Page 16 - John's Story Vol 1

STORY 1 - 22/01/2016 – MORE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES – PART 2

No photos just memories…….
I forgot to say last time wood was not the only thing my father and I took
back to Trewarvas. There were grapefruits. Gran. Grandad and Dad would have
them for breakfast! Yes winter months were rough as many a famous photo
has shown. Summer months were very different. As a 5-10 year old boy I all
but lived on the beach and the years were filled with fun and excitement. Our
house was overlooking the beach and it took approx 1 minute to walk!
The beach would be packed every day with locals and visitors. But before anyone
got there I was already there with the beach to myself. Not looking for wood
but Corona bottles.... I would walk from the institute out as far as The Tye
Rock Hotel and back collecting these bottles. Depending on how many the
visitors left (the locals never left any) would determine my pocket money as I
could get 3d for each one from Mr Edwards in the paper shop! The tide
influenced my pocket money and the times I visited the beach. If the tide was
in my first stop would be Salt Cellar Stores, a fisherman s loft. It was great
listening to these men telling their stories and exchanging memories of their
past sea trips. I could write a book.....
At about 9am Joey Allen (no relation but we were one big family in Porthleven
back then) would come down to the harbor. He was a small man, a great
Porthlevener and another man you could write a book about. When he used to
see me, which was most mornings when there wasn't any school, he knew what
I was there for... a trip out on his boat. He used to take visitors out mackerel
fishing which I found to be great fun. I would have to ask him the time a few
times when we were out at sea He would shade his eyes with his cap, look at
his watch which was pinned inside his cap and tell the visitors the time! He
would tell the visitors it was all to do with the positioning of the sun or more
gulls sitting on the water rather than flying! Often they would believe him.
Not only did I enjoy my trips out with Joey I also earnt some more pocket
money by gutting the fish for the visitors.
In the afternoons it would be back on the beach again with my mates for
swimming and catching baldrons using limpets as bate on a bent pin tied to a
length of cotton. What ugly fish they were... From the beach I could look up
and see my Gran. She would smile and wave to me. She was a wonderful lady.
Oh I forgot to mention the money from the Corona bottles and gutting fish
would be spent in Oliver's Ice Cream (tin shed) at the top of the