Peggy celebrates

100th birthday

MRS Freda Alma Skinner, better known as 'Peggy', celebrated her 100th birthday at the Torcare Residential Home at Antony, Torpoint on January 11.

As well as her message from the Queen, she received many cards from relatives and friends.

Staff at Torcare presented her with a Dartington vase. Peggy is the first resident in the home to reach the age of 100. The Mayor and Mayoress of Torpoint, Stan and Christine Martin, visited with flowers to congratulate her.

Later in the day, Peggy travelled to Millbrook to continue the celebrations with relatives and friends.

Born in Penzance, Peggy moved to Lydford, Devon, where she attended primary school and the upper school in Okehampton. At the age of 18 she moved to Cremyll where her father was the licensee of the Mount Edgcumbe Arms. It was here that Peggy met Fredrick James Skinner (Ted). They married on March 14, 1923.

She then moved to Millbrook with Ted as he was part of a family-run business. After Ted's death in 1977 she lived alone in Millbrook before moving to the Old Vicarage Care Home in Torpoint.

Although Peggy had no family of her own, she helped bring up Mary Westaway, a friend who later emigrated to Australia. She receives a letter from Mary every week and saw a video of her at her home in Victoria, Australia on her birthday.

Peggy started driving when she was 19 and continued until she was 83. She still loves riding in cars with her favourite trip being a journey from Whitsand to Cremyll where she enjoys the view of Mount Edgcumbe Park.

Crime down by

nearly quarter

REPORTED crime was down by almost a quarter in Torpoint during 2001.

Figures from the police show that the number of crimes for the year was down by around 140 compared to the year before.

Police in the town looked into more than 470 incidents.

Before Christmas, the police carried out a road safety initiative. Fifty-six cars were stopped and drivers were dealt with for a variety of motoring offences.

Police are to continue with similar action this year.

The police have also been targeting a number of suspects, who have recently moved to Torpoint, over vehicle crime.

Afternoon concert

THE Music with Afternoon Tea concert series continues at Mount Edgcumbe House, Cremyll, on Sunday, January 20, at 2pm.

Well-known pianist and composer Clive Jenkins teams up with rising young star Peter Cigleris on the clarinet. The concert has a strong French flavour and includes music by Debussy and Poulenc, as well as Gershwin's Preludes for Piano.

This will be the first time Mount Edgcumbe's concert series have featured the clarinet. Tickets are £9.25 with afternoon tea, £6.75 without tea.

School plans

PLANS have been drawn up by Cornwall County Council for a single storey extension at Torpoint School to include a new classroom, a store and additional space for drama.