pollie lanyon

Community & Voluntary Action, Education & Learning, Everyday Life, Health & Social Care

1878 – 1955

Suggested by John Lanyon

 John writes, “Pollie worked publicly and in private to tackle poverty and to improve public health, the care of the elderly, housing and education in the Falmouth and wider area. She was the first woman to be elected as county councillor for Falmouth in 1931 and the first woman in Cornwall to be made a County Alderman; she was also a Justice of the Peace. She was made a bard of the Cornish Gorsedh in 1947. Her bardic name was Cares Ethymogyon: Friend of the Poor. She was a much-loved figure on the streets of Falmouth.

Born on a farm nearby, Pollie spent her whole life in Falmouth and is buried in Budock churchyard. She was a widow from 1916. Her husband was a doctor in the town. He committed suicide from the stress of caring for injured soldiers in a military hospital. Pollie was left to bring up 4 boys. 1916 was also the year her only daughter, a toddler, died. She had a strong Christian faith and led a life of simplicity. She was invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace and wore an old cardigan with holes in it and allegedly said, ‘What’s good enough for the people of Cornwall is good enough for the King!’. “

There is a bench with plaque in Melville Road, Falmouth that reads, “In memory of Mrs Pollie Lanyon, JP., C.A, who did so much for this town.”