Cornish American Heritage Society councilorssay arise would hitjobsin the county and the cash localshave tospend. George Osborne. proposalsto end "anomalies" inVAT were revealed inthe Budgeton WednesdaybyChancellor The Office of TaxSimplification said the savouryfavourites should be subject 20% to VAT. The wall. food such asCornish pastiessold insupermarkets hasbeen attacked bypoliticians in Corn- HotCornish pastiessold insupermarkets could be subject 20% to VAT. Jean Ellis and Jeanette Medlin present the petition Jeanto Charman Mayor

Budget 2012: Cornish PastyTax 2012:Cornish Budget Tam “ A“ bit of Cornish” Kernewek

Volume 30 2 Issue Volume

21

Imposing VAT on hot

Summer 2012 Summer

Tax con’t: Jean Ellis and Jan Medlyn from Calumet, Michigan are so Liberal Democrat Alex Folkes said: "Pasties aren't just a proud of their Cornish connections, they gathered a peti- symbol of Cornwall, they are a key part of our manufactur- tion of 500 signatures to show their support. When visiting ing economy and thousands of people in Cornwall are their twin town of Camborne they presented it to the employed either directly or indirectly by the pasty industry. mayor. The plans have been met with resistance from high Raising the price of pasties, especially when the extra street bakers Greggs as well as MP’s from all parties. money goes to the government, not the firms, will cut Jeanette Medlyn, from Calumet said, “When the pasty tax sales and lead to job losses." He added: "They are a very came out we thought that would be horrible to have here filling and cheap food, not a luxury." so we wanted to stand in solidarity with the people in Corn- Mebyon Kernow councilor Rob Simmons wrote on his wall and particularly our twin town of Camborne.” blog: "If and when this legislation is introduced, your £2.50 In the 19th Century thousands of Cornish miners headed medium steak pasty will now be £3, and your £3 large to Michigan to work in the copper mines. Ms. Medlyn said, steak pasty will be £3.60. So that's money out of ordinary “Pasties are the mainstay of our diet. Every time we have decent Cornish folks' pockets, a blow to our bakers and relatives or friends coming from a distance the first thing hardly great news for tourism." we do is call the pasty shop and order a dozen pasties for Mr. Osborne said in his Budget announcement that anom- dinner.” “ And they love it.” alies in VAT would be scrapped on 1 October. Mayor of Camborne Jean Charman said, “I am absolutely The government has launched a consultation on the pro- delighted to have their support. They are still our Cornish posals, which will end on 4 May 2012. Cousins. I have been to Calumet and I know how much Mark Muncey, chairman of the Cornish Pasty Association, they appreciate the heritage.” said: "We were disappointed to learn about the introduc- A cross-party attempt to reverse the tax was defeated by tion of 20% VAT on products served above ambient tem- the government which is consulting on the proposed perature and the potential consequences this decision changes. The deadline for responses was 18 May. might have for the Cornish pasty industry.” "As an association we will be working with our members hoping to find ways to minimise the impact of any price increase to our consumers." Research in 2005 by Cornwall Taste of the West showed the Cornish pasty was worth more than £150m a year to the county's economy.

About 600 protesters marched through Falmouth. They were campaigning against the government’s plans to ex- tend the VAT to all hot food with the exception of freshly baked bread. The march was organized by Cornish enter- tainer Edward Rowe. Hundreds of bakers from across the country protested at Downing Street against the plans. Bakers, politicians and tax experts in Devon and Cornwall have said they will continue to protest against the so-called ‘pasty tax.’ 22 BBC Cornwall President’s Message

According to our Mission Statement, the CAHS is "to encourage informational and social gather- ings on a scheduled basis." Our main event and opportunity to bring our affiliated Cornish societies is, of course, the biennial "Gathering of Cornish Cousins". At present, we have no groups or parties interested in hosting. Can you be the 2013 host? If you have any interest, please contact me! The board has been discussing variations of the 2011 Gathering to make it easier: meet at a university setting, meet for a shorter period of time, have main speakers instead of sessions, meet a year later in 2014 to give the host more time… the flexibility is there! It is so important that we don't lose our main physical connection! Thank you for your consideration.

It always seems like another milestone when the Cornish Society of Greater Milwaukee holds its annual pasty luncheon. It's on the last Saturday of April and is always memorable, not only for the fellowship and pasty, but it marks spring in its full glory and the southern Milwaukee area is in full bloom.

I was asked to speak on the state of Cornish societies, and this gave me a good opportunity to do a little research and a lot of thinking.

In our digital age, our ability to do research, be it genealogical or otherwise, has become astound- ing. The increase of family history web site visitors has steadily increased… visits to newer ones, such as Archives.com and My Heritage.com have doubled in the past couple of years. The big one: Ancestry.com increased 21%. Our abilities to preserve and archive materials is astounding. Over 160,000,000 records were indexed in 2010 alone.

Worrisome, however, is that the general trend of societies like ours has declined. In "Creative Gene," the blogger Jasia states some reasons why this is happening: She states that, mainly due to tech- nology, people have more limited options for connecting with others… that is, in the real world. Tech- nology gives us the ability to have contact with practically everyone in the world from our favorite chair in front of the computer. Unfortunately, escaping from the home means we might have to commit… commit to paying dues, to attending meetings, and "to actually contribute to the betterment of the organ- ization by actively participating in achieving its purpose." (See: http://creativegene.blogspot.com/2006/08/decline-in-genealogical-society.html ) Many of us might see these commitments as a chance to share our time and resources.

In another blog: "Anglo-Celtic Connections," John Reid offers some questions and suggestions to ascertain if our societies are doing what they can to stay afloat. A few of them follow: -Can you measure the success of what your society is set to do? If you can't measure it, you can't manage it. -If you keep on doing the same thing, you're going to keep on getting the same result. Societies need to periodically take a hard look at where they are and set measureable goals for the future, both near and far. -Are new members attracted to the society? Are they made to feel welcome? Is the society working to make sure they are reaching their personal goals?

23 Message con’t:

-Is the society using the new technologies? Is the web site up-to-date, attractive, and easy to use? Can members see what is going on (both events and thoughts within the group) by using the web site?

Societies with great programs attract members.

These are at least some ideas to keep in our minds, when it our membership is waning, and we question where our society is going.

Fortunately, it seems the Cornish Society of Great Milwaukee is holding strong: Membership and financ- es are maintaining themselves, thanks to Joe Trewyn and Tom Rowe and their supporters. The Spring Pasty Luncheon was a success and gave us all a chance to see old friends (and some new) and get recon- nected with our Cornish roots.

Tom ======

Cornwall Comes to Westminster to celebrate St. Piran

A St Piran’s Day celebration in Westminster attracted MPs, members of the House of Lords and government ministers from across the UK who came to learn more about Cornwall’s unique culture, heritage and identity. St. Piran’s Day Performer and educator Will Coleman and Cornwall Coun- cillor Bert Biscoe joined Dan Rogerson to inform Parlia- mentarians about Cornwall, its history, heritage and the challenges facing the Duchy today. MAGA, the Cornish Language Partnership, provided Members of the Toronto Cornish Association attended the raising of the Cornish flag at Toronto City Hall in honour of St. Piran’s Day, some Cornish lessons, and were joined by representa- March 5, 2012 (Photo: Peter Dale) Refreshments followed at City tives of community interest company Azook.org.uk which Hall. involves Cornish communities with their culture and herit- age, London Cornish Rugby Club and Pauline Giles from Par who runs the BosomBuddiesUK breast cancer charity. Grass Valley Celebrates In addition, information was available from Visit Cornwall, St. Piran Business Cornwall, Cornwall Arts in Health and Cornwall

