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Books > St Austell Bay Photographic Memories
Carlyon Bay, the Carlyon Bay Hotel 1930 (ref. 83237) | Tourism was boosted in
1930 by the opening of the
high-class Carlyon Bay
Hotel on a headland
overlooking St Austell Bay. It
was designed in the very
latest architectural style,
and there was a golf course
adjacent to the site, which
was described at the time as
an `embryo resort`.
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Carthew, Clay workings 1927 (ref. 79867) | The china clay industry
dominates the landscape
around St Austell. This is
the Lower Ninestones
china clay pit, with waste
being hauled up inclines
to older flat-topped tips
on the left and newer 'sky
tips' on the right. The tall
engine house with a
square stack contained a
beam engine for
pumping clay from the
pit to the thickening
pools on the right.
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Charlestown, the Harbour c1955 (ref. C62078) | The perfect little port with
its floating dock is
surrounded by cottages,
and the outer harbour is
enclosed by breakwater
piers. We can see how the
coasters in the dock will
have to reverse out and
turn sharply to clear the
outer harbour. The long
building with a tall chimney
(left) is the clay dry built in
1908 for processing clay
from Carclaze Pit. From
here the clay was trammed
through a tunnel direct to
the harbour.
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Charlestown, the Harbour c1955 (ref. C62086) | Two motor coasters lie in the harbour, including the 311-ton Antiquity in the foreground, one of
a familiar fleet of vessels owned by F T Everard & Sons. They have been discharging coal or are
loading bagged clay, whereas the berths across the dock are for loading bulk clay, which was
tipped into the chutes from lorries.
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Charlestown, the Harbour 1890 (ref. 27634A) | Capstans (foreground
and opposite it) on
the outer piers were
used for helping
ships in and out of
the difficult harbour
entrance. A small
octagonal harbour
office has been built
atop the limekiln
(centre). The many
derrick cranes and
signs of activity
would appear to
indicate that work is
being done to repair
the lock gates and the
inner dock entrance.
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Charlestown, from the east 1890 (ref. 27632) | Tranquil waters lap around
the two outer piers and the
narrow entrance to the
dock, which was cut back
into West Polmear Cove
around a century before
this photograph was taken.
This view indicates what an
unlikely site Charlestown is
for a harbour; yet the little
dock was completed in
1801 by Charles Rashleigh,
after whom it was named,
for exporting china clay
and mineral ores and
importing coal.
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Charlestown, Harbour 1904 (ref. 53050) | The floating dock is filled
with sailing vessels, and two
horse-drawn clay wagons
wait in front of the houses on
the right. A derrick crane on
the left is for unloading coal,
while a small crane near the
lock gates is for lifting rowing
boats in and out of the water
in the outer harbour.
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Charlestown, the Harbour c1955 (ref. C62073) | Looking up the harbour,
we can see a small Dutch
coaster loading china clay
at two chutes. Such motor
ships were common
around the Cornish coast
from between the wars
until the 1970s. The
Rashleigh Arms stands
above the rock-cut cliff at
the back of the dock.
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Charlestown, the Harbour c1885 (ref. 16771) | The dock is seen from the outer breakwater. At least seven sailing vessels are floating in the harbour, thanks to the lock gates
which hold in the water. Chutes descend from Quay Road in front of the terraced houses for loading china clay. On the
extreme right is a disused limekiln with two arches.
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Charlestown, the Beach 1890 (ref. 27633) | Rowing boats are drawn
up on the small shingle
beach on the west side of
Charlestown harbour,
with the Polmear Island
rock behind.
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Mevagissey, Spreading the Nets to dry 1924 (ref. 76294) | Fishermen spend much
time ashore repairing
equipment and making
ready for the next trip to
sea. Hundreds of feet of
drift nets are being
inspected and mended
where necessary on the
wall, and there is a pile of
cork floats behind the
men on the quay edge.
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Mevagissey, the Quay and the Cliffs c1955 (ref. M68502) | The north breakwater
which enclosed the outer
harbour in the 1890s also
serves as a promenade for
visitors. The harbour office
(left) stands where the
breakwater meets the wall
of the 18th-century pier.
Pentewan is hidden behind
Penare Point, but Trenarren
nestles in the cleft on the
far side of Mevagissey Bay.
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Mevagissey, Harbour 1935 (ref. 86545) | A fisherman and two boys scull their boats around the pier of the inner harbour. This appears to be
a windless day, which would no longer affect most of the larger fishing boats - they have been
motorised. A large yacht has come into the outer harbour past the pierhead lighthouse (right).
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Mevagissey, Fore Street, the Post Office 1904 (ref. 52252) | Girls, perhaps the shop
assistants, crowd in the
doorway of the post office,
while at least one fisherman
is walking up Fore Street. It
is hard to believe that
motor vehicles pass along
this charmingly narrow
street today, negotiating
crowds of summer visitors.
The old post office has
become a gift shop.
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Mevagissey, Fore Street c1955 (ref. M68048) | This wintry scene was taken well out of the tourist season, and is hardly an invitation for the choc ices advertised in the
snack bar. Pedestrians go about their business all wrapped up in waterproofs, and the road is covered with puddles.
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Mevagissey, the Harbour 1920 (ref. 69791) | A two-masted sailing trader is moored alongside the
quay in the inner harbour, while a group of men has
gathered around a catch of fish. Numerous fishing
boats are moored around the harbour, overlooked by a
terrace of picturesque cottages.
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Mevagissey, the Harbour 1924 (ref. 76281) | The full extent of
Mevagissey's inner
harbour is displayed,
enclosed within the
stone piers built in
the 1770s. The sailing
fishing boats are
beginning to be
replaced or converted
to motor power at
this date. Again, there
is no doubt why this
picturesque working
fishing port became a
popular destination
for visitors.
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Par, the Station from Scobell 1904 (ref. 52326) | The station buildings and goods sheds are at the junction between the main line and the Newquay branch. On the left a
wide-arched bridge takes Eastcliffe Road over the main line railway and past The Royal Hotel (now The Royal Inn), the first
of three large buildings along the road.
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Par, Par Green c1955 (ref. P7017) | Par Green begins to look
narrower and congested
with the addition of
more cars, wandering
pedestrians and a white
line in the road. A sign
opposite the shops
warns motorists of the
low railway bridge at the
far end of Par Green.
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Par, Par Green 1927 (ref. 79878) | This is the reverse view
along Par Green, looking
west. It is mostly a
residential street,
illuminated by gas lamps at
this date; but there is a
group of shops on the
right. The tallest building is
still a store (trading as
Costcutter today), but the
combined shop and house
in the foreground has been
demolished to make way
for a car park.
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