Anthony Deane

Biographical synthesis
Anthony Deane (b. ca. 1632; d. ?). Shipwright.

"Hee hath lived above twenty yeeres at Greenwich aforesaid, and hath for 13 yeeres of that space used his trade of a shipwright in the way of getting his livelihood".

Evidence from High Court of Admiralty
Twenty-five year old Anthony Deane deposed on May 11th 1657. He was examined on a libel in the case of "Ewen against Prior".

The case concerned alleged damage to a ballast wharf owned by Mrs Ewen, and earlier by her now deceased husband, at Greenwich. The damage was allegedly caused by the excavation of gravel by men under orders from Richard Prior.

Anthony Deane stated that Richard Prior was a "low waterma by common repute". Deane had lived near Mrs Ewen's wharf in greenwich and had seen lighters near the wharf and banks belonging to Mrs Ewens taking up ballast. The people excavating the ballast had made "diverse and sundrie greate pits or holes, neere the shore and wharfe and bancks aforesaid, some of which pits or holes were and are foure foote deep at the least, which hee knoweth because hee this deponent hath measured severall of them, and found them soe deep, and that within eight rodds of the said wharfe and bancks. And saith there are diverse and sundry hills raised betweene the said pitts or holes by reason of such digging and taking up gravell or ballast, for that by meanes of the said hills, it is dangerous for shipps, boates and other vessells to passe, and come neere the said wharfe".

Three months back a lighter belonging to Mr Prior had been arrested. Prior subsequently bailed the vessel. The lighter which was arrested had in the full view of Anthony Deane been taking up gravel in and around the holes near the wharf and banks.

The damage was considerable. "By reason of the said digging or taking of gravell or ballast and making holes as aforesaid, the bancks of the said Mris Ewen her wharfe have broken and fallen or calved in". In consequence, Mrs Ewens had been put to the expense of continual repairs to the wharf. Anthony Deane claimed "hee hath bin and is, having daily (saving Sabbath and feaste dayes) three a foure men at worke in the said repaire of this deponents sight for two monethes together last, and frequently before; and much boarding, timber and other materialls have bin spent and imployed thereabout, and as the common report goeth, shee the said Mary hath spent and laid out foure hundred pounds therein within theise seaven yeares last, and of this deponents knowledge shee spent and hundred pounds thereabouts this last yeere".

Anthony Deane stated that "it hath bin and is commonly accounted lawfull for lighter men to worke and take up balast with shovells and spades upon shelves in the River of Thames, but not with nets and poles or such instruments as others commonly use, and make even places uneven to the greate dammage of bancks and wharfes and particularly of the foresaid bancks and wharfes of the said Mris Ewen". Deane added that "Marie her husband in his life time within his owne ground namely within five or six rodds of his wharfe imployed a lighter to digg ballast in gravell, which was laid upon his wharfe, but being advised that the same might be preiudiciall to his wharfe, had left off digging, and soe the hole filled up againe".