Stanley Dengate

Stanley Dengate

Stanley Dengate

KEY DATES:

Birth: 29 September 1903, Hastings, East Sussex

Marriage: 12 September 1925, Salvation Army Iron Fort, Hastings, East Sussex

Death: 14 June 1986, Hastings, East Sussex

Cremation: 20 June 1986, Hastings Crematorium, East Sussex

BIOGRAPHY:

Stanley Dengate was born 29 September 1903 in Hastings, East Sussex to Ernest Alfred and Agnes Lucy Dengate.

Stanley served as an apprentice motor-mechanic at what was the Stables, High Street in Hastings Old Town before going to work for his father as a furniture remover.

Leslie Dengate (left), Cecil Dengate (centre) and Stanley Dengate (right) outside the Iron Fort, Hastings

Stanley Dengate married Emily Laura Milton on the 12 September 1925 in the Salvation Army Fort, Hastings. Stanley's occupation is listed on the marriage certificate as a Master Furniture Remover, Emily's as a domestic servant. Their first home together was Hughenden Road, Hastings where their eldest child Norman Stanley was born. They then moved to Elphinstone Avenue, Ghyllside Drive, Braybrook Road, then back to Ghyllside Drive from where Norman left to enter the Air Force. Stanley and Emily then moved to a house in Laton Road.

The Salvation Army Iron Fort, Hastings

Stanley and Emily Laura Dengate, 1928

Stanley went to work for his father in the second hand furniture business, alongside his brothers Leslie and Cecil. The Dengate shop in Cornwallis Street opened in the 1930s, selling second hand furniture. It was such a success that larger premises were sought, so they bought a shop in Queen's Road, Hastings from Messrs Staite and Co. Ltd for the sum of £3,700 on the 17 February 1930. The cost of the premises was £3,000 for the shop and depository in Waterworks Road and £700 for 'the goodwill of the business of furniture storers carried on therein', signed by Ernest Alfred and his sons Cecil, Stan and Leslie Dengate. The three brothers divided responsibilities; Cecil was in charge of shop trading, Leslie was in charge of the removal side and Stanley was in charge of the furniture side.

Dengate Shop, Queen's Road, Hastings (original shop left)

The Queen's Road shop was gutted by a mysterious fire in 1938, but was later rebuilt and refurbished.

Stanley and Emily had four children; Norman Stanley, Barbara, Gwendoline and Nita Dengate, all born in Hastings.

Stanley and Emily Dengate with children Norman, Barbara and Gwendoline

Stanley and Emily Dengate, 1950

Stanley was a successful bowler and played for Sussex both indoor and out and was part of the Sussex team that won the Middleton Cup in 1956. He was also chairman of the English Indoor Bowls Association in 1971.

Stanley Dengate

Stanley and Emily moved into a flat at Albany Court - their last home together. Emily died 29 November 1981 in Hastings, aged 81 and was cremated at Hastings Crematorium. Stanley died aged 83 on the 14 June 1986 in a Hastings nursing home. Following a service at the Hastings Salvation Army Citadel on Friday 20 June, he was cremated at Hastings Crematorium.

Grateful thanks to Norman Dengate for his help, memories and photographs in writing this page.