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Isobel
Carlyon has lived in Devoran since she was 16-years-old.
Nine
years later she moved into Chapel Terrace where she has lived ever
since. It is one of the oldest houses in the village.
Isobel's
house is one of Devoran's smallest. It has one room upstairs and
one downstairs.
Looking
back over her years in Devoran Isobel remembers lots of shops and
businesses.
"When
I first arrived in the village there were several greengrocers,
a butchers, two general stores, fish shop, bakery, cobblers and
a post office," she remembers.
"My
favourite shop was the bakery. When we went down to buy the bread
for the day I would always get sweets, chocolates and cakes."
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| Market
Street was once thriving with local businesses |
Today
all that remains is a post office. Most of the shops have been turned
into houses. A lot of the shops were along Market Street.
Isobel
got her first job when she went 'into service'. This meant that
she looked after properties, cleaning and gardening in Devoran.
The
first house Isobel worked at was next to the vicarage where she
says she was very unhappy and described the old lady who owned it
as a 'tyrant'.
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| St
John's Terrace in Devoran as it looks today |
Eventually
she moved into St Johns Terrace. It was in this house that Isobel
remembers hearing the newsreaders on the radio announce that the
country was at war. World War II had started.
During
the war Isobel joined the NAAFI (Navy, Army, and Airforce Institute)
"It
was the best four years of my life," she remembers. "I
met some really lovely people."
When
she would return on leave to Devoran Isobel was often saddened when
she saw a lot of the village had been lost to the war.
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| The
homeguard would practice on the quay during the war |
"It
was awful to come back here as I didn't know anyone, especially
when the Americans started arriving." says Isobel.
After
the war she married Ken Carlyon. They had parted during the war
and Isobel had become engaged to someone else.
One
day she was walking home along the main street talking to a mutual
friend.
"My
friend said Bel, wait here a bit, and you'll see someone you haven't
seen for a while," remembers Isobel.
Ken
rode up on a motorbike on his way to the pub and they started talking
again. They married in 1945 and moved into 9 Chapel Terrace where
Isobel has lived ever since.
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| Isobel
with husband and baby taking part in the regatta |
Another
favourite memory of Isobel's is the regattas and carnivals that
they used to have in Devoran. She remembers at the carnivals everyone
would dress up She remembers one event where women dressed as men
and vice versa!
Nowadays
Isobel tends to stay in her cottage. She likes to garden a bit and
watch television. Like many in the county Isobel is addicted to
the Big Brother series. She wants Johnny to win!
Isobel
feels that Devoran has changed a lot.
"It
hurst me to think that as a youngster I knew everybody in the village,"
she says. "Now I hardly know anybody."
Have
you a neighbour who has lived in your villager all her life. We
would love to meet her. Send us an email and we will be in touch.
email:
cornwall@bbc.co.uk
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