Page 56 - recollections of a life in Porthleven

was not in good health. If we were good (I was always good (tongue in
cheek)), we would then cross the square and have a tub of Urne’s ice cream
each, one penny each if I remember rightly. I used to let mine melt before I
started eating it, this would then make a mess with it dribbling it down onto
my school clothes. Then I’m sure my Gran would say, ‘you messy pup, look
at your shirt’. I know Margaret and I had a tub each but what did Stephen,
my baby brother have? I never shared any of mine with him!

Walking home with Gran I found it very interesting that most people stopped
and wished her well and asked about us, her three grandchildren. Also, how
was Willey or Bill (our dad) getting on? Also, how was her husband’s health?
It was also strange that Gran was always greeted by, ‘hello Mrs Allen’ or
‘’Gran Allen or simply ‘Gran’.

Yes Porthleven was a village where everyone knew and looked after each
other, just one large family in the village in many ways.

There was just one thing wrong with our Gran and it was no fault of her own
and she couldn’t correct it.

She was not a Porthlevener, worse than that, she was not even Cornish! She
was a lady from Norfolk where her parents lived and worked breading heavy
horses on their farm. The farm, I believe, was near a town called Attleborough.
Gran came to Cornwall with her job, she was a member of the servants
attending a member of the royal family. I am not sure who but the names
Princess Margaret Louise and Princess Beatrice have been mentioned many
years ago. Also I am not sure if it was on Gran’s first visit to Porthleven
when she came to stay at Tye Rock House (with a member of the royal
family) she meet her future husband. On one of her visits they became friends
and started a romantic courtship. Because of her job Gran only visited
Porthleven for a short time. They kept in touch for quite a while before Gran
returned to Porthleven and after a while they got married.

Gran and Grandad loved the three of us but as I mentioned previously, Gran
was very strict and our punishment would be the naughty chair, which was
Grandad’s chair in the kitchen. Depending on the severity of the crime we