My career with British Rail began in 1951, at the tender age of 15; in those days it was all steam, none of your diesel trade! It all began with an interview with the school Careers Officer when I expressed an interest in becoming a carpenter. Either he wasn’t listening or he had other ideas…Continue Reading “So Nearly an Engine Driver”
A Cornish Dialect series by Tony Mansell “Here Sid, I just saw Fanny Trevethan down the road: she was in some state.” “What’s wrong with the bleddy woman this time, she’s always got er knickers in a twist bout somethin.” “See, from what I can gather, she had some sort of happarition last night.” “Who…Continue Reading “Sidney Zacharius Penpraze – Fanny Trevethan’s Ghost”
A Cornish Dialect series by Tony Mansell “Ere Sid, ave ee eard bout Mary Prout, they d’say she’s caught religion. Born again, that’s what I eard.” “Mary, I don’t believe n. Not with the way she’ve put erself bout in the past. Hell, she’s had everythin on offer and gone back for seconds.” “Bleddy right…Continue Reading “Sidney Zacharius Penpraze – The Calling”
In June 2007, the Rt Revd Bill Ind, Bishop of Truro, wrote: “I am often asked about my attitude to the Prayer Book Rebellion and in my opinion, there is no doubt that the English Government behaved brutally and stupidly and killed many Cornish people. I don’t think apologising for something that happened over…Continue Reading “The Prayer Book Rebellion / Cornish Commotion (A Potted History)”
A Cornish Dialect series by Tony Mansell “Here Sid, did ee ever av a go at playin that there golf?” “Ess Jan, I did. I did av a go at n but I gived n up again. “Sure nuff? “Ess, I couldn get on with they lot over Perran and part from that, they ad…Continue Reading “The Life and Times of Sidney Zacharius Penpraze – Playing A Round”
A Cornish Dialect series by Tony Mansell At the age of five, Sidney Penpraze attended the local village school, the same place of learning where his father had begun his education, when it first opened its doors. All the village children attended there and whereas most walked, Sidney was driven there by his father…Continue Reading “The Life and Times of Sidney Zacharius Penpraze – The Early Years”