Bill Chubb, umbrella man and knife grinder, was a well known figure in Liskeard 50 years and more ago. He collected umbrellas and took them home to his cottage off Station Road, where he mended their spokes and fixed their leaky covers with black pitch he kept in a golden syrup tin, warmed on his black leaded stove. A cheerful chap he told stories to the folk he met on his rounds earning himself the reputation as the last in the line of droll storytellers- though neither Bill's stories, or his predictions, or his reputation were entirely accurate!
Bill is Mazed's poster boy, and his umbrellas our symbol of South East Cornwall stories. A puppet of Bill, made by Puppetcraft and operated by Liskeard actress Nina Hills, is bringing back the tradition of droll telling in the towns of South East Cornwall. Bill retells the tales he hears on his travels in his blog .
Bill Chubb image © John Rapson Archive, Liskeard Museum
