THE John Harris Newsletter Society No 65 Winter 2019

WinterOld Winter is come, spreading ice on the moor, And wailing like woe at the cottager’s door. He has blighted the heather that bloomed on the hill, Stalked down in the valley and glassed o’er the rill, Sipped up the clear pools with their moss–cover’d brim, And placed his cold hand on the daisy’s white rim. Old Winter, old Winter, come, hie thee away, And let the soft breeze with the daffodils play. Thou hast but a season, old Winter to roar, And then I know surely thy reign will be o’er, And thou must be off to the frost-bitten zone, And beautiful Spring have thy sceptre and throne. (Extract from the poem)

Bodoni headline font here

Text here The Brisons, off Cape . Photo: Tom Corser www.tomcorser.com . Licensed under Creative Commons At- tribution ShareAlike 2.0 England & Wales (UK) Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/uk/deed. en_GB AGM ON FEBRUARY 23 - SEE PAGE 6 JHS 2 Another new Annual meeting year has arrived Your committee members are very loyal in attending the meetings, and As I write in mid-January, Christmas the business that’s executed keeps already seems a long time ago! Time is the society running. At our AGM on such a precious commodity though it Saturday, 23 February, at 2pm at Troon seems to me the more I read and hear Methodist Church, its present mem- about all that John Harris and others bers will all (except our president) be like him did nigh on 200 years ago, I’m out of office and those attending will led to ask whether their management be asked to nominate people to serve of time was better than ours is today? on the main committee. Please do your best to attend, to stand for election, or to vote. Visit of HRH We are thrilled to report that Ju- liet Johns (of Carnon Downs) will the Duke of Kent be our speaker: her subject being The publication of our last newslet- ‘Cornish Poets: John Harris and D ter was slightly delayed in order for M Thomas’. the up-to-the-minute account of our Please make every effort to attend meeting with HRH to be included. I what is bound to be an interesting simply record here our thanks to our afternoon. Anyone requiring transport president, Peter Bickford-Smith, for from railway station or else- presenting the books on our behalf. We where locally, do let me know (01209 are also grateful to Camborne Town 213146). Council for allowing our society the privilege of being there to promote the man of whom we are so proud. Society presentations Four members of the committee at- tended the Federation of Old Cornwall Bi-Centenary festival - Societies which, this year, was held at St Petroc’s Church in on 24 16-18 October 2020 November. It was a well attended event that included the parade of all the OCS The Committee has had to move the banners which was quite a sight! venue for this festival to the Penventon As a result of our presence, the Park Hotel, , in the heart of society is making a presentation to the mining area. As soon as details are Perranzabuloe OCS on Wednesday, 13 finalised, wider publicity within the February. U.K. will be put into action. As a result of our presentation at the May I remind all readers of this Cornish Methodist Historical Associa- newsletter to register your interest tion’s AGM (which was well received with Tony Jasper, Milsrof, Eglos Road, and prompted a number of questions Ludgvan Churchtown, , from the floor), we are attending Allet Cornwall U.K. TR20 8HG or by email Methodist Guild (near ) on Friday, to [email protected] (which 15 March and any member would be won’t commit you to attending the welcome to attend that meeting. event) but, if you are already commit- The presentation at Baldhu Chapel in ted to attending, please make contact October was also well received. with The Penventon Park Hotel, West End, Redruth TR15 1TE, enquiries@ penventon.com or phone Exhibitions 44 (0)1209 203000 to discuss accom- We’re always looking for new venues modation. Details and a form can be where our exhibition could be staged, found on the society’s website. so please let any officer know any sug- I need, also, to reiterate that we are gestions you may have. seeking sponsorship for the event and if anyone can make a contribution, it will be greatly appreciated. (Our treas- New members urer’s details are on the back page.) If We have again be pleased to welcome any reader knows of a grant- making some new members recently, which

