Thursday, December 21, 1922

Shoppers were startled to learn that they were allegedly being swindled over their Christmas turkeys, which were fetching nearly four shillings (20p) a pound in Penzance Market.

Ten years earlier the cost had only been 1/3d (8p). Shopkeepers were blaming the market wholesalers, and refusing to guarantee that prices would not rise even higher.

One turkey breeder, probably outraged by the retail mark-up on the price he was receiving for the meat, advised the public to boycott the sellers until the price per pound came down to a sensible half crown (2/6d or 12.5p).  

Friday, December 22, 1922

Some 50 children from the Bethel Sunday School enjoyed a visit from Father Christmas. They had enjoyed running about playing games, but were calmed down by a small teatime treat before the familiar figure arrived with his sack of gifts.

Each child received a filled Christmas stocking – and also buns, fruit and Christmas crackers to take home.

Everything had been donated to the Mission – even the material for the stockings. 

Monday, December 25, 1922

Christmas day at the West Cornwall Hospital was made as merry as possible for the 23 in-patients. There were carols in the evening, visits from two bands, and Christmas stockings for the six children who were staying on the wards. The men’s wards were decorated with an ‘aeroplanes and airships’ theme, and the women’s as Japanese tea gardens.

Other entertainments, including visits from the Penzance Players and Father Christmas, were set to follow later in the week. 

Wednesday, December 27, 1922

A father and son farming in the Trythall area appeared in court, charged with working a horse in an unfit condition.

An RSPCA inspector, acting on tip-off, had arrived at the farmhouse unexpectedly. Told by the father that he really didn’t know where the horses in question were, the visitor had settled down to wait.  His patience was rewarded two hours later, when a horse came into the yard, pulling a cart – shortly after the inspector had declined a sudden offer to come inside out of the cold for a cup of tea.

The horse, the inspector told magistrates, had clearly been lame for some time – yet had been set to work hauling cart loads of stone. Both father and son claimed not to have known that the horse was lame – or, in the father’s case, that it was even hauling stone.

The inspector’s cup of tea was at this point replaced by a full dinner, which he enjoyed. But the RSPCA brought a prosecution regardless of their generosity, and the farmers were collectively fined £2.10s.