World Heritage Site. Town Crier, Robert Russel, opens the Parliamentarians also got the chance to sample some ceremony great Cornish produce, with pasties and hog’s pudding being generously provided by Ann’s Pasties of The Lizard and Sharp’s Brewery at Rock offering samples of their famous Doom Bar beer. London Cornish Association Newsletter

Flag raising while members of the GV Male Voice Choir, under the direction of Eleanor Kenitzer, sang the National Anthem and Trelawny 24 St.Piran’s con’t: The Cornish Connection of Lower Michigan cele- brated St. Piran’s Day with a pasty luncheon for Illinois Cornish Society celebrated with Milwaukee Cornish about 30 people. Jim Thomas sang Cornish songs and Society with pasties and “the Mousehole Cat,” a fan–favorite animated film about a cat from none other than the charming taught us one in Cornish. Trelawny was sung by all to Cornish town of Mousehole as well as an episode of “Wycliffe” conclude our program. the delightful mystery series set in Cornwall. For St. Piran’s Day events in Cornwall follow the link: http://www.gorsedhkernow.org.uk/english/newsvideo2012.htm Illinois Cornish Society newsletter Pasty Olympics at Grass On the Saturday evening the Valley St. Piran’s Day St Piran’s Festival Dinner was held at the Bendigo Australia RSL complex. The evening commenced with Stephen Amos saying grace in the Cornish language. A toast to Cornwall, St Piran and Australia was proposed by Neil Thomas who spoke about locally born clothing entrepreneur, Fletcher Jones. Past Mayor Tommi O’Hagan at and current Councillor Rod Fyffe responded to the toast. Our Grass Valley selling Patron Bill Phillips proposed a toast to Kindred Associations Cornish wares. which was responded to by Noel Carthew from South Australia. The guest speaker was Lola Miller, AM, BEM a past President of the of the Eaglehawk Dahlia and Arts Festival. Her talk in- cluded many entertaining stories of luring well known personali- ties along to open the festival. Lola presented the CAV with a book about the history of the Eaglehawk Festival. The evening finished with the singing of Trelawny. May 3, 2012, 22 Cornish cousins, one honorary Cousin, and two journalists gathered to celebrate St. Piran’s Day in Wharton , NJ. They were also thrilled to announce that Eaglehawk Dahlia and Chris O’Brien was willing to fill the Vice President’s office. Arts Festival The group indulged themselves with pasties, tea, saffron cake, treacle tart and wonderful crumb cake before their business meeting.

CAV newsletter

St Piran’s Lunch

Our 2012 St Piran’s lunch on 3rd March in New South Wales was again a success with 41 attending. Thanks to all who were able to come, and to our Celtic and other guests. Thanks also to David Wilks who made music for us. NSW newsletter Cornish Crier of the Cornish Heritage Society of East

25 Correspondence from Societies Visit to Cornwall of a Delegation from Real del Monte and Cousin Jack Website November, 2011 four members of the Regulatory Council for the

Cornish Cultural Heritage of Real del Monte, Hidalgo Mexico, Magna Charta and the Heir to the Throne visited Cornwall in November, their purpose being to further http:tinyurl.com/11th-dreckly-edition strengthen links between organisations in Cornwall and Real del ______Monte, to study the differences between pasty production in Corn- wall and Mexico and to gather information for the new Paste Mu- Ballarat Branch of the CAV enjoyed a visit from David Holman. seum being built at Real del Monte. David had an ipad which he enjoyed showing us with its The group met with Mark Muncey, Chairman of the Cornish Pasty Producers Association, where they discussed the protected many apps. He thought that ipads, Twitter and Facebook, status of Cornish pasties and the development of the Paste Festi- and the internet were the new media, that groups need to be val at Real del Monte. considering to recruit new members to their organisations. The group visited Berryman’s Bakery at , one of Corn- wall’s oldest family pasty makers. During their visit members Whilst there is still a place for books and paper, techno-savvy crimped pasties and explained the way in which they were made younger people will relate to other modes of research and we in Mexico. They also visited one of Cornwall’s largest pasty mak- must make every effort to connect with them via these meth- ers, Crantock Bakery. ods. With its rich Cornish heritage, which includes two mine sites con- taining Cornish engine houses, Real del Monte is one of the inter- national sites listed in the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Geelong Branch also had a visit from David. They are plan- document. ning to have a display at the National Celtic Festival held at From London Cornish Society newsletter Portarlington on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June. ______

Jane Curtis ABC Open Producer interviewed Tom and My husband is Cornish born and raised and recently emi- Libby Luke at White Hills Cemetery. Jane learnt about grated. We just wanted to let you that we write regularly grave etiquette, how to read tombstones, and what about Cornwall on our travel blog http://allegriatravels.blogspot.com. makes these tombstone tourists tick. Just type in Cornwall in the Search feature. One of our most Tom and Libby have a passion for cemeteries and their recent posts was about the Cornish Pasty World Champion- bumper sticker reads ‘Caution! We brake for cemeter- ships that were held at the Eden Project. In the past we ies’. The broadcast is being beamed to Thailand, Cam- have written about the Cornish Pasty in Michigan as well. bodia, Vietnam and the Philippines for those learning Diana Russler [email protected] English. Listen to the broadcast on the ABC website: Bill Gent [email protected] http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ ______offtrack/ click on past programs and look under www.mallettfamilyhistory.org is very much a work in pro- Tombstone Tourists, 25 March 2012 gress as there is much to be added for the family in Corn- wall, but if you CAV Newsletter May 2012 are interested in this family, please contact me at: mm- [email protected] Mike Mallett Who Do You Think You Are? ______Cancelled I'm Yi-Ping Huang an education intern in Cathedral. PROVO, Utah, May 13, 2012 -- Ancestry.com Inc., the We are making films about stained glass of the cathedral. world's largest online family history resource, today com- We've finished three short films of our miner's window, fish- mented on NBC's decision not to renew the Who Do You erman's window and St Piran's window. We would love to Think You Are? television series for a fourth season. share the films with more people and hope you would enjoy it! "We want to thank NBC for their support of this terrific series, which over the last three years has inspired many The miners' window: miner’s window viewers to follow their passion to learn more about who The fishermen's window: fishermen’s window they are and where they come from," said Tim Sullivan, St Piran: St. Piran President and CEO of Ancestry.com. "We have a great partnership with the show's producers, Is or Isn't Enter- Best Wishes, tainment and Shed Media, and we look forward to explor- Yi-Ping ing other avenues of distribution." [email protected] continued page 37 26 The Titanic—100th Anniversary

The 100th anniversary of the HMS Titanic disaster recent- ly came and went. More than 2,200 people were aboard Relatives of Charles when the "unsinkable" ship sideswiped an iceberg, but Fillbrook (standing) only 700 survived. An amazing number of households and and Sincock (sitting) families were impacted in one way or another. No commu- nity suffered more greatly than Southampton, home to many crew members. Dozens of passengers originating in

Cornwall have been linked to the voyage. Those from St.