Chairman’s ramblings body or charitable trust that could be leads me to remind you that subscrip-

with Paul Langford approached, please let the secretary tions for longer term members were know. due on 1st January for everyone. JHS 3 A forgotten Cornish poet BY ERNIE PARSONS Quinion, which depicts aspects of late Victorian Cornwall. The poem pillories When the West Briton reported the religious hypocrisy - in all creeds - and death of James Dryden Hosken in 1953, highlights the social injustices suffered it commented “On (him) might be by the poor. From the early entertain- bestowed the title of “Poet Laureate ing, travelling theatre scenes, the poem of Cornwall”; yet today he is almost becomes increasingly sombre until the forgotten even in his home town of eponymous hero goes overseas as did . Hosken himself. He spent nine years Hosken (1861- 1953) shared much in in Australia (1911-20) before returning, common with the older John Harris still poor, in 1920. That year saw the re- (1820-84) although their religious views publication of The Betrothal of Venus differed greatly. Both poets came from although perhaps Reuben Quinion impoverished homes; but whereas should have been the title poem. Here Harris later gained some financial and in his final volume The Shores of security, Hosken suffered from money Lyonesse, are collected most of his best worries throughout his life. Both were works, particularly the Cornish pieces. self-taught, leaving formal education In 1928, Hosken became one of the very young; Hosken having to start first bards of the Gorsedd, nominated work when aged 10. They both died in along with Quiller-Couch for his liter- Falmouth. of heart and song”. ary achievements. He took the name Hosken, pictured, gained early ac- Hosken revered great writers of the Caner Helles - Singer of Helston. His claim in 1891 with his play Phaon and past, perhaps too much so for his long life hardly improved in his final years; Sappho. This and Nimrod demonstrate imitative works are of limited interest his wife, Annie, an invalid, died in 1939 skilful command of language and today. He is at his best depicting Cor- and during World War II he was twice contain powerful speeches but drama nish coast and cliffs as in Halsaphron, bombed out of his home, in Truro and was not his forte. In 1893, Verses by the Gunwalloe Church, Kynance and in Falmouth. He died forgotten in Way was published with a long, sympa- ; or local eccentrics - often Falmouth in 1953. thetic introduction by fellow Cor- social outsiders as was he - Phran, At present, his poems are found nishman Quiller-Couch in which “Q” Uren; or writing of traditions and mainly in anthologies such as Alan concluded “I am ready to salute him legends like Lyonesse, and of wander- Kent’s Voices from West Barbary. as a true poet.” The volume includes ers such as The Tramp or in The Chant Recent research has discovered much some fine short lyrics, but the next of a Cornish Exile. He felt for the about Hosken, but if anyone has infor- work, “Poems and Songs of Cornwall” plight of the working people as in The mation, even anecdotal, about him I (1902) begins to show his real strength: Cornish Miner’s Funeral. should be grateful to hear from them. poems inspired by Cornwall his “land His finest sustained poem is Reuben Ernie Parsons: [email protected]. John Harris goes to Kynance Cove BY TONY LANGFORD swallows floated and twittering birds with its polished crags, white sands and A recent issue of the newsletter told made pleasant melody.” It was, he limpid pools, the wonder of my soul how Dobrinka Tabakova, composer- wrote “more delicious to me as having was too great for words.” He continues: in-residence at Truro Cathedral has set escaped for a brief season from the “It seemed like some fairy palace which the John Harris poem Kynance Cove sulphur and strain of the mine.” the next sounding wave would sweep to music. It seems appropriate to recall On the Lizard peninsula, John dis- away. The music of the billows among the first visit of John Harris to this covered a new world. Serpentine, the the shining breakers, and the flight delightful cove and the impression it “strangely streaked rock” for which of the sea-birds from peak to peak had on him. the area is famous, fascinated him. He glittering in the sun, revealed to me a John tells in his autobiography of how records how when driving over a road region of enchantment like that which “in the harvest of 1855 half-a-dozen of paved with serpentine, “we slid along come in dreams.” John returned home us” travelled to Kynance Cove by horse as if on ice.” He was fascinated, too, that day “overjoyed with the fact that and cart (loaned by a neighbour). He by the “beautiful heather” and had to my own dear county produced such an does not name his companions but says leave the vehicle several times to pro- exquisite picture.” how they went by way of Nine Maid- cure specimens. His book, The Land’s End, Kynance ens and Helston over “wide moors and Then they came upon Kynance Cove. Cove and Other Poems, was published through honeysuckled lanes, where “When it first burst upon my vision, in 1858. JHS 4

