thek Polgooth Times
ilo6 Autumn Dear Reader, Did you wonder what had happened to Spring this year? Ttrere were unavoidable delays in publishing our No. 5 issue until nid-Jr:ne and, although that number was intended to be the Spring issue, it seemed wrong to bring it out in the St&mer. lYe decided therefore to call it the Sunmer issueo Otr apologies if anyone thought that they had missed an issue. The recolleetions of sone of our residents in regard to a particuLar iteur in our last issue are at variance with those of the originator of the article, We are not able to undertake to carry out a detailed verification of the material subnitted to us and, even if we couldt it is unlikely that we could reach any certainty about things that happened 50 or more years ago. To onit al-l such accounts would seriougly emasculate some of our itens eoncerning the history of the village and we ean only say that we do our best not to include obvj-ously eontroversial stories to which orception night be taken by the descendants of people involvedo We will gladly include alternative accounts of particular incidents if it will help to ensure the accuracy of the details of the history of Polgooth in our pagePo Many articles are sent in to us which may not appear in the next issue of The Polgooth Tiures. lVe cannot under- take to enter into correspondence about these itens as we all have other commitments on our time but you can rest assured that afuaost all material passed in to the Editorial Comnittee is included eventually unless of too specialist a nature which we think may not be of general interest to most of us in Polgooth. We tharrk all our contributors for their interest ald tine and hope that they will continue to agree that the itens which we do include together make up a stimulating and worthwhile Polgooth Tines Our emphasis in this issue is on PEOPLE'who were prominent in the village in years past and who are remem- bered affectionately by present residents.
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Pol $oot h llilla$e
I,A}ID\{ARK STONES Oee of the stones mentioned in the article on page 2 of the No. 5 issue has been discovered by JACKIE BASSETT who has duly received the promised 8I reward. This stone was found near the spring in the sketch map on page 3 and leaves 3 others yet to be revealed. It will be of great interest to find the remaining Boundary Stones so we will leave the reward offer open hoping that someone will be clever enough or lucky enough to see where they are and to let us know.
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RARE PLANTS IN POLGOOOH Pauline Bassett Watching a TV progranme one lunch time, my interest was taken by the mention of information needed about some rare plants" I remembered the unusual primrose I had planted in my garden from East Rand some 2O years agp" I look for it every Spring and it has rewarded me by blooning every year and also forming a few more plants" -2- I have seen nothing sinilar to it anywhere else, even in Polgooth, and the original plants have died out. Perhaps you have noticed in your garden a prinrose of the usual col-our and skrap€ of flower but with a collar of 5 leaflets around the outside of the flower. I wrote to the address in Bodmin and as a result a lady called and collected a sample piece of th* plant which she will try to cultivate under ideal esnditions so that it can be preserved. It has been identified as a rJack-in-the-Greenr or tMaid ltdarion t primrose. Recently I wrote to then again as I recalled an unusual fern which grows in our woods and which I could not identify fron my reference books. I have sent in a pressed leaf and await their reply.
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GARDEN PARIY on.I7th June - A big thank you to everyone who helped in any way toward the success of the on lTth We I Garden Party held in the lnstitute June. Mount Edgcunbe Hospice Cancer Ii. raised 818O for the for After Care. Well done, Everyone! Pat Weaver.
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A nost successful COFFEE MOH\ING was held on 18th July at the horne of Dr. and Mrs. Camus in Sycamore Close in Polgooth in aid of the first Hone in Cornwall for Autistic Children at St. Erme near T?uro, which is pro- vided for by voluntary support. The sum of 855 was raised and the highlight of the event was the palm reading by Madame De1la from Worcester- shire. Many thanks to all who supported this very worthy cause and anyone interested further about the Home can contact l\drs. Betty Partridge at Tleyarnon Farm, Nr. Padstow, tel: O841-520160.
REPORTS ON INSTITUTE EVENTS The .IIIMBLE SALE at the end of June produced the sum of S60. Thanks to all for unfailing support. 8th July - Mr. Vic Harrison gave a talk on the topical issue rTtre Falkland Islands r. He showed a very different story to the one that we have become accustomed to seeing, that of war and devastation, and showed the way of life of the Fa1kland Islanders - a hard but interesting and dedicated one. e36 was raised for the South Atlantic Fund. Thank you, lvlr. Harrison.
Home from the Falkland.s War - TIM COCKING of T?elowth. A collection was made in the Village Shop which raised €33. T?ris, combined with the efforts of lvlrs. Bone at The Pol- gpoth Inn, purchased an inscribed silver tankard, 2 bottles of champagne and a bouquet for lvlrs. Cocking. Itrs. Bone provi.ded food for the party evening and her daughter, Amanda, made a cake. I{rs. Mitchell again showed. her generosity and skil1 by producing another mastenpiece in the form of a cake. We would like to thank publicly ldrs. Mitchell for her support at aLL our local events. ITe1l done, Tim, and welcome homet
@@@@@@@@@ FORTTICOMING EVF{TS Ttrursdav. 23rd September lTe welcome back lvlr. James of [dayWtretterarrdGYoseforanotherdiscussiononantiques and objets dtart which you may own. Bring along up to 2 pieces of your choosing for l\rb. Janes to talk about. 7.3O pn. Monday. 27th Septenber Ttre Autunn Session of the popular SCRABBLE EVH,{INGS resumes tonight at 7.3O. Prize for the highest game score of the evening and a raffle. Refresh- ments halfway through. Playing in ability efoups Adnission 5Op. Tfrursday. 3oth September Village Meeting to discuss the Old PoJ-gooth Mining History and to talk about our Local History generally. If you are one of our older residents in the village, you will be particularly welcomed. 7.3O p.m. Adnission F:'ee, refreshments available. Ttrursday. 14th October A concert not to be nissed - those up and coming talented youngsters, the MOUI{I CIIARLES JUNIOR BRASS BAND x,ilI be playing for us at 7.3O p.m. (C,one early to get a seat.) tVednesday. 2Oth October JULIA BARNETT from S.W.E.B. will be demonstrating and talking to us on iDEEP FREEZE and MICRO-WAVE COOKING|. We always enjoy her talks (and her sa^urples ) and this should be a particularly interesting one so come along at IO.OO a.m.
Saturday, 13th Noven-ber Ttre CIIRISTI\IAS IIIARKET at 2 p.n. As you will be awerre from other years, this is a special event. So much work goes into it to produce the end result. We are indebted especially to Pat Weaver who works so hard both physically and artistically for our Christmas Fair. But, please, may we appeal for nore help and nake this a cornmunal effort.
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5O/5A AUCTION. Ttris was planned for 22nd October but, owing to unforeseen circunsflnces, must now be postponed until a later date, probablf in the New Year.