Ives included at least four miners heading to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. When BBC reporter Lynne French learned of a commemoration planned by UP residents, including Barb Koski and Jean Ellis, she began crafting a story about St. Ives passengers bound for Northern Michi- gan. Others providing background included Howard Cur- Candle memorial and poster by Carol Schwab of Titanic and now and myself. Broadcast on Radio Cornwall, the story is story of Maude Sincock Roberts quite accurate with the exception of a small detail or two - who lived her life in Hancock. my own great grandfather planted his stake in the anthra- cite coal region of Pennsylvania and never made it to Michigan. Bill Curnow

Descendants Honored

The Keweenaw County Historical Society, Calumet, Michi- gan held a commemoration at the Portage Public Library on April 2, 2012. Barb Koski, Jean Ellis, Carol Schwab Titanic: Cornish tin mining decline and Chris Alquist of the Library planned the event to honor 'forced' miners abroad those that died. 24 passengers coming to the Upper Peninsula of Michi- gan—mostly miners joining previous relations living here Luckily the reporter who covered this (below), Lynne French, were honored. Calumet had 1 man perish, Gladstone –2, managed to get a sizeable amount of information from Cuz- Houghton—7 and 3 survived, Iron Mountain –8, and Sault zin Bill Curnow in Florida. Added to that from Jean Ellis in the Ste. Marie had 3 perish. Some were coming to work with Upper Peninsula of Michigan, this makes a sizeable contribu- steel, to be farmers or servants—the rest were miners. Of tion to the overall Titanic story and is the principal source in the 21 that perished, 7 were from Cornwall, 1 from Eng- the media on the Cornish on board that fated ship. land, 2 from Belgium, 9 from Sweden and 2 from Croatia. She says she has enough material to write something to The 3 survivors were from Cornwall. match War & Peace, so I hope her interest (Lynne French) is Maude Sincock, who traveled with Agnes Davies and son aroused sufficiently to keep on the trail. John Davies were survivors. Joseph C. Fillbrook, Freder- My only contribution, which she never used, was that, follow- ick Banfield, Agnes Davies son from a previous marriage, ing my visit to the Titanic cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I Joseph C. Nichols, were some of the deceased that were heard more recently that with the use of DNA samples they found to have descendants living. 23 descendants were have been able to move the body of an 'unknown' baby to the found and attended the ceremony, the Sincock descend- grave of her mother in another part of that cemetery. ants coming from California. 117 guests welcomed the Strange too that the crowded cruise liner which sailed from descendants. Music was selected from the 1912 era as Southampton last week, leaving at the exact time and from well as Gaelic Storm which played in the movie Titanic (in the same wharf as the Titanic, and following the exact course steerage). Refreshments consisted of tea sandwiches and as that sailed 100 years ago [AND, in identical weather con- sweets. A bell ringing and ditions!] was forced to turn back to land a sick passenger in candle lighting ceremony Ireland. We are waiting to hear if they made up time so as to followed the introductions. be on the exact spot of the sinking at the exact moment, so Barb Koski as to hold a memorial service ... with many descendants of those original passengers on board. Barb reading names of I was fascinated to read that Samuel SOBEY from Porthallow the 23 passengers com- (near St. Keverne on the Lizard) was a victim. ing to the U.P. and her niece Jessica ringing bell 27 Titanic con’t: His local paper, the St Ives Times and Express, described A few years ago I was the guest of the Sobey family in him as "well known and much liked by a good many Nova Scotia. They now run the largest Supermarket chain friends". across Canada. The first Sobeys went out in the early His body, identified almost a month later by his brothers years of the 20th century and started with a small grocer's Robert and John, was returned home to St Ives where, shop ... no doubt Samuel was going out to join the family. according to newspaper reports at the time, his funeral was Enjoy, Howard (Curnow) attended by more than 500 mourners. Among Willie's belongings, recovered by White Star and returned to his brothers, were a watch and chain, pipe, knife and about £5 in cash. Another miner who lost his life was 33-year-old Stephen Curnow Jenkin, also from St Ives. He had emigrated from Cornwall nine years earlier with his brother William and had found work in Houghton's copper mining industry. In 1912 Stephen, who had become an American citizen, went back to St Ives on holiday to visit relatives. He was booked to return on another ship but when the sailing was cancelled because of a coal strike, his booking was trans- ferred and his fate sealed. Bill Curnow, whose great grandfather emigrated to Michi- gan in 1868, is related to both Willie Carbines and Stephen By the 1900’s thousands of miners had left Cornwall to Curnow Jenkin. find work abroad. "I've been able to work out I'm related to both Willie and Stephen - Willie's sister married one of Stephen's brothers I Among the 2,000 people on board the ill-fated Titanic in think," he said. April 1912, there was a group of Cornish miners hoping to "It is only a slight exaggeration to say that everybody was build a new life in America. related to just about everybody else in old Cornwall." They were among thousands of miners "forced" into emi- Mr. Curnow, 71, who lives in Port Charlotte, Florida, said grating as the South West's main industry declined. he had always been fascinated by Cornish history and his family's roots. Until the late 19th Century, Cornwall was one of the He is a bard of the Cornish Gorsedd, an organisation which world's biggest exporters of copper and tin, with about aims to maintain the traditional Celtic spirit of Cornwall in 50,000 men, women and children working in more than the UK and around the world. 300 mines. "Peter Curnow, my great grandfather, was a tin miner from At the industry's height, the county was producing 10,000 Ludgvan near St Ives, who came over to Detroit in 1868," tonnes of tin a year - about half the world's production - he said. and had hundreds of steam engines pumping water from 'Second-chance Curnow' mines, many of which stretched out from the South

West's peninsula under the sea. "He was an explosives technician in a coal mine but I think But as Cornwall's mining industry declined, the demand the Cornish tin miners tended to look down on the coal for its miners' skills increased all around the world, includ- miners, thinking they had it easier. ing in the United States. "With (few) other options in Cornwall, miners were being Titanic was carrying several Cornish miners bound for forced to look elsewhere for work and going abroad was Michigan when it hit an iceberg on 15 April 1912 on its the answer for some of them." maiden crossing from Southampton to New York. None of Despite the tragedy of the Cornish loss of life on the Titan- them survived. ic, Mr. Curnow said there were some "lucky escapes". One of the youngest of the Cornish miners on board was “Edward Curnow from St Ives was almost persuaded by his 19-year-old Willie Carbines from St Ives. friends - and I think one of them was Stephen - to go over Having paid £13 for a second-class ticket - the equivalent on the Titanic but shortly before they were due to go he of nearly two months wages - the teenager planned to join changed his mind," he said. two of his three brothers who had previously emigrated and were mining at Calumet in Houghton County, Michi- "He did subsequently come over to the USA and became gan. an iron miner in Ely, Minnesota, where his nickname was Willie was one of more than 1,500 people who drowned “Second-chance Curnow' because he'd been given a se- when the Titanic went down. cond chance at life.

28 Titanic con’t In Memoriam "Then there was Richard Bryant, who I believe lived somewhere near . He had his ticket for the Ti- Frank Andrew, 25, Redruth tanic stolen and I often wonder what happened to the Frederick Banfield, 28, blighter who took it." William Berriman, 23, St Ives Jean Ellis, of Eagle Harbor, Michigan, a former teacher Ernest Cann, 21, Penwithick Willie Carbines, 19, St Ives who is also a descendant of Cornish immigrants, has re- Joseph C. Fillbrook searched Cornish migration and said from the late 1800s Harry Gale, 38, Harrowbarrow there was a "stream of young Cornishmen carrying unique Shadrach Gale, 33, Harrowbarrow skills and knowledge to every mining camp in North Amer- Stephen Curnow Jenkin, 33, St Ives ica". Joe Nicholls, 19, St Ives When two large copper lodes were discovered at mines in Frederick Pengelly, 19, Gunnislake Calumet and Hecla in 1865, the two mine owners joined William Saundercock, 19, forces and the merged company became large enough to Samuel Sobey, 25, Porthallow influence world markets. Lynne French, BBC News, Cornwall

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ “Frightened to death” The first International Copyright Act

was approved in 1891 Ms. Ellis believes the very expertise Cornish miners brought to Michigan may have accelerated the ongoing COPYRIGHT decline of mining in Cornwall. When you write copy you have the right to copyright the copy you Records indicate there were about 60 passengers from write, if the copy is right. If however, your copy falls over, you Devon and Cornwall on the Titanic, with the majority from must right your copy. If you write religious services you write rite, Cornwall. None of the men survived and fewer than 20 of the women and children lived. and have the right to copyright the rite you write. One survivor was Maude Sincock from St Ives who was Very conservative people write right copy, and have the right to travelling to Michigan to live with her father, Frank, who copyright the right copy they write. A right wing cleric would write had emigrated the previous year and was working for the right rite, and has the right to copyright the right rite he has the Quincy Mining Company in Houghton. right to write. His editor has the job of making the right rite copy She spent her 21st birthday on board the rescue ship Car- right before the copyright can be right. pathia, from where she wrote a letter to her mother, who Should Thom Wright decide to write right rite, then Wright would had remained in Cornwall, saying she had been "thrown" write right rite, which Wright has the right to copyright. Duplicating into a lifeboat wearing just her nightdress and boots. that rite would copy Wright right rite, and violate copyright, which "I am frightened to death nearly, and I am afraid I shall Wright would have the right to right. catch my death of cold by the time I get to Hancock," the letter said. Right? After arriving in Michigan, Maude recounted Titanic's sink- ing and her rescue in various theatres and in later life Copyright 1991 Shelley Herman S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A., Whittier Chap- gave a number of media interviews about it. ter She never returned to England but married and settled in COPYRIGHT: Successfully forged. (WordFoolery) Michigan until her death in Houghton in 1984. Pete Calvert

From Noel Carthew, Australia

Near Penzance

29 Meet Rita Hosking:

Rita Hosking, a touring folk/roots musician with Cornish roots, recently introduced herself in a message at cousin- jack.org and provided a link to an article about her Cousin Jack history. The link took me to an article written by Devon Leger who grew up in Grass Valley and Nevada City in the heart of Gold Rush country, home of the Empire Mine, and amidst many reminders of the areas’ mining culture, and the continuing evidence that Cornish miners were a principal part of that. Devon says, “I’d always wondered about the musical roots of the region, so I was very excited when I heard recently that renowned California songwriter Rita Hosking actually came from Cornish roots and had been looking into the music. So I decided to go “inside the songs” with her.”

Devon posted his interview Inside the Songs: Rita Hosking’s California Cornish Roots on his website (www.hearthmusic.com). Subsequently the profile was published at the No Depression site (www.nodepression.com/ profiles/blogs/inside-the-songs-rita-hosking-s-california-cornish-roots ). We are grateful to Devon Leger, and Kyla Fairchild, No Depression publisher, for permission to share highlights of the profile in Tam Kernewek. Readers who are computer users will want to go to the No Depression site for more about Rita and samples of her songs.

Rita's Background: "Only my grandparents/great-grandparents lived in Grass Valley--My great-grandpa, Tom Hosking, worked at Empire Mines. He and his wife Ida (my nana) grew up in Cornwall in mining families, were married there, and then emigrated to the U.S. Before Grass Val- ley, they had lived in northern Michigan and then Butte, Montana, like many Cornish miners . In Grass Valley they lived on 123 Em- pire Street (a short walk down from the mine.) Tom was one of the last to emerge from the mine when it closed in 1956, because he was turning off the pumps. (He had become chief mine mechanic). He understood the history that was being flooded and grabbed a few items like level signs, etc., some of which we still have. The Cornish have a strong singing tradition, and Tom sang in the Cornish Carol Choir, the Grass Valley Carol Choir, Cornish Glee Club, The California Cornish Gold Mining Singers, and any sort of singing club he and his peers came up with (as did their sons.) Cornish miners have a reputation for singing underground, though I've read that it subsided with the introduction of different ethnic groups into the mines--they become self-conscious around others. However, I think it was still pretty strong in Grass Valley, and at Christmas in 1940 he and many other miners were broadcast singing live from underground in the Idaho/Maryland Mine [in Grass Valley] on NBC. Pretty amazing. They say the response from around the country was huge--people were very moved by hearing the- se miners singing from underground and their special Cornish carols. I've also read that NBC might have arranged this because the government was keen to find broadcasts to help spread awareness and comradery with the English, who were of course targets of the Nazis at that time. We heard stories of the miners from my grandfathers, recordings of the singing, and photographs. When Christmas came around, my sister and I were told to shut up and sit down, and my father would put on the old records. He and his father would stand and sing or hum to the music, tears in their eyes. As I say in one of my bios, I grew up with a strong respect for the power of the voice--this is what I'm talking about. I could pick out my great grandfather's voice too, even though I'd never heard him sing in real life--I knew his voice. It was a soaring tenor. If you are interested in reading about these folks, there's a fabulous book called When Miners Sang, the Grass Valley Carol Choir, by Gage McKinney. It can be ordered with CD's too, which I must say are easier to play than my parents old 78's. There are several pictures with my great grandpa in them, and a little paragraph about him, too. I named a song on my most recent record, Burn, after the book, whose title I love--When Miners Sang,* with the author's permission.

"My father remembers the performances they did outside the mine, in halls and such. He remembers one performance at the state fair when he was a child. His grandpa and friends were dressed in their work clothes, even with the helmets, lunch pails, some tools and such. They sang to the rhythm of a hammer hitting steel -- we have a photo of his grandpa holding such a hammer on a stage, dressed out as my dad describes them. I've got a quote and photo inside my Silver Stream album. I don't perform any distinctly Cor- nish music, however the song I wrote called When Miners Sang was intentionally influenced by Celtic sounds, which I think you'll hear. I wrote it special for the underground recording, but liked it a lot so took it to the studio album as well."

[Rita's speaking here about the fascinating EP she recorded in 2010, Live in the 16 to 1 Mine. Joined by her daughter and husband, and gathered around a single microphone, the trio of musicians recorded a handful of songs about mining, some sourced from Utah Philips, some from Rita's pen, and some traditional, in the depths of an actual working gold mine.] continued bottom of page 32 30 Items of Interest

Martin Hunt lived in Cornwall for 13 years from 1994-2007, one result of which was a novel that evokes the spirit of Cornwall, particularly the desire of the Cornish to be independent.

A description of the novel by Martin is set out below:

When Stenor Bal, plays Mariot’s Theme on his Celtic whistle, a magic mist, comes to the poor Cornish village where he lives. Even though Stenor is a very sad man, the mist makes him very happy. It makes everybody who comes into contact with it very happy. The mist will make the villagers super rich because it will stop crime and drugs and other unwelcome aspects of human behaviour and be in demand across the world. Stenor, however, does not want to make the mist. His only desire is to be re-united with Mariot Tegel, the fiancée who deserted him many years before because she was afraid the tiny and ugly Stenor would give her stunted babies. For the sake of the village the mayor tricks Stenor into believing that the presence of the mist will bring Mariot back. Stenor is fooled into giving his magic feadan and the power to make the mist to the mayor. When Stenor realises that he has been deceived, the shock puts him into a coma, which is, in fact, a deep sleep! Although the village becomes an economic super power, its future is uncertain. Nobody knows if Stenor will wake up and what will happen if he does. The village also holds its wealth in Germos, a much cherished local currency used since the village sold tin to the world. The Germo will lose its value if there is no mist. The fu- ture of the village rests on the fate of Stenor and the activity of thousands of village kin from all parts of the world who have come to work in the factories and offices that have destroyed the natural beauty of the village. The newcomers want to change the Germos into foreign currency whilst the going is good against the wishes of the die hard villagers who run the all powerful parish council. Myth and magic merge in this smart fairy story that is a more than passing homage to Wagner’s Das Rheingold.

The book can be purchased from the Amazon Kindle Store under the title Mist Under Endland. Editor’s note: That is Endland. Search for it at www.Amazon.com under ‘kindle books’. Martin’s penname is Michael C. Stephen derived from the names of his children.

