Cornishman

[Julian de'Courcy]

On the jetty today and when leaving an eighty year old guy sitting on the seat smoking a pipe shouted across to me ' Hi boy, what's it like en' We chatted a while. He was retired from heading his own family run plant hire business, based in Bodmin.
He had taken two bus rides to get the twenty miles to sit on the quay at Mevagissey.
I asked if I could take a photograph of him. His answer. 'Yes boy that's ok, no ones ever asked before' As I stood back to get a decent distant , he asked if it would be better to be smoking the pipe, which he did.

After putting the world to rights we said our good bye, when a short distant away I heard him say 'Right boy how's it going en' I guess he was going to tell the story to another passer bye.

He told me a lot about his life, but one thing came through stronger than anything else. His identity. He wanted to be known as a Cornish Man.


MEVAGISSEY by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

 

[Dave Green]

Nice environmental portrait - top stuff

 

[Glenn Clabo]

Great story fits a nice pic Julian.
Being retired lets me spread time with some of the characters here...and I hope as I get up there someone will stop for a chat with me.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

A fine soul, and a very fine jacket! Excellent shot, Julian.

 

[Brian Moore]

My grandfather lived to 109. Even as he approached the century mark he was always getting on the bus going to somewhere. (He never owned or even drove a car in his life,...always walked or took the bus or the train--he worked for British Rail from the age of 14 until retirement.) Anyway, when he turned 100 the bus company sent a representative to his birthday bash and they presented him with a lifetime pass. He got a few more years use out of out too!

Nice picture, Julian. The old fellow seems a great character. (With very fine headgear!) Good for you for spending some time with him.

 

[Pete Askew]

Nice story and a super shot. I enjoy conversations like that too.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Nice environmental portrait - top stuff

Thank you Dave.

Great story fits a nice pic Julian.
Being retired lets me spread time with some of the characters here...and I hope as I get up there someone will stop for a chat with me.

I am also grateful for a good chin wag sometimes. Thank you Glenn

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

A fine soul, and a very fine jacket! Excellent shot, Julian.

Thank you Rob. I think it is what is known as a Trago Jacket and no I do not expect you to

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

My grandfather lived to 109. Even as he approached the century mark he was always getting on the bus going to somewhere. (He never owned or even drove a car in his life,...always walked or took the bus or the train--he worked for British Rail from the age of 14 until retirement.) Anyway, when he turned 100 the bus company sent a representative to his birthday bash and they presented him with a lifetime pass. He got a few more years use out of out too!

Nice picture, Julian. The old fellow seems a great character. (With very fine headgear!) Good for you for spending some time with him.

Thank you Brian. I love to chat to people with history that I can learn from. We did remind each other of a a certain era where our paths had crossed but were only able to let each other know now. how things were is a good reminder and brings home just how quickly we embrace change and forget.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Nice story and a super shot. I enjoy conversations like that too.

Thanks Pete. Thinking back to the conversation the weather was not mentioned once , which for an Englishman is unheard of, but then he is Cornish..

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

I just love this kind of photography and the stories that usually go with them and I must say, this is a fine example and a very respectful one in regard to his stature, if I may put it that way. Really nice.

 

[Lesley Jones]

How wonderful! The photograph is very good of course, but it's the story that really makes it. Thanks for sharing Julian

 

[Paul Cheeseman]

wo

Thank you Rob. I think it is what is known as a Trago Jacket and no I do not expect you to

would that be `trago` as in `trago mills`??

best
pc

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

I just love this kind of photography and the stories that usually go with them and I must say, this is a fine example and a very respectful one in regard to his stature, if I may put it that way. Really nice.

Thank you Ivar

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

How wonderful! The photograph is very good of course, but it's the story that really makes it. Thanks for sharing Julian

Thnak you Lesley

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

wo

would that be `trago` as in `trago mills`??

best
pc

I couldn't possibly comment