Page 25 - Memorial Book intro Mousehole

25
1945—1960
The village was changing
( Percy Harvey Records )
The non-drinking era finished soon after the end of the 2ndWorld War.
Returning servicemen found the British Legion a bit dull without the support of alcohol ! since its members were by and large Methodists.
Eventually the younger members had their way and a bar was installed in 1947 –1948 by members including Bert Downing, Frank Richards, Ray Park and others.
Unfortunately for The Legion, a number of the WW1 veterans took exception and never put foot inside the place again. However it survived and became a village centre for social activities.
It was the venue for the broadcasting of concerts by the Wale Voice Choir when the BBC West Of England began its outside broadcasting and it was the chosen venue
For some of the older choir members to gather before lunch on Christmas Day to sing Cornish carols.
After a few years this event became an occasion. Numbers increased and singers from around the region made for The Legion on Christmas Day. Gavin Pomeroy and Douglas Williams were persuaded to take solo parts. Eventually non singers turned up with tape recorders and video cameras. These gathered round the bar and in time made more noise than those they supposedly had come to hear.
The inevitable happened. The singers stayed away and what was a very pleasant occasion was turned into a non– event.
The picture below (courtesy of Jack Guard ) shows a typical Christmas Day’s spontaneous carol singing. These gatherings continued for many years before gradually fading away until the 2000’s
but is now showing a revival.