St Blazey memories
Here are memories of St Blazey and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of St Blazey or a St Blazey photo.
Shops in Fore Street
As a native of St Blazey, I would like to write about the businesses there at the time. The first shop on the church side " The International Stores", a fine shop managed by Mr Vincent, who also owned the newsagents in Station Road. Next to "Star" (the name used by locals for the International, because it was originally the Star Tea Company) was Barlow's cycle shop. Next the shop of the Best brothers, plumbers, Harry, Herbert and Arthur. They had a little green Jowett pick-up truck. Next to that a little cake shop run by Mrs Bounsell, "Lovelle", the sister of Mr Couch, the local baker who was to become the creator of the famous "Couch's Saffron Cakes". Next to that "CORNYS", the older generation will remember the business of Leonard Cornelius and how he produced the penny ice lolly. He would be present at the local football matches selling his wares, at that time the crowds were vast. Next to Cornys was the very posh tobacconists "Challacombes" run... Read more
After The War Was Over
Just after the war during our summer holidays I was sent from Rochester (where we lived at that time, Dad having been demobbed and then working at Short Bros on the airport), together with my trusty Hercules cycle to spend the full summer school holidays with my Dad's Aunt and Uncle and their little fox terrier here in St Blazey. At that time they lived in Sea View Terrace and seeing Kittows shop brought back memories of my daily morning walk down the steep hill to them armed with an enamel jug to collect the day's milk, and woe betide me if any was spilt on my way back up the hill (only joking, they were two of the kindest people I have ever met). Auntie Beat was almost as round as she was tall and what a marvellous cook she was, cake was on the table at every meal and Cod liver oil and malt was dished out after breakfast, a lovely gooey mess.
Our family, all being of... Read more
St. Blazey - Luxulyan - Newgate
My Birth Certificate shows I was born at Newgate Lockingate Luxulyan and as a child lived briefly at St. Blazey. My family came to Australia in 1949 on the SS Arawa and we now reside in Sydney. I returned to Cornwall three years ago for a brief holiday with family there. Since returning to Australia I have been trying to locate Newgate and Lockingate on google maps without success. Can anyone tell me whether the township name of Lockingate was changed to Lockengate somewhere along the line and give me any information about that area or a map reference that will allow me to locate it on the map. Thank you for your assistance. Incidentally my maiden name is FRITH Shirley
Fore Street St Blazey
Can anyone remember Arthur Lord as the publican at the The Market Inn? Also in the Fore Street shops just up from the Market Inn there was Mrs Boynes, Florist, and a Gas Shop which was run by Mr Frank Nettles. These memories were from the 1940s. I was born in No 31 Fore Street next door to the Cox Family. My childhood friends were Derek Cox, Desmond Howells, Terry McLellan, Cecil Sandy, Brian Haberland, Gerald Winterbottom and Dilwyn Sweet. Of course we were friends with some girls as well!.
Church And Cottages in Duke Street
I have a print of this view in my study. My grandparents lived in the second cottage up from the church and my father was born there in 1902. My grandmother died in 1939 and my grandfather, who served in the Boer Wars and the First World War continued to live there until his death in 1946. The cottages were 2up/2down and I suspect that the toilet arrangements were "bucket and chuck it". Duke Street terminated about 50 yards or so past the cottages and reached to the old cemetery. Past the cemetery was "Back Lane" that ran through the feilds all the way to Bodelva.
Home
I was born 1941. My mum was Pearl Renowden, daughter of John Renowden my grandad, Auntie Elsie, Uncle Leslie, & my brother David. We lived at 132 Landreath Place, St Blazey. Uncle Tom & Auntie Hilda lived at the top of our road. I have very happy memories of St Blazey, going to the farm to collect a jug of milk for Grandad, going to the all girls' school, my friend Sheila Barret who I have lost touch with. I left Landreath in 1952. Mum married a Charles Gilbert so we lived at Stenalees.
Cornish Arms Hotel St Blazey
I have found from doing family history that my great grandfather George James Andrews died at the Cornish Arms Hotel on 25 Dec 1919. If anyone has any info about the hotel at that time I would love to see it ,or hear from any relatives of the Andrews family.
