Acting President Secretary & Treasurer

Elaine James Nick Bartle 74 Paynters Avenue 88 Weka Street Strandon Miramar New Plymouth 4312 Wellington 6022 Ph: (06) 769 9904 Ph: (04) 388 1958 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Web Site: https://sites.google.com/site/nzcornish/home N EWSLETTER L y t h e r - n o w o d h o w

Val Moore 1943 – 2018 I would like to put on record how indebted The New Zealand Cornish Association is to Val. Her It is with great sadness that I have to report the lively character, especially over the years she death of National President, Val Moore. Val had was president, made the Christchurch branch lived with cancer for 30 years but the disease what it is today – vibrant and fun to be with. overtook her on the morning of Monday, 26 February and she passed Her influence also extended across away in Christchurch hospital. Val left the national body. She was vice her husband, Bruce, and two sons president for years and then took with their families which included over the national presidency in three grandchildren. 2015. She was our most fluent if not the only speaker of Kernewek. She A service to celebrate her life was held always made the effort to travel and on Thursday, 1 March at St. Pauls’

attend our national meetings or help Anglican Church where Val and her 8 organise them. She took a welcome family had been long-serving and active part in proceedings usually dedicated members of the

adding a considerate or diplomatic 201

congregation. touch to her input. Actually born in Devon, Val trained as In 2000 Val was made a Bard of the a teacher and came to New Zealand as a young Cornish Gorsedh reflecting her commitment to E b r y l woman to take up a teaching position in and the Cornish in New Zealand. She Christchurch. After meeting and marrying Bruce, took the bardic name of Scolares Godolghyn, they had two spells living in the UK the first and meaning pupil of Godolphin, a reference to

/ m i s longest was spent mainly in Roche in Cornwall Reverend Kenneth Schollar who was her Cornish where Val taught at the local school but Cornwall mentor and a past National President of the had been her adoptive ‘home’ long before that. Association. Val was a very active in the community, not only It’s a cliché to say she will leave a gap in the M e u r t h in the church and Cornish Association. She was Cornish community in New Zealand that will be also a member of the St Albans Community hard to fill but I don’t think that anyone could Choir which has been mentioned in many repots m i s take Val’s place and the Association will be the of the Christchurch Branch. In all three

– poorer for it.

organisations Val was known for her organising,

7 planning, baking, preserving and general Meur ras (thank you) Val, for everything you did

3 enthusiasm. for us. Powes yn kres (rest in peace). 4

– Henry Jenner played a pivotal role in the revival One version is purely in Kernewek but the other A p r i l provides English subtitles. It includes a scene of

/ of the and in the recognition of Cornwall as a Celtic nation. the 2017 bardic ceremony of the Gorsedh and features our own Heather Mitchell. In its latest newsletter MAGA Kevren, the Cornish Language Offce of Cornwall Council, Jenner was born in St Column in 1848 to Henry M a r c h announced the release of a new short film about Lascelles Jenner, curate to the rector of St the life of Henry Jenner. Two versions of the 16 Column Major. The Jenners were not Cornish minute film made by Charlie Fripp and John Gray and it was only his father’s posting in the church are available online at: that resulted in young Henry being born in Cornwall. A conversation around the dining

