Mutton Cove 1996, looking south-east. The grass between the harbour and the dockyard wall was occupied by two public houses and several other buildings in the late 19thC, as illustrated by this 1901 photo.
I have written this account from Catherine Rundle's point of view but most of the facts are taken from the 1881 census. Where she speaks of events in previous years, these are taken from the 1861 census and from the reference sources consulted during research into her husband's seagoing career, to which this forms a sequel.
I am writing this to let you know some of the events since my late husband's account which you may have read.
Twenty years ago, in 1861, our family had recently settled here after having moved from our native Cornwall, and my husband Henry was setting up as a beer seller. Who would have thought that I would still be here selling beer at the age of 67.
Now in April 1881 my daughter Catherine, her husband James Ryder a ship's carpenter and their four children are lodging with me. There is another grand-daughter Susan Anning living here and an unrelated lodger who is a seaman. Our already large household is at present augmented by a visit from my daughter Maria whose married name is Doyle, and her 7 month old son Richard.
Just up the road at Mount Street, my widowed sister-in-law Elizabeth Polglass is living with her unmarried son Charles who is a stoker in the Navy, her widowed daughter Maria Campbell, and grandson. You may remember some of the dubious exploits that Elizabeth's husband William, and my husband used to get up to with their ships the Boconnoc and the Place during our Charlestown days.
Finally, I can give you news of my eldest daughter Louisa, who you will recall was married to Walter Harris Berry shortly after we had come to Mutton Cove. Their first two children Louisa and Maria were born while they were living in Devonport but they then moved to London where they now have a total of 5 sons and 4 daughters. Their youngest, Jane had her second birthday last December.