Page 58 - recollections of a life in Porthleven

Porthleven Band followed by either the Wesleyan or the Bryanites church
carrying their banners and flags. I believe they would alternate who lead the
procession each year.

The size of the first banner, carried by the men from each chapel, were
enormous to a young boy’s eyes. I am sure 8 to 10 men supported the large
banner, one man on each pole, three men with rope supports on each pole
and two men with rope supports tied to the cross member pole. The men
were there just in case the wind caught the banner. The banner must have
been 10 feet square (old measurements, I am still not into metres) so you can
see why there were so many men required to carry and support the two large
banners.

The parade was big and long, one to two hundred chapel goers and a lovely
sight to be seen. Although Gran and her family were known as ‘Gran’s
family’ or ‘Gran’s children’ we were not members of either chapel. We
belonged to St Bartholomew’s Church. I can still remember many members
in the parade raising their voices when they passed Trewarvas and wishing
Gran a ‘good day’. Again they would call her either ‘Gran Allen’ or just
‘Gran’. You may have heard someone say, ‘Mrs Allen’ but not often.
Porthleven was a village where everyone knew each other and seeing as Gran
and Grandad were well known in the village and they were bringing us up
the villagers all called her ‘Gran’.

We would watch the parade go by standing and sitting in the front garden,
all of us as well as our next door neighbours, Mr & Mrs Pullen who were
good friends of all the family. After the parade went by we would all make
our way to the moors (playing fields). We would be smartly dressed, not in
our Sunday best but smart, clean clothes. We would walk down to the
harbour, along Bay View, pass Salt Cellar Stores, alongside the sheds at the
boat yard and then pass the salting pits (where the fish were salted before
being sent away). Then out onto the moors we went where the chapels would
have their tea treat and games. All the village would be welcome, even people
from outside the village.