http://www.dasserghikernewek.org.uk/jenner.html

table one day is credited with versions of the language in such a sparking little Henry’s interest in the small population of scholars and Cornish language and Celtic culture speakers caused disagreement and in general. controversy delaying the progress of the revival. In more recent years, In 1871 he got a job in the a unified approach to Kernewek Department of Ancient Manuscripts developed with the advent of the in the British Museum where he Cornish Language Office. developed his interest in ancient languages. It gave him access to After over 40 years Jenner retired valuable manuscripts. While working from the National Library and, with as a Keeper of Manuscripts he his wife Kitty, returned to Hayle, her found, in 1877, a 41-line fragment of early home town. It was a busy retirement because in Cornish verse on the back of a charter dated 1912 Jenner was elected librarian to the Morrab 1340. Library in Penzance. He also became President of both the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society Throughout his life Jenner was active in the and of the Royal Institution of Cornwall. sphere of Celtic nations and languages. In 1903 he was made a bard of the Breton Gorsedd. In 1917 Jenner met D. Rhys Phillips and There have long been ties between Cornwall and together they worked towards the inaugural Brittany. That same year he meeting of a Cornish Gorsedh founded the first Cornish at Boscowen Un in 1928. language society, Cowethas Annual Before his death in 1934, he Kelto-Kernuak. $ubscription$ said, "The whole object of my In 1901 Cornwall made an It is now time for members life has been to inculcate into attempt to join the pan-Celtic to pay their subscriptions. a sense of their Conference but the decision The membership year runs Cornishness. was postponed on the basis that from 1 April. “The reason why a Cornishman there was insufficient evidence If you are lucky enough to should learn Cornish, the of a Cornish language. Jenner be a member of our outward and audible sign of his made a second application in Christchurch or Taranaki separate nationality, is 1904 at a meeting of the Welsh Branches you should see sentimental, and not in the Gorsedd in Carnarvon with an your local treasurer. least practical, and if impassioned speech to show everything sentimental were that Kernewek was a living National members, you will banished from it, the world language. He even read out a notice that there is a would not be as pleasant a telegram in Cornish to prove his renewal form on the back place as it is.” point. His bid was successful of the address slip in your and Cornwall took its rightful envelope or attached to There is a link to New Zealand place with the other Celtic your e-mail. Please in the Jenner family. The countries such as Brittany, complete it and return it to career in the Anglican Church Wales, Ireland and Scotland. me with your sub of of Henry senior progressed to $10.00. Donations are the point that he was named In 1904, he published his always gratefully received the first of Dunedin in “Handbook of the Cornish too! 1866. Language” which provided the basis for a wider revival of the You can pay in cash or by The appointment was at the language. Jenner based his cheque or by direct deposit request of Bishop George version of Cornish on 'where it into our Kiwi Bank account Selwyn, Primate of New had left off'. His ideas on number Zealand and Jenner was spelling and pronunciation had consecrated in Canterbury 38-9003-0932058-02 been influenced by f Cornish as Cathedral with Andrew Suter, it was spoken by its last semi- Be sure to put your name in second bishop of Nelson. speakers in West Cornwall in the reference fields so I Bishop Jenner then carried out the 18th century. Dolly can identify who has paid. a fund-raising tour in England Pentreath of St. Ives was and his enthusiasm for Anglo- Thank you for your supposedly the last native Catholic ‘ritual’ became known continuing support and speaker. here. The General Synod in don’t miss any chances to New Zealand objected to Later the language revival sign up new members or to Jenner who was forced to favoured mediaeval Cornish. give a gift membership to a resign the see in 1871. The The complication of two friend or relative. affair became known as “The 2

Jenner Controversy” and formed a point in the manhole cover. This will provide access to the history of the church where the authority of The borehole ‘cellar’, a three-metre deep equipment Queen and the over chamber. the church in New Zealand came into question. Opening is planned for spring 2019. Cornish technology Temperatures are expected to be sustained at Goonhilly 35°C and will enable bathers to soak comfortably in spa-like conditions all year round The Earth with minimal energy costs and almost no Station, on the adverse environmental impact. Lizard peninsula first became Modelled on the Blue Lagoon Spa in Iceland, famous for there will be various spa packages to draw beaming images visitors to the town outside the summer season. of the moon landings to millions of television Already the company that operates the pool is viewers in the 1960s. In the 1980s it carried promoting it by saying “Why travel to Iceland, the Live Aid concert around the world. The 32m- Japan or New Zealand to experience water diameter GHY-6 antenna is now to receive an heated from underground?” £8.4 million upgrade to enable it to track signals Like the Goonhilly project, funding of £1.4 from deeper in space potentially including million has come from the European Union. Will missions to Mars and beyond. these boosts to the Cornish economy come to an Funding for the project comes from the EU and end with Brexit? will mean that Goonhilly will work with the UK and European space agencies as well as NASA Bob Fitzsimmons and private space exploration companies to In an article published in the Dominion Post on provide high speed data communications. Tuesday, 27 March the journalist compared Joseph Parker’s world heavyweight boxing title The UK’s Local Growth Minister, Jake Berry, said: bid against Bob Fitzsimmons’ contest against “It is very encouraging to see… funding to Gentleman Jim Corbett in 1897. support a rapidly growing sector through public and private sector collaboration. This contract will create skilled new jobs in the local area while assuring Cornwall’s place in history for its contribution to space exploration.” Jubilee pool, Penzance In yet another bold and forward-looking development in Penzance, drilling has started to establish geothermal heating for a section of the town’s historic and stylish public swimming pool. The comparison seems a long stretch. Looking at their physiques shows how far boxing had The pool was come in 121 years. Fitzsimmons weighed in at built in 1935 76 kg. Parker’s fighting weight is 112 kg. in classic art Fitzsimmons had worked his way up through the deco style weight bands and during his career held world with two title at three different levels; middleweight, light areas, the heavyweight and heavyweight. large deep main pool The comparison also falls over when New and a small walled-off shallower section. It was Zealand claims the nationality of the boxers in this part of the pool that I took my first strokes because Bob Fitzsimmons was born in , as I learned to swim without the help of an Cornwall, as has been reported in NZ Cornish inflatable ring. Only the small pool will be Association newsletters before. In fact various heated with the natural energy extracted by countries lay claim to the man. His mother was drilling down 1.5 km into hot rocks. The pool Irish and the family moved to Helston only has been traditionally filled with sea water. A shortly before Robert was born, youngest of 7 heat exchanger will transfer the heat to the boys and 5 girls. water in the pool from the water that has been When Bob was 10 the family relocated again pumped the 3 km round trip to the hot rocks. and took the 93 journey on board the Adamant On completion there should be nothing to show to Lyttleton, New Zealand. They settled in on the 'triangle' next to Jubilee Pool, where the TImaru where there were many other Cornish drilling rig has been installed, other than a immigrants. Bob’s father established a 3