Christened
I was christened at St Blazey Church, 24/12/1955, I was 2 months old, my mum is Patricia Nee Renowden, we were visiting my grandparents Hilda and Tom Renowden, after they had me christened, they filled the bottom of my pram with drink from the Cornish Arms next door to the Church,
Gran And Granddad
Granddad helped to build Landreath Place, mum and her family moved into number 55, where both grandparents lived till they died. Also there was other family living in this street, my great grandfather John Renowden, my great Aunt Elsie Renowden, great Uncle Les great Aunty Gladys, great uncle Sid Bishop. all sadly passed away.Landreath today looks almost the same except the speed humps, miss the little sweet shop, loved the smell when we used to go in. And the chip shop was out of this world, remember gran sending me down to buy a bowl full of chips for our tea. Top of Landreath used to be a farm (Now all houses) was a short cut to Spit beach, right next to Par. So many happy memories of St Blazey, always feel like I have come home, my sister now lives in this street now.
Shops in St Blazey
I will continue with some information on the businesses in St Blazey around 1950. Station Road, starting with no. 1. Grigg's the butchers, the house where I was born and the shop run by Jack Grigg. The next business, no.3 Station Road was the fish and chip shop run by Everett Turner and his wife. I remember the coal fired range and the white tiled top tables for the sit down meals. The next business, no.13, Haberland's, the barbers. Next to him Vage, the jeweller, the next business a little further down, Tamblin's, greengrocers. Then Lloyds bank, the manager Mr Barrett. We then have to go way down next to the boys school to find the Co-op furniture shop. Then way further down to Mr Roberts the mens outfitter, next to him, the doctors surgery. Further down again the large building of the St Blazey & District Co-operative Society with a grocery department and a drapery department. Then to complete that side of the road we have Bennett's shop with... Read more
Families of St Blazey in The 40s/50s.
My father was one of the local butchers, Jack Grigg. He and my mother ran the shop opposite the church. My grandfather was John Charles Grigg who lived at a house called Mount View at the bottom of Rose Hill. When my father was born he was living at no. 9 Station Road. My greatgrandfather, Charles Rogers Grigg lived at Canal Cottages between the canal and Bailey's corn store. My great-great grandfather was John Grigg from up around Antony/St Germans who came to St Blazey to work at either Fowey or Par Consols mine somewhere around 1830. He married Ann Rogers from Par and they had 10 children, my greatgrandfather being the youngest. When I went to St Blazey boys school in the late 50s lots of the boys came from the fairly new Landreath estate. Several large families there, fine people, hardworking, honest folk. In those days in addition to the church, the town had two Methodist chapels, one in Station Road and one at Chapel Terrace. Let me... Read more
St.Blazey Infant School 1947
My Great Aunt Edna used to be a teacher. She started teaching during the late 1940's after the war. I have a picture from St.Blazey Infant School from 1947 (amongst others). On a brief visit I got my aunt to name some and hoping to get more names on a future visit. I wonder if anyone recognises some of these names: Ivy Winterbottom, Ann MacPherson, Fay Allen, Sonia Docherty, Ann Gillespie, Fran Jackson, Sylvia Lowe, Croften Bowden, Rodney Whiteman, Brimacombe and Rowe. One story Aunt Edna told me: When a teacher called Miss.Cruse disciplined a pupil, Ann MacPherson went to give comfort... She said "Never mind my dear, teachers is b*ggers!" Others might recognise my Aunts name, she was Edna Coombe, later coming Edna Johns. If anyone has any memories they could pass on, I'm sure my Aunt would love to hear them. I have some pictures on Flickr if anyone is interested.
The Cinema
Tha Palace Cinema in St Blazey was one of the longest operating cinemas in England. I worked there as the usherette during the middle to late 60s (I believe it is now closed). We had films three times a week and bingo twice a week - there was a Saturday morning children's cartoon show. I did everything from selling tickets to urshering and during the interval selling chocolates, drinks and ice cream. I have always been an avid cinema fan and as I saw everything that was presented at the Palace I was able to endulge my viewing and get paid for it!