“The book is a snip at just over $3 and may not remain at the price for long.” Martin Hunt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

British & Irish Genealogy (BI-Gen) at www.bi-gen.blogspot.com is the latest major website/blog to hit the family history world. BI-Gen has several strands, none of which seem to be adequately covered elsewhere on the Web, these being:

NEWS – major news stories from the world of family & local history across Britain & Ireland; DIRECTORY of SERVICES – genealogy-based commercial services; FUN – entertaining stories and snippets from the world of family history.

The NEWS and FUN elements will be published as part of the website’s day-to-day blog – usually you will get the former, occasionally a little bit of the latter, depending on what’s happening in the genealogical world. The DIRECTORY of SERVICES will be on permanent display via the links in the website’s title bar. For the mo- ment, inclusion in the DIRECTORY is completely free of charge, with no catches. There are also A FOR SALE / WANTS section, a NEW PRODUCTS section, with more in the pipeline for later this year.

So remember to pay me a visit at www.bi-gen.blogspot.com and to get in touch at [email protected] – it’d be great to hear from you.

Mick Southwick, BI-Gen. 31 Items con’t:

Patricia TRELOAR O’Neal, daughter of CAHS member Bill TRELOAR, has connected with us via the website to tell us about the cookbook she has compiled. It is a tribute to her heritage, “mixed” as it is for many of us, but preserving the significance of her inheritance.

In 2010 Patricia’s brain seizures lead to a diagnosis of brain tumors, and in May of that year one of those was surgically removed. The second, although smaller, is inoperable. Cyberknife radiation has been used to keep that from growing. Pat has been going through extensive therapy to train different parts of the brain to take over the lost functions. Because of her illness, she wanted to leave behind something for her grandchildren, and her work in preparing this cookbook be- came part of her brain therapy as well.

The 573 recipes collected from numerous family members include five generations of recipes from her Dad’s side of the family and six generations of her mother’s. She grew up on a hobby farm where a huge garden and the animals they raised were put to use in many of these. Patricia has spared her readers the work that involved for her grandparents – and she and her sisters and broth- ers –in canning and freezing the bounty! She has also worked through the ‘handful’ of this and a ‘pinch’ of that to give us the measures we use today.

As Patricia says, “The best family traditions are shared in the foods we eat using the recipes of our ancestors”. Within her American Cornish Family recipes there’s everything you could wish for to plan a tasty menu for your family reunion.

The book is available from Patricia at 11840 120th St., Franksville, WI 53126; telephone: 262-835-2043. The cost is $12.00 each plus $3.95 shipping and handling. ======

Rita con’t

Rita's Notes about this photo: "This is me in the churchyard in the village of Breage, next to the gravestone of my great-grandma's parents (my great-grandma's name was Ida Hosking and she was married to Tom, above. She lived into her mid-90's.) My grandpa returned here when he was a child for a short time and I'm sure visited here, as did my father when he was in the army, on his time off. Breage is a village not too far from the town of Pen- zance. The folks buried here were tin miners, and worked and lived at a large mine not too far from the village."

When Miner’s Sang

"My heart is stirring with a noble song" [Psalms 45] Oh Daddy please take this pretty love song Of a young girl who loved plants and the sky You can sing it below, then I will know Of her father who mined in the dark all day long When you are lonely, or need to feel strong She gave to him gifts to remember her by He began with it softly, the men sang along Daddy please take this dandelion Oh sweetheart what have I to give to you? You can take it below, hold up and blow With pain in his heart and love in his eyes Watch all the seeds scatter and fly I am a poor miner, what worth have I? You say they can't grow, but maybe they'll try You deserve all the riches money can buy She placed in his pail a lilac flower Oh Daddy, you pay for our food on our table He found it at noon, its fragrance so true And you play with me when you are able All the men marveled at the beauty and power I know what you and the others are makin' In the light of the lamps, little lilac flower It's gold for the ladies and sad, sad singin' It's gold for the ladies and sad, pretty singin' 32

Cornish Flag that was sadly confiscated by the police” says MP

Update: Cornish MP, Dan Rogerson demands an apology from Lord Coe who is the Chairman of London’s 2012 organising commit- tee: From ITV West Country news http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/update/2012-05-24/cornish-mp-demands-apology/

During the Westminster Hall debate about the ‘PastyTax’ on 23 May 2012, Cornish MP Dan Rogerson (North Cornwall) spoke about – and what many Cornish people understand – is a lack of respect for their Cornish identity. This followed anger among Cornish people over the @ViewLandsEnd ’refurbishment’ which resulted in the painting out of the Cornish language signage, the Cornish Crest and the Cornish flag of St Piran. Later, the Cornish flag was taken way from the Olympic torch carrier as he crossed the Tamar.

Dan Rogerson MP (North Cornwall): “To return to the Cornish perspective, the feeling is that there is a lack of recognition of a strong sense of identity and of Cornishness. To mention another visual aid, when the last runner with the Olympic flame left Cornwall and set off across the Tamar bridge, he held in his hands a Cornish flag that was sadly confiscated by the police who were running alongside. To many in Cornwall, such things send out a signal that English, Welsh or Scottish identity is fine, but we do not really want to know about Cornish identity. I know, however, that that is not the case in the Treasury, which understands the issue. As a Scot, my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury understands that sense of Celtic identity, and I know that the Treasury will listen sym- pathetically.” Also, during Pasty Tax debate Mr Rogerson said: “In conclusion, I wish to add a little extra plea for the Cornish pasty. My hon. Friend the Member for St Austell and was generous, and hands have been stretched across the between Cornwall and England as people have spoken about their respective products that they value and support. In Cornwall, however, there is a feeling that the Government are taxing something that people might eat instead of a sandwich or some other cold product that they would find elsewhere. There is a cultural element to that. People love a pasty; it is what they grew up with and what their mums, grannies or aunties made at home. Everyone has a favourite shop to go to, and that is part of what it means to grow up in Cornwall. Furthermore, we are a very low-income part of the country.” From Breselyerkeltec May 24, 2012

Cornish MP demands apology

A Cornish MP has demanded an apology from Lord Coe after security police removed a Cornish flag carried by a torchbearer. It hap- pened on Saturday as Andrew Ball ran with the Olympic flame and the St Piran's flag towards the Tamar Bridge. The video, taken by a member of the public, shows the metropolitan police security team taking the flag away from him. Dan Rogerson told the head of the Olympic authorities that the incident had sparked anger across the Duchy, he has also raised the issue in Parliament. For video see ITV news Cornish Flag at http://vimeo.com/42782894 From ITV News Westcountry May 24, 2012 33

‘Linguistic Cleansing’ of Cornish Language due to refurbishment for tourists

Land’s End - The First and Last point of Britain (Penn an Wlas)

The ‘Linguistic Cleansing’ of the Cornish language signage at Land’s End is described as ‘refurbishment’.

Land’s End general manager David Bryans @VisitLand’sEnd, said the ‘refurbishment’ was being carried out to maximise the appeal of the attraction. He said: “We want to bring as much tourism to Cornwall as possible.” So painting over our Cornish Flag, Cornish Crest and the Cornish Language is perceived as ‘Maximising the appeal of the attraction’ and ‘We want to bring as much tourism to Cornwall as possible’?

If that’s the case, our Cornish language, heritage & culture will have more chance of sur- vival without tourism as it’s obvious the mono-linguistic English Land’s End signage is seen as more ‘acceptable’.

