Sitting on the corner of St Peter’s Hill and Gwavas Rd in the parish of Newlyn, in Penzance, Cornwall, is a charming yet antique abode called Myrtle Cottage. The cottage was built in the 18th century by Thomas Tregurtha (1696-1753), and stayed with the Tregurtha family until sold in 1873 to Mr William Llewellyn. However, even after this sale it was still being occupied by a Tregurtha family in 1879, that being Thomas Tregurtha (1848-1893) and his wife Lizzie (nee Hichens). Thomas and Lizzie’s son, also Thomas (1880-1934), was the last Tregurtha to be born at the cottage.
Lizzie Hichens Tregurtha.
Photo courtesy of Glyn Richards,
Cornwall, England.
After Thomas snr died in 1893 Lizzie opened a boarding house at Myrtle Cottage, and during the time she ran this establishment the cottage changed ownership twice more; in 1906 and in 1912. Then in 1917 it was bought by Elizabeth Primrose Strick (nee Tregurtha), but sadly only stayed in her hands for a year. After she sold it in 1918 it was never again to be occupied or owned by the Tregurtha family.
Today, however, it remains close to a Tregurtha descendant. Alan Tregurtha and his wife Elaine live across the road from Myrtle Cottage. And incredibly, Alan, together with a distant cousin of his who lives nearby, are the only 2 Tregurtha descendants still living in Cornwall. Among the many areas where Tregurthas emigrated to and now reside include South Africa, United States, New Zealand and Australia.
View enlargement of Myrtle Cottage.
Special thanks to the Penwith Local History Group for sharing information and photos about Myrtle Cottage www.penwithlocalhistorygroup.co.uk