blacksmith’s forge where Bob eventually Judy presented her last "News from Cornwall" became apprenticed. followed by a pictorial Cornish quiz. She is moving to Tauranga where her husband has a He took up boxing as an amateur sport in new job. The Branch will miss her input greatly Timaru; it was only after he moved to Australia and wish them both the best of luck. [Perhaps that he became professional in 1883. He later this could be the beginning of a new Cornish moved to the USA in 1890 and won his first group in the Bay of Plenty! – Nick ] world title in 1891. An enjoyable afternoon tea brought the meeting Fitzsimmons who went by various nicknames to a close. including “The Cornishman” won the heavyweight title by knocking out Gentleman Jim Taranaki branch Corbett in Carson City on 17 March 1897. Bob The Taranaki Branch held its annual general was the underdog and was meeting at the Stratford knocked to the floor in the Mountain House. There middle rounds but kept were 10 members present getting up and wore down and eight more sent Corbett before delivering the apologies. final blow to his solar plexus. The usual business was The comparison of the two despatched efficiently fighters also broke down with including reports from the the result on Sunday, 1 April NZ times. Parker President and Treasurer. Officers and the did not manage to emulate The Cornishman by committee were elected as follows: knocking out his opponent. Although the fight went the full length of 12 rounds, Parker lost for President Elaine James the first time in his professional career. Vice president Graham Cowling Secretary/treasurer Carol Cowling Beast from the east Committee Raewyn Wellington Bad weather continued to batter Cornwall in Judith Hellyar early March and it felt the icy blast of the storm Jennifer Bosch (nicknamed The Beast from the East) that swept Sales table Anne McGill from the Arctic across Europe. Snow fell to sea Future meetings are to be held at Telford level giving an extra-white coating to white sand Retirement Village community hall. beaches. After the meeting everyone enjoyed afternoon Schools were closed and the children played in tea. the unaccustomed snow. One very sad incident proved fatal for a little 7 year old girl in Looe. Places mentioned in this newsletter Having fun in the garden of her hillside home on the afternoon of 1 March, a car skidded on the road above and came crashing down. Christchurch branch The Secretary, Les Mitchell, opened the meeting on 26 February standing in for the late President, Val Moore. He welcomed 28 members and guests to what was a rather sombre occasion. Apologies were accepted from 11 other members. Les gave a short account of Val's long commitment to both branch and nationally as President. He then proposed a toast to Val’s memory which was followed by a by a silent tribute and a short prayer by guest Owyn Phillips. Led by guests Nadine & Doug and accompanied by Heather on the accordion, we all sang An Rosen Wynn (the White Rose) and Hail to the Homeland.

That’s it for this newsletter. All the best, my ‘ansomes! 4