Back in January 2011, Malcolm Bell, Head of Cornwall Tourism, said consumers had “lost faith” with big brand marketing. He said: “People are looking for honesty, authenticity and distinctiveness – and Cornwall is all about that.” Well where is the honesty, authenticity and distinctiveness at Land’s End? Far from promoting our Cornish language and Heritage, Land’s End has provoked a great deal of anger among Cornish people by painting over the Cornish Language sign above their Main Entrance and replaced with a monolingual English sign. Jenefer Lowe of the Cornish Language Partnership appearing on ITV West Country said:

“It’s disappointing that Land’s End has decided to go for a monolingual sign over their Main Entrance in place of the dual language one. And for us [Cornish Language Partnership] it’s a retrograde step. Obviously, Cornish is a real cultural asset for Cornwall and we are working towards greater visability with street signage and all sorts of things to emphasise that distinctiveness in Cornwall. Although I understand Land’s End still has some Cornish there, obviously people see the removal of those signs as something of a backward step in a climate where we are working towards more visability for the lan- guage.” One of the ITV West Country presenters commented that there was the distictive smell of paint when they were there reporting last Saturday. From breselyerkeltic “Kernewek on ni, a-dar Sowsnek” We are Cornish, not English May 21, 2012 34

Cornish Customs

MAY DAY

. . . And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. William Wordsworth

Springtime in Cornwall is purely a delight to behold. There are fields of nodding, sunny daffodils, their trumpets lifted to the sky as if to herald the return of the sun. Clotted cream-colored primroses lighten and brighten the shaded banks, mingling with the foxglove and cow parsley in the hedges. Flurries of pearly hawthorn blossoms drift on the breeze like fragrant snowflakes and all the woods are carpeted with Monet-worthy sweeps of sun-dappled bluebells.

By the time May arrives, the earth has awakened from her long hibernation with lusty exuberance; the birds are bursting with song to attract a mate, the plants are heavy with perfumed bloom seeking pollination and one can feel one’s own blood rising as does the sap in the trunks and branches of the trees. It is no wonder then, that humans have long celebrated with May Day rituals the return of the fertile, good times of the warm months after the bleak, cold death of Winter.

The ancient Romans are known to have held May Day fertility rites and celebrations to honor Flora, the Goddess of Spring, with chariot races, bawdy theatricals and general licentiousness. The old Celtic traditions are also of unabashed sexuality and promiscuity, with the celebration of Beltain, one of the four great festivals of the year. Beltane is dedicated to the return of the Celtic sun god Bel, who makes the crops grow and the days lengthen. The Celts also believe that this is a magical time to collect wild water (dew and flowing streams) with which the girls bathed their faces and bodies for beauty and all folks drank for their health.

Practiced all over England on the evening before May Day, young couples would go “A- Maying”, spending the entire night in the forest, ostensibly to greet the May Day sunrise and bring back bunches of flowers and boughs of greens to decorate the village the next morning. These trysts were called “greenwood marriages”, lasting just the one night and were sanctioned by the community. Any resulting children were called the “merry begots” and were considered to be children of the gods. Kipling wrote:

Oh, do not tell the priest our plight, Or he would call it sin, But we have been out in the woods all night, A-conjuring Summer in!

Greenwood marriages are referenced in the nursery rhyme “Here we go gathering nuts in May”. As nuts are not gathered in England in May, this is thought to be a corruption of “knots in May”, referring to the blossoms of the common hawthorn, also known as the “May-tree” and sacred to the ancient Celts.

35

Central to many May Day celebrations is the Maypole. Although its origins are lost in the murky mists of time, its symbolism in the fertility rites of Spring is obvious, as the large pole is inserted deeply into the prepared hole in the earth and then danced around by a group of pretty, flower-bedecked girls and handsome youths twining ribbons, symbolizing the coming together of male and female. So obvious in fact, that in the 17th century the Puritans, reacting in pious horror, outlawed Maypoles and discouraged most other May Day rites such as the greenwood marriages, labeling them as “Beastly practices of ye mad Bacchanalians”.

No one knows when the townsfolk of Helston began the Furry Dance, only that it is one of the oldest customs still practiced in the UK. Coming from the Celtic word “feur”, meaning “festival”, the Furry Dance is performed during the Flora Day celebration, held each May 8th (except if the 8th falls on a Sunday or Monday, when it is held the preceding Saturday). The town is transformed by colorful flags and garlands of the first greens of Spring, traditionally hazel, laurel and sycamore, interspersed with vivid bluebells, snowy hawthorn blossoms and golden gorse.

The dance is the main event of the Flora Day celebration (not Floral Day, a common mistake, but Flora, the Goddess of Spring) and is performed three times during the day, in the morning, at mid-day and culminating in the evening. The Children’s Dance is mid-morning, with the little ones all dressed in white and wearing the symbol of Helston, the Lily-of-the-Valley. The adult dance takes the form of a dignified dancing procession led by the Mayor wearing his chain of office, along a traditional route up Coinagehall Street and through some of the shops, homes and gardens of the town. In front of the Mayor goes the Town Band, striking up the lively Flora Dance tune which is played from memory as the tune has never been written down. If you’ve ever walked up Coinagehall Street from the Grylls Monument, you can fully appreciate the lung capacity of the band!

36

The Furry Dance was originally the dance of the town’s gentry, which is why the men perform in full black morning dress and tails, with grey top hats and gloves. The ladies are magnificently attired in their finest full-length ball gowns, long gloves and lavish hats. All of the dancers wear the Lily-of-the-Valley; the men on their left with the flowers facing up, while the ladies have them upside down on the right.

At several venues around the town, performances of the Hal-an-Tow are given. It is a mummer’s play of mythical and historical themes in which St. George slays the dragon, St. Piran arrives and lots of disparaging remarks are made about Spaniards, in reference to the 16th century invasion. There is rather a difference of opinion on the translation of the name, ranging from “first of the month garland” to “haul on the rope”, so you may take your pick.

The area around Penzance, including , Mousehole, Paul and St. Ives, has its own version of Spring celebrations called May Horns. It was common in the time before the 20th century for the young folks to make May Horns, often out of tin cans, called “tintarrems”. A loud trumpet blast at midnight would announce the beginning of May Day (the Celts always figured their days from sundown to sundown and night was the perfect time for the Druids to light their Beltane fires atop the nearest beacon hill) and by dawn the young folk were heading out into the countryside to spend the day junketing, picnicking and stopping by farmhouses to fortify themselves with rum and milk. In the woods they would gather young branches from the sycamores and fashion May Whistles from them. When they had a sufficient number, they would return to town with the band playing, whistles blowing and folks singing. This practice had died out by WWII, but was revived earlier this century from historical records. Today Penzance holds its annual May Horn festivities in the grounds of the lovely Trereife House outside of town, dressing the Maypole in the morning prior to the raising of it at noon. Then comes the picnic which includes the traditional May foods of rum, junket and heavy cake. Workshops are held for learning a number of traditional crafts including how to make May whistles. As evening draws in, the revelers parade back into town to the Admiral Benbow Inn, where the May Horns party continues into the night. 37

Up on the north coast, on the western shore of the Camel Estuary, the fishing port of celebrates May Day with what is believed to be the oldest fertility rite in all the UK, the ‘Obby ‘Oss. While the exact origin is again unknown, historians reckon that the ritual dates back to the Celtic Beltane, celebrating the fecund Spring and coming of Summer. It all begins at the stroke of midnight on May 1st, with the traditional singing by the ‘Obby ‘Oss Choir, calling all the townsfolk to

“Unite and unite, let us all unite, For summer is acome unto day, And whither we are going we will all unite, In the merry morning of May.” at the “stable” of one’s chosen ‘Oss; the Golden Lion Inn for the “Old” (and original), or at the Institute for the “Blue Ribbon”, a 19th century addition created by the Temperance Movement who frowned upon the copious amounts of alcohol consumed by the followers of the “Old”. By daylight the town has been adorned with colorful flags, greenery and blossoms of bluebells, cowslips and forget-me-nots. The townsfolk are dressed all in white, with sashes of red or blue identifying them as followers of the “Old” (red) or “Blue Ribbon” (blue) ‘Oss. The ‘Osses wear huge, gruesome masks and wire frames covered by black capes. He and his followers cavort around the harbor, then up the narrow lanes and through the gardens of the town, lead by taunting “Teasers”, gyrating dancers, singers, accordion players and drummers playing a hypnotic folk tune, the May Song. The ‘Oss represents the fertility symbol of the stallion, and tries to catch young maids under his cape. It is said that girls caught under his cape, called “riding the ‘Obby ‘Oss”, will conceive within the year.

