|
Margaret
Thomas’ father was probably one of the fittest lads in the village.
Every
morning before school he would load up the cart and deliver the
coal. This would all be straightforward if it wasn’t for a horse
called Lion.
Lion
knew when work was going to be done and used to run off across the
fields, the young boy would chase after him and catch Lion once
he reached St Mewan, the local school. The cry "Lion, Lion" was
well known in the village many years ago.
 |
| The
infamous Lion
|
The
Hawkes had been delivering coal around Polgooth for years before
Lion first ran across the fields. Margaret’s Grandma used to walk
around the village with a donkey and cart selling coal.
It
was her Great Grandma who started the business in the kitchen of
the Hawke’s ouse in 1876. Margaret first worked in R.A Hawke and
Co when she left school at 14-years-old.
It
was the start of the Second World War and Margaret would put together
the food rations. She was also kept busy with the village’s new
Mums.
 |
| The
corn scales weighed the baby |
"To
weigh babies back in the 30’s and 40’s the Mums would have to go
into St Austell. It was a long trek in those days," says Margaret.
"They started coming to me and asking if I would weigh the babies
for them. I used our "corn-scales" and would put the baby on one
side and add weights and packets of tea to enable us to weigh the
child."
There
was no food packaging when Margaret started working in the shop.
"Flour and sugar, maize and chicken food would come in massive bags
and we would sell them from the bag," says Margaret. "I remember
one time I was out at the back opening a bag and I saw a family
of mice. I went running off screaming, the men had to sort that
bag out for me."
Margaret
had many village characters who would come into the shop. "There
was a Mrs Prout, she was a dear," remembers Margaret. "She used
to come in and ask for loose pepper. She would then hastily leave
the shop while I weighed out her order. Poor old Mrs Prout could
never stay in the shop while I did that. She would sneeze all the
time otherwise."
On
other occasions when villagers had arguments and then met in the
shop later, they would turn their backs on each other. "The shop
was certainly the heart of the community," laughs Margaret. "You
always knew what was going on in the village."
At
one time there were three grocers shops in Polgooth. "It wasn’t
a cut throat business in those days," smiles Margaret. "If we ran
out of anything we would borrow it from one of the other businesses.
We were all friends together."
 |
| Still busy
after all these years. |
Now
there is only one shop in the village selling groceries. Twenty
years ago R.A Hawke and Co ceased selling food goods to concentrate
on the coal business.
"In
1981 we decided that there were too many supermarkets," says
Margaret. "We sat down as a family and agreed it was time to
concentrate our energies on the coal side of the business. It was
a rest for the start. We started stocking all the coal buckets and
shovels. The brass ware buckets have always been very popular."
Margaret’s
husband Bill worked for many years delivering the sacks of coal
around St Austell. He carried this job on until recently.
The
Thomas’ son Nigel is now involved in the business and does the heavy
work. Margaret is delighted the shop is still in the family after
more than 125 years.
"When
we started with the coal we just stocked two types. Now there are
more than 16 including Grans Bean and Welsh boiler nuts."
Margaret
was born in Polgooth and loves the village. The shop has been an
important part of the community for many generations. With her son
Nigel on board it looks like R.A Hawke and Co will go on well into
the future.
Meet
Polgooth's oldest resident
Meet the village's long serving organist
Read about chapel life in Polgooth
Find out about the Mays of Polgooth
An amazing Polgooth mining discovery
|