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FIRS ON TIM DOWNS I would like to thank anyone who was concerned enough to ring for the Fire Brigade on Ir,Iay 2nd when our downs were on fire. Although the smoke can be seen for niles a\tay, those of us who live nearby cannot see what is happening and the sne1l of smoke was accepted as a garden bonfire. It was a surprise when relatives and neighbours suddenly arrived with saucepans and buckets of all sizes demanding water. Ivtrany thanks to the firenen of Mevagissey, St. Dennis and St. Austell, who had to negotiate two lanes and the golf course with fire engines, and who were thorougbly worn out after four hours of clinbing our hill nany times, ochaustincJ - and t}re }:'azards of open mine shafts too. Pauline Bassett"
STRANGE SIGIITING - TTTI MAY MIDNIGIIT AT LONDON APPREI.TTICE I went outside, glancing toward St. Aqrstell (north) intending to check ny washing. I noticed a large star-Iike object moving towards me. It had a beautiful radiating light. I sized it up against the telegraph pole to see if it was moving as I could hear no sound. It was much Iarger than a star. Now I could see it plainer I would. describe it as larger than a star, a cigar shaped object with a kind of halo around it. As I watched, it suddenly moved off in a westerly direction and then disappeared. It had no rear ligbts as a plane would have. Shirley Bnookfield.
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A CORNISH SUMTMR ...... ANON. tTis Emmet Tine in C.ornwall , A swar'm ov um is tere, Theyrm clutterinr up the beaches, Theyrn drinkint up the beer, Theyrm fallinr from the cliff tops Anr drowninr in the sea, Nurses up the rospitals Are as busy as ca.n be. Ttrey rm eatin t a1l the pasties Anr -b:ryinr all the bread, Anr some ov urns in Mothercare Ant fitty in the red. Sti1l, it all do bring the money Ov that there idden doubt, So, as poor oI Cousin Jack I shudden oughter shouto Anr we must nake the best ov it, Take the rough in wi t the smooth Rememberinr in the Autunn Ebnnets a].us move. Anr if you think Irm prejudiced Anf out to cause sone strife, I think I oughter tell tee I got an tansone emmet wife!
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C O C K SI C O A C H E S Trelowth
- or telephone St. Austell 2316 SERVICE BUS to St. Austell - T\:esdays and Fridays departs Hawkers Shop 10.10 an;Trinity Street St.Austell 12.3O nEGULAR TOURS TO TRI]RO, TRACTO MILLS, pLyfr,IOtIIII. *+'
POLGOCIm VILLAGE INqTITUTE Polgooth is very fortunate in possessing an excellent village hall with a Management Connittee devoted to keeping it viable and available for use by local groups for neetings, parties, concertsr etc., etc. Obviously being over 50 years old, it does have some drawbacks, one of which is the very unsatisfactory lavatory acconmodation" It has been decided that the tinae has come to bring the lavatories up to date and to the standard of other parts of the hall, and plans have been prepared to achieve this over the next 12 months. Copies of the plans will be shown on the Institute Notice Eloard. Obviously this will cost money, and many ventures are being pl-anned to make this sum available. Already we have raised over t24 on the I'Guess the time of birth of the Prince of Wales I Babyrr, a^nd we sha1I be applying for Grants wherever possible, but it will still depend on the support we can get fron the village to help with- this project. Would any young wives like to organise a coffee morning, Bring and Buy, T\-lpperware party, etc. for this project. The Institute would be at their disposal and the committee would support them in every way possible. Just contact one of us and we will help" The other thing we have to do is to look at the current costs of hiring the hallo These have remained statie for some time now, and obviously'with the increased. costs of gas, rates, insurances, electricity, etco, changes will have to be nade. The Playgroup and the Over 6Ots CIub are encouraged to use the hal1 by very nominal charges, while more affluent groups are expected to pay a littIe more. However, all charges will have to be increased in the coming year. No one who has used the Village Institute will question the need for improvements to the lavatories and the Committee hope that you will support the Institute and the activities organised to finance these improvements.
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-8- A IMLPING IIAND We all seem to feel that tine flies too quickly these days and therefore we have no spare minutes for anything outside our own work, fanily and home - but, just a momentts thought for those around us who need our help, can give someone a little happiness. It i-s easy for those of us who have our health and strength to forget those who are not so fortunateo Please can you help the following organisations. Oddments of wool and o. for patients at Penrice old greetings cards Geriatric Hospital Foil, including Ctrinese .o Guide Dogs for the Blind. Take-away containers Baby clothes, nenrs oo W.R.V.S. clothing, household linerr Old magazines .. Elderly resid,ents in the village, Thank you to all who have helped in the past. For further details and help with collection of itens, please ring St. Austell 61562 (26 Woodgrove Park). June Corneby
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Just to say how very happy we are to have joined you all" Please do not hesitate to get in touch with ne at St. Mewan Rectory if you think that there is any way I in which I can help you. My telephone number is I St. AustelL 26?9. I Yours sincerely, Peter Durnford.
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POI.GOOTII PI.AYING FIELD IMPROVEI\{A{T Contracts have been signed and exchanged and it is expected that the work on the Playing Field will be started in the near futureo -9- HAWKEIS STORES The end of July saw Polgooth become a village with only one shop when, on the 31st, Hawkers Stores ceased trading as a general stores after about 75 years. The shop will now be used exclusively for the CoaI businesso The store was built by Margaret Thomasrs grand- father, R. A. Hawke, and over the years has supplied nany of the village needs, coal, groceries and at one time haberdashery" Behind the shop, at one time, was the barley store with its very large seales used for every conceivable weighing purpose. We wish llargaret well in her semi-retirement" G.H.
MRS. MARGARET TTiOMAS l{e are sorry to hear that Margaret will be g:iving up the grocery store at Hawkers Shop and, from the end of July, it will be used only as a coal merchants. Itlargaret started at the shop in 1939 on her 14th birthday. She was married when she was 22 and then spent 7 years in Kent but returned to Polgooth and has worked in the shop since that time. She can remember weighing up 2 ounces of lard per person on ration during the War and also weighing out rations of sugar and margarine from bulk lots. Flour was weighed and sold in bushels, lO lbst 7 lbs and smaller quantities from bushel bags. Ttre corn scales were often used to weigh the village babiesr some- times using packets of tea, sugar or other smal1 paekets to get the correct weight for balance. The scales are still there and also an iron one with a narble slab for weigtring the lard and other groceries. Margaret has been in the shop for 36 years and her mother was there before her.
