A story about a fishing community needs to include a boat builder and in Barefoot on the Cobbles it is Philip Waters from Appledore. In the novel, Polly’s father works in the Waters’ family yard and it is to Philip that Albert turns when he wants a new boat. It is said that the Waters put double ribs in the bottom of their clinker boats for additional strength.

Philip Bale Waters was born in 1863 in Appledore, into the boat building family of Edwin Waters and his wife Mary Elizabeth née Bale. Edwin was a Clovelly man, which is why the Clovelly fishermen trusted his boats. When he was a child, Philip’s family lived with his maternal grandparents at 12 Alpha Place. He did his apprenticeship in Appledore and married Harriet Williams in 1884; they had 11 children. They spent most of their married life living at 123 Irsha Street in Appledore. Philip died in 1959 at the age of 95.

‘A few more catches like this and there would be enough coins in the pot on the mantleshelf for Alb to buy a better boat. He hankered for a ledge boat, such as they used at Bucks Mills, preferring it to the heavier picarooner favoured by the Clovelly men. Polly looked up at her husband.

‘There’s nigh on three pounds ten in the pot now,’ she said. ‘You could send word to Philip Waters, over to Appledore. By the time the boat’s ready, us’ll have enough.’ ’

Barefoot on the Cobbles will be published on 17 November 2018. More information about the novel can be found here. Copies will be available at various events in the weeks following the launch or can be pre-ordered from Blue Poppy Publishing or the author.