Looe
Looe maps (2 available)
Map of Cornwall
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Looe books (5 available)
- 4 photos on Looe appear in 2 Frith books - View photos of Looe
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Looe and Cornwall
Looe memories
Read and share memories of Looe and Cornwall inspired by Frith photos
Summer High Tides
I used to hire the Council deck chairs and beach floats on East Looe beach and rake and clean out the beach tents as a student summer job. On the high tides when the tents were removed the sea would break against the promenade wall. After each wave the kids would identify any exposed silver coins lost by 'visitors' in the tents when they changed into their swimmers, jump over the railings to pick them up and clamber back up before the next wave broke. There were mishaps but the return was often greater than the 6d obtained from a none-returned deck chair ticket or the 3d for an empty drink bottle. Recycling in its earlier form!
Contributed by John Tyler
Punch and Judy
During the summer season we had Punch and Judy shows on Looe main beach. The puppeteer would parade up and down the prom and beach on a pair of very tall stilts. This, of course, would get everybody's attention. He would 'advertise' his next show. Can't remember how much it cost though!
Contributed by Charles TYLER
Skiddery Rock
I remember as a child sliding down 'skiddery rock'. It seemed so large at the time.
Alas, most of it has now disappeared beneath the 'new' promenade. The rock was a large inclined slab behind the 'top' Bassett's Cafe.
Contributed by Charles TYLER
Cornwall memories
Summer High Tides
I used to hire the Council deck chairs and beach floats on East Looe beach and rake and clean out the beach tents as a student summer job. On the high tides when the tents were removed the sea would break against the promenade wall. After each wave the kids would identify any exposed silver coins lost by 'visitors' in the tents when they changed into their swimmers, jump over the railings to pick them up and clamber back up before the next wave broke. There were mishaps but the return was often greater than the 6d obtained from a none-returned deck chair ticket or the 3d for an empty drink bottle. Recycling in its earlier form!
A memory of Looe contributed by John Tyler
Extracts From Looe & Cornwall books
This scene has hardly changed for many years; the
beach at Polridmouth is still only accessible on foot.
Although we are just around the corner from St Austell
Bay, this photograph gives us a good view of the
prominent day mark erected in 1832 on the Gribbin
Head as an aid for shipping entering the bay.
An extract from from"St Austell Bay Photographic Memories".
The old pilchard-curing
cellar, or ‘palace’, beside the
shore in the foreground was
one of the largest in
Cornwall. However, by the
time of this early
photograph the harbour
seems already deserted by
the fishing fleet, perhaps in
favour of Mevagissey on the
far side of the bay.
An extract from from"St Austell Bay Photographic Memories".
A boat sails across the bay, which was known as Polkerris or Par Bay in the late-18th century.
The little village of Polkerris is situated at the end of a sheltered valley on the east shore of
St Austell Bay. There was an important pilchard fishery here, and the pier (left) was built in
about 1735 for sheltering the fishing boats rather than for trade.
An extract from from"St Austell Bay Photographic Memories".
Polkerris has hardly
changed, with virtually
no new houses in 70
years. Here we see the
village tucked away in
its valley, with the
great expanse of the
bay reaching beyond
to Black Head (centre)
and the Dodman Point
(left). The garden plots
of the houses are
prominent, sheltered
by hedges and mostly
on the south-facing
slope on the right.
An extract from from"St Austell Bay Photographic Memories".
The gable end of the lifeboat house is seen in the background, almost
at the end of the road through the village. Stone cottages, teas for sale
and no unsightly road markings are the delights of this village.
An extract from from"St Austell Bay Photographic Memories".