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CIoDFREY HARPB of Byan-ll.ys passed out top of his class from Hendon Police College at the end of }Iayr and is now stationed at Notting HiIl. WELCOME HOME to Petty Officer TIM COCKING of Korre, Trelowth Road, after active service aboard HMS Intrepid in the Falkland Islands. ROBERT EVELY. Youngest son of l[r. and l\[rs. P, Evely, Robert has been successful in his application to join the Police Cadets and will follow his older brother, Ronrs footsteps by starting at Taunton Police College on 6th September. From an orig"inal 17OO applicants Robertr who was still 15 years o1d when he took the exam, did well to become one of the 19 boys accepted by the Avon Constab- ulary. We hope that he will be as suecessful in his career as 25 years old Ron who is now Acting Sergeant at Filton Station" It was with regret that we lost MRS. GARTON front No. 10 Polmewan Flats in June when she moved to Perran- porth. She was a fine friend and neighbour and we believe she is very happy in her new home where she was visited by six of her f,riends fron the Over 6ors Club on a recent outing. JIM BONE, MATTTIEW REIIJEAD and DANIEL WRIGIIT passed their first Dancing Exam on 26th June. They are under 8 years o1d and have been trained at the Oscar YeIIand School of Dancing. Congratulations to all the young people in the village who have recently passed C.S.E., tOt level and tAt leve1 exasts. @@@@@@@@@@@
DENIS I\{AY & SONS TONKIN AND HUDDY London Apprentice. Plumbers Cenent, Paving Slabs, $and, Polgooth te, Building Blocks et St. AustelL 2A46 St. AusteTL 64444 1i BIFrIHS of 6 Trelowth Gina Rhiannon to l{arylyn and Gry Br'rrston Viii"*. on 4th lvlay' A sister for Gareth' Sue of'Ttre Shieling' James Antony Rowe to TYevor and Trelowth Road, on the 2nd June 1982' Trelowtht a son' To PauI and llelen Geach of 7 Tfepol' David Paul on tine 24tlt JulY 1982' on 18th Ju].y' Anelia to Amanda (nee Bone) and David Rowe
Now, from the coasts of morninS.gale Comes safe to Port thY tinY sail' Now we have seen bY earlY sunt TbY miracle of Life begun'
ENGAGEMENTS Pat Darby of Tangle- The engagenent is announced of Miss Rouse of liloodside wood, Trelowth Vi11age, to lvlr . Simon ' St. Austell, on the 13th lilaY 1982. Dan Merrifield of The engagement is announced :l Y' i f""pof, Trelowth, to Miss Elaine Synmonds' liIark Phillips of Mandy Prynn of Manjo, Polgooth' to Trelowth Road.
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I l MARRIAGES
1 l on Jrrly 5th' 1: Margaret Jane to Peter Hitchens 1i'rj DEATTIS MAUnEEN.W€we"everysorrytohearinJu1yofthedeath July. Maureen had been'a member of JoNEs on 16th its of '^UR'B{the Editorial Connittee of The Polgooth Times since many ways' she start and has made many contributions in *r"ot", in the last issue, a reply to another poem which finished as follows: rtYour will be donet Your Kingdotn one daY will cone On earth as it is in lleavent Ttrat is,our Confort'rl go l[aureenrs sons' We shall miss her. Our sympathies to Gary and Kevin. -L2- i.: News of the death of lvlr. Donald Harris on 28th lvtrarch reached us just too late for inclusion in the last issue. lfr. Harris lived in Litt1e Polgooth. It{r. Jack Oliver of Tbelowth Village died in April 1982. Ivtr. Ernest Goode at Plot 2, Springfield Close, on Zth lvlay" I\dr. Oscar M. lYa:rren of Amoleos, Springfield Close, on 9th May. We were saddened also by the death of lilrs o Joan Prior on 28th Ivlayl she had made such a wonderful reeovery from her rnajor operation of 3 years agtro Her husband, Beg, had looked after her so ably during this time" Joan had always taken a keen interest in all the activities in the village. Our thoughts go to Reg and his fanily in their loss. [{rs. E. Gibson of Little Polgooth in lvlay, aged 84. I\,[r. R. Blake of Little Folgooth in June, aged 85. liIr. C. Merrifield of 5 Tbepol , Trelowth, died on the 31st July 1982. Ivlrs. Maude Halliday at No.2 Polnewan Flats on Ilth July at the age of 84. She will be sadly rnissed. News has been received from the USA of the passing of Reginald May aged 96, the son of Arthur lllay, a native of Polgooth. He leaves 2 sons and a daughter. D:ring his working life he was a miner both for clay and tin.
NEW ARRIVAIS IN THE VILLAGE Jim and Christine Shepherd and Matthew to Ridgeway, Trelowth Road' Graham and Margaret Nicholls with Robin, Simon and Charlotte to Lefesant, Little Polgr:oth" Also Bess, the dog, and Black, the cat. Michael and Georgina Harvey and Brandy to lYater Lane, Littte Polgooth. Bruce and Diane Harris and Daniel, to Rose Cottage with their dogs, Winnie and Chase.
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C?rris Knigtrt to 1l PolYear Close. David and Shirley ltixen from Newbury, Berks, to 40 Polyear Caose. Ian and Dr. Marilyn Mitchell with Joel and Rache1 to 48 Polyear Close. Barry and Lorraine Harris to lllhite Gates Cottage. Ttrelna and Hugh Cosgrove to Pebbledene, Trelowth Road. IvIr. and l\[rs. Saunders to No. 2 Polmewan F1ats. l,,Ir. and }{rs. S. Martin to The Garueet, Springfield Close. I\,1r. It{artin is the County Secr.etary of the Cornwall GoIf Union. Jean and Ted Parsons to Brookside, Recketts Road. Ivlr. and lvlrs. Cummings to No. 1O Polmewan Flats. Pat, Gareth and Ttromas Lloyd Jones to Prinrose DelI.
We hope that they will all enjoy living in the viIlage. and MOVEMENTS WITHIN TIIE VILLAGE Sue, Kirk and Dirk Parker to Ctrapel HiIl. Wendy, Mike and Anneliese Eade, with Cohen and Zigry the cats, to April Cottage, Bosinver Lane. Margaret Hitchens with her family have moved to Vanvean Farm from Chapel HiIl.
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Our best wishes to MELVILLE SITEET who is recovering ftom his sudden illness in August.
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Keep copies of your deeds, ilocuments or other important papers HOIIE PHOTO-COPYING SENVICE Only 5p per copy up to size A4 - thatrs double the size of this page of the POLGOCIffi TIMES.
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MR. ARTIITJR BALL L9O2 - L976 If you lived in Polgooth before LgZ6, you would be bound to have lcaown IWr. Arthur Ba-lI . He was a love1y man and such a craftsman. He was always known as Art Bal1 and you were fortunate indeed if he could be persuaded to build for you, or do any repairs or improvements around the house. Art Ball was a most intelligent man and he always had a fund of stories to tell about the people he had knoun and those he had worked for, but the one that I particularly loved was how he came to build the Chapel Point houses for the Architeet, I\iIr. John Canpbell . rrNowtt, he said, rtotxe day when I was young I was working for my uncle, Joe Lobb, at Mevagissey, and carry- ing out some stonework repairs to a wal1 up Polkirt HiII. lVhile I was doing this I noticed a well set-up gentteman watching me from the other side of the road and, as I turned, to look at hin, he spoke: tGood norning, I have been watching you for some time, you like working with stone donrt you?r tWellr V€sr I suppose so, I Art replied. rWell thenr said the stanger, rcome and meet me on Chapel Point on Monday morning, and you shall work for n€. r With that he walked on. lVtren I returped to ny unclets workshop at noon, I said., rltm leaving on Friday, as I have got another job. t rWho with?t said my uncleo tI donrt know his namer t I replied. tlllhatr Vou must be nad giving up a g:ood job to start work for a rrart you have never set eyes on before, and not knowing how long the work will last, I rI camtt help it, t I replied. tI rm $)ing. rrl Wren Art Ball told ne this story, he said rrNow you know in the Bible Jesus said to his disciples, rCome, follow Me' and this they did without question, and I have often thought what sort of man could Jesus have been, that they would have left their work and their friends just like that to follow Hiur. T'hat day when I met l\[ro CanpbelJ. for the first time, I kne,iv. I worked with hin and for hin for many yearsott Jean Patrl -15- SCHOOL DAYS AT ST. MEWAN dictated bY Wilfred Sweet I used to walk to school with a boY narned Hancock. bY He used to Prefer to go ttrrough the fields and swa:nPs the stream rather than going along the road" We would arrive at the school verY wet and often very nuddY. MY frj-end sometines would Pick flowers from gardens on the waY" He used, to lie low afterwards and I often got the blame for picking them. the Our Punishment at the school then, instead of cane, was to fill uP a tarrk with water from the well in the school Yard.
