Julia, > But my favourite is Mrs. Kelynack! I agree. The tale of Mrs. Mary KELYNACK (84) and her close encounter with the Lord Mayor of London is absolutely charming. I wonder if anybody can identify the woman? It is possible that she is the Mary KELYNACK, 86, "pauper from Dock Lane," whose 25 Nov 1855 burial appears in the register for the St. Mary's, Penzance, Madron chapelry. If so, who was she? Bill Curnow Port Charlotte, FL, USA > AN AGED VISITOR TO THE LORD MAYOR - On Tuesday last, among the visitors at > the Mansion House > was MARY KELYNACK, 84 years of age, who had travelled on foot from > Penzance, carrying a basket on > her head, with the object of visiting the Exhibition, and of paying her > respects personally to the Lord > Mayor and Lady Mayoress. As soon as the ordinary business was finished the > aged woman entered > the Justice-room, when the Lord Mayor addressing her said, "Well, I > understand, Mrs. Kelynack, you > have come to see me?" She replied, "Yes, God bless you! I never was in > such a place as this. I have > come up asking for a small sum of money. I am eighty-four." The Lord > Mayor - "Where did you come > from?" Mrs. Kelynack - "From Land's End." The Lord Mayor - "What part?" > Mrs. Kelynack - > "Penzance." She then stated that she left Penzance five weeks ago, and > had been the whole of this > time walking to the metropolis. The Lord Mayor - "What induced you to come > to London?" Mrs. > Kelynack - "I had a little matter to attend to as well as the Exhibition. > I was there on Monday, and > mean to go again to-morrow." The Lord Mayor - "What do you think of > it?" Mrs. Kelynack - "I think > it's very good." (much laughter) She then said that all her money was > spent but fivepence halfpenny. > After a little further conversation, which caused considerable merriment, > the Lord Mayor made her a > present of a sovereign, telling her to take care of it, there being a good > many thieves in London. The > poor creature, on receiving the gift, burst into tears, and said, "Now I > shall be able to get back." She > was afterwards received by the Lady Mayoress, with whom she remained for a > long time; and having > partaken of tea in the housekeeper's room, which she said she preferred to > the finest wine in the > kingdom, and which latter beverage she had not tasted for sixty years, she > returned thanks for the > hospitality she had received, and left the Mansion House for one more > visit to the Exhibition, and then > to return to her native home.

Google "Mary Kelynack" and there are quite a few stories about her. In one book, "101 Cornish Lives" 10 years is said to have been added to her age to make the story better. Born Mary TRESIZE (1776 in Newlyn, daughter of Nicholas), and recently widowed, she also reportedly met Queen Victoria on her adventure. For more on her, in the Cornishman, see http://www.busby.net/nzca/vol360.html Joanne Toronto, Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Curnow" <wjcurnow@kernow.com> To: <cornish-gen@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 7:55 AM Subject: [CORNISH-GEN] West Briton, weekly newspaper, 26 Sep 1851,Mary KELYNACK > Julia, > >> But my favourite is Mrs. Kelynack! > > I agree. The tale of Mrs. Mary KELYNACK (84) and her close encounter with > the Lord Mayor of London is absolutely charming. I wonder if anybody can > identify the woman? It is possible that she is the Mary KELYNACK, 86, > "pauper from Dock Lane," whose 25 Nov 1855 burial appears in the register > for the St. Mary's, Penzance, Madron chapelry. If so, who was she? > > > Bill Curnow > Port Charlotte, FL, USA > > >> AN AGED VISITOR TO THE LORD MAYOR - On Tuesday last, among the visitors >> at >> the Mansion House >> was MARY KELYNACK, 84 years of age, who had travelled on foot from >> Penzance, carrying a basket on >> her head, with the object of visiting the Exhibition, and of paying her >> respects personally to the Lord >> Mayor and Lady Mayoress. As soon as the ordinary business was finished >> the >> aged woman entered >> the Justice-room, when the Lord Mayor addressing her said, "Well, I >> understand, Mrs. Kelynack, you >> have come to see me?" She replied, "Yes, God bless you! I never was in >> such a place as this. I have >> come up asking for a small sum of money. I am eighty-four." The Lord >> Mayor - "Where did you come >> from?" Mrs. Kelynack - "From Land's End." The Lord Mayor - "What >> part?" >> Mrs. Kelynack - >> "Penzance." She then stated that she left Penzance five weeks ago, and >> had been the whole of this >> time walking to the metropolis. The Lord Mayor - "What induced you to >> come >> to London?" Mrs. >> Kelynack - "I had a little matter to attend to as well as the Exhibition. >> I was there on Monday, and >> mean to go again to-morrow." The Lord Mayor - "What do you think of >> it?" Mrs. Kelynack - "I think >> it's very good." (much laughter) She then said that all her money was >> spent but fivepence halfpenny. >> After a little further conversation, which caused considerable merriment, >> the Lord Mayor made her a >> present of a sovereign, telling her to take care of it, there being a >> good >> many thieves in London. The >> poor creature, on receiving the gift, burst into tears, and said, "Now I >> shall be able to get back." She >> was afterwards received by the Lady Mayoress, with whom she remained for >> a >> long time; and having >> partaken of tea in the housekeeper's room, which she said she preferred >> to >> the finest wine in the >> kingdom, and which latter beverage she had not tasted for sixty years, >> she >> returned thanks for the >> hospitality she had received, and left the Mansion House for one more >> visit to the Exhibition, and then >> to return to her native home. > > ------------------------------- > Listmom: ybowers@gmail.com or CORNISH-GEN-admin@rootsweb.com > > Visit the OPC (Online Parish Clerk) web page for transcription information > http://www.cornwall-opc.org/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > CORNISH-GEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >