Find a speaker is an aid to 'Old Cornwall' societies and other who may wish to engage a speaker for talks. We cannot express any recommendation beyond what may have been included within the information provided.
Audio-visual equipment:
The Federation has a selection of AV equipment which can be borrowed by Societies.
- Optima digital projector
- Two large and quite heavy speakers with stands
- Amplifier
- Mixer box
- Lapel mic and remote pick up
- Hand held mic with a remote pick up and mic stand
This is a considerable collection bought for use with a large audience at festivals etc. Please contact Ivor Corkell by emailing corkengine@talktalk.net if you would like to request any AV equipment for your event.
Speakers
Lyndon Allen
Lyndon is an experienced local historian and author. He kindly offers the following talks:-
History of Charlestown
Filming History at Charlestown
St Austell Area During The War
Wooden Ships and Iron Men (the merchant schooners)
The Maritime History of St Austell and Mevagissey Bays
The China Clay Horses
Charge: £40
Contact: alyndon03@gmail.com
Frank Argall
"Argall Photographers - Every Picture tells a Story". Many early Cornish views as well as some examples of the Argall Series of vintage Cornish Postcards.
"Argall Photographers Part 2 - The Camera never lies". Includes such pictures as views you will never see again, early lighthouses and Cornish Monuments together with the occasional anecdote. Elements of local history, early photography and what life was like one hundred and fifty years ago are touched upon, something for everybody, with a bit of nostalgia thrown in.
The ideal set-up is an audience seated theatre fashion facing a screen or white wall. The use of a digital projector to which I can connect my lap top is essential. I appreciate a fee, if possible, of £25 to cover expenses. The running time is about an hour, but this can be tailored. Any appropriate do's or don't's can be catered for. I can usually be available at short notice to fill any gaps. I monitor the above e-mail address daily and aim to get back to you within 24 hours.
Contact by email at: frankargall@gmail.com
William Peter Benbow
William worked at SWEB Pool for 35 years and during his time there the company became Western Power. William gives two illustrated talks:
- The electricity Industry from the late 1800 to the 1940 - during this period from 1902 to 1935 the Cornwall Electric Power Company run a Tram service between Redruth to Camborne.
- The River Cober and its uses from its start to the sea
I charge £25 up to 10 miles from Helston plus 25p per mile above the first 10 miles, and will consider traveling to anywhere in Cornwall.
William can be contacted on 01326 565724 or via email on wpbenbow@gmail.com
Andrew Breeze
Andrew Breeze FRHistS FSA, has been professor of philology at the University of Navarra since 1987. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1997 and of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1996. He has published a number of books on Welsh literature, and Arthurian traditions.
A fuller biography can be found: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Breeze
He can provide a number of talks relevant to Cornwall: -
1. The Cornishman who translated history for King Alfred. The text is the Old English Orosius. It is full of Cornishisms, including reference to the Celtic Other World and to Cornish bards, as also to sensational goings-on in the bed of Alexander the Great's mother. All this is at press in "Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries".
2. 'Rosnat', a mysterious school of learning which can yet be put at Old Kea. It was an embryo sixth-century international university, attracting students from Wales and Ireland.
3. 'Dindraethou', a fortress where St Carannog met King Arthur (and disposed of a troublesome dragon), which will be Trevelgue, as first suggested by Charles Thomas.
4. The name of Scilly, which will be Greek "sylina" 'place of plunder' and go back to 400 BCE. This is a paper at press in "Classics Ireland". The form is nothing to do with Celtic. It is a name given by Greek traders, too familiar with Scilly's dangerous waters.
5. St Enoder, Stithians, Tremeer: saints in Cornish place-names.
He normally charges £90, but has indicated that adjustments can be made.
Contact by email at:
Mark Camp
Mark is an experienced Blue Badge Guide, and has a range of talks and presentations. Here is a short list of some of his most popular one:-
Myths and Legends of Bodmin Moor: The nearest Mark gets to a best seller