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Bpronpl PENTDWAI\ VNNET
*Comprehensive stock of genuine parts at discount pri * Efficient nechanical repairs and servicing - labour rate per hour. * pre-MOT welding - Body repairs plus resprays - labour ra t5.5O per hour. " Open ? days a week (Sunday 10 'r ?) at London Apprentice' Tel: St. Austell 4056. NO JOB TOO SI'IALL OR TOO BI -L6- DOIVI{ MEMORY I,ANE by Elsie Sleep, fornerly May It rarely rained on Polgooth Sunday School Anniver- sary in my younger days which, with our annual trip to Pentewan on August Bank Holiday, highlighted our lives" The Sunday was when we had a very special preacher, usually by special invitation. There was a morning and an evening service, the latter being so well attended that extra seats had to be put in the aisles to accom- modate them. Ttre afternoon service.was when the children showed off their abilities in,song and verse (with a little pronpting) after veeks of practising. On the Monday afternoon we all met and, headed by the Sticker Silver Band and the splendid Sunday Schsol Banner which was carrieA Uy 2 stalwart men from the village, we paraded through the village and, when we got to the Cor.rnt House, we,were all g:lven a glass of refreshing cordial. Frorn there we proceeded to a field kindly lent by either l\tr. S. Stone or Mr. M. May. rPlease bring your own mugs I they said, which were for the free drinks to go with the rsaffern bunr and split with cream and jam" Teas were laid on tables in the field and there was always a second sitting for overftows and late comerso The evening rras spent listening to the band and with organised sports for the children and there were always the Swing Boats. Mrs. Cundyrs stal} was in evidence where we were able to buy home-nade treacle rock, sweets which when weighed included the weight of her little fingerl Kellyts ice cream too was a great attraction. The Band played until 9 orclock when we danced the Flora Dance through the village. After, it was back to the field to play 'French Tigr and that gradually was merged into 'Kiss in the Ringr. To round off the day there was the fish and chips cart down on the corner which was lit by a hissing gas jet. Three pennyworths of chips gave us fresh energy and enough breath to sing hymns which resounded through the villagp and which went on untit we were all too tired for more.' firose were the days ! Ba.nk Holiday Monday? Thatts another story. @@@@@@@@@ -17_ RXCOLLECTIONS by Vera TYeleaven My grandmother was named Tonkin - her l\,[rnn and Dad were named Job and were the first licensees of the Polgnoth Inn - they came from somewhere near Penzance. When James Tonkin was a nine captain in Polgooth, he married the daughter (Susan Mellow'Job) and later took over the pub. My earliest memory of the pub was the big room upstairs, they held dances in it" Grandfather Tonkin died in 1914. When we walked hone from school through T?egongeeves Lane we hurried past a place called rthe black holet - I think there may have been a tunnel there. lTe had heard someone junped out frorn it and scared people. At the botton of the lane there were two thatched cottages and another, and part of it was lvlrs. Chapmanrs (nicknamed. Lizzie Grip) sweet shop. Then there was the butcherrs shop in Recketts Road. We would go down for tripe on a long skewer. There was Bible trlpe, pipe tripe and honeycornb tripe. It was mostly horses and carts and wagrrnettes in those days. On Easter Saturday we went to St. Austell football field on a straw/hay wag'ono On Easter Monday we would take the fountain (portable boiler) and march with the band around the village - Rose Hill - back to the Count House - Trelowth Road. AII the ehildren had a cupful of Salisbury beer, made from crystals in a bottle; there would be a bathful in the garden. One boy wasntt allowed any, he had to have a banana or an app1e, his mum was afraid he would take to drink later in life" My Great Great Aunt becane the first convert of John Wesley in the village" The first car was owned by my Uncle Orlando (could it be an Al-dace and Onions) - I used to rlde to Porthpean in it. The Account House at East Rand was the first to have electricity and John Willoughby had the first wireless. We fetched our water from Bosinver Lane. In Stoney Lane there were rails going across to the waterwheel. In Tye Shute lane the spring sometimes overflowed and flooded the cottages, so Nick May had the water piped.
-18- I can remember the nining days. Irm 29 now and recall seeing Bal naidens working with fibre brushes, like household brooms only longer, and miners with donkeys and carts all at work, and sone of then dying with t'miners t pthisistt. My dad went to Africa, he sent home a gold nugget which was made into sovereign pendants (worth about 84OO each now). One miner at Dowgas was in sone kind of trouble, he shot hinself but didnrt die, the bul1et went right through and came out fron his backj In those days there was a story of a ghost at South Po1gootho Have you seen Franges ghost? Someone at Litt1e Polgooth may remember the rumour.
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COPPLESTOM A}ID WIiALE R. A. IIAWI(E & C!. Egg Merchants CoaI Merchants Ca.nnaframe, Po1gooth. Polgooth St. AusteLL 4707 St. Austel]- 3121
BEDDING PLANTS ETC. NIGEL HITCHB{S Your own Ring tr{rs. AIna Geach local Taci Service. at St. Austell 5310. Just ring NIGELTS CABS Delivery can be arranged on St. Austell 6L22O. in Polgooth. Weekdays:6pn-2am. lat:Noon - 3 am.Sun:6 a^rn - 3au
POLCCIqTH PNXSS F. G. HITct{n{S General Buildins Contractor General Frinting Green Acres, PoLgooth Polgooth St. AusteLI 2763 St. Austell 2?9O
_19_ SAM STONE remembered by his daughter Averill Phillips He started work at the age of 10 at South Polgooth and always naintained that there is still richness in that nine" In the First World War he went to France and by now was well-knoun because he cut the soldierst hair and had developed a skill of water divining by using his watch as a pendulum" In the depression after the War he went to Anerica to work at Butte, Montana, and I have a souvenir, a large medallion with a view of the mine and the words rrSouvenir from the richest hi-ll in the world, Butte, Montanarron it. I also have a teaspoon as well marked 'rAnaconda Mine, the richest hill on earthrr and a jar of tin. He eventually came back and settled in Polgooth. He was a keen gardener and took a great interest in the village people" He let then come into his garden for vege- tables and, if anyone was upset, he went out of his way to get thern to confide in him their troubles or, if anyone quarrelled, he tried to smooth things over and get them together again He would amuse visitors when they came around by getting a shovel, shaking some gravel in water to show them tin. He also had a very fine mineral collection and maps and photographs of the area. He became a water diviner for the Parish Council, using a hazeL twig he could te}l the depth of water by the strength of the movenent. I remember once he was working at Chape1 Point, Portmellonl he would be off early in the morning on his Raleigh notor cycle and he pegged the positions where he believed they would find water, only to find the following day a note stuck on his marker saying, I'Sam Stone you're mad, all you wiJ-l get here is salt waterrt. He liked to waLk the village lanes and, when our water came from Tye Shute, he regularly nade sure it was clean, cleaning the stream fron top to botton. When we first had tap water, he wouldnrt drink it, he still went up the lane for his water! His initials can be found in the waIl opposite the Post Office (S.S. l-916) - there was a tap there once.
