Page 16 - recollections of a life in Porthleven

Chapter 3

Time with Grandad

I was born at Gibson Way, Porthleven. At the age of 4 years I moved to
Trewarvas (name of the house) on Cliff Rd, in Porthleven. With my father
called William (Bill) my older sister Margaret, and my younger brother
Stephen. We had to live with my grandmother, and my grandfather (also
called John). We moved into Trewarvas because of the passing of my
Mother Marian. Life was strange in many ways, but it was full of love
given by my grandparents and the people in the village of Porthleven.

I remember my grandfather taking me for walks down to and around the
harbour. The first stop we would have had would be around the gap. I
recall the great wooden crane, which was used to lower or lift the bulk into
the gap when bad weather was forecasted. Up to 6 men on Breageside and
3 or more town side (sunny side). What a sight it was watching and
listening to the fisherman operating the crane and lowering the bulk.

Walking on we would stop every so often talking to other fishermen about
their catch they had yesterday, or that night, or even the fishing grounds
they were going to fish on, on their next trip. I wonder if they even talk
about time pass, such as I am doing now.

The harbour was full of life with fisherman getting their boats ready for
sea. Others repairing their nets, which were hung from there lofts, others
repairing their pots were ever you looked. The harbour was alive.
The inner harbour was full of boats, crabbers, netters and long liners. Due
to the tides the harbour would sometimes be all but empty as they would
be moored up in the outer harbour in rows of 5 or more, with sometimes 6
or more fishing boats in each row.

I remember looking out of my bedroom window first light in the mornings
watching the boats leaving the harbour and sailing out into the bay. What a
sight, some going south, down towards the Lizard, others going west down
towards Lands End. The remainder going south west, right out into the bay
and beyond.

If the weather was bad my grandfather would take me down to the institute
(Bickford Smith) on the corner, between the outer harbour and the beach.