I lived at the top of Rose Hill and would walk home after the show without any worries for my safety.
Our local pub was the Cornish Arms and it was run at that time By Ross Edwards and his wife. many a happy hour was spen there. My father painted and some of his paintings hung... Read more
Memories of Cornwall
First Visit to Mr Ley's Caravans
Mr Ley, ex Army Major who along with his family started probably one of the first Holiday Caravan sites at Par Sands. Mr Ley always drove a yellow Rolls Royce when he arrived to clean the vans. On the entrance to the site you entered the road passing on your left the Ship Inn and the little cream and red caravan used as a snack bar. Along the beach stood many Beach Huts well used in those days. Patches of china clay gunge, very slippery, was a feature in those days as was the white powder which covered everything in the harbour region. Even so it still was a very relaxing location then and now, because we continue to visit the rather splendid caravan site developed here 55 years later.
Par village is still much the same except for the loss of Hamleys multiple shop now long gone as is the sign for Hamleys Corner. Also lost is Brewer's grocery shop which is now Cost Cutters. Garth Nertherton's Newsagent... Read more
Fifties Par
My parents opened Roselyon School, on the St Blazey road out of Par, in 1953, when I was nine years old, and ran it until they retired in 1970. Hence I knew Par pretty well both as young boy, teenager and young adult. Walking into Par from Roselyon, you passed Leaders, a grocery and sweet shop, on the corner that turned from the St Blazey road towards the Harbour. We used to spend our Saturday sixpences there. Then came a newsagent followed by Mr Harold Tout's hardware store. He also opened in 1953 and struggled on for years, swearing that if he had his life over again he'd never go self-employed. Around from him was Philips, a clothing store, and as you approached the level-crossing Des Matthews for fresh fish, fruit and vegetables. Crossing the railway line and the old bridge took you into Par proper, with the Post Office on the left and Husband's the barber on the right. Further along Par Green was the Welcome Home Inn with Terry... Read more
My First Home
I moved to 12 Edgecombe Terrace in 1965, no 12. We were renting and had just got married. I remember the toilet out the back, my husband had to go out with me with a lantern when it was dark. We lived next door to a Mrs Cowley who kept chickens out back. My mother in law Mrs Jannie Gribbin lived near by. There was a telephone box on the green opposite where I used to phone my mum in Bristol. I remember parking the car once in the Four Lords car park and being told off by the landlord.
Memories of Tywardreath
My family moved to Lanescot about a mile and a half from Tywardreath in 1965, we owned Lanescot Farm which we bought from Mr Frank James when he retired. I went to Tywardreath school for 2 years before going on to Fowey Comp in 1967. Miss Monica Simpson was the head misstress at the time, a strict and formidible character who disliked non-Cornish children (and her with a name like Simpson), children who started their education at schools other than hers, and children who liked music (and didn't she make sure we knew it). Other memories include friends who lived up Poldrea, the Vivo shop opersite St Andrew's Church, Littletons shop in Fore Street, Roddas shop up a bit and opposite Littletons, Hudsons Haberdashery, Harlequin hair fashions, Jons hairdressers (still there), the chip shop (still there), Jimmy Husband mens' hairdresser (between St Andrew's and the old police station, which was in Church street), Fred Richards, landlord of the New Inn, Charlie Hawkey of New House Farm (now owned by Dick... Read more
The Tiny Port of Charlestown
I briefly attended Charlestown Infants' school in 1942 as it accepted children a years earlier than Mount Charles Infants (just a mile away) which I lived just a few yards from on Porthpean Road. I was four years old at the time.
During those war years the quaysides around the inner dock had corrugated iron buildings that were used in the fitting out of inshore mine-sweeper vessels. These boats were built at nearby Par and had their engines and machinery fitted at Charlestown. These sheds were removed at the end of the war and once more the harbour looked very much as it had when it was built by Charles Rashleigh in the last decade of the 1700s.
Inspite of wartime restrictions, we locals were permitted access to the beaches and the one on the eastern side of the harbour entrance was our destination whenever the weather allowed. As we grew older mother would be waiting for us there with a snack when we raced down the... Read more
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