Extracts Summoned For refusing credit On Sunday evening last, about seven from the for speeding o’clock, the inhabitants of Porkellis, West Briton On Thursday last, sixteen van own- in the parish of Wendron, were greatly ers were summoned at Truro, by a excited by an alarm made that a corn - life in government agent, named Stowell, for stack, belonging to William and Walter Cornwall driving faster than the rate [four miles Pascoe, brothers, residing at Halwyn, an hour] allowed by law for carriages had been maliciously set on fire . . . in the early of that description. Henry Mansell and The sufferers are beer-retailers, and 19th century William Clemow charged with three also shop-keepers, and have been in the offences each, were fined £20 each; habit of supplying some of the miners Matthew Bennett, for two offences, in the neighbourhood, whose ill- was also fined £20, Joseph Pascoe, success in mining prevents their paying Wm. Pearce, and Samuel Lake, were off the monthly accounts for victuals each fined £10. W. Sowden, T. James, till a more favourable opportunity for J. James, W Fidock, J. Lean, J. Weeks, settling arrives. Having lately denied W. B. Kellow, T. Allen, and W. Sparks, further credit to a few of them they were fined £5 each. All the parties had were in return threatened with injury, to pay the expenses besides . . . They and it is supposed their revenge has were allowed fourteen days to pay the been satisfied by the committal of this penalty and costs, and if not then paid shameful act. 7 February 1845 a writ to be issued. If there are no goods to meet the distress, the parties are to be committed, in the £20 cases, for three months’ imprisonment, and The shutter nuisance in the other cases, for one month. At We beg to recommend the trades- Penzance, on the following day, a large men of Truro to caution the persons number of van owners were summoned employed in shutting their shops before the magistrates, and were all, against the danger to which they with one exception, fined £5. On expose parties who are passing at the Saturday, several other van owners were time, by their reckless proceedings. brought before the Bench at Cam- To save a little trouble, two or three borne, and these also were all fined £5 shutters are placed at once on the arm each. 1 November 1 or shoulder, and carried horizontally, with a quick step out of the narrow passages in which they are kept, so Turnpike after dark that persons passing on the footpath The toll gates [on the Truro to not infrequently receive severe blows, Camborne turnpike] are nearly of the which might be followed by seri- same hue as the road, and no person, ous consequences. It is high time for however clear sighted, can perceive the authorities to put an end to the whether the bars are put across or not nuisance, as several persons, some of [at night], until within two or three them ladies, have recently suffered feet of them; and any dim-sighted aged from it. 2 May 1845 person or any-one riding or driving a spirited horse, may often be in peril on a dark night . . . It is notorious, that from sheer avarice, there is no other An old offender light now to be seen at night at the Truro Police. On Monday Samuel toll houses than beggarly glimmerings Glasson, alias the Ferret, of Truro, was from slim sixteens [thin candles, sold charged with drunken conduct, and at 16 to the pound], or sickly rush anti- breaking in the door of the house of brilliants, and those concealed behind John Tippet, beer-shop keeper. He was closed curtains. 27 December 1844 fined 5s. with costs, and was required [Turnpike gates were frequently to find two securities, in £10, to be of closed at dusk, the gate-keepers there- good behaviour for the next twelve after being almost impossible to rouse. months, in default of which he was In a recent accident at the Redruth sent to the house of correction until Union-house toll bar, a saddle horse the next sessions. Glasson stated that had been killed outright as a result of he had been in the house 26 times, and Down Memory Lane cantering into the closed gate, while that he had eaten 14 Christmas dinners compiled by Eve Parsons his rider suffered a fractured skull.] there. 17 November 1843. JHS 5 VISUAL PRESENTATION Off the wall: Late night shoppers view Harris poem

