Tam Kernewek “ A bit of Cornish” Volume 29 Issue 4 Winter 2011 Greetings from Tom Rusch people involved. I've been to four of the Gather- Dear Members: ings, I believe: Milwaukee (Alverno College), Pen Argyl, Ely, and Mineral Point (twice). It is a pleasure to write my first "President's Message" to you. I had no idea walking into the This time was my first time "solo". I have also Gathering that I would be writing this to you visited Cornwall twice and am looking for an ex- now! I'd like to, in this issue, introduce myself cuse to get back. Visiting Cornwall was like a re- in terms of how I can serve the Society. treat: enough quiet and beautiful nature to rejuve- nate my soul, and enough companionship to make Unbelievably I have been doing Cornish things me feel very welcome and want to go back again. most of my life. My mother got the "genealogy Also the great opportunities for learning enticed bug" when I was a teenager, and pasties had al- me: I find the standing stones throughout Corn- ways been a special meal two or three times a wall fascinating... What were people over three year. When I was a junior in college I studied thousand years ago thinking about? I've learned a in Germany. During that year my parents visit- number of Germanic and Romance languages, and ed me. That began their many travels to Eu- now was given the opportunity to research a Celtic rope. First they only went to Germany, then one. Wisconsin is my home and its multi-ethnic Germany and Cornwall, and their lasts trips backgrounds support my occupation and interests. were only to Cornwall. If I'm not mistaken, it was more than fifteen trips altogether. I teach high school and middle school foreign lan- guages. I have taught German and Spanish, most- My father took up a hobby occupation of selling ly in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin (15 years), and Hummel figures and then Swarowski Crystal, Watertown, Wisconsin (10 years). I now also buying from retailers in Europe and making teach seven weeks a semester of introductory enough profit to pay for their annual trips. Of French in a middle school foreign language ex- course at that time they did a lot of exploring, ploratory class. too, and found the homes of my Cornish ances- tors. My mother befriended my third cousin My foreign language teaching will help me serve once removed who lives in Perranuthnoe and CAHS. Though my computer skills are not the are still in constant contact. best, I have colleagues and professional organiza- Cornish American Heritage Society American Heritage Cornish tions to expose me to new technologies that can Their trips to Cornwall made them even more help us as a society of the 21st century! I am hop- interested in all things Cornish. They did much ing to connect our officers using "Google Docs," work with both the Cornish Society of Greater so our e-meetings can be as if they were a normal Milwaukee and with The Cornish American conversation. My goal by the next message to you Heritage Society. I often accompanied them: will be to really get to know our "Cousin Jack" they appreciated my help and I enjoyed the website and share how you might use it more, too. continued next page 56 Message con’t: Message con’t: to high school and the end result was disappointing. I think it is fascinating that there are so many Cor- I struggle with cell phones and texting and Facebook nish Societies in the Americas. I'm very interested everyday with my students. Basically these kids are in having contact with our eighteen member chap- great! How do we compete for some good old fash- ters. I am anxious to see how these chapters already ioned interest and research to see their amazing her- network and how the CAHS can make the connec- itage? How are other ethnic societies including tions even stronger. youth? Is it successful? I know we have been trying to learn more about our Well, that is my "platform" at this point. It is one I Cornish-Mexican heritage, and I've already made a truly believe in and am motivated to get working on. contact for more information. It would be great to I am looking forward to this opportunity and thank have Mexican representation at our next Gathering. you in advance for your patience with my first at- (Why not a little salsa with our pasty?) tempts (and blunders)! The sad item I learned at the business meeting was Gen oll an collan ve (Cordially), how the membership numbers have gone down in the past years. With so many new opportunities via Tom Rusch the Internet and the promotion of personal genealog- ical research (such as "Ancestry.com" and "Who do P.S. You, too, can help with the "new technolo- you think you are?", the television series on NBC), it gies" aspect to help our Society: seems there would be more interest. Hopefully I can explore new promotion opportunities to keep our If you haven't already, please sign up to receive Tam membership numbers up. Kernewek via e-mail. You will receive it about two weeks earlier and the beautiful Cornish pictures will In the same vein, I know that there had been an un- be in color! Also, you will help reduce the major tiring attempt for young adults to explore their roots cost of publishing and mailing. Please e-mail Ron (Cornish or whatever). Dick Baker went high school Carbis, Membership Chair, at [email protected], to make the change. continued top of next column ——————————————————————————————————————————————- Quiz on Cornish Churches 1. Which vicar spent forty years according to himself serving ‗a mixed multitude of smuggles, wreckers and dissenters’? 2. Where is the reliquary containing relics of St. Petroc? 3. Where was the service of Nine Lessons and Carols devised and first performed? 4. (a) Which church profile is incorporated into the badge of the RAF Coastal Command? (b) On which Psalm is based the design of this church? 5. Which order of monks were responsible for building the church on St. Michael‘s Mount? 6. Which is England‘s most southerly place of worship? 7. Which is Cornwall‘s largest parish church? 8. Below which church floor was discovered during rebuilding the skeleton of a man 7 feet tall, who apparently had been imprisoned there? 9. In March, 1870, Thomas Hardy, then a 30 year old architect with an office in London, came to Cornwall to restore a church and met his future wife, Emma Gifford, a ‗very West of Wessex girl, As blithe as blithe could be’; the village featured in his third novel A Pair of Beautiful Eyes, was based on his experiences in this ‗region of dream and mystery’. Which church and where is it? 10. Which church is a place of pilgrimage for Welsh visitors to Cornwall? See page 66 for answers Photos of Mawgan church and cream tea Courtesy of Tom and Libby Luke 57 Gorseth 2011 Helston In late August/early September I went to Cornwall – Helston to be specific – to par- ticipate in the Gorseth. Helston and environs is where my ancestors came from, so I felt that it would be highly appropriate for me to go. Beside which, any excuse to go to Cornwall is a good one. I flew over and spent several days in Helston and on the Lizard, staying with some wonderful new friends. It was great to stay down on the Lizard (within walking distance of Lizard Village) in that it gave great opportuni- ties for some fine coastal walks. I played a gig at a local club, and had a fine time. In the days leading up to the Gorseth Ceremony, the Gorseth and Esedhvos Ker- now had set up some informative walks and evening artistic and educational pro- grams, which were very well attended, and where I ran into many old friends. Photo by Alex, Susan Davey‘s friend The Gorseth was on Saturday and I wish that I could tell you we had good weather, but it misted (rather heavily at times) throughout most of the outdoor ceremony. We persevered, however, and didn‘t resort to the alternate indoor site. The pic- ture will indicate the dampness, but as you will see, it was still a very moving and significant event. Maybe you can spot me (the tallest one) at the very left just under the St. Piran flag. Photo by Tim Stevens The events wound up with a choice of a concert at the Methodist Chapel or a ceili at a local pub (guess which one I chose!). My final evening was spent buying rounds of good Cornish drink with the Grand Bard. One of the things that the Gorseth does is to put out a booklet about the Bards that are from, or closely associated with, the town in which the Gorseth is held each year. This year there were two mentions with associations with ICS. The first was the father of one of our own members, Terence Dalton. His write up is as follows: William Francis Dalton, 1906-1971 Tryger Ryp an Logh (Dweller by the Lake) Bill Dalton was born in Falmouth, and for reasons unknown, he was raised by his grandfather. He started his working life as a shipping clerk and could see the ―Cutty Sark‖ from his office window. He later transferred to W. E. Carne, a wind and spirits merchant and took over the running of the ―Beehive‖ pub in Helston in about 1936.