OLD CORNWALL SOCIETY: Members met for their first indoor meeting of the season with a talk by Barry Mundy on the Harvest of the Sea. Now the last fisherman working out of Mullion Cove, Barry explained how his great grandfather began fishing in 1830 and the family had continued through the generations. Barry demonstrated how the winter months would be spent making the crab pots from two-year-old local willow and in the spring the pots would go out for lobsters, crabs, crawfish. Other fish would be caught in nets from seine boats, and every available person would come to help pull in the catch. Pilchards, the main Mullion harvest, were salted down in the Cove, using sea salt smuggled from Brittany, after a tax was imposed.

Barry described how many of the words used in the fishing industry were old Cornish words and now he was enjoying researching their origins. Barry was thanked by chairman, Priscilla Oates and tea and saffron buns were served and a raffle drawn.

The next meeting is on Monday, November 10 at 7.30pm in the WI Hall and will be Reminiscence for Remembrance Day entitled "Echoes".

New members and visitors welcome.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE: The October meeting was well attended and three visitors were welcomed, Nell Brookes, Carol Cooper and our special visitor Colin Cooper.

Business was discussed and the two representatives who attended the autumn council meeting at Hall for Cornwall said they had a fabulous day. The guest speaker was Mandy Hickson, the only female pilot in a front line squadron, flying multi-million pound jets. Her talk was absolutely amazing and kept everyone spellbound.

A resolution shortlist election meeting was held at Mary Sumner House, when 43 representatives voted on which resolutions for 2015 would be shortlisted. Unfortunately the resolution put forward by Catherine Barnes “To empower disadvantaged girls through education” was unsuccessful.

Members were reminded that the autumn bazaar will be held on Friday in the WI Hall from 10-11.30am with proceeds to the WI Hall.

The speaker was Mina Dresser who spoke about the history of the Habsburg family, in particular the life of Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie, better known as Sissi, Empress Consort of Austria. We heard how although being born into Bavarian royalty she had a very informal upbringing by her family and married her cousin Franz Joseph I of Austria at the age of 16. After a carefree childhood she found court life stifling and would often visit Hungary for its more relaxed environment, where she developed a deep kinship with Hungary and later helped to bring about the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary.

We heard that she had four children, three daughters, one who died in infancy and a son Rudolf. After the birth of her son her standing at court improved. In 1889 Elisabeth’s life was shattered by the death of Rudolf, then 30-years-old. He was found dead with his mistress Mary Vetsera in a murder-suicide tragedy at his hunting lodge at Mayerling.

She never recovered from his tragic death. She withdrew from court duties and travelled widely unaccompanied by her family. She became excessively concerned with her health and beauty, spending two/three hours a day on her coiffure and dressed in black for the rest of her life.

In 1898 she was assassinated, stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist, whilst walking to catch a steamship in Geneva, she was accompanied only by her lady-in-waiting. Elisabeth was the longest serving Empress Consort of Austria. The talk was fascinating and extremely informative and held everybody’s attention throughout.

Teas were served by Beryl and Catherine and raffle prizes were distributed, thanks to Frances for organising the raffle.

Flower of the month competition was won by Elizabeth; competition of the month “A Halloween Decoration” was won by Catherine.

Future events (All held in WI Hall): Lunch Club, Tuesday, October 28, noon - proceeds to WI Hall - to order your meal please contact Doreen on 01326 240132 at least three days before meal. Monthly Lunch Club, Thursday, November 13, Roskilly’s, 12.30pm for 1pm. WI Handicraft and Art Group, every Wednesday, 10am-5pm, non members welcome, £2.00 per session. Coffee mornings, every Friday, 10-11.30am, cakes and local produce. Autumn Bazaar, Friday, October 17, 10-11.30am. There will be a competition, cakes, local produce, plants, craft and a raffle.

The next meeting is on Friday, November 14 at 2.15pm, speaker Russell L Holt “Cities of the World”. For further information on events please contact Kath on 01326 240087.