Late night shoppers in Truro in the of the John Harris Society. weeks before Christmas were treated Now on an Applied Media Course at to some words of John Harris in a the college, Kerri was keen to include visual presentation projected onto the the work of Harris in her latest project. walls of various buildings. Using photographs - old Cornwall, Paul, Gillian and Tony Langford Penzance, mining scenes and suchlike attended a preview on the evening of - from Morrab Library Archive, the November 5 when the film was project- presentation features lines from the ed onto the wall above the TUI travel poem, The Mine, moving across the agents at the corner of Lemon Street. images from time to time. The result is It was the creation of Kerri Bridge- impressive and most enjoyable. man (pictured), a student at Truro- Kerri says: “The words of John Harris Penwith College. When on the FdA really pulled my project together and English Studies programme at the made it what it is.” college, Kerri studied the life and You can view the production on You- poetry of John Harris and organised a Tube by following the link below: presentation on the poet at the Morrab https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY Library, Penzance, involving members AMTZYb3Sc&feature=youtu.be (An extract from) THE MINE A mine spread out its vast machinery. And levels drunk with darkness; chambers Which fell with such a crash that he who Here engines with their huts and smoky huge heard stacks, Where Fear sat silent, and the mineral-sprite Cried, “Jesu, save the miner!” Here were the Cranks, wheels, and rods, boilers and hissing For ever chanted his bewitching song; ends steam, Shafts deep and dreadful, looking darkest Cut through hard marble by the miners’ Pressed up the water from the depths below. things skill, Here fire-whims ran till almost out of And seeming almost running down to doom; And winzes, stopes and rizes: pitches here, breath, Rock under foot, rock standing on each side; Where worked the heroic, princely tributer, And chains cried sharply, strained with fiery Rock cold and gloomy, frowning overhead; This month for nothing, next for fifty force. Before; behind, at every angle, rock. pounds. Here blacksmiths hammered by the sooty Here blazed a vein of precious copper ore, Here lodes ran wide, and there so very small forge, Where lean men laboured with a zeal for That scarce a pick-point could be pressed And there a crusher crashed the copper ore. fame, between; Here girls were cobbing under roofs of straw, With face and hands and vesture black as Here making walls as smooth as polished And there were giggers at the oaken hutch. night, steel, Here a man-engine glided up and down, And down their sides the perspiration ran And there as craggy as a rended hill. A blessing and a boon to mining men: In steaming eddies, sickening to behold. And near the spot, where many years before, But they complained not, digging day and And out of sparry vagues the water oozed, Turned round and round the rude old water night, Staining the rock with mineral, so that oft wheel, And morn and eve, with lays upon their lips. It led the labourer to a house of gems. A huge fire-stamps was working evermore, Here yawned a tin-cell like a cliff of crags, Across the mine a hollow cross-course ran And slimy boys were swarming at the Here Danger lurked among the groaning From north to south, an omen of much good; trunks. rocks, And tin lay heaped on stulls and level-plots; The noisy lander by the trap-door bawled And oftimes moaned in darkness. All the air And in each nook a tallow taper flared, With pincers in his hand; and troops of Was black with sulphur and burning up the Where pale men wasted with exhaustion maids blood. huge. With heavy hammers brake the mineral A nameless mystery seemed to fill the void, Here holes exploded, and there mallets rang, stones. And wings all pitchy flapped among the And rocks fell crashing, lifting the stiff hair The cart-man cried, and shook his broken flints, From time-worn brows, and noisy buckets whip; And eyes that saw not sparkled min the roared And on the steps of the account-house stood spars. In echoing shafts; and through this gulf of The active agent, with his eye on all. Yet here men worked, on stages hung in gloom ropes, A hollow murmur rushed for evermore. Below were caverns grim with greedy With drills and hammers blasting the rude gloom, earth, JOHN HARRIS JHS 6 Guest speaker at annual meeting Juliet Johns, of Carnon Downs, is the chapel - will be on ‘Two Cornish elected for a four-year term to Febru- to be the John Harris Society’s guest Poets - D M Thomas and John Harris’. ary 2021 and Tony Jasper, who has been speaker at its annual general meeting It will follow the business part of the co-opted to the committee to help plan on Saturday, February 23, starting at meeting, which includes the election of the John Harris Bi-Centenary Festival. 2pm. officers and committee members, who Below are details of those standing Juliet’s talk, at Troon Methodist are all out of office, except president for re-election and a nomination form Church’s Guild Room - at the rear of Peter Bickford-Smith, who has been to give you the opportunity to submit Nominations invited for officers and committee members

At the AGM all appointed officers and committee members areout of office so each position is vacant. The officers are listed below and the Constitution provides for there to be up to 12 members on the committee. The current members of the committee who are prepared to stand for re-election are listed and you are invited to submit names in advance of the AGM as shown below. Standing Ordert 102:3 states that: ‘It will be assumed that any Member so nominated will have agreed that the nominator may put their name forward’. Phone numbers are given below to help you. Additional members to those listed are sought.

