Page 76 - recollections of a life in Porthleven

be painted for the coming season. When the weather starts to settle down the
crabbers are the first ones out with their pots.

The cafes have a spring-clean and their signs go out to attract customers,
even those advertising ice cream for sale! The weather is still cold, even the
Serpentine shop on the corner of the harbour on Breagside opens up again.
There are a few visitors about, slowly the village is waking up and becomes
full of life in the Summer-time.

One year, 1967, in very early spring, Porthleven was packed. Not with
holiday makers but it was full of lorries and other sorts of machinery, with
hundreds of men from our armed forces. They were cleaning up the oil spill
from the wreck of The Torrey Canyon. It was later blown up by bombs
dropped by the RAF.

Now after a good spring and the memories of Padstow Obby Oss and Flora
Day in Helston when the shops in the town are decorated with Bluebells and
Lilly of the Valley, the children from all the local schools dance through the
streets. They are followed by the adults dancing at mid-day and again at
approx. 5pm.

Summertime arrives in the village and all the fishing fleet are back in the
harbour. Smaller boats take visitors out and into the bay on fishing trips or
just for pleasure. There is one man in particular who comes to mind
immediately, Mr Joey Allen, a real character from the village. He would take
trippers out during the day and then in the evening he would play his
accordion outside of Salt Cellar Stores. Many fishermen and locals would
sing along while he played.

Cars were parked around the harbour. The beach would be packed between
the Institute and Blue Boy and then visitors along the beach thinned out as
you got out towards Tye Rock and on towards Loe Bar. The village band
would play on the jetty on different evenings. There was St Peterstide and
Gala Week and Porthleven would be packed. The sun would put a smile on
everyone’s face in the village, great times were enjoyed by all.