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Category Archives: History

Agapanthus and Protest Boards

We saw these beautiful Agapanthus flowers as we left the hospital on Saturday.

A friend and I popped down to Porthtowan after working at Community Roots this morning and were very impressed by the fifteen  wonderful protest boards which tell such a story. I took a few photos to show you detail and have the first photo from a friend of the whole length of them along the path to the beach. I’ll post them all in sequence at some point when my lovely Mr S and I can  go down to the beach together.

Thanks John.

 

 

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Murdoch Day in Redruth and A Cream Tea

Join me for Murdoch Day, a celebration honouring the legacy of William Murdoch, the pioneer behind the use of coal gas in lighting.    This year, we are ‘Celebrating 200 Years of the Railway’ as our Murdoch Day Festival theme.  This theme acknowledges Redruth’s rich industrial history and celebrates William Murdoch’s contribution to a bicentenary of innovation. I love seeing the parade and all the children’s art and creations.,

We shared a Cornish Cream Tea, jam first!

 

A Story, A Beach and Two Homes

Once upon a time, a very long time when I was maybe eleven years old, I cycled from Truro to Perranporth, about 10 miles. Sadly, I hadn’t realised how hot it was, had forgotten to take water with me so stopped at a farmhouse on the way to ask, very nicely as I was a well brought up child, if I could please have a drink of water. “No, clear off! ” was the response and I have never forgotten that moment. Today it’s a smart looking place that looks rather like a hotel.We lived in and around Perranporth for several years and today was a bit of a memory-jogger. I loved the beach and still do.

One summer, when I was seven,  we lived in the ground floor flat of a lovely big house, one of the terrace at the top to the left of the picture.

Another summer, we spent in a caravan and a tent on the Liskey Hill campsite and I loved every moment.

 

A Poem for Today

Here’s a poem in commemoration of D-Day, which took place eighty years ago today. The poet, Brian Bilston, whom we saw in performance in May, has very kindly given me permission to post it here for you all. I found it very moving indeed.Thanks, Brian.

 
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Posted by on June 6, 2024 in History, poetry, Postaday 2024

 

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International Women’s Day

The following are from my post for International Women’s Day 2021 with notes from today.

I have today as on each March 8th taken a little posy to our friend next door for her wedding anniversary and in memory of her lovely husband.

Toady, the Guardian has devoted their letters page to all women correspondents. This was my letter in 2021.

And, as ever, a call out to all the women in my life, to my daughters and LiveWires, to my friends both in person and my blogging pals and to those who help to make my life better – love to you all.

 

St Piran’s Day and The StoryCoat

Yesterday, we were told – “Tomorrow ,Redruth’s young Town Crier, Max Morrison, will wear his new Storycoat for the first time, as part of the town celebrations for St Piran’s Day.
Ten artists have so far contributed to the coat – hand-dyeing the fabric with natural dyes fixed with tin and copper, handcrafting traditional woven buttons, embroidering story patches, collecting peoples’ images for the digitally printed lining and constructing the coat itself. More hands will work on it in the future, adding stories as the years go by.
You can see elements of the artwork here, but if you want to see Max and the new coat in all its glory, you’ll need to come to the Miner’s statue by the clock tower in Redruth for 10.00am.”

So, of course, today we went to see Max in the big reveal of the new Storycoat.

Max in the old Town Crier coat

Sloughing off the old coat

Town crier in action wearing his wonderful new coat. He’s a natural!

Showing off the beautiful lining

Detail on the back, our new ButterMarket embroidered by Sara Clasper, craftivist,  of Make A Mends

Each patch illustrates something of Redruth’s history and Max will be telling the stories at the various events when it will be on show.  They are all remarkably beautiful.  My patch will soon be finished and will be on the coat for its next outing for Murdoch Day, June 15th.

 

 

 

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Carn Brea, Then and Now

It seems that the American who visited Cornwall (See yesterday’s blog) was quite taken with Redruth and with Carn Brea, a hill that dominates our town. Here are a couple of extracts and a few old photos (not been up there today as the rain continues to fall!)

 

 

Victorian Cornwall and One Narcissi

Today I came across a delightful little book that I inherited and that I have not looked at closely enough before. It is full of quirky comments and charming line drawings. The preface explains that this was the impressions of an American in Victorian times visiting Cornwall. .

I love the description of the never-ending rain and mizzle. Plus ca change!

What a lovely description!  The original article was by William H Rideing and first published in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine in 1881.

The relentless rain has beaten down our first multi-headed narcissus so I have brought it in. It’s much daintier than the photo suggests and it  has the loveliest scent.

 
 

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Mum’s Birthday

My lovely Mum was born on Bonfire Night one hundred and nine years ago and, as a child, thought that everyone was celebrating her birthday with enormous fires and fireworks lighting up the sky.  As I write, I can hear the fizz and whizzle, pop and slap of fireworks and the sky is lighting up sporadically. Mum would have loved it as she also loved storms and wild seas.
My photo to honour her today is of her in her element, teaching deaf children in Roskear Primary School, Camborne. I once went to watch her in the classroom and what a special memory that is.

My brother just sent a photo of the parkin he has made today to honour Mum’s birthday. We always had Mum’s parkin around the bonfire with our sparklers!

Parkin made by my brother in Atlanta, Georgia

 

 

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Embroidered Treasures

I’m doing more sorting and clearing and re-discovered these beautiful pyjamas. I can hardly believe these were in our dressing up box when I was growing up. I just loved them!  They were brought home at some point by my Grandfather but sadly I don’t know where he had been or why.   Perhaps my cousins will know…..  The problem? What to do with them now? Who will love and appreciate them? Please click on any photo to see the detail and the caption.

Dressing gown, detail

 

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