Spring 2016 E-newsletter

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the spring edition of our e- newsletter, which covers news from Record Office and the Cornish Studies Library and is sent out quarterly. If you know anyone who would like to subscribe, please ask them to send a blank email to [email protected] with ‘Subscribe to E-newsletter’ in the subject line. We hope you enjoy this edition, and enjoy the warmer spring weather after a long winter!

Kind regards, The Archives and Cornish Studies Team

News

Kresen Kernow Project

The construction and activity programmes are continuing largely as scheduled. We have been busy overseeing the final stages of the building design and site surveys, and the preparation of the main contractor tender paperwork. This is due to go out in late spring 2016, be evaluated over the summer and we aim to have the

main contractor on-site in the autumn.

The final bits of demolition are happening on-site and what you can see of the brewhouse building now is pretty much what we’ll be keeping. Some sections will be re-built, such as the brewhouse gable ends, using the St Day bricks which were taken down last year and have been safely stored. We have also been working hard evaluating specialist strong room shelving suppliers and exhibition designers – we hope to be able to announce the appointments in the next e-newsletter. One of our next tasks is to think about the internal layout, furniture and fittings in more detail. There will be opportunities for input from our staff, users and volunteers later in this process.

During February we held two days of public tours of the Kresen Kernow site. This was a chance to see the work that has been completed on the flood alleviation scheme and the external public areas, as well as the outside of the brewhouse building up close. The tours were really well attended and gave people a chance to learn more about the history of Brewery and how it used the whole site, and also to find out how we are going to use the new building. As the tours were so popular we intend to do more in September, to tie in with the national Heritage Open Day scheme (9-10 September 2016). We’ll put more details in the next e-newsletter. You can read the background to the project here: www.cornwall.gov.uk/kresenkernow.

What’s on?

We are excited to offer three more ArTchive workshops throughout this summer and autumn. These creative workshops, inspired by our collections, are a fascinating insight into our archives and how they can be used in a number of different ways, led by experienced practitioners.

- Tuesday June 7th, ‘Imaginary Maps’ with artist Sue Lewington, Cornwall Record Office

- Friday July 8th, ‘Archive Advertisements’ with sign-painter and artist, A. Goodwin, Cornwall Record Office

- Thursday September 8th, with artist Sue Lewington, Cornish Studies Library (more information to follow in our June newsletter)

All workshops last from 10am-4pm, contain all materials (but not refreshments) and cost £10 per person. Space is very limited so pre-booking and payment are essential; call 01872 323 127 to book or for more information.

We are also working on a project in Redruth, inspired by oral history recollections captured from local residents. The end result of this will be an interactive installation, revealed on June 18th as part of Redruth’s Murdoch Day celebrations. In this exhibition you can not only enjoy the work but can get involved with it too, using a range of hand-crafted ceramic buildings that play back a recording of a memory or atmospheric sound associated with the Brewery when interacted with.

To keep most in touch with forthcoming events and activities, find us on social media. We’re on Facebook (/kresenkernow), Twitter (@kresenkernow) and Instagram (kresenkernow) and we love to hear from you on these platforms!

Recent accessions

With the interminable rain this winter, it has been nice to have some sunshine in our accessions at least! The experience of one Cornishman abroad can be seen through a book in which John Davies Enys (1837-1912) copied out the letters he sent to his mother and sisters between October 1857 and April 1858. This recounts his travels through Europe and across the Mediterranean to Alexandria where he ‘tasted the banana which we saw in the Crystal Palace [at the Great Exhibition] but do not think much of it’. His letters home describe in fascinating detail his adventures, the local people and places he sees along the way as well as wildlife, including crocodiles and numerous types of bird (some of which he subsequently shot!). Archaeology features strongly, including temples, sphinxes, obelisks, mummies and tombs, some of which had only recently been opened. And no visit to Egypt is complete without a trip to the pyramids, from where he wrote: ‘Top of the Pyramid Feb 16th/My dear sisters/I have done today what I most wished to do in my Egyptian visit, namely gone to the top of the great Pyramid…’

Back at home, cricket is a popular summer pastime. This is shown in the Zennor Cricket Club collection we’ve received (reference AD2435) which consists of minutes, accounts, score books and fixture lists recounting over 60 years of the Club’s history. These begin with a fascinating book giving the rules of the club compiled on its establishment in 1908.

