Norman Minards was born and lived for most of his life in Landaviddy Lane, Polperro. His father was a self-employed fish dealer.

At the age of 12 when Norman was still at school, his father had become a Market Gardener, and his 18-year-old brother was a Fish Hawker. After leaving school Norman also earned a living as a Fish Hawker and did so for the rest of his life. However, there was a break during WWI when Norman served as an Ordinary Seaman on the ship ‘Vivid I’ from October 3, 1916 to February 11, 1919. His description was height 5ft 7in, chest 36 in, hair brown, eyes grey and complexion fresh. His character was very good, and his ability was satisfactory.

Norman was a regular visitor to Liskeard selling his fresh-caught Polperro fish from his barrow, a popular spot was outside the Congregational Chapel, where the Spar shop is today. When the barrow was not in use it was stored in one of the currently being restored former miners’ cottages in Westbourne Lane.

In his book ‘Memoirs While Memory Lasts’, Richard J C Hoskin wrote of a meeting with Norman in the 1940s, ‘In a box next to his cart he had a litter of playful little puppies. I ran all the way home and told my mother about them. She said I could have one. I took the money back to Mr Minards and chose a lively little fellow with a black patch over one eye. I called him Mack (after John Mackintosh Foot, our Liberal MP candidate) and carried him proudly home.’

Norman Minards died aged 73 on September 25, 1962, at St John’s Villa, Polperro. Although he never married, there was no shortage of close family at his funeral, which included two sisters, a brother, five nieces, five nephews and a cousin. I’m sure he will still be remembered by fish lovers of a certain age in Liskeard.

By Brian Oldham, Liskeard Museum volunteer and Bard of the Gorsedh Kernow