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Press
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Cornish &
Devon Post 20th July 2011 |
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-From West Briton March 10th 2011
 Signs
that are pointers to the past will be recorded
The fingerpost
sign at Peterville, St Agnes, now maintained by the local
improvements committee is just one of many cast iron signs
that will be recorded by OCS members.
FOLLOWING a
successful survey of the county's cast iron letterboxes, Old
Cornwall Society members are being asked to record the last
surviving cast iron and alloy road direction fingerposts.
There are 700
milestones in Cornwall – more than in any county – but the
Milestone Society is worried about the disappearing
fingerposts and wants the societies' help to photograph them
with details.
"There
were some wonderful fingerposts in Corwnall," Ian
Thompson, of the Milestone Society, said when he won the
Federation of Old Cornwall Socieity's backing on Saturday.
"They are
a bit special and Cornwall's are rather different from
others," he said.
The Romans had
milestones. Parliament ruled that mileposts were compulsory on
all turnpikes from 1767, not only to inform travellers of
direction and distance, but to help coaches keep to schedule
and for charging for changes of horses.
Most of the
cast iron fingerposts appeared between 1890 and 1910 after
county councils were given responsibility for main roads and
district councils for minor. The posts were often made by
local foundries.
They were
still being erected in 1964, said Mr Thompson, but it was then
decided to go "continential" with road signs.
Cornwall kept many fiingerposts and the new survey is to
establish where they were.
Finding
the county's oldest, veteran and interesting trees.
The OCS, which
has almost 3,000 members, has also been asked to join other
groups in the closing stages of finding the county's oldest,
veteran and interesting trees.
Leading the
survey, Dr Loveday Jenkin, who is with the National Trust at
Lanhydrock, said the database had opened three years ago with
only four trees. Now there were 500 notable trees.
Among them is
the half-remaining Darley Oak at Upton Cross, Liskeard,
thought to be about 1,000 years old and one of the 50 oldest
trees in Britain.
Dr Jenkin said
the UK had more ancient trees than anywhere in Northern
Europe. Cornwall was not known for great forests, but was
fortunate that much of its medieval landscape had changed
little, she said.
There were
also estates and owners who had introduced foreign trees first
in Cornwall.
The survey set
out to find ancient and veteran trees with interesting
stories. Various groups had helped, including schools. Some
areas were named after trees, she said.
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West
Briton Newspaper February 23rd 2011
Details
of Joan's Funeral.
Joan Rendell
Joan,
the Writer of Werrington, is laid to rest
By
name phone number
A
TINY lady who became a larger-than-life figure in her local
area and throughout Cornwall was laid to rest on Tuesday at
the church where she had worshipped for most of her life.
The
congregation, packed into the church of St Martin of Tours at
Werrington near Launceston, sang the Cornish anthem Trelawney
as the coffin of writer and historian Joan Rendell was carried
to its last resting place alongside her parents and aunt.
As a mark of
respect, the Cornish flag flew at half-mast from Launceston
Castle.
Miss Rendell,
MBE and Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd, died in a fire at her
Yeolmbridge home last May, aged 89. Problems in making a
positive identification meant the body could not be released
for burial until a few weeks ago.
The Rev Barry
Kinsmen from Padstow, a past president of the Federation of
Old Cornwall Societies, gave the eulogy, saying Miss Rendell
rightly described herself as "eccentric, fiercely
independent, a law unto herself, strong and determined but
with an ability to work intensely hard for long hours on her
writing and interests."
Collection
She was the
author of 30 books, mainly on Cornish subjects but also
including matchbox labels, of which she had the world's
largest collection.
She was born
in Launceston, her father a St Austell man who worked for the
Admiralty. She studied at Ealing School of Art and exhibited
at the Royal Academy; the school was close to Ealing Film
Studios, where she met many famous people, including actor
Tyrone Power.
Her parents
had Tremarsh built before the last war, and the bungalow was
her home for the rest of her life.
