Many 19th-century artists passed through the busy passenger port of Deal, including the marine specialist Henry Moses.

The local beach-boats, luggers, galleypunts,and galleys, now known only from a few models and pictorial records, are drawn with an expert's understanding. Of particular interest is the drawing entitled The Iron Caisson. It shows the building of this large sheet-iron construction alongside the wooden pier for William Bush's controversial (and sadly unsuccessful) project to place a lighthouse-beacon and refuge on the Goodwin Sands for the benefit of seafarers, especially those shipwrecked. This group of drawings - made just before the advent of photography- constitutes a satisfyingly complete and convincing record of the port of Deal at an interesting point in its history.


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