THE John Harris Newsletter Society No 66 Summer 2019

JHS SUMMER WALK A CORNISH ARTIST A guided stroll around John Tremberth writes Beacon on a summer’s about his father evening Reginald Tremberth Page 6 Pages 4 & 5 2020 FESTIVAL The Penventon Park Hotel, in , which will be the base for the John Harris Bi-Centenary Festival in Octo- ber 2020. See details on page 3.

JHS 2 sponsorship in the usual form is not Annual meeting and a beneficial for some because the Society new committee member is not a charity. Following the formal business meet- Subscriptions ing in February, it was a joy to listen In recent months, a number of re- to Mrs Juliet Johns speak about two minders have been sent individually by Cornish poets, D M Thomas and John email and with the Newsletter regard- Harris. I am delighted to report that ing outstanding subscriptions. a few weeks later, Juliet agreed to join We are most grateful to the few who the committee and will attend her first have responded and I would plead with meeting in July. I am sure that her you to see your subscription as vital in input will be of great benefit to our the overall picture. meetings We’ve just paid £134 as our annual (‘Songs from the Earth’ which con- insurance premium, so subscriptions tained the poetry of John Harris and are most necessary for this and other which was edited by D M Thomas was expenses. partly instrumental in inspiring David PLEASE RESPOND IF YOUR Everett to test local interest and form SUBS ARE STILL DUE. The John Harris Society.) Presentations Five members of the Society were warmly received by Perranzabuloe A quote from OCS in February. A similar welcome awaited two of John Clare us at Allet Methodist Church Guild where, on both occasions, those at- (1793-1864), tending were keenly interested in the scan of Harris’ life which we delivered. the celebrated While providing evening activities for guests at Treloyhan Manor Hotel, St poet of the Eng- Ives, three of us made a presentation which was gratefully received. lish countryside: At the AGM, I referred to our visit to Morrab Library, – an event ‘I found the po- organised by student, Kerri Bridgeman. One of her peer group commented ems in the field afterwards: “I’ve read a lot of Harris’ poetry but knew nothing about the and only wrote man until today. Knowing about him has brought life to his poetry.” them down.’ Comments like this are a great en- couragement in all we seek to do! Bi-centenary festival, October 16-18, 2020 Summer walk The annual summer walk, led as usual A number of the Festival Committee by local historian David Thomas, takes have toured the planned route for the place in Beacon on Friday, June 28, Saturday of the festival, in an effort to starting at Beacon Square at 6.30pm. I establish times for both the journey look forward to seeing a number of our and for specific visits. members and guests for what should be We are hoping shortly to finalise the a very pleasant evening’s stroll. budget and go all out in fund raising to ensure a super time is enjoyed by all. Some American relatives of the poet And finally... have expressed their intention to be I wish you all a good summer, wheth- present! er you enjoy your local environment Chairman’s ramblings If you have you any ideas for fund or spread your wings further afield. with Paul Langford raising, please contact me or Tony as Please keep on promoting John Harris! JHS 3

Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth.

