Mid-December 1922    

Christmas shoppers could find something for those ‘hard to please’ friends and relatives at Eva’s Stores, situated at 107 Market Jew Street near to what is now the Wharfside shopping centre  – or at their Queen Street factory outlet.

Toys on offer included not only the standards of the day – Meccano sets, toy soldiers and dolls’ houses – but also, ideal for the child who has everything, a magic lantern, home cinematograph or Skycycle.

This was not Evel Knievel’s steam-powered rocket of that name, which would have to wait another 50 years before it put in an appearance, but a stylish tricycle with unusually large mudguards. 

Saturday, December 16, 1922

Boxing fans did not have to wait until December 26 to enjoy a match at St John’s Hall.

The highlight of the evening was a 15-round match in which Newquay man Joe Emmett, the heavyweight champion of Cornwall, made short work of his opponent.

The main fight was over in less than a minute, and those who had paid 3/6d (17.5p) for a ringside seat may not have considered it very good value for money. Luckily for those who had been looking forward to a good night out, there were plenty of support acts who kept the punches coming for rather longer.

These included ‘Young Charleston’ of Chyandour versus ‘Sergeant Chapman’ of Bodmin, and Billy Maddern of Penzance pitched against Jack Denton, also of Chyandour: perhaps working at the smelting works produced (or attracted) a muscular, and pugnacious, sort of a chap.  

Wednesday, December 20, 1922

Penlee’s new lifeboat, ‘The Brothers’ (also known initially as ‘Two Brothers’), was making its way to its new home – but the arrival was delayed by poor weather.

The new vessel had been expected to leave Plymouth at 8am, crewed by Penlee lifeboatmen, but stormy weather had led to doubts about whether the Lizard Point could be rounded safely.

It would be the first motor lifeboat to operate from the new station, and was eagerly awaited.  

‘The Brothers’ – the gift of three Torquay women, the Misses Eddy, in memory of their siblings – was the first lifeboat to be fitted with a new type of 90hp engine.

Similar to those used for the cars of the day, but built to a larger scale, it had six cylinders.

New developments incorporated into the design included a reverse gear, and inspection doors offering full access to the moving parts of the engine.

The lifeboat would go on to save 62 lives over an eight-year period, then serve as a survey and dive support vessel.

It was recently saved for being broken up and, in September 2020, was reported to have returned to Cornwall.

We would love to hear of its current state and whereabouts.