NOMINATOR ______

Chairman ______Vice-chairman ______Secretary ______Treasurer ______Press & publicity officer ______Auditor ______Committee members ______

Standing for re-election are: Mrs Christine Cowls (713863), John Gillbard (213192), Duncan Yeates (713281), Ms Caroline Palmer (890102), Tony Langford (215918), Paul Langford (213146) and Stephen Crossman (01736 753912). All phone numbers are preceded by the code 01209 unless otherwise stated. Nomination papers must be received by Saturday, February 16. Please forward them to Tony Langford, St Hilary, South Downs, Redruth TR15 2NW or by email to [email protected] .

JHS 7 ON SALE: John Harris-related books & DVDs

The Extinguished Candle Re-Lit Published in 2002, this book by JHS committee member Caroline is a large selection of poetry and Arthur Langford, a great nephew Palmer’s latest book, published by prose by John Harris (1820-1884), of the poet, catalogues the lives Pen and Ink, covers topics from published in 2009 by The John of John Harris’ forbears from farming to family life, from mining Harris Society. 1743 and his siblings. to Methodism and much else. PRICE: £5.99 PRICE: £4.99 PRICE: £9.99

This DVD, Created in 2004 the creation by Caroline of Caroline Palmer & Pol Palmer, was Hodge, this DVD filmed locally was filmed by and takes in Leo Phillips, of various as- Cornwall Me- pects of the dia Resource, poet’s life. The on Carn Brea film won Best and at Cornish Documentary Engines in Pool. at Buxton Film Copper and Tin, Festival in adapted from a 2011 and was Harrris poem by shown at the Sue Farmer, was Cornwall Film sung by Kontekh Festival in the Karrek Commu- same year. nity Choir. PRICE: £5 PRICE: £5

Available at John Harris Society events and various exhibitions

JHS 8 THE JOHN HARRIS SOCIETY CONTACTS This newsletter is published three times per year, by the John Harris Society, free to members. All articles for inclusion to: Press and publicity officer Stephen Crossman 8 Rose-an-Grouse Canonstown, TR27 6JN. Phone: 01736 753912 Email: John Harris 1820 -1884

NEWSLETTER [email protected] BY TONY LANGFORD John Harris was born in 1820 at About Subscription fee - £6 per year Six Chimneys on Bolenowe Carn, (cheques payable to The John near Camborne, the eldest of 11 Harris Society) to: children. the Hon treasurer Largely self-educated - he started Christine Cowls school when he was six or seven ‘Trematon’ years old, before finishing at the poet 20 Westborne Road age of nine - John had an insatiable Camborne, TR14 7JD appetite for reading from his early and when no paper was available, years. Phone: would scratch his poems on slate, On his ninth birthday he started 01209 713863 using a sharp pointed nail. work, briefly as a ploughboy, then In his mining days his miner’s Or by: for a tin-streamer, or - tinner oper- ‘hard’ hat was sometimes used for PayPal to: ating in Forest Moor. this purpose. When no ink was

SUBSCRIPTIONS [email protected] When he was 13, John went to available, he used blackberry juice. work underground at Dolcoath. He fitted his writing into a busy He was to ply this arduous occupa- life that, apart from his work and tion for 24 years, seeing the famous his family responsibilitiies, includ- mine pass from copper to tin. ed being a Methodist lay preacher WEBSITE Poetry, or verse-making as he and a Sunday School teacher. www.johnharrissociety.org.uk called it, had been part of John’s John Harris left Dolcoath in 1857 life since his first attempts at to take up an appointment as a FACEBOOK rhyme at school when he was just Scripture Reader at Falmouth, a

ONLINE www.facebook.com/johnharrissociety eight years old. post which he threw himself into Whatever he was doing, verses with enthusiasm. were forming in his mind and he He continued writing poetry, and scribbled these down whenever began writing peace tracts and President: Peter Bickford-Smith and wherever and on whatever became a Quaker. he could. He used the clean side John Harris died in 1884 and lies Chairman: Paul Langford of cast off labelled tea wrappers, buried in Treslothan Churchyard. 01209 213146 [email protected] Grateful thanks go to all those who have contributed news articles in the Secretary: Tony Langford past and more articles from you, our readers, will be most welcome for 01209 215918 possible inclusion in future editions - anything connected with Cornwall,

OFFICERS [email protected] John Harris, poetry, including other poets and Cornish life. JHS