FESTIVAL IN 2020 Time to think about booking for Bi-Centenary event

The 200th anniversary of the birth of Organised by the John Harris Society, Please respond as soon as pos- John Harris, one of ’s fore- the festival will be based at Penventon most literary figures, is to be celebrated sible if you are interested in Park Hotel. Originally a Georgian in a weekend-long festival in October coming to this event. The festival mansion built in the early 19th century, 2020. committee needs this informa- it is one of the finest destination hotels This celebration of the 19th century tion to be able to determine the in Cornwall, where you can stay in 4 poet, miner and preacher will be based charges for the weekend. See star luxury. at Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth, a • To register your interest, receive up- town which, once the urban centre of right for Festival organiser Tony dates and for general enquiries regard- the Cornish mining industry, is now at Jasper’s contact details. ing the festival, please contact festival the heart of a World Heritage Site. organiser Tony Jasper - Among the many events there will grave at Treslothan Churchyard, near [email protected] or Milsrof, be trips arranged to visit ‘John Harris , and Falmouth, the town Eglos Road, Ludgvan Churchtown, country’, including a chance to see his where he spent his latter years. Penzance Cornwall, TR20 8GH. Homes and gardens event to help raise funds for Bi-Centenary Festival A homes and gardens event, part of Lane, Lanner, TR16 5TL, on Saturday, [email protected] . a summer series in the Falmouth and July 13, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, the Directions: Turn into Pennance Lane Gwennap Methodist Circuit, will help event will include a craft/hobby display, by the Bakery, and it is the last bunga- to raise funds for the John Harris Bi- teas, coffees and snacks. Dogs are low on the left before a left turn into Centenary Festival in 2020. welcome. Penmayne Parc. Taking place at the home of Paul and Transport is available by contacting A share of the proceeds will go to- Gill Langford, Durlston, Pennance Paul and Gill on 01209 213146 or wards the bi-centenary festival. Copy deadline for the Autumn newsletter is September 9 JHS 4 Reginald St Cleer Well. Tremberth: His surviving artworks comprise Focus on a around 50 items, of which about a quarter have iden- Cornish artist tified Cornish subjects. BY JOHN TREMBERTH My father, Reginald Tremberth, was born in 1904 in the Chinese province of Yunnan, where his parents, the Revd William and Emily Tremberth, served as Bible Christian missionaries. After returning to in 1906 my grandfather worked as a Methodist minister in various home circuits. From 1917 to 1922 he was based in and . At the Helston County School, Regi- nald showed good all-round academic ‘ ability. In addition, he gained the Royal Drawing Society’s certificates in all divisions from 2 to 6. He went on to study at Bristol University where he was awarded the degree of Bsc in 1925 and obtained Honours in Geology the following year. In 1927 he obtained a diploma in edu- cation at Bristol University and took up an appointment at Bilston Central Stage scenery for ‘The Pirates of Penzance’. School in the West Midlands, where he was in charge of geography , but also taught a variety of other subjects. In and, from 1953 until his death in 1964, old harbour, is now held by the Penlee 1932 he married my mother, who came just woodwork. House Gallery in Penzance (ref. PEZ from St Erth, and became a regular Reginald’s surviving artworks com- PH 2016.45). These cottages form the visitor to Cornwall. During his Bilston prise approximately 50 items, of which backdrop for a painting by the Cornish years he was closely associated with about a quarter have identified Cornish artist, Stanhope Forbes (1857-1947), Bilston School of Art. subjects. In 1937 he exhibited his cop- entitled «Gala Day at , 1907». In 1942 Reginald left Bilston and per-plate etching of the «Old Harbour, Unfortunately the first house is no moved to Cornwall. After a tempo- Newlyn» at the Newlyn Art Gallery, longer standing and has been replaced rary appointment at Redruth County which has entitled him to an entry in by a parking area. School, where he taught science the Index of Cornish Artists. A print We have two other etchings with and mathematics, he returned to the of this etching is held by Wolverhamp- Cornish subjects, namely farm build- Midlands in 1944 to take charge of Art ton Arts and Museum Service (on-line ings in and St Cleer Holy Well, and Woodwork at Lichfield Grammar catalogue ref. W583). Similarly, a print the water from which was reputed to School. He taught both subjects until of his companion etching of «Cot- cure madness! There is a family con- 1952, when he suffered a serious illness tages, Newlyn», leading down to the nection with St Cleer as my grand- JHS 5

Above: Water colour, A Cornish Church Tower. Below: Gunwalloe Church and Cove. father lived in the nearby hamlet of Darite. At the age of 14, following in his father’s footsteps, he was working in the tin and copper mines of Moor as an ore dresser. During his Redruth assignment Reginald lived in Barncoose Terrace situated not far from Carn Brea - John Harris country. From this period we have a pencil drawing of St Euny Parish Church, which lies directly below the monu- ment and is set in beautiful surround- ings. It is known as the «Mining Church» because of all the services held there to commemorate mining disasters. We also have a pencil draw- ing of a Cornish mining landscape. Other artworks featuring Cornish subjects include : • A pencil drawing of St Michael’s Mount • Miniature drawings in coloured inks of St Michael’s Mount and Gunwalloe tower (unidentified) scenery he designed for three of these Church and Cove From his Lichfield years we mainly productions, including «The Pirates of • A pencil sketch of Porthleven har- have examples of his linocut work with Penzance». For this opera I discovered bour during a regatta local subjects. However, we do have that he was inspired by the rugged • Two pen and ink drawings of farm one item with a Cornish connection. coast of the Lizard peninsula and, in buildings (Trelissick, and a sec- Every year his school put on a produc- particular, by Kynance Cove, which ond Zennor study) tion of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera so enraptured John Harris during his • A water-colour of a Cornish church and we have photographs of the stage excursion to this enchanting spot. JHS 6 SUMMER WALK Friday, 28th June, 2019 Walking around the Beacon area of Camborne with David Thomas Meet at Beacon Square at 6.30pm. A donation of £2 would be appreciated to defray expenses.

A note from the treasurer We are grateful to all the members of promoting the works of John order, just ring me on 01209 713863 for who support the John Harris Society so Harris. the account details. well. However, quite a number of you The annual fees remain at £6 per We are fundraising for the Bi-centen- have still not paid your subscriptions person, so if you have not already done nial Festival in October 2020, so any for this year which were due on January so, I’d be grateful if you could send extra you might like to add to your 1st. your cheque payable to “The John Har- subscription would go to the Festival The committee works hard on your ris Society” to me, or arrange to pay by a/c. behalf and the officers do not claim PayPal; the addresses for both are on With our grateful thanks for your any expenses, but we rely on your the back of this newsletter. continued support. membership fees to finance the work Should you prefer to pay by standing Christine Cowls 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, Hayle TR27 6JN. Phone: 01736 753912 Email: John Harris 1820 -1884

NEWSLETTER [email protected] BY TONY LANGFORD John Harris was born in 1820 at About Six Chimneys on Bolenowe Carn, Subscription fee - £6 per year near Camborne, the eldest of 11 (and other cheques) 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 using a sharp pointed nail. 01209 713863 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