Away from the sun, significant additions have been made to our collections for Cornwall’s two largest mines, Dolcoath () and South Crofty (Illogan). Records for Dolcoath include a fascinating ledger covering 1901-1921, which details the wide range of materials needed to supply the mine including asbestos tape, axes, belt fasteners, candles, detonators and much more. You can read more about this accession in the ‘Collection Highlight’ below.

New books at the Cornish Studies Library include: Great Wheal Vor: A study of the history and working of one of the richest tin mines in Cornwall by Tony Bennett. Published by Trevithick Society.2015. (ISBN – 0957566071)

This publication runs to 600 pages long and is an in-depth study of a mine that led the technological development of Cornish mining at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. It gives a fascinating insight in to the lives of those involved in the great ventures as well as information on the way the mine was worked, its geology and what remains on the ground.

A brush with the coast: An artist’s search for inspiration along the South West Coast Path by Sasha Harding. Published by the author, 2015. (ISBN – 0993236402)

This large format and beautifully illustrated story records the adventures of an artist and her dog walking the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path. Including water colours of Portreath, Cape Cornwall, Portscatho and Polperro, it celebrates the beauty and diversity of the South West Coast Path.

Walks in the footsteps of Cornish writers by Sue Kittow. Published by Sigma Leisure, 2015. (ISBN – 1850589891)

Featuring twenty walks associated with different writers connected to Cornwall, this volume covers the far West to and includes contemporary writers and their favourite walks as well as writers from the past and places that were special to them. Examples are Patrick Gale and and Rev. Stephen Hawker and Morwenstow.

Learning update

It’s been another busy quarter for the learning team, who have been busy delivering a wide range of school workshops and events as well as developing projects and working with partners. We’ve also been developing some new school workshops on the themes of crime and punishment, maps, national celebrations and photography.

We were delighted with the success of our Victorian Photographic Extravaganza on March 5th at the Cornish Studies Library, which was attended by over 150 people. The result of our Victorian photo studio were some brilliant portraits inspired by images in our collections; you can view the whole album by visiting us at www.facebook.com/kresenkernow. We plan to repeat the studio event later in the year.

Our first ‘ArTchive’ workshop of the season was a brilliant day. Focusing on Victorian Portraits, participants had the chance to create their own paper negatives and positives using a large format camera, as well as an image on glass using the wet collodion technique. It was a fascinating day, led by artist Nicky Thompson, and gave us a real understanding of the work that went into creating many of our photographic collections.

Collection highlight

Archivist and Camborne resident, David Thomas, was particularly pleased in February when three statistical memorandum books relating to Dolcoath, Cornwall’s most famous mine, dating from 1907-1929, were placed into the care of the Record Office. A major fire in the mine’s count house in 1895 had destroyed much of the earlier administrative records but this new archival material provided vital evidence of the final years of the business, which employed thousands of workers, on the old site and at New Dolcoath at North Roskear. For example the volume AD1140/2 for 1907-1914 gives detailed production statistics, arranged by the Eastern, New Sump, Old Sump, Wheal Harriett, Williams and Stray Park shafts. The names of the men working the underground stopes and on tutwork and working on tribute are listed so these records are of great interest to both the mining and family historian. The books complement a similar volume already donated covering the years 1895-1906 and the whole series can now be accessed via the reference numbers AD1140/1-4.

Contact us

Cornwall Record Office Cornish Studies Library Old County Hall The Cornwall Centre Treyew Road Alma Place Redruth TR1 3AY TR15 2AT

01872 323127 01209 216760 [email protected] [email protected] www.cornwall.gov.uk/cro www.cornwall.gov.uk/cornwallcentre