A Pub. in St. Just in Penwith?

[Colin Rowledge]

Why do you think the address 'Labour in Vain' is a pub?

By the way, is this your distant relative?

1902
"April 5th 9am Mr Stick of Labour in Vain came to arrange for a grave for his mother in law Mrs Jane Pascoe age 82. Funeral as far as is known for Tues. next at 5pm. She was buried on top of the Coffin of her husband, the little Embryo being moved to the bottom of the grave at the old mans feet."

From the "The diary of the sexton, 1893–1902" of St. Just in Penwith...

https://
west-penwith.org.uk/justsx10.htm

Mrs. Jane Pascoe is my rellie. Thank you to all for your assistance.

The reason I thought it was a Pu. was because one year, before I left England, I was in Devon with my parents on a coach-tour. We stopped for lunch at a pub called the Labour in Vain. The sign, if shown today, would be considered Racist.

[olliecat]

I think Colin might be ok with that if we have found information that he didn't have before....

I guess so Robin. Using the death date you have thoughtfully provided for James PASCOE.

1900
Feb 25th John James of Choon called at 10-15am to arrange for a grave for old James Pascoe alias Jem Butcher. age 85 Grave next to Margaret Pascoe. No 39. A Section. 3rd row.

https://
west-penwith.org.uk/justsx8.htm

Gosh! I wish all sextons had kept such diaries.

[RobinC]

Gosh! I wish all sextons had kept such diaries.

There are some interesting entries which reflect the mood of the sexton during his time there, it appears that he didn't suffer fools gladly:

Nov 13th 1901 - John Bottrell Trembath was buried as arranged in No 9. A Section. 4th Row. Funeral 1½ hours late, through some thundering stupid mistake of Honour Jane Trembath I was kept up at the Churchyard for nearly 2 hours of a bitter cold and wet afternoon. Got wet too. Such a packy show of Hearses and Plumes, carriages and plumes and all for the remains of a poor Miner. The widow in a pair of new boots, sizes too small for her, so that she walked like a small foot China girl

July 29th 1893 - Matthias Maddern was buried at 6 O’Clock a fairly attended funeral one of the members of the Philantrophic Club (bearer) had taken more liquor than was good for him, and like a sensible man left the ground as soon as he had reached the grave. Some little trouble experienced from a few noisy women who considered themselves hard done by when they came up and found the gates shut. One young woman went so far as to threaten me with a stone, but this only happened when the great Mr Henry Olds advised them to take the law into their own hands and burst the gate in. The beauty of the whole thing is that no one outside the gates ever pointedly asked to be admitted, they simply went to and fro grumbling.

[olliecat]

There are some interesting entries which reflect the mood of the sexton during his time there, it appears that he didn't suffer fools gladly:

Such a packy show of Hearses and Plumes, carriages and plumes and all for the remains of a poor Miner. The widow in a pair of new boots, sizes too small for her, so that she walked like a small foot China girl

Oh dear! He was in a bad mood.

I wonder if there was 'a packy show of Hearses and Plumes, carriages and plumes' for the funeral for any of my poor miners. Hmm! I doubt.

[malcolm99]

By the way Colin, "Labour-in-Vain" still exists as a lane with about 5 houses in it. If you enter Penwith Marquees on Google Maps and zoom in, you'll see the lane. Unfortunately I've totally failed to find a photo of any of the houses.

[Colin Rowledge]

It's also there in 1891 at RG12/1860 fol. 125 p. 23 & 24 - 5 houses this time.

Record in care of TNA: Crown copyright

Thanks, Malcolm99

Just had a look at the original schedule for 1891.
#1 James and Jane Pascoe - James was the butcher - both in their 70's
#2 Francis Pascoe - his wife and family - these folks were in their 30's - he was a miner
#3 The widow, Hocking aged 47 and her 8 children
#4 Mr. & Mrs. Strick with their 3 children - he was a Carpenter. Mary Ann Strick is James and Jane's daughter
#5 William and Caroline Smith and their 12 children. William Smith was a Hawker of brushes.

The lane must have been very noisy in the summer.

Given the comments of the sexton above, I wonder if he was also the enumerator - there is a comment at the bottom of page 24 - "End of the Village and Tenements of Bosavern".

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

This is turning into a real sad, real sad, family history. Gonna give me nightmares for a week!!!

Colin

[graylight]

Labour in Vain still exists on the OS Map Land's End No 102

It is about a mile east of St Just just off the main Penzance road. A few hundred yards up the road to Sancreed. Presumably it is a hamlet or farm.

[Colin Rowledge]

Labour in Vain still exists on the OS Map Land's End No 102

It is about a mile east of St Just just off the main Penzance road. A few hundred yards up the road to Sancreed. Presumably it is a hamlet or farm.

Nice to know it still exists in whatever capacity.

How does one in my neck of the woods obtain photos of it then [early 1900's] and now?

Colin

[lesleys]

In google maps search for "Penwith Marquees" currently sited at Labour in Vain Cottages zoom in for a good idea of what the area is like. The Morrab Library in Penzance is the most likely place for photos.