Once to Broad Street, the ‘Osses, teasers, dancers, singers, musicians and onlookers (some 30,000 people flood the town for the day) dance around the magnificent Maypole, beautifully decorated and crowned with a silhouette of the ‘Oss. The weary ‘Osses finally return to their respective stables at 10 p.m., but at the Golden Lion at least, the festivities continue into the night.

continued top next page 38 May Day con’t: Kan Kernow - for the Celtic Song Contest Throughout the history of the world, one mythology has given way to the next and mankind’s religious views have It was the fourth time this century that Cornwall has won the evolved as has mankind itself, but in Cornwall, as in Pan Celtic Song Contest; held this year at the Pan-Celtic many places, some of the old ways persist. The Cornish festival in Carlow, Ireland : are known for being fey and superstitious, and when it 2003 -Julie Elwin and Naked Feet won with "Tees an Castel" comes to something as important to their very lives as a in Kilkenny, good summer, be they farmers, fishers, tinners or trades- 2004 - Keltyon Bew won with "Treusporthys" in Tralee, men, they are sure to pay homage to all the powers that 2005 - Krena's win “Fordh an Dhanvon”, be, or may be. Even as the times have changed, it still 2012 - Benjad (Benjamin Larham) a young singer/songwriter never hurts to cover all the bases. from St Austell, with “Mordid Bewnans” (it also won the best new composition in the traditional style). A little madness in the Spring http://www.cornwall24.net/culture/winner-kan-ragkernow- is wholesome even for the King. Emily Dickenson 2011-benjad/ Cornish Association of New South Wales newsletter ______Contributed by Kitty Quayle ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Olympic Torch Travels Through Cornwall Societies con’t

Richard Bolitho has supplied websites listing Cor- nish bookstores: Start at Land’s End for recent books: http://www.willowbooks.co.uk, for out of print books Ivor Cornish [email protected], (Also endorsed by John Tyacke) for documents and maps etc. [email protected] Taken from Toronto Cornish Association newsletter ______Pass off at St. Michael’s The Cornish Cultural Celebration will be held 26th-28th October in the Shoalhaven, Mount NSW, Australia

The website can be accessed through the link: http://tinyurl.com/7n8exxz

Or from the Southern Sons of Cornwall web- site http: freepag- es.misc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jwheeler/

Julie Wheeler, Cornish List-Serve ______Newquay

21st Kernewek Lowender, South Australia

Tuesday 21st – Sunday 26th May, 2013

The Furry Dance, Maypole Dance, Official Opening and the gathering of Bards are being held in Moon- Eden Project, ta. The Village Green Fair will also take place there, St. Austell in Queens Square. The Parade will be held through the streets of Wallaroo and end up at the ‘Lions’ Park adjacent to the Wallaroo Oval where the Fer Kernewek will be held. More details: http://www.kernewek.org/ 39 Tis Me From the mine he went to Truro and set up a business as a merchant, here he met up with John and Robert Coster, both, like himself interested in new methods of mining and both like himself, interested in Copper. There have been many great Cornishman over the cen- turies none greater than William Lemon, born of a fairly Copper at this time was really unsellable, and only the very humble family, but the one thing his parents gave to him best was used to make church bells, but the invention of was a good basic education. gun powder created for making of gun metal, and the Bris- tol Merchants were quietly buying all the copper and mo- His deeds in his lifetime would have given him a knight- nopolized the market. hood a few generations on, but he was known in Corn- wall as the Great Mr. Lemon. The two brothers and William determined to get the ad- vantage of this new great demand. He was one of a race of merchant princes and it is diffi- cult now, nearly two hundred years after his death to re- Together they undertook the development of a copper mine alise the outstanding position he held not only in Truro, in Gwennap parish and Newcomen engines were installed but throughout Cornwall. by a man called Joseph Hornblower whom Lemon brought to Cornwall, thus adding another page to Cornish History. He was baptised in a little village just outside of Truro th known as Germo on the 15 day of November 1696, no With his acceptances of all new mining developments and earlier entry for the family has ever been found. going into the new copper use, at 35 years old he became very rich, so much so that in 1731 Lemon was elected Cap- The founder of the Lemon business made his fortune ital Burgess of Truro and his signature appeared for the mining, originally he was a poor boy and had to work at first time in the Order Book on Charters Day October the the mine, but as he had such a good education from his 9th. parents he did not need to go down to work in the mines. Truro now had a man who could visually see a great city for the future, a man way before his fellow citizens. William started as a clerk and worked quickly up to be- come a manager, prosperity when it came did not make Truro at this time was a terrible cramped little town clus- him ashamed of his humble upbringing this became his tered tightly around a parish church, all this was to be re- rock for life. planned Southwards from a new Boscawen Street.

In Lemon’s boyhood Breage was the scene of the most He then became Alderman in 1733 and was fully in charge up-to-date methods of mining known, the use of gun of this new development as Clerk of the Works buying land powder; the man who brought this rare invention into to the east. Cornwall was killed at a Breage mine in 1689. He became the Mayor in 1737 and his signatures of all Lemon was four years old when Thomas Savery erected documents shows they were written with obvious pride, and the first steam engine (called at that time Fire Engine), to felt he had reached the summit of his ambitions. He served pump water out of Wheal Vor, in Breage parish. a second time as mayor in 1750.

So William started his business in the counting house of During his time in Office as the Mayor, Truro became a the Chyandour tin smelting works at Penzance, here rap- lovely small city, he himself bought much of the land from idly rose to be one of the managers. his own pocket. His son also became Mayor but died sud- denly in 1755 before his father, leaving his son to complete He followed all the developments of the new fire engines his grandfathers work. very closely and about 1720 he with George Blewett and James Dewen of took a lease of Wheal For- Lemon Street is still the most beautiful street in Cornwall tune in St.Hilary. the grand houses are a testimonial to the great man’s vi- sion. He then sent for Thomas Newcomen, who had been Your Cornish Friend, erecting engines in the north of England, to install the latest type at Wheal Fortune, Lemon was 24 years old at Brian. Love to all this time.

Newcomen’s engine was so successful in freeing the mine of water that it became possible to work lodes of tin which previously could not be explored. Lemon’s share of the profit was £10,000 and enormous sum of money at that time.

40

Members’ Interest Page

By Jim Thomas [email protected]

This is Members’ Interest Page No 14, where we try and connect members who may not know that they are researching the same surnames. I have been doing this page off and on for the past five years and I am won- dering if anyone is getting any benefit from it. I am currently re-running names that have been in previous pages because many of the names in my database appear only once or twice. I am running names with at least four or five people interested.

My question to you all is am I helping you? Are you using this information to connect with other members? Do you have any suggestions on how to make this page more useful? I have offered to run individual queries, but have had no takers. Tell me what you would like to see.

