Happy Days At Lerryn St Veep

A Memory of Lerryn.

As a 10 year old and London evacuee Lerryn became home for a while. First being billeted at a retired naval captain's house by the river near the bridge. His name I believe was Capt. Pippit or similar. He owned a small motor launch moored up the river which was great fun to play on. One day it  disappeared which later in life realised it was taken for Dunkirk. Sad to say it never returned. I can recall whilst playing in the woods nearby meeting two girls and being taken to a large house in the middle and having a drink and biscuits. One girl was Tessa Onslow, the Earl of Onslow's daughter, the other her companion.
Later on I was transferred to another billet in St. Veep with Mr & Mrs Hawkins (Uncle Tom & Aunty Netta) and their son Michael, it was here that my love of Lerryn & St. Veep was established for the whole of my life. Going to school meant a one & threequarter mile walk down a one in eight hill going and up it coming back. The school was run by a Mr. Clegg and his wife but they were replaced at some point. Should we need the cane we had to cut our own from the hedge.
Apart from the bridge you could cross the river by stepping stones near the P.O. and stores. As children we used to turn the stones over and watch the eels swimming about.
There was a bus service between Lerryn & Lostwithiel, arriving 9.30 in the morning and back again about 6.00 in the evening.
At St. Veep I can recall one Sunday lunch when a woman walked in and exclaimed " Tom my b....y cars broken down again - can you have a look at it" This was Angela Du Maurier, Daphne Du Maurier's sister. At some point I believe Daphne turned up with her husband "Boy" Browning but was too young to really take the event in.
There was a flurry of interest when Eric Portman, a relatively well known actor, bought a cottage in Penpol down the hill from St. Veep.  He was very easy to talk to.
I recall bringing the cows from the fields for milking and being amazed at how they knew their own stalls. Helping Farmer Langmaid (?) at harvest time, planting potatoes, hoeing vegetables, hay making etc. etc. etc. Then there was Farmer Hawkins down at Hayes Farm where I was often asked to take a cow, wait, then bring her back. I did catch on later in life why. Cider making at Hayes Farm was quite a social affair.
Some local names I can recall quite easily, Ida Martin, Ruth Martin (not sisters or related) and a Hoskins.

These are some of my very happy memories which have never left me.

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