Stealing Deal Board

[GinetteGisborne]

I wonder if anyone has heard of this before, I have read, unfortunately in a Criminal Record form 1852 that my G Grandfather was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for stealing 5 pieces of Deal Board. I have no idea what this is - he is listed on the 1851 census as an Agricultural Labourer. has anyone heard of Deal Board?

[GR2]

Deals are softwood boards, usually pine or fir.

[Craclyn]

A piece of wood?

[Gadget]

Deals are softwood boards, usually pine or fir.

I remember reading somewhere that deal wood was named after Deal in Kent.  How true it is, I'm not sure.

Gadget

[stanmapstone]

From the OED
. A slice sawn from a log of timber (now always of fir or pine), and usually understood to be more than seven inches wide, and not more than three thick; a plank or board of pine or fir-wood.
The word was introduced with the importation of sawn boards from some Low German district, and, as these consisted usually of fir or pine, the word was from the first associated with these kinds of wood.
The first reference is from 1402.

Stan

[Galium]

Those old fashioned kitchen tables, with turned legs and a plain pine board top are also called "deal tables". 

[KGarrad]

From Middle English dele (“plank”), from Middle Low German dele.

[Kiltpin]

The point being that the 5 planks represented a given number of man-hours for seasoning, cutting to size, dressing, transporting and who knows what else. All those man-hours had to be paid for, plus the possible cost of coal at the sawmill. Even today, 5 ready to use planks from B & Q will cost you £10. 

Regards 

Chas

[confusion]

There is also an old saying:

"As thick as a deal board".

This was used quite often by an old work colleague when he wanted to describe
someone who was stupid or had done something daft.