Page 16 - Memorial Book intro Mousehole

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From its inception, the British Legion was maintained as a meeting place for its members and until the close of the 2nd World War was strictly non alcoholic. This was in keeping with the life style of the majority of its members.
During the 1930’s and 1940’s the building was the venue for various variety concerts and cinema shows.
In the mid 1930’s, a local business man, Edward Pentreath, organised regular Saturday evening cinema shows, having acquired a supply of silent films. These shows were advertised on Saturday mornings by young ‘town cryers’ who toured the village shouting the programme to the accompaniment of a handbell. The first lads to present themselves at Pentreath’s Hardware Stores ( the coal stores )got the job and a free ticket for the evening.
Most children and many adults got their first glimpse of the antics of Charlie Chaplin and the hair raising exploits of the Keystone Cops ‘neath the asbestos roof. Early evening the ever smiling Charlie Beare would parade around the a bell and shouting:” In the Legion tonight at 7.30, a film show. Admission 6d,Children 3d”. The Hall was usually filled to capacity for this entertainment presented by Messrs. Ballard and Scrase of Madron. There may be no comparison of the jerky black and white film and sophisticated colour films
we can now watch in our own sitting rooms, but magical moments that captured our minds and hearts in the British Legion could never be surpassed.
Another facet of entertainment catered for was boxing. During school holidays a boxing ring was erected in the main hall where we were taught the rudiments of self defence. To add a spice of variety to the proceedings tournaments were arranged and as a result many a black eye had to be camouflaged in an effort to soothe paternal love.
The Legion also possessed a snooker table and this was used by some of the local youths who played in a league. It was on this table that Raymond Pomeroy practised to become a Cornish champion of billiards.
Through the years, the Hall, which was built with a small stage, has provided the village with a snooker hall, a cinema, darts venue, concert hall, and home for whist and euchre drives— especially the latter which was always popular with the fishermen.
1931—British Legion Fun....on the11th November the BL committee laid on a repeat of the Feast time
entertainment of Dance and Song. It was hoped that this type of concert would be repeated. Local talent included Stella Madron, Lily Trembath and Leah Angwin.
The Mousehole BL proved how popular their floor is when on Tues 31st Dec. In spite ofseveral dances and attractions in the District a large crowd gathered for the last event of the year. Mr Baker and his band were at the top of their form providing the music. Advertised as a ‘Snowball’ dance, patrons eagerly looked forward to the novelty and when 1000’s of snowballs were issued, the fight began and the revelry reached its height.
1933—Thre was already a billiards table at the Liberal Reading in 1919 but at some stage prior to W.W.2 a billiard table was provided in the British Legion This may have had something to do with the Cornwall billiards champion being a Mousehole man.—Raymond Pomeroy