Arthur Thickett’s 1993 memoir is the story of a young man who came to Brighton in the summer of 1970, full of hope and optimism – his goal was to find adventure and ultimately love. On his first day he found digs in Ovingdean, on his second day he walked into a job as a deckhand on the West Pier.
This is a first-hand account of working on the pier and drinking in long-gone Brighton pubs. Haunted by memories of the Second World War, Arthur Thickett tried to reconcile himself to his past and find friendship and laughter. He described a town that behind the bright and lively holiday facade was full of lonely people.
This book is currently out of print, but you can download a PDF of the original text of Deckhand, West Pier by clicking here.
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