My uncle reckoned this picture was dated 1875; there was a later road widening in the 1960s, which lost the small extensions townwards of the cottage.
Hawke's Farm
When looking at the present view of Hawke's Farm, it is worth also looking at the row of old houses (including the YMCA building),
and realising that they are all set down well below the present road level.
It is also worth remembering the raised beach which exists to the south of Hawkins Road,
together with the fact of the old marsh lands of Mennaye, through which the ancient stream still runs.
The present road which runs across the front of Hawke's Farm, when that cottage was built,
was originally a simple cart width track, lined on both sides by trees.
The track was barely to the south of where the centre white line runs.
The pavement is raised, simply because it is level with the present road, and not because the cottage was built low down.
The ground originally eased down to the seaward in a gradual slope, similar to that which formed the grounds of the Polwithen Estate.
It is worth pointing out that the name Tredarvah did not exist in Penzance until 1885, when the Harveys moved here from Hayle.
The Deeds for Hawke's Farm go back to 1820, however it is clear that the building dates back to about 1670;
the road was widened and the green bank formed in 1865.
Hawke's Farm is reputed to have had a minstrel's gallery .
There was supposed to have been a murder committed here - I have been researching that story,
of considerable difficulty is the fact that the name Hawke's Farm is of late origin,
earlier records not showing a specific name at all, nor of it having actually recently been a farm ,
though this may well have been the case when built.
I have added notes on some local murders on the 1975 photograph.
Raymond Forward