During the war
she was in the Women's Land Army and also became involved in
the National Savings Movement.
A great
traveller, she was among a small party allowed into Albania
after the war, and in 1956 visited Hungary to see a matchbox
factory.
She was
Werrington's parish clerk for 63 years, always writing the
minutes with a fountain pen in ink which matched her nail
varnish, which she bought from Harrods.
She never
stopped writing, and on the eve of her death was working on
her 31st book, Launceston Through Time.
Some of her
interests were unusual for a woman, said Mr Kinsmen. She loved
to drive her Fiat 500 at speed around the Isle of Man TT track
and was interested in the lives of the riders who died and the
memorials to them.
Her interest
in the slave trade may have been stimulated by a memorial in
the church to Philip Scipio, an African who worked at
Werrington Park.
An artist and
skilled flower arranger, she was a familiar figure strolling
the lanes of Werrington, exercising her beloved dogs or
driving her little cars, starting with a Messerschmitt, then a
bubble car and, in 1968, a Fiat 500, with no syncromesh gears,
still in her garage when she died.
The secretary
of Launceston Old Cornwall Society until her death, she was a
former county president and a life member.
She was made a
Bard for her services to Cornwall, taking the title Scryfer
Werren, "Writer of Werrington".
Ms Rendell
never drank anything but water.
Service
The service
was conducted by Canon Geoffrey Pengelly, of Egloskerry,
assisted by the vicar of Werrington, the Rev Kenneth
Wakefield.
An arrangement
of blue and gold flowers – the colours of the Launceston
Old Cornwall Society – rested on the coffin and an
arrangement stood at the chancel steps, from members of the
Dunheved Flower and Garden Group.
In lieu of
other flowers, donations were invited for Werrington Church.
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West Briton Newspaper Friday January 14th 2011
Inquest opened into
death of Cornish author and Bard Joan Rendell MBE
The
inquest into the death of the author and Cornish Bard, Joan
Rendell MBE, has been opened and adjourned.
Miss Rendell
died, aged 89, following a fire which tore through her isolated
bungalow, near Launceston, in North Cornwall last May.
The alarm was
raised by Miss Rendell's doctor during a visit to the property
of the prolific author and historian.
Cornwall coroner
Dr Emma Carlyon adjourned the inquest until later this year.
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Western
Morning News Thursday, January 13, 2011
Memories
of the Fifties sought for 'vital' project
By
noel perry 01326 563136
IF
YOU can remember the 1950s then Paul Phillips would love to
hear from you.
Mr Phillips, a
former mayor of the town, is collating material for Helston
Old Cornwall Society's (OCS) entry in a project on
Cornwall in the 1950s.
He said:
"The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies runs an annual
project on some aspect of life in Cornwall."
He pointed to
the federation's most recent copy of its quarterly magazine,
Old Cornwall, which stated: "The 1950s are literally a
lifetime away from the lives led nowadays and it is vital to
record them while memories are still fresh (well, fairly
fresh)."
The federation
is asking each society to create a file of recollections and
gathered information.
Mr Phillips
said he had agreed on behalf of the Helston OCS to co-ordinate
all the material submitted by the public and would welcome any
submissions, however long or brief.
"I am
anxious that this becomes a community project," he said.
"You don't have to be Cornish to submit your
recollections, perhaps you came on holiday or on business,
perhaps you only have a one-off incident to recall. That's
fine, send it in please.
"On the
other hand, you may have lived, worked or gone to school here
in the 1950s.
"Perhaps
you had a connection with a now defunct branch railway line.
Did you play sport for your village or town? Perhaps you came
as an evacuee or in the Land Army and have stayed on?
"It
doesn't matter, either, if you are currently in exile, if you
have a story to tell, please let me have it.
"There
is, however, a deadline by which I have to send in all the
entries, so please let me have yours no later than March 1,
2011."
Each Old
Cornwall Society's entry will be judged and a winner declared,
Mr Phillips added.
