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110 Old Memories of East-Bourne. [Chap. IX.
Preventive men) and smugglers, in which there was loss of life. The facts of the case were, I believe, somewhat as follows :—The smugglers, having killed the chief boatman of the Blockade Service, formed two lines on each side till their cargo was " run." They then left, not, however, without several of their party receiving wounds. All escaped capture.
Dr. Hall was at East-Bourne at that time, and was called upon to attend the wounded. He gave me on one occasion, sitting over the fire many years afterwards, a graphic account of the battle, though I am not quite sure at this distance of time that he was actually present when the fight was going on. He left the Royal Navy shortly after this event and practised at East-Bourne until 1857, when he retired into private life, or to be more exact, resumed public life by becoming surgeon of the Sussex Artillery Militia.
Before his time the medical profession was represented in East-Bourne by Dr. Ranking, who lived in a picturesque house in South Street; and by 2 or 3 other men whose names have not come down to me.
The first in point of date, of what I may call the modern doctors was Mr. R. Colgate, who began work in 1847. He was foUowed in 1849 by Dr. G. A. Jeffery, and both continued in practice for a long number of years. Dr. Jeffery, I am glad to say, is still alive. Mr. Colgate's practice passed to his well-known son, Dr. H. Colgate. Apart from his medical duties, Dr. Jeffery has performed a large amount of public work as Chairman of the Gas Company ; as Chairman of the Local Board from 1878 up nearly to the replacement of the Board by the Town Council in 1883 : and as a Guardian, and J.P., and County Councillor. Dr. Bransby Roberts came to East-Bourne in 1857, but has retired from practice, Bransby Cooper, the surgeon, was his godfather, and another famous surgeon, Sir Astley Cooper was godfather to another brother.
*' §g vatismnt life mag bz grohngcli, pt foal^ foill %mt ifcx ^ociat too."—
{Cymbeline). " ^t fasst ir^gsiriiros ar* §r. §iet, gr. §mtt, aair gr. gghrrgman."—
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