MINNIE HARVEY

1891 - 1987

Community & Voluntary Action  

Suggested by Tony Casey  

Minnie was a widow living in the village of Mousehole with two of her own children. In June 1940 over 100 evacuees arrived in Mousehole, all Jewish children. Minnie welcomed two teenage girls into her home, Vera and Evelyn Goldstein along with their brother Jack. Minnie treated them all as if they were members of her own family.

Tony says, “The experience had a lasting impact on the children’s lives, for example, the girls always remembered Minnie’s advice “Come on girls, head up, be proud” inspiring them to later become successful businesswomen. In later life Vera commented, “We were absolutely adopted by Minnie - our other mother”. I think it made Vera realise how you can mix with other people, and that being Jewish didn’t come into the equation - an inspiring lesson for today’s divided and troubled world”

The full story is told in the book ‘Women of Cornwall’ published by the Penwith Local History Group