Polkinghorne / Polkinhorn

Betty and Roger Johns [email protected] Lori Momorella [email protected] Bruce Polkinghorne [email protected] Connie Saunders 12875 S. Spring Lake Rd, Payson, UT 84651 William Symons [email protected]

Polglase

Mary Beth Beebe [email protected] John Allen Chapman [email protected] Margaret English [email protected] Margaret Gaffney [email protected]

Davey / Davy

Robert Brokenshire [email protected] Jean Ellis [email protected] Barbara Gardner-Bray [email protected] Shirley Golden [email protected] Ann Hanton [email protected]

Hocking

Nancy Rae Clark [email protected] John Hocking [email protected] Jackie Monk [email protected] Barbara Roberts [email protected] William Symons [email protected]

41 New Members Richard A. Hay, Sr. Surnames: Vyvyan, Vivian, Rogers 3618 Ligon Road Ellicott City, MD Christopher S. Obrien Surnames: Gilbert, Roberts / St. 21042-5239 250 Potter Place Blazey 410-465-2117 Apt 303 Weehawken, NJ 07086-9027 Address Change [email protected] 646-245-7414 Eileen Memory 7777 Bodega Avenue Apt H9 Patricia Treloar—O’Neal Surnames: William Curtis (my Dad) Sebastopol, CA 95472-3561 11840 120th Street Charles Williams (my Grandpa) NEW Franksville, WI 306 Mendocino Avenue Apt 316 53126-9734 Santa Rosa, CA 95401-8525 [email protected] 262-835-2043 Thelma L. Havekost 5600 Pioneers Blvd. Apt 173 Lincoln, NE 68506-5174 Member Renewals NEW C/O Dee Erb Yvonne O. Bowers Surnames: Benney, Lyne / St. Cleer, PO Box 745 392 East Napa Street St. Gremans, Oliver Milford, NE 68405-0745 Sonoma, CA 95475-6755 Helen K. Ingledew [email protected] 17971 SE River Road apt 308 707– 843-0109 Portland, OR 97267-5880 NEW Phyllis L. Igoe Surnames: Champion, Rogers, Dean, 1335 3rd Avenue Apt 311 720 Mitchell Avenue Tangye, Phillips Longview, WA 98632-6003 Elmhurst, IL 60126-4372 Margaret L. Rudd [email protected] 1616 Pennsylvania Ave Unit 245 630-843-3446 Vineland, NJ 08361-7557 NEW William & Kathleen U’Ren Surnames: Uren / Illogan 957 Tanglewood Lane 717 N. Wuthering Hills Dr. Vineland, NJ 08360-2324 Janesville, WI 53546 Joseph J. Graham 608-755-1215 NEW 2560 Trails End Court William J. Hosking Surnames: Hoskins,Thomas / Grand Junction, CO 81505-1431 188 Little John Lane Camborne, Symons / Poundstock Springfield, IL Richard H. Chamberlain 62704-5218 NEW [email protected] PO Box 155 Escalon, CA 95320-0155 Mrs. Mary Lou Gibson Surnames: Buckthought / Gwinear, 3540 Tamarack Driive Cornwall, Montana, New Zealand Redding, CA Rule, Uren / Cornwall, Mexico. The inclusion of changes /new information from continuing 96003-1715 Kent / Cornwall, California, Michigan members with the listing of New Members, plus Jim [email protected] Verney /Canada, Michigan, Villegas, Thomas’ Members Interest Page appear to have been 530-245-4492 Stent / South America, Walrond / encouraging an increase in correspondence or networking Cornwall, West Indies among family researchers! Rejoins PLEASE be sure to advise the Membership Chairperson, Ron Carbis, of any changes in home address, phone num- Dorothy A. Beckwith Surnames: Laity, Rowe ber or email address so that you do not miss any contacts PO Box 354 which would be helpful to your or fail to receive your Tam Platteville, WI Kernewek and/or news bulletins or announcements from 53818-0354 the Executive Board. [email protected] 42

Officers of the Cornish American Heritage Society for the years 2009-2011.

President - Thomas Rusch, 528 Autumn Crest Dr., Watertown, WI 53094 - [email protected] 1st VP-Education, Nancy Oster Heydt, 1889 Union Place, The Villages, FL 32162 - [email protected] 2nd VP-Newsletter, Carolyn Haines, 3835 Bush Gardens Lane, Holt, MI 48842 - [email protected] Secretary - Jackie Marrone, 999 E. 71st Ave., Denver, CO 80229 - [email protected] Treasurer/Membership Chair, Ron Carbis, 13 Saint Ives Place, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-3457 - [email protected] Historian - Richard W. Baker, 1520 Coventry Ct., Reedsburg, WI 53959 - [email protected]

Founding President - Paul Liddicoat, 1920-2001. Past President - Flora “Tommi” O’Hagan Tam Kernewek is published four times a year. Send articles to Carolyn Haines, EMAIL address above. DEADLINES ARE 15 FEBRUARY, 15 MAY, 15 AUGUST AND 15 OCTOBER

Dues are payable to CAHS: Canadian residents’ dues are $14.00 per year for individuals and $21.00 for families. There are also individual life-time memberships available for $240.00. A Junior Membership is available for young people for $7.00 per year. Please send Canadian dues to Len Snell, Box 286, Waterdown, ON LOR 2HO Canada.

USA residents dues are $12.00/year for individuals and $18.00 for families. There is also individual life-time membership available for a lifetime $210.00 for individuals. Junior Membership available for young people at $5.00 per year. Please send USA dues to: Ron Carbis, 13 Saint Ives Place, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-3457 USA

Cornish Heritage Certificates are available to anyone whose ancestor(s) were born in Cornwall and settled in NA. Contact Jeanne Thomas, 3409 Elmwood Drive, Clio, MI 48420 USA for information and applications.

Cornish American Heritage Society Membership Application

Name Telephone

Address

City State/Province Zip/Postal Code

Country Local society affiliation

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Surnames of Cornish Ancestors Locations (parish, town, area) More? Please add new page

Dues: US $12 individual, $18 family, $210 Lifetime, $5 child. Send to Ron Carbis, 13 Saint Ives Place, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-3457 Canadian $14 individual, $21 family, $240 Lifetime, $7 child. Send to Len Snell, Box 286, Waterdown, ON LOR 2HO Canada

I also enclose $ for Paul Smales Memorial Fund to bring presenters from Cornwall to the Gatherings.

Contents CalendarCalendar

IONA, Cornish Settlements 1-3 Federation of Genealogical Societies Tales of St. JustContents 3,10 AugustSt. Piran’s 29— SeptemberDay— March 1, 5, 2012 2011 PastyCorrespondence Tax 21-224- 6 CelebrateBirmingham, with your Alabama local society President’sEvening Messageof Cornish Films 23-246 fgs.org St. Piran’sThe Cry Day of Tin 24-257 Society/CousinThe Cornish Jack Have news Talent 26, 377 KernewekCornish Festival Lowender TitanicItems of Interest 27-298- 10 CopperSeptember Coast 28Cornish-30, 2012 Festival Copyright16th Gathering Ad Rates 2911 Moonta,Mineral Kadina, Point, Wallaroo, Wisconsin Australia Cornishfest.org RitaSix Hoskings Celtic Nations 30, 3211 May 9-15, 2011

ItemsPlease of Interest NOTE! 31-3211 www.kernewek.org Kerwenek Lowender MayRegistration Day Form for Gathering 33- 3712 Yorke Peninsula Annual Gorsedd Conference 14 Olympic Torch 37 Australia Tis MeA Cornish Christmas, Recipes 3814 16th International21-26 May 2013 Gathering MemberTis Me Interests 3915 ofkernewek.org Cornish Cousins MemberSteven Information R. Curnow Competition 4015 Mineral Point, Wisconsin Member Area 16-18 17th InternationalAugust 10-14, Gathering 2011 White Cross—a Poem 18 www.cornishfest.orgOf Cornish Cousins Date and location TBD cousinjack.org

Cornish American Heritage Society Ron Carbis, Treasurer 13 Saint Ives Place Gaithersburg, MD 20877-3457

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ISSN 1085-1267