"Let us
together put Helston at the top of the list."
He said that
it was not the competitive aspect that he was impassioned
about: "The collecting of our local history is the
important aspect of the project."
Material
Mr Phillips
said submissions could be handwritten if necessary and added
that, while not wishing to "impinge" on another
OCS's patch, he was willing to collate material from anywhere
by anybody who could not find someone local to them willing to
receive it.
He said that
all material would be submitted for archiving unedited.
Envelopes with
submissions should be marked OCS Project.
Anyone who can
help should send their entry to Paul Phillips at Downside,
Casterills Road, Helston, TR13 8BJ or e-mail it to him at
paul.downside@googlemail.com
He can also be
contacted by phone on 01326 573317.
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West Briton Newspaper Thursday, November 11,
2010
Jean looks back to a time when town was
thriving
PEOPLE living in the Redruth district
have fond memories of a thriving town
packed with regular shoppers in the
1950s. So what brought about its decline
and that of some other similar towns?
This is the question posed by Jean Opie,
a resident for nearly 60 years, in a
thought-provoking article in the
Federation of Old Cornwall Society's
autumn edition of its twice yearly
journal, Old Cornwall.
She says an early blow was struck when
the cattle market ceased to be held at
the Fair Meadow. Most of the trade went
to Truro.
Then Fore Street, the main shopping
area, was "torn up for drainage
schemes". Many people shopped elsewhere
and did not come back.
When Redruth's town centre car park
stopped being free, the growing number
of town and country car owners found it
more convenient to shop at out-of-town
supermarkets with free parking.
"Their argument was that, if they had to
pay car park fees, they might as well go
to Truro," she recalled.
And where there had been seven or more
gents' outfitters in Redruth, there are
now none.
Electrical shops have gone and there is
no longer a choice of grocery stores.
She lists most of the town's shops to be
found in the Fifties and recalls happier
days and Friday market days, when the
pavements failed to cope with the flood
of mothers and prams and when buses from
outlying areas ferried in passengers.
And then there were the highlights.
Shopping week with all its activities,
including the trades' vehicle procession
of more than 100 gleaming vehicles, and
Whitsun fair, with stalls lining the
streets. And one she could have added,
Father Christmas at West End
Departmental Stores drawing thousands.
Regretting the gradual decline over the
years, Mrs Opie believes there is a
brighter future for the town.
She has "great admiration for those in
business.
"They are making a great effort to
succeed and deserve our support.
"I only hope that more firms will have
the courage to open up in our lovely
little town and help to restore Redruth
to its former glory," she added.
Other major articles include Education
and Industry in Cornwall and South
Wales, by Professor Gordon Roderick and
Stanley Lane; Alan Pearson's look at the
life of Richard Upton, of Falmouth;
Harvey's of Hayle: Vessels by Russell
Webber; and Colin Short's More on
Cornish Miners.
Costing £1.95, the 78-page journal,
packed with interesting articles and
shorter pieces on Cornwall and its
people, can be obtained from Anne Knight
(publications@oldcornwall.org) at 5,
British Road, St Agnes, TR5 0TX.
Redruth Old
Cornwall Society
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Thursday, October 21, 2010, 09:00
Society's need for books and website
THE FEDERATION of Old Cornwall Societies'
website has proved a huge success with
increasing yearly hits, but website master
George Pritchard, has found a problem.
When he learned that fewer than one third of
the people in Cornwall use the internet, he
decided he would going back to producing
books as well.
He told the Federation's annual meeting in
Truro that Angletwiktch And Poppydock:
Cornish Dialect Words, Rhymes and Stories
and Cornish Carols from the Redruth and St
Agnes Areas were on sale and more local area
carol collections were planned.
Another book detailing Cornish Christmas
traditions could be on the shelves next
year. See
www.oldcornwall.org
The Old Cornwall movement
keeps an eye on the state of
the ancient granite crosses
that dot the county and
details of some improvements
were given to the meeting.
