Memories of Penzance from Mr Hollow

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Born 1836 Mr. W. Hollow, St. Mary's-street talks about his memories of Penzance. He mentioned the fire that had occurred at Mr. John James' premises in the Market-place in 1852, The fire had occurred when he was scarcely fourteen years of age. "It was on a Saturday night," said Mr. Hollow. "No one seeing such a great blaze could ever forget it afterwards, no matter how long he happened to live. I have seen other fires, but nothing so big as that one. Of course, it was such long time ago that I can't be sure of the details, but I remember there was some talk of gunpowder. Someone shouted 'are the barrels there?' and I think someone answered 'Yes!'

"The fire was near where the True Form boot shop (bottom of Causeway Head). It caused a great sensation at the time, as there were certain suspicions about. It was supposed that the building was set on fire. "I remember," Mr. Hollow continued, "that it happened after the foundation stone of the Albert Pier was laid. That occasion I remember well, although I was only about nine years old. It was 1845, if I'm not mistaken. I wouldn't be sure, but I think Mr. Edward Bolitho, of Trewidden, was Mayor of Penzance then. His brother, Mr. Thomas Simon Bolitho, held that office either before or after. "That was a great day! The town was swarming with people. All the clubs turned out, and there was a dinner in the Corn Exchange. The townspeople used to give great dinners there. "I recollect that on the day the foundation stone of the Albert Pier was laid a woman was murdered. She had her throat cut by her husband, or by a man supposed to be her husband. Her name was Mrs. Seymour, and she lived near the Catholic Church. The murderer was called Ellison. Everybody was down seeing the foundation stone laid, and he thought it was a good, opportunity to kill her. So he cut her throat. But it was a bad day's work for him, for he was hanged at Bodmin, if I ' remember correctly." There ' was a "grand to-do" when the Crimean War, which lasted from 1854 to 1856, was settled. "They had a fine spree in the Exchange then." "And they had another one when King Edward was married. The celebration of the Queen's Jubilee was nothing to compare with it. They don't do these things as grandly as they used to. Nowadays they just have a cup of tea, and that's about all."

"You should have seen the celebrations on the Promenade when the first train ran from Penzance to Truro,” “That was great turn-out. I was about thirteen then, and I remember seeing them carrying the beer up and down in wash trays "On Madron ' Feast they used to have tables in the streets and have raffling’s at a penny each. "How Penzance has altered during the 1930s! Think how the Market House has altered even between 1920 and 1930! There used to be a fish market out-of-doors, the fish being displayed on stalls in the Market-place. The stalls stood the right-hand side where the new shops are now. A man called Beer, (or Beare) used to look after them. Then they were moved to near Sir Humphry Davy's monument, where there was a proper place built of slate. From this place the market was moved to Prince's street. "There used to be a big corn market over the Market House. Afterwards the place was used as a Drill Hall. I can see the men now, carrying great sacks of corn up the steps. "The shoe market was out-of-doors, held on 'standings' round the Market House every Thursday and Saturday.

"Then Corpus Christi Fair was held where the Public Buildings are now. It used to run right out into the streets. There was a big turn-out when the Public Buildings were opened. "Once there used to be many dwelling houses in Market Jew Street. All the area at the back was much different from what it is now. St. James street, Alma Terrace, and Belgravia street were built on Mr. Reynolds' land. The place was called Hill's Fields. "In those days there was no Alexandra road. Alverton was as far as you could go unless you went over hedges and through orchards. "All the bottom of the town was very much different. The railway station was smaller then. When the alterations were made there was a law-suit between the railway company and the Town Council. The company wanted to buy a lot of property and the town wanted a lot of money for it. In those, days the spa came up to where the parking place is now. There was slip where Albert street is. "The quarter was a very poor one. There was a court there called Friggen's court, and a lot of old places since torn down. "I remember the first steamers to come here. Before they used to put in at Hayle, and the cargoes would be taken to town by road. Then two boats ran to Penzance in turn once a fortnight. One was a paddle-boat called the Grand Turk, and the other was called the City of Limerick. The ground where the Queen's Hotel stands was owned by Mr. William Mat hews, of the Cornwall terrace family, who was Mayor for a time. He had large gardens, not nurseries, in front of Gothic Row. Mr. Hollow spoke of past and present friends of his, including the late Mr. Inch, who went to Australia in a small boat when Ballarat was lure to young and old
 

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This was interesting reading. I've been puzzled why the town didn't hold celebrations, as promised, when the new railway station was completed. Mr Hollow suggests that the railway company and the town council fell out over land costs... Mmm another story to be found then :rolleyes:
 
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