More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A local historian has brought out a second book this year focused on his town.
Gregory Holyoake, of Deal, in August released Secret Deal and Walmer, telling of little known facts and features of the area, but has since issued the young adults' novel The Rattling Cat.
This is Mr Holyoake's first work of fiction and is written under the alternate name Simon Gregory.
This latest book is about smugglers in Deal in the late 18th century, incorporating fact and fiction and centred upon historic Middle Street.
The house where the author was born on that street, Redan, is featured as The Noah’s Ark, the inn where the local smuggling gang meet.
Miles, the boy hero from London, comes to Deal to search for a smugglers' tunnel guarded by a ghostly skeleton.
But he is held up by a highwayman at Oxney Bottom and later nearly drowns while swimming from a bathing machine.
He also flies through the air while escaping down the sail of Sandown windmill and leads a rescue to help shipwrecked survivors on Goodwin Sands.
The book has scenes at other Deal landmarks such as the listed building Vane House, also in Middle Street, and St George's Church.
More than half of Mr Holyoake's 12 published books have a local theme. He has written the history of Deal in two parts: Sad Smuggling Town and All in the Downs and a five-edition childhood memoir, The Prefab Kid.
With the stage name Simon Gregory he has also been a comedy and character actor for more than 40 years, working in theatres across Britain. He has appeared in productions such repertory, pantomimes and music hall.
Mr Holyoake continues writing for national magazines and tries to incorporate his home town into his illustrated articles.
Theatrical anecdotes from him are presently featured in the autumn edition of the national magazine, Evergreen.
Gregory Holyoake is also a regular contributor to the Dover and East Kent Mercury newspapers' local history column.
The Rattling Cat has illustrations from Susan Beresford.
It is published by The Conrad Press, is mainly available from local shops but also on Kindle, from Amazon.