Andrew Langdon, the archaeological
recorder, said
crosses were being
straightened at Roche and
Stithians and permission was
being sought to restore a
cross head at Crowan, to
remove a cross head so a
subsided hedge could be
rebuilt at St Ives and to
improve a base in St Stephen
in Brannel.
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West
Briton Newspaper Thursday, October 07, 2010
Movement still strong after 90 years' influence
THE EXTENSIVE work in conserving the past
and the influence of their movement
continues in its 90th anniversary year, the
Federation of Old Cornwall Societies annual
meeting at Truro was told.
The president, Terry Knight, said there were
2,700 members in 46 societies between Land's
End and the Devon border.
"What began in St Ives those 90 years ago
was of remarkable and lasting significance
to all of Cornwall's people, wherever they
may now live," he declared.
The movement's input continued to be sought
by relevant committees and there were
ever-closer links with Gorsedh Kernow. "Both
contributed so much to the preservation and
maintenance of Cornwall's culture and
identity," said Mr Knight.
Individual societies continued the
movement's work, rarely seeking glory.
Traditions that did make the news and for
which Old Cornwall could claim credit, were
the midsummer bonfires and the crying the
neck ceremonies. He wanted more societies to
arrange such events, perhaps with other
local groups.
"Part of our role is not just recording the
past, but also ensuring the survival of
Cornish songs, dialect and continuing
customs and traditions," he said.
Publications continued, with such demand for
Michael Tangye's book about Cadgwith and
Poltesco that another 1,000 copies had been
ordered. The federation's 2,000 publicity
leaflets had "vanished" and 2,000 more were
printed.
New publications were Victorian Cornish
Carols: Redruth and St Agnes and Angletwitch
and Poppydock, Cornish dialect words, rhymes
and stories.
Mr Knight said the website, run by George
Pritchard, continued to expand and had seen
the innovation of online radio, Cornwallcast,
using historic recordings produced by Chris
Blount when with BBC Radio Cornwall.
The dictionary of Cornish dialect words and
phrases had grown to thousands of entries.
He and secretary Ivor Corkell found the
growth of business with activities at
meetings had become unwieldy and overlong.
Verbal reports took too much of the time
needed for "decision-making if we are to
maintain Old Cornwall as a forward-looking
body as visionary now as it was in the
1920s", said Mr Knight.
Members adopted a new constitution and the
new-look meeting included a saffron bun
break, then a slide-talk by Richard Hearn on
Two Centuries Of Kilkhampton.
Officers were re-elected with Robert Evans,
of Pentewan, as the new deputy president. A
search is on to find a new treasurer as
Libby Joyce is retiring.
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West Briton Newspaper Thursday, September 23,
2010
Old Cornwall Society has a packed programme
ahead
THERE is a full
programme of events planned for members of
the Helston Old
Cornwall Society when it resumes next
month.
Secretary Martine Knight said: "We will
commence our winter season on Wednesday,
October 6, at St Michael's School at 7pm."
The season will start with the sixth
Trevenen Jenkin lecture, titled Kernewek –
The Cornish Language (past, present and
bright future) to be given by Elizabeth
Stewart of the Cornish website, MAGA.
Mrs Knight said other talks during the
winter would feature such subjects as the
Helston Railway Company, Cornwall To
Australia, a tale of emigration and An
Evening Of Cornish Atories And Songs.
Membership is only £5 per year and
non-members are welcome to attend any of the
talks at a cost of £2
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All-round effort in 2010 for the
Federation of Old
Cornwall Societies
By C. Gregory
THE NEW president of the Federation of Old
Cornwall Societies hopes to visit all 46
societies, and to see membership grow during
his two years of office.
With the movement nudging its 90th year,
Terry Knight, of St Agnes, says he is
conscious of its history and aware of its
unique role of raising concerns about "the
destruction of fragments of Cornish life".
