Working At The Headland Hotel

A Memory of Coverack.

While still at Helston Grammar School, I worked at the Headland Hotel during one summer. Pickles was the manager, he was a tyrant but I seemed to get the better of him. I wrecked the lawn-mower running over a rock while pushing it up and down those front lawns in the picture, he tried to make me pay for it out of my £4 10/- a week pay! I refused.

I fell in love with Margaret from Quinton who was working the summer to practice the cooking skills she had learned in Birmingham Catering School. It was a wonderful summer working in the garden, Pickles made us all take part in and help out at the Coverack Carnival.

The gardener teased me saying I was the darkest horse he had ever known and that I had stolen the best looking woman (Margaret) for many a mile, from under the noses of all interested parties.

Early mornings, I polished any shoes left out by guests, had a cup of tea and a cigarette (it was good for you in those days) with the chambermaids, also from Birmingham I think. They had the shortest skirts you could believe! I loved them all! The views along the cliffs and out to sea were magnificent.

I sometimes worked washing up in the kitchen, removing bottles from the bar helping in the Still Room.

Best of all were the tips I had on Saturday morning change-over while lugging guests' bags down the stairs for those leaving and back up for those arriving. I sometimes earned half as much again of my wages for heavy work over two or three hours.

Staff quarters were OK except for the TV room, which flooded when it rained. We sat in there, surrounded by water two or three inches deep, with our legs up on an old beer-crate.

There used to be a village dance in the corrugated hut overlooking the sea a little away from the harbour. We would walk from the Hotel down to the hut and dance or let the locals glare at us! I knew one or two from school so it was mostly friendly. The walk back along the cliff-path in the moonlight is unforgettable.

The Chef was a nice guy, good sense of humour and all the staff were good fun. Spanish and Italian waiters of course!

During the winter, I was the only live-in at the weekends when there was a function on. Diane, who also worked there, was good company at those times.

I hitch-hiked from the other side of Helston out to the Headland on Friday evenings to work out there. With the Cornish weather I walked many miles without getting a lift through some wild nights before arriving soaked to the skin.

I have very fond memories of my sweetheart Margaret. I still have a vivid picture of her in my mind when she finished work in the kitchen and came to see me where I was still working in the high-hedge garden. She was in her Whites. She undid the scrunchie holding her hair up. Then, shaking her head, she shook that wonderful hair out allowing it to cascade over her shoulders. In the sunlight, it was amber and gold and she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.