-20- Sam Stone did charity work for the Council, then at St. Mewan School, and organised the evacuees in the Polgooth area" I also helped hin to prepare a mine tunnel (which ran from Polgooth to Sticker) as an aLr- raid shelter with pit props to make it safe. As children we once explored the tunnel, even though we had to belly crawl over a rock fall and were up to our waists in water" We never did it again though, Dad would have been very cross if he knew. I We used to have the Americans here during the war (they were banned from Mevagissey and St. Austell). I Several village ladies, Mum included, baked Lemon Meringue pies, their favourite dish, until they looked like them. In the chapel if you } @@@@@@@@@@@ POLGOOTH POST OFFICE STORES Newsagent and Off-Licence l 4 We detiver groceries on Fridays (free over 85) l We are the Polgooth agents for CALOR GAS and KEITHIS FNESH MEAT Rm[mvIBER, we also sell TOILETRIES, BABY NEEDS' FANCY COODS, CARDS and PARAFFIN I\{. J. and D. R. EVA}IS St. Austell 3816 -2L- SOIvm TALL STORIES Polgpoth, as a village, has changed dramatically over the past ten or twenty years but to.me, and I suppose to most of the natives, the passing of many of the well larown characters with their witty and comicaL remarks has had aS big an impact as any These are just a few of the stories I can remember. A builderts apprentice built a garden waIl curved instead of straight. When his boss complained about it, the lad said, rrTisntt ny fault - the wind was blowing the Line I rl Another builderts labourer was'so strong that, vith four hundredweights of cement on his shoulder, he climbed a twenty rung ladder and broke every stave on the way up! In those days nost families used to fatten and slaughter a pig. There was always speculation as to the weight of the dressed carcasso One nan exclained when his pig was hung on the weighing machine, JrBlimey, tets heavier than I thought te was - I thought re would be.rr Then there was the painter up his ladder, painting. Yours truly, trying to be clever, said, trOi, yourre putting the paint on upside down.rr rrl Inrowrrt said the painter, irl opened the wrong end of the tin.r' T?ren there was the tin miner who went down a mine so deep and it tvas so cold that, when he tried to snuff out the candle, the flame broke off in his hand. And dontt anybody think any of this idn true rcause I know for a fact rtis. Denis ilIay. @@@@@@@@@@@ OMLOIS DAIRY Your Local Dairy for Fresh Milk, CYeam, Eggs, Soft Drinks, Fruit Juices and Christmas Hampers. *ta**++*10* Strathcona, Polgooth St. Austell 2518 -22- INTERVIEW WITH RAY SMITH Ray Snith was born in Beech House 25 years ago and has lived in Appletree Cottage, Recketts Road, for the past 50 years. He remembers a Reg Gaved living in Appletree Cottage followed by I\{r" Robbins. However, before thoser 1\4ro Perryman the Butcher lived there about 75 years ago" The cottagp itself was built about IOO years ago by the Coon brothers and is stilI in the Coon family. The property was at that tine surrounded by orchards; indeed the cottage was called Appletree, because of the many apple trees in the area. l{hen NIr. Perryman the Butcher lived there he had a chalet type shop at the side of the house. He boiled tripe in the back kitchen, which was eaten on long lvooden skewers. The butcher laad a horse and covered type wagono He had a butcherts round as has our present day village butcher" At that tine a rump of beef 10 to 12 lbs in weight cost 10 shillings. The butcherts roundsrnan would. go on his round and stop here and there for a drink. He would sometimes get quite drunk by the end of the day but his faithful horse would bring him home with hirn lying in the cart at the back. The horse would. manipulate the steep drive and finish standing in his stable. John Perry Mitchell Smith (Ray Snith's father) spent many years in America living with his mother on a ranch. \Then he returned to E:gland with his mother he bought Beech House and worked and traded as a l{arket Gard.ener frorn the fields where }{r. Denis Itdayts house now stands" He also kept pigs and poultry. lvlr. perryman the Butcher used to get his supply of fresh pork from IyIr. Smj_th. Ray Smithts'father married a local girl named Kate Laurie from Sticker. They had eight child.ren (? boys and a girl) and they were all g:iven American christian narnes " The eldest, Eugene (deceased at the age of 86) lived at Jubilee Cottage. Then there is Garfield who is gg and still living in St. Austell, followed by Viola aged g6 and living in Appletree Cottage with her brother Ray, then Marcus aged 84 living in Fore Street, then Kinley (deceased), then Grant aged 81 living in T?elowth Road, Ray (75 years) and the youngestr, Orrinr aged 69 and living in Mevagisseyo -23- r+,-?l'- lr Ray Snith left school at 14, first working: on a fan in the village, then on his brotherrs milk round. He was 22 years meter reading and collecting for the South West Gas Board and retired 1O years ago. His sister Viola went dressnaking in St. Austell when she left school, Ieaving hone at 7 in the morning and returning at 9 each evening', walking the distance there and back all- for a shilling a week. Ray remembers the first urotor car in the village, owned by Orlando Langford who von the car in a conpetiti He lived at Rose Cottage" (up Back Lane) and later at the lvlanor House where lvlr. Coode now lives. Dr. Jeffery, a doctor in St. Austell, also had a motor car. Ray the doctor performing an operation on his father at Beech House. In those days many ninor operations were carried out in the home on the kitchen table" Can we have more of these reminiscences fron our senior citizens who have lived in the village all their lives. Any member of the conrnittee would be happy to cone along and talk to you" Ytle think it is so inportant to keep the past alive. Patricia Vtleaver Pan Gibbs @@@@@@@@@@@ er4Lsyry Oven-fresh BREAD daily plus CONFECTTONERY, BTRTHDAY WEDDING CAKES, made to 13, Trinity Street, St. Austel1. Tel: 5169 -24- WAR-TII\M POICOOTH My husba^nd and I came to live in Cornwall in early L946, staying at Bosinver Farm until Edgar Tonkin, the village plurnber, had brought water to our cob cottage, the trench for the pipe being dug by two forner Gegman prisoners. The previous occupants had to fetch water from the pump at St. Margaretrs well which-a1so supplied other cottages in the vicinity. Electricity was also installed, but at tlrrat time we had to put up wj-th an Elsan at the end of the garden. We did have a proper bath, though these were in short supply in the village" We found rationing very much still in evidence, so decided to produce as much of our food as we could. We kept several goats, including a huge Pedigree Billy called Grlliver who once escaped into the village, to the great consternation of all the inhabitants. ITe also had chickens, ducks, geese and rabbits. We shared a couple of pigs with sone neighbours, and Sam Stone used to come and kill these when they were ready for eating" Food for the pigs was also rationed, and the only way to obtain the appropriate meal was by belonging to the village Pig C1ub. We had a marvellous meal cooked by Mrs. Rowe at the village pub when the elub was eventuall-y wound up. One ration was not in short supply to us as very Iittle cheese was consumed in the village during and inrnediately after the War, and we could buy as much as \Ye needed from the village shop. lThen we first came to Polgooth there was one bus a week, on Friday afternoons, and this was always full" The number of buses was gradually increased until eventually we had four buses a day - morning, lunch time, evening and about 1O olclock - but these \ilere eventually withdrawn as there was insufficient demand. The institute in those days was a men-only preserve and not mrch used but, when the women were admitted, things improved and regular dances, whist drives and an excellent pantomime, helped financially and socially. One year my husband raised a good crop of tobacco on the other side of the stream, from plants gfown by Hedley Sweet in his greenhouse". The leaves \ilere dried, _25_ lrfi' li painted wlth nolasses' rolled up and pressed into a vice. Ttre tobacco was then cut up with a razo! blade and used for snoking in a pipe (ny husband) and cigarettes (ne)' though I mrst adnit we were not very popular vhen smoking this indoors - it was nuch better in the fresh air. Delia Brown @@@@@@@@@@@@ i'mn nR.rnNE I ensmnoNso Fore Street, Polgooth. St. Austell 5930 Ladiest and Gentlements Hairdresser Conpetitive Prices Senior Citizens - T\resdays and Thursdays O.A.P. Pern €5.45 Ear Piercing fron fI.95 W. TTJLLY MOBILE BUTCTMR Top Quality Fresh Meat and Poultry My Mobile Van visits Polgooth and lYelowth every TIIESDAY and FRIDAY nidday throughout the year. Telephone me at CMNTOCK 830438 if you would like ne to caIl. I can supply neat for your deep freeze on order. -26- MINING AND POIf,roCIITI- (Concluding the article started in the last issue. ) In 1818 the Polgooth rnine was restarted under the management of John Taylor and by 1838 2O2 persons urere employed. T\ro steam enginees (66 inch pr.rmping 26 inch stanps) traO been installed together with a 32 foot arrd 6 foot and 27 foot 3 foot waterwheel , wh'ims for raising ore and twelve smaller sets of waterwheel stamps, 1\e 2O2 persons were made up of 141 nen 10 women and 51 children. Ttre mine had produced up to this tine a total of 14r75O tons of tin and 595 tons of copper since 1?83. ?tre production of black tirt fron Pollnoth in 1837 was 252 tons, more than that produced by Great lYork and Tincroft in the same year. This tonnage may appear to be sma1l but it is a good amount considering for every lOO tons of black tin produced, between 5'OOO and IO'OOO tons of tin ore had to be treated. Taylor carried on working the mine untiL L842 when the price of tin took a nose'dive. In 1845 a new company took over, seven engines were employed (8O inch 67 inch pumping, three 22 inch whims, 24 inch 35 inch staurps) ttre giant 8O inch drove a battery of 12O head of stanps, the largest set in the country. This machinery was sold off when working ended in 1856, and it was noted then that the western part of the nine had not sunk by one foot in the past lOO years. On a lesser scale the mine was re-opened and enployed 7O persons in 187O but all major activity had ceased before 1894. The deepest of the nany shafts is Taylors on main Iode - 160 fathoms from surface. Above Polgooth on the golf course tod.ay, the stump of its engine house stands as a reminder of the concern which a century ago was very important. In 1906 an attenpt was nade to rework Polgooth and this lasted until 1908. The mine, however, was so deep and so fu1l of water that it would have cost too much to punp it dry. Sone work was done on the surround.ing spoilheaps up untiL L929, but only sporadically. -27- )ir:rl I South Polgpoth on the hill west of the village, near Five Ttrrningp, was a new, very mrch smaller nine in 1836, sunk only to sone 50 fathoms in depth. Here were three lodes, they called then Hewas Lode, North Lode and Caunter Lode; there were 136 persons enployed and a 36 inch engine erected. There was copper, tinrarsenic, wolfram and zinc . but not much of any of them and they were only able to produce 50 tons of tin. Ttrereafter the mine was worked at various times until as recently as 1916, although with little output after 1882. The a{oining Conmerce Mine was also active in the early nineteenth century being: last worked fron 1901 to 19iO. a Polgrroth produced 2r95O tons of black tin between 1837 and 1885. Idany of the miners fron Polgooth emigrated to such places as Australia, America and South Africa, never to return. Another attenpt at reworking: South Polgooth was made in 1896. Alt the water was pumped out but, in three years, only 34 tons of tin were produced, less than one ton per month and in 1899 the mine closed down. It was to be re-opened again as the Treloweth Mine. It was worked by one man and two boys for ten years between 19OO - 1910, during which time only IO tons of tin were produced. Wheal Connerce was re-opened as a separate entity fron Polgooth in 1901. Ttre interconnecting levels had to be sealed off if it was to function properly. Ttris proved to be too expensive so only the upper levels were worked by a handful of miners. Between 1903 and 1910 the nine yielded 154 tons of black tin, also the spoilheaps were picked over for anything they night contain. No more work continued after 1910. Ttre otd dressing floors of Polgooth are now a golf course; at South Polgooth you can see a large area, presumably arsenical, on which nothing g?ows. P.B. @@@@@@@@@@ -28- d Local 0r b attisations OVER 60IS CLUB Voluntary entertainers wanted who would come and entertain members for a half hour or longer. If inter- ested please contact Miss Cocks. Miss Cocks is also the llt.R.V"S. representative for the Polgooth area" THE POLCTOOTH OVER 60rS CLUB meets in the Institute Hall every lst and 3rd Thursday in the month,2"3O to 4.3O. Members enjoyed their 4th Club Anniversary in lday which tbey celebrated by going on a coach outing and having their birthday tea at Par. Club members were deeply sorry to hear that l{rs. Joan Prior had passed avtay, l{e shall always remember her as a very friendly person - she always enjoyed coming to the club meetings in spite of her illness. Programme of Future Events Sept.l6th Club Harvest Festival. Mrs. lVright of Sticker will conduct a short service. Sept.3oth Mrs. D. Fogg entertaining. Oct. 5th Coach Outing to Fa1mouth. Oct" 14th Cl-ub C?rristnas Fair SaIe. Oct. 28th The Music Makers from Truro. Nov. llth Ldr. Joey Johns entertaining. Nov. 25th Mr. Denis May - films. Dec. gth CIub Ctrristmas Party" Club Leader Miss D. Cocks, 1 Ttepol, Trelowth Rd. Phone: St. Austell 65629 Deputy Club Leader trtrs. E. Bilkey Secretary .. lvlrs. Sutton T?easurer LIr. R, Prior @@@@@@@@@@ JOAN LANGRAN POLDAEK A}iTIQUES BUY and SELL all Antique and Collectorsr items. Business: Market House, Home: 6 Sycamore Close, St. Austell. -29- xr{ tl POLC'OOTH PLAYGROUP It is tine to start another school yearr our fourth' and we are looking forward to a newly decorated Ha1l which will be pleasant. Last term was a good one with several new children but at the end of it we said goodbye to Anna Redington' Jemma Holland and l\fiadeline Hart. At the end of Septenber we shall lose a few nore who are able to start at St. Mewan as part-timers. We have a rent increase at the Institute in Septen- ber which will mean a sma1l increase on our fees and we will need to keep up the number of children attending, so keep them coning! GilI Harper, Supervisor. @@@@@@@@@ WOMEN'S INSTITUTE The W.I. in Polgooth has enjoyed two memorable outings during the summer, visiting the Minaek T?reatre on 28th July when we saw rHello Do1lyr, and on 6th August when we went to Alternun Church and back to Jamaica Inn for a meal. We start meetings again on 3rd September when IF. D. Cbeba will talk on Cornish Minerals. !r{rs. J. Foot, the County Ctrairnan, will also be there. &rr Harvest Festival will take place on 1st Oetober and on 6th November lvlrs. Beck will show us slides of Papud, New Guinea. The Ctrristnas Party is on 3rd De Any new ladies to the village will be most welcome at, any of our neetings @@@@@@@q@ POLG@'TH SI,IMMERS Dontt forget ladies, if you still want to watch extra lbs disappear and get doun to the exercises, we shall be starting our weekly neetings on T\resday, 12th October, at 7.3O p.n. in the Institute. Jean Funnell. -30- POLGOOTII UNDER 16ts DISCO Recently, three friends and I, who have just left school, have been running a DISCO in the Institute, entertaining the young people of the village and raising funds for the Institute. The DISCO is held every other week on Saturday fron 7 to 1O p.m. Refreshments are available and there are dancing competitions for anyone who wants to join in. Everyone 16 or under is welcome, no smoking or alcohol are a11owed, and the Disco will continue for as long as there is reasonable support. The Disco needs some adult supervision and any help frour dads or strong rninded mums, who would be willing to act as rbouncerst occasionally, would be gratefully accepted. Anyone prepared to help please get in touch with me at Polgooth Post Office. Philip Evans @@@@@@@@@ POI.GOOTII CONSERVATIVES lTe held a most enjoyable fete in I{r. and I'{rs. Denis Mayts lovely garden in June. Over f,7O was raised and we do thank the stall holders for their efforts and all of you and the visitors to Polgooth who came to support uso If you enjoy a game of cards do come and join us at our monthly WIIIST DRIVE which start in September" They are held on the third Thursday of each month at 7.3O p.n. in the Polgooth Institute. You wilt be assured of a warrn welcome and a fri.endly evening. A&nission is 7Op which includes refreshments. Hope to see you there" l.SOn -31 - lEf tl POLGOCNH CXTAPEL AND SUNDAY SCHOOL Most people living: in the village probably lorow by now that an attenpt is being made to selI the Ctrapel. Planning pernission has been granted for conversion into 2 dwellings. Soon after the building has been soLd we hope to conmence the development of the Sr:nday School building. CIr 17th July we took a party of Sunday School children to truro Schoo1 where an Activity Day had been arranged by the Cornwall District. During the first 2 weeks of the childrents summer holidays a Clusade was held in the Playing'Field. This involved the children during the mornings and. afternoons and adults in the evenings. lVe would like to thank the Parish Council for allowing the field to be used, as many young people received a great blessing during the 2 weeks. We would welcome any children to join us on Sunday mornings whether or not they took part in the CYtrsade neetings. Ttrough the CtrapeL is being: sold we will continue to meet each Sunday for Worship at 11.OO a.m. and we welcome any who night like to join us. If any readers are enquiring after the deeper meani of life, or evidence of life after death, I urge you to turn to the Bible, which is C'odts Word for us today. To look for such meanings or evidence at seances or through mediums could be extrenely dangerous, particularly for young people. Jesus said, rI am the Way, the Tluth and the Life; no one goes to the Father except by me. I Tony Warren. @@@@@@@ PHILLIPS and SYI,VESTER P. M. & M. R. HITGIM{S Professional Painters and Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Decorators delivered to your Door. Donna, Polgooth. Mobile Van visits Polgroth Ttre s day s-Thur sdays-Fr i day s St. Austell 3655 -32- Private Adverts Noj The Lobster Playpen advertised for in the last issue was not required for baby lobsters as was thought nV least one of our residents. 1t BRIDGE Anyone interested in playing Bridge and having Bridge Social Evenings through the winter, please contact Marilyn Mitchell on St. Austell 65C.25. Private advertisenents, up to 25 words, will be included in the Newsletter free of charge. @@@@@@@@@@ $4TEET BROS. SERVICING AND REPAIRS GENENAL AUTOMOB]LE ENGINEERS RECOVERY SERVICE East Rand - Polgooth St" AusteLL 2959 1.Fl il Letters Several letters have been received expressing a contrary view of Spiritualism to that given by It{r. Barns in the last issue. Ore printed in full below was from [,1r. and ]ldrs. Toms in the village. Since the opinions expressed were similar and because of linitations of space we include only lvlr. and lfrs. Tomst letter but thank also Tony Warren and IvIr. Potts of Plymouth for their letters. Dear Sir, We are writing concerning the drticles written about rstrange happeningsr and life after death. We find these articles nost distasteful and wond.er if the people delving into these things really lcrow how dangerous it is. I\fr. S. Barns says that Rev. John Wesley said that ghosts and apparitions provide the best evidence of a future life. If the Rev. Wesley said this, we doubt if he said the best evi-dence and we also doubt if he agreed with people having anything to do with these things. It is more likely that he said it to point out to people who did neddle in such things that there was also another life after death - being with the Lord. The Bible states in Levitiats 2,0227, rNow a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritualist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. r and in Deuteronomy 1g: rTtrere l-O-12, shall not be found among you .... one who casts a spell or a medium or spiritualist, or one who calls up the dead. For whosoever does these things is detestable to God. Ttris shows that anything to do with ghosts or mediums etc. is totally against what the Bible teaches, it therefore must be of Satan and to encourage people to look into and to write and read on this subject is, in our opinion, very v/rong. The Bible tells us in many places that those of us who die in C?rrist will take our place in Heaven, so, if anyone sees a ghost, then that ghost must be of Satan and is not to be encouraged. -34- ,! We have }crown of many people who have got themselves into dangerous grounds after looking into this subject and who have needed a great deal of corrnselling out of it and I feel that for the Polgooth Times to encourage such things would be very irresponsible. l I{r. Barns aI says that qui.te ilprobably most, not so if all, people have some hidden psychic gift which can, und.er the right conditions, come into operation.rr Surely he must mean under the wrong conditions. This psychic gift can only come from Satan and to say that most, if not all, people have it is absurd. We have many gifts - all from God and absolutely nothing to do with the devil. The Bible says j-n Isaiah 8:Ig, rAndr when they say to you rtconsult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter'r, should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead of behalf of the living?t and in James 4:7, 'Submit therefore to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.r I hope that you will print this letter, i-ncluding the Bible verses, in the next issue of Polgooth Tines, to show that you do have the lnterests of your readers at heart. If you are unable to, perhaps you could write to us explaining why. Yours sincerely, Ryn Cottage. [{r. and lvlrs. R. Toms Just two editorial comments" We hope that it is obvious that we do have the interest of our readers at heart. We are very pleased to include the Toms' letter which expresses a firm point of view with great sincerity. lte are not however prepared to enter into correspondence explaining our reasons for including or exeluding letters or other material submitted for publication and it should be remembered that we, the Committee, do not necessarily share the views expressed by some of our contributors. @@@@@@@@@@@ -JD- I Following our invitation in the last issue for information about apparently supernatural experiences in the village, we have received the following account fron Pat Hoffen at lVhitegates Cottage. tI moved j:nto 2 l{hitegates Cottage after the Simnonds left. It was not an easy tine for me as I was coning to Cornwall, with 3 sna1l children, to 1ive, and really lorev very little about the County. I had been told of several places that night suit ne but after ny first visit to the cottage }crew that it would be home for ne. Ttrat first feeling has never left ne. I nust adnit that I never real|y believed in ghosts or manifestations of that kind but, some time after we moved into the cottage, I auoke in the early hours of the morning to see what appeared to be a little old lady dressed in an old fashioned white dress, standing at the foot of ny bed. At fi.rst I thought that I was inagining this and that it must be a dream, but I realised I was completely awake and she stood there looking at me. I had no feeling of fear, in fact the opposite, it certainly was as though she was just watching me, as a mother might watch a child, and then she disappeared. Some weeks later I was having a meal with Meg Si and told her the story. Meg made no comrnent until her eldest daughter Pau1a carne to join us. Meg then asked me to repeat the story to Paula, which I did, and she immed- iately said, rfl rm surprised you saw her in that bedroon because she usually is to be seen in the other si.de of the cottage.rr I @@@@@@@@ Debbie Simmonds, Paulats sister, sent us the followin complementary story about her time, living at Whitegates Cottage. lYe have not yet been able to contact Paula her- self. rMy elder sister, Paula, had several strange experi- ences when living in the cottage. Ttre cottage is divided into 2 parts, Mum and I slept in one side, paula in the other, Knowing I an a nervous person, paula only told ne of some of her experiences after we had. moved from the cottage. _36_ fuite often, as she lay in her bed, she would feel a friendly presence in her bedroom trooking over her and, more than once, when she was the first to get up in the morning:, all the downstairs lights would be on. Orce, Paula was awoken by what she thought to be ny mother calling her to get up as she had overslept and would be J.ate fgr work. She dashed out of bed and got to work just in time. On returning home that evening she thanked Mun for waking her up. MUm, however, lcrew nothing of this and was certainly not aware that she had overslept. So - who was it who called Paula? I cannot honestly say that there is a rghostt in the cottage, perhaps there is some sensible earthly explanation to what happened when we lived there, However I would just say that a friend of ours, a very rpsychicl 1ady, came to visit us one afternoon. No one mentioned ghosts in the conversation but, during her vj-sit, she suddenly said that she could feel the presenee of an old lady, standing by the foot of the stairs leading to Paulats bedroom. I Debbie Sirnmons @@@@@@@ ROWSE, JEFFERY & WATKlNS HOUSE AND ESTATE AGENTS, SURVEYORS, ' AUCTIONEERS & VALUERS. ******* I For Properties in Mid-Cornwall- 58 Fore Street, 16 DUKE STREET, 17 Dean Street Bod.min ST. AUSTELL Liskeard Tel: (0208) 3298 Tel: {0726) 3483 Tel: (0579) 424ClC 5 FORE STREET, LOSTWITHIEL Tel: (o2os) ezzzas Agents for several Leading Buitding Societies Ed itorial Cotntnittee Tfre present Editorial Conmittee is:- Pauline Bassett, East nand, Polgooth. John and Phyllis Donoghue, Anethlowan, Polyear Close. St. Austell 65289 Roger l[ay, The C,ooperage, Trelowth Rd. St.Austell 3793 Jean Paul, Bosken. St.Austell 3OO9 Peter Waters, Rowan Leat, Chapel HiIl. St.Austell 3163 @@@@@@@@@ COMMERCI AL ADVFSTI S I NG Enquiries for commercial advertising should be nade to John Donoghue (see above) who will be very pleased to advise on charges, illustration etc. The actual layout and positioning of adverts dqends very much on the other material available when the news- letter is cornpiled and we cannot guarantee that particular adverts will appear on particular pages or in isolation. @@@@@@@@ Views expressed in letters and articles in Ttre Polgooth Times are not necessarily those held by members of the Editorial Comrnittee" Regrettably, the Editorial Connittee cannot under- take to confirm times, spellings, dates, venues, etc. in information sent in for publication. Contributors are asked, please, to verify details and accuracy of all information supplied to The Polgooth Tines. Articles should be signed, to assist readers who may wish to fotlow up the infornation given. @@@@@@@@@ St. Austell 65OtI M. J. DOCKREE fuatified Electrician JOHN BOAI(ES Carpet Fitter Conpetitive Prices Ring St. Austell 4167 Downside, Recketts Rd rPolgooth: Moorlands, Little Polgooth -38- COPY for the next issue of Ttre Polgooth Tirnes must be in 6-tfr" Editorial Committee by 7th January 1983 at the latest and well before this if at all possible. Publi- cation of the next issue should take place j-n February. We cannot undertake to remind potential, contributors of the deadline for contributions. pages for each issue is decided very soon after the specifi.ed date by which copy should be in. For this reason material arriving after this date may be very difficult or impossible to fit in although, if it contains information of particular interest to the village, every effort will be nade to include it. Editing of many articles is essential when, as this nonth, a great deal of information is forthcoming. Or .apologies for this but far better this way round thari not enough and a sparse Newsletter. Copy not published'in any issue is held over to the next time for fresh consideration. @@@@@@@@@ I ! 't* l I I -39- -Y'l lqH '-'1€-''f-A ---jr 6 -*--rl- 9.6. p[LGrorn ' i: * . .. -.1.- ,", .:,::" _+ya{o ., +? !3q ' :{-- 4T.- ' :Fd " . .. .'*'6*-'d4:.-,..