Elected at the federation's annual meeting,
Mr Knight said he hoped Cornish people and
those who had come from outside, but with a
love of the county, would join the movement.
Bonfires
With 2,700 members, he wanted the movement
to interact with other groups and events and
encourage the establishment of Cornish
traditions and customs.
These included the mid-summer bonfires, the
crying of the neck harvest celebrations and
for more Cornish carols to be sung at
Christmas.
Mr Knight, who succeeds Ron Opie, the
Redruth OCS president, is best known for
having created the Cornish Studies Library
at Redruth. Troon-born, he was
Camborne-Redruth Urban Council's deputy
librarian when local government
reorganisation saw the county council take
over library services.
He became the principal librarian for the
Cornish Studies Library and supervised the
move into the restored former post office in
Alma Place, Redruth, which is now the
Cornish Centre.
The library has a vast collection of Cornish
books, photographs and information and has
become a research centre used by people with
a Cornish interest from many parts of the
world.
Retiring in August 2006, Mr Knight was able
to be more involved with the Old Cornwall
movement and other groups.
A Redruth OCS member for 35 years and an
ex-president, he has been a federation
committee member and also editor of the
twice yearly journal for 13 years.
Active
A St Agnes OCS committee member, he is
active in 16 groups including the Cornish
Buildings Group. He is also a bard, a
trustee of Cornwall Heritage Trust and a
member of the council of the Cornish Gorseth.
His wife Anne, who is also keenly involved
in Old Cornwall, is the federation
publications officer. Their two adult sons,
Ben and Geoffrey, work in computing.
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West Briton Newspaper Wednesday, December 09,
2009
'Lost' Cornish folklore manuscript discovered
By [sparker]
AS if by magic, an important 50,000-word
manuscript for an unpublished book on
Cornish folklore, assumed long-destroyed,
has just been rediscovered.
The guest speaker at the Winter Festival of
the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies,
Jason Semmens, pictured left,
announced the news to an audience of 200
members in Wadebridge Town Hall.
He said that quite by chance the
federation's publications officer, Anne
Knight, had received the missing manuscript
to catalogue as part of her work for
Cornwall Library Service. It had been
deposited at the Cornwall Centre in Redruth
after being found and rescued during a house
clearance.
Mr Semmens – whose book, The Cornish
Witch-finder: William Henry Paynter And The
Witchery, Ghosts, Charms And Folklore Of
Cornwall was published by the federation
last year – said he had been looking for the
lost manuscript for many years.
He said the book, entitled Abracadabra, or
Confessions Of A Westcountry Witch-finder,
had been written by Bill Paynter, who died
before it could be published.
It contains a wealth of folklore information
collected in the early 20th Century. Founder
of Callington Old Cornwall Society, Mr
Paynter was made a bard in 1930 and chose
the name Whyler Pystry (Seeker of
Witchcraft).
Mr Semmens announced the discovery during a
talk on the theme of witchcraft, conjurors,
cunning folk and charmers in Cornish
folklore.
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Click on a cutting to read 
West
Briton 22/10/2009
West Briton Newspaper Wednesday, October 28,
2009
Kennels get royal support
By nperry
THE Duke of Cornwall says Helston's
historic roadside kennels make a
"significant contribution to the
heritage value of the town" – but only
when running, which they currently are
not. English Heritage has also voiced
its support, saying the kennels were "a
national asset".
The Duke has asked his staff to consult
one of his charities to see if they
could offer advice in the campaign to
get the water channels running again.
English Heritage and the Duke's office
were contacted by Janet Spargo, of
Helston Old Cornwall Society, who is one
of many local people who wish to see the
kennels flowing again.
At present the matter is the subject of
legal negotiations between the owner of
the land on which the leat, which
supplies water to the kennels, stands,
and Cornwall Council.
Positive
Last week, Cllr Mick Clayton said he
hoped there would be positive news about
the situation by the end of this week.
