Secrets of a salvage yard
News, sad news, just sent by our stringer in the West Country, of the demise of a local institution. Shiver Me Timbers salvage yard.
All the above images are from John Stumbles. And they certainly capture something of the combative vibe you could find there. But what they don’t include is the owner himself. The late Terry Gray, known to everyone in town as Trader Gray. And I mean known. He used to drive around in a camoflage-painted truck with ‘GET YOUR HAIR CUT’ painted on the side. I remember him showing up to a party at 4am playing a (salvaged?) tuba.
This wonderful film by Sky Neil captures the man on camera. I love her voice-over, which says, with affection, “Terry Gray is one of the rudest people I have ever met in my life.” Check out Salvo’s report on his very unique funeral here.
But while the old site is today no more than a bonfire, it’s heartening to see that Trader Gray’s son, who has owned the business since his death, has set up elsewhere. Still claiming to be ‘the most westerly salvage yard in the UK’, you can find a rather cleaned up version of this Penwith institution in nearby Crowlas. They even have a website.
A really interesting clip. Perfect music to go with it.
Such a brilliant post. Thank you. I loved the film by Sky Neil too. I’ll have to go and take a look at the new site although it won’t be the same.