David George Spurgeon 3rd August 1947 - 6th January 2015

Dave, with Endeavour in the background ready for white weeding,
is seen here in the early 1970s mooring the skiff on the 

running mooring.

Dave Spurgeon was born in Leigh. His father and uncle were Spurgeons the builders who built many properties in Leigh.

Dave went to West Leigh and Belfairs schools along with a generation of cocklers and fishermen during the early 1950s and 60s. He went out with the Osbornes on the Renown at weekends and during holidays - he wanted to be a fisherman as soon as he could.

Whilst working on the Ilene, a Scottish fishing boat, out of Folkestone he thought they'd caught a tyre in the net. On reaching into the cod end to pull it out he found he had pulled a large Conga eel towards him and it lashed out and chased Dave round the back of the wheelhouse.

Back in Leigh telling his stories of working the English Channel earned him the nickname 'Deep Sea Dave' which lasted for the rest of his life.

In the 1970s he partnered Peter Wexham on Endeavour  shrimping, fishing, pair trawling and white weeding. Eventually taking over on his own and working Endeavour for many years.

Dave has been a larger than life character around the Old Town and will be missed by all, even those he argued with.

In later years he had boats working out of Holehaven. After giving up trawling he became one of the best anglers around.

Dave has been involved with the Trust for many years and was a Trustee and committee member.

We are indebted to Dave for many reasons. He was always to the fore at events in which Endeavour was participating and as recently as the Leigh regatta in September Dave was busy recruiting members.

He introduced the Thames Group and Dauntless Chandlers as valued sponsors and skippered Endeavour on a number of occasions over recent years.

Dave last skippered Endeavour in 2013 when along with BBC Essex and the new Renown went out off Thorpe Bay to recreate traditional cockling using rakes, yokes and baskets. This was filmed and together with interviews with past generation cocklers and other fishermen including 'Deep Sea Dave' is used as part of the Trust's community and educational programmes.