Page 53 - recollections of a life in Porthleven

Chapter 11

My Gran

Did I ever say to my Gran, ‘Thank you Gran, I love you.’ I’m sure I did in
my younger years. But in the later years did I say enough words to her? If I
didn’t, I should have done, many times.

Let me tell you why….. Gran brought us up, that’s the three of us, Margaret
10 years old, me 4 years old and Stephen, a baby in arms. This was very
sadly because our mother died.

Dad and the three of us moved from Gibson Way, Porthleven to our Gran
and Grandad’s house, Trewarvas, Cliff Road, Porthleven. What a hard task
that must have been for my grandparents, especially my Gran. Two
youngsters running around the house and Stephen, our baby brother needing
to be looked after, feeding, nappy changing etc etc. How did our Gran ever
manage?

Our Gran was very strict in her ways, our meals were the same time every
day and we were woke each day at the same time. It seemed that each day
was programmed. But, looking after the three of us as well as her husband
and her son, our father, must have took some doing.

I cannot remember a great deal about living at Trewarvas for the first few
years but one of the first things I can remember is not about our Gran but a
lady who came to Trewarvas to help Gran around the house. I remember
climbing onto her back when she cleaned the tiles which ran from the front
door through the house up to the kitchen. This was fun for me and I do think
the lady whose back I was sitting on did not mind too much. What a strange
thing to remember!

Please do not get the wrong idea, money was very short at Trewarvas. Dad
was working six days a week and our Grandad was very ill so could not
work. Dad’s money was the only money coming into the house and like
today, bills had to be paid. One of the biggest bills was paying the rent for
Trewarvas as it was owned by the Penrose Estate. They owned a lot of