Mrs Spargo has also written to
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. While
she was pleased with the response from
the Duke's office and English Heritage,
she was less enamoured with that of the
Mr Benn's Department for the
Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs.
"I thought it was very dismissive," she
said. The department said it could not
intervene as the matter was a dispute
"between the local council and the
residents".
The Duke's representative said he had
consulted the Prince's Regeneration
Trust. This agreed that the kennels were
clearly a very interesting historic
feature and a working system would make
a significant contribution to the
heritage value of the town.
The trust was unable, though, to offer
any direct support, and it was suggested
Mrs Spargo contact the Cornwall
Archaeology Service.
Hundreds of local people of all ages
have now signed petitions demanding that
the kennels be reinstated.
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West Briton Newspaper Wednesday, October 14,
2009
Modern technology working to help preserve our
history
By jpurcell2
MODERN technology is playing a major part in
the future of a group that investigates
Cornwall's past.
The Federation of
Old Cornwall Societies set up a website,
which was created by George Pritchard, of
Stithians, and which has received 400,000
worldwide hits in the last year.
The federation
learned at its recent annual meeting that a
new e-book page of almost 300 books on 21
topics of Cornish interest, mainly published
in the 19th century, was one reason for the
amount of web visitors.
A dialect page,
which will allow someone to key in a dialect
word to get information, is also planned,
along with several of Cornwall's 48
societies, which now have their own
web-sites, putting the reports of their
recorders' findings on a new recorders'
page.
A
recorder works to preserve
the heritage of Cornwall and
the federation's archaeology
recorder Andrew Langdon
informed the meeting of the
latest discoveries, while
also highlighting a survey
of the post boxes dotting
Cornish towns, villages and
countryside which he hoped
all the societies would take
part in.
Anne Knight, the
publications officer, said:
"Publication sales have
improved, partly through the
website, and the federation
offers more than 50 titles
for sale and will be
republishing the book on
Cadgwith and Poltesco."
Gerrans and Porthscatho
society is publishing a book
about its wells, shoots and
springs, Newlyn about its
wells and Par about the
area's history.
Brian Stevens, of St Ives,
the dialect recorder,
stressed the importance of
recording dialect words,
their sound and spellings
while those who spoke them
were still alive.
At
the meeting it was agreed
that each society should
have its own dialect
recorder.
The St Agnes recorder, Tony
Mansell, has collected more
than 150 dialect entries
including "tiddy cave",
which means a patsy without
meat; "Tom Dodge", which is
a snail and "pasty nut",
which is a Brazil nut.
Visit www.oldcornwall.org to
find out more.
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Cornishman
11/05/2009
West Briton Newspaper Monday, March 16, 2009
How the war left its mark on Cornwall
By cgregory
PICTURE of how the Second World War affected
people and areas in Cornwall has been
created by members of the county's Old
Cornwall Societies.
Sixteen societies accepted the Federation of
Old Cornwall Societies' challenge to produce
a package on "the war in our area", and they
have uncovered a wealth of new knowledge.
Members have found out about the day-to-day
life of adults and children, the effects of
having the military stationed locally,
coping with evacuees, rationing and events
of significance in the war effort.
They looked in libraries and archives, found
images of wartime Cornwall, researched those
who lost their lives, were injured or
received recognition for their actions.
The aim was to uncover new
research and they have given
descriptions and provided
images of surviving remains
from the war years.
"Extremely impressed" with
the work were the judges,
Kim Cooper, who runs the
Cornwall Centre, Redruth,
Moira Tangye, with family
history expertise, and Derek
Warren, chairman of St
Austell RAFA.
The work will be lodged in
the Federation's gallery at
the county museum or with
the individual societies.
The competition was won by
the Camborne entry.
Highly commended was
Bude-Stratton and commended
Truro.
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c
West Briton Newspaper Monday, March 09, 2009
Federation plans post box survey
By cgregory
THE near-3,000 members of the county's 47
Old Cornwall Societies are being asked to
take part in a survey of post boxes in their
areas.
The idea comes from Andrew Langdon, the
archaeological recorder of the Federation of
Old Cornwall Societies, who would like to
see members unite in collecting Cornish data
each year on a different theme.
"We are in a far better position than most
history groups and societies; we have a
network spread across the whole county and I
think we should be using this to our
advantage," he said at the Federation's
spring meeting at Truro, on Saturday.
Several recorders had already noted
Victorian post boxes and now with major
changes likely to the Royal Mail, he
suggested a simple survey of all post boxes,
particularly those in rural areas. Mr
Langdon suggested a photograph of each box
and details of where it was; if it was a
pillar box, pedestal type or built into a
wall and what symbol or motif it had to
represent the monarch. He added: "There are
many different artefacts we could record
throughout the county that can be used by
anyone to do further research."
He thought the year-long survey could be
launched at the federation's October annual
meeting.
Mr Langdon said he had received reports from
seven societies recording a wide range of
subjects.
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West
Briton 29/01/2009
The Cornish Guardian Newspaper Wednesday, November 05,
2008
A celebration of Cornwall's past
By sfraser
ALMOST 200 members of Old Cornwall Societies
from as far afield as Bude, Mullion, Madron
and Torpoint celebrated their winter
festival.
The annual event was held at Bodmin
Community College on Saturday, November 1.
Each society paraded its distinctive banner
to signal the beginning of events, and this
was followed by a roll call of the
societies, of which there are now 47.
Raymond Helson, secretary of the Bodmin
society – now in its 81st year – introduced
its president, Cllr John Chapman MBE, who
welcomed everyone to the historic town.
In turn, he introduced the
president of the Federation
of Old Cornwall Societies,
Ron Opie of Redruth.
Mr Opie remarked on the
significance of Bodmin's
history to Cornwall, noting
with great regret the
centralisation of every
service on Truro, to the
severe detriment of other
Cornish towns.
He also recalled the highly
successful summer festival
held at Callington on a wet
July Saturday, and the
recent launch there of the
federation's newest
publication, The Cornish
Witch-finder by Jason
Semmens, a compilation of
the folklore discoveries of
Callington Old Cornwall
Society's founder, William
Henry Paynter.
Peter Davies, local
historian, gave members a
fascinating illustrated talk
about the growth and
development of Bodmin from
its prehistoric beginnings
right through until modern
times, using a selection of
aerial views, engravings,
drawings and old
photographs.
Larry, a well-known local
guitarist and folk singer,
then entertained with a
number of Cornish songs,
both old and new,
interspersed with stories
and jokes, receiving great
applause.
After tea, saffron buns and
the customary raffle, the
afternoon was rounded off
with a rousing rendition of
the Cornish anthem,
Trelawny.
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Wednesday, October 29,
2008
Memories of a bygone era
By pbramwell
SILVERWELL, near St Agnes, is one of those
places you tend to drive through without
realising it – for it has no real centre.
There is no concentration of homes, the post
office has gone, the chapel is a house and
the church is called Mithian Church. But for
Tony Mansell, growing up in the 1950s and
'60s and living in a cottage tied to his
father's farm work, it was "idyllic", he
writes in a nostalgic article in Old
Cornwall, the Federation of Old Cornwall
Societies' autumn journal. He grew up in an
agricultural dependent area, with its sounds
and smells, shire horses and visiting
tradespeople. The kitchen was the heart of
the house, with pans of milk on the range to
produce clotted cream.
His favourite was to spread the golden cream
on warm ginger sponge and a special treat to
top a piece of honeycomb.
Many mourn for the Silverwell of old, said
Mr Mansell, "the tight-knit community where
you knew everyone".
With much of the work on the
doorstep, home-produced
entertainment and the chapel
central to life in many ways
it differed little from any
other Cornish village.
St Agnes Old Cornwall Society
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