his family were a prominent in the village. He was born in Brixham in about 1845 and moved to Higher Street in Kingswear after his marriage to a local girl Mary Jane Binham in 1864. His first son Philip Henry was born in Kingswear in 1865 and two years later Frederick William was born in 1867 but died a year later. Then there was Frederick Charles in 1869 followed three more sons and two daughters.

Mary Jane died in 1880 and Philip remarried in 1881 to Mary Ann Matthews and went on to have two more sons who included Charles born in April 1882. Now the family lived at Brookhill Cottage where Philip was employed as a gardener. He was buried in Kingswear cemetery in 1938.

Son Frederick married Elizabeth and they had three children but unfortunately they lost the only son Alfred in tragic circumstance when he drowned while playing on Lincoln Steps (now known as Toft Quay) aged 4 years and four months. At this time Frederick was working for Nathaniel Baker at Butts Hill Kingswear.

Later Frederick became a partner in the lower ferry with Tom Casey. They immediately ordered a new tug to be built by Philip shipyard. She was named Hauley. This name is still used today. Frederick was listed as ferry leasee in Kelly’s directory from 1906 but ended in 1925 when their lease was not renewed by the GWR. There was great sadness that Casey and Heal were not running the ferry anymore.

Brother Charles became the local postmaster and barber at The Square and had been known while shaving a gentleman to suddenly leave his customer half shaved and go to Kingswear Court or other or other big houses to deliver a telegram. Customers got fed up with waiting and would finish the job themselves. He also found time to be the church verger.