Photo of AG Pratley. The small man from St Blazey.Went on to a music hall career.Died in 1951 leaving £594...He must have been quite successful.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/StAustell-Area-In-The-Old-Days/151330884938458
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."
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 Cornish origin, used to pride themselves on their pasties, but I can honestly say that none could hold a candle to hers. Maybe it was Kittows skirt that did it, now we'll never know. Life then seemed ideal. Just nearby was Kittows field where twice a day the cows were brought to and from for milking in their milking parlour behind the shop. We didn't need a clock as we could tell the time from their comings and goings. Part of the field was fenced off, containing, I was told, an old mine shaft and this was our rubbish patch. No dustbin men for us. Just stand near the fence and throw as far as you could. Keeping a wary eye open for any cow that had its calf there and ready to run for the field gate if she decided we'd come too close. The fields were our playground and the hedgerows were full of blackberries so we would always be sure of blackberry and apple pie, the apples scrumped from Ada Legg's garden when we were sure she was out. Having our bikes meant we could easily go to our local beaches. Par sands, where the tide seemed to go out for miles even making Par harbour a dry dock, which reminds me that everything seemed to be covered in China clay dust when the boats were being loaded. Uncle Ralph worked on the docks here and always came home covered in clay dust, I think that that ended up finishing him off, who knows.
Anyway to get back to the main subject we had great times on Par sands looking for mines etc. We were told the beach had been mined during the war and no-one knew whether they had all been cleared. They must have been as we never found any. Our own private beach was Spit, where only the locals knew how to get there, "Foreigners", anyone not a local, weren't told of its whereabouts. It took some getting to but it was a lovely rocky beach where we would clamber about on the rocks making sure we took home a saddlebag of limpets which Auntie would cook up for supper. I'm told now that Spit beach is no more after cliff falls have now cut it completely off. Was it the late forties or the early fifties that we visited an open air "theatre" on Par sands where the players acted on a stage surrounded by tiers of seating rising up? I can't remember it as a youngster but do remember going there in my early teens. I do seem to remember that there were a lot of caravans around there then.
I don't know whether anyone will ever read these ramblings or whether the people now living in number 8 find the area as happy for them as it was for me. I hope so. I went back to look around the area in the 1980's and saw the changes that the coming of the motor car has made to it. Gone were the high granite garden walls to make space for their cars, though no.8 still looked as I remembered it as luckily it had a garage store to the rear, the bottom wall still had the same two stones I used to sit on pretending I was on a motorbike. Gosh, the memories were flooding back.
http://www.francisfrith.com/st-blazey/memories/after-the-war-was-over_15361/
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.
http://www.francisfrith.com/st-blazey/memories/
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.
http://www.francisfrith.com/st-blazey/memories/
Shops in St Blazey (1950)
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 the petrol pump outside, which I remember being worked with a hand pump, by Nell Bennett. I will now cross the road and go up on the other side. The cosy corner cafe, then the Co-op milk depot (Tommy Cox and Stan Bowden, the milkmen). Then Padfield's the jewellers. Up the road a way then to the shop of Jack Bennett, Foundry Yard, Jenkin's the butcher next. Mrs Puckey's grocery next and then Russell Hambly's cobblers shop. Then another barber, Mr Libby. The Bennett brothers' garage next, Jack and Arthur with the printers business of Jack Carter above them. Carne's bakery came next and then another chemists belonging to Mr Wlliams. Mr Vincent's newsagents next then Tom Jackson the vet.
http://www.francisfrith.com/st-blazey/memories/
Families of St Blazey in 40's/50's
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 put down some family names from the St Blazey of that era, with apologies to the ones I forget.
http://www.francisfrith.com/st-blazey/memories/families-of-st-blazey-in-the-40s-50s_20821/
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 on the walls I donated my collection of American banners and they were hung on the walls of the lounge bar.
http://www.francisfrith.com/st-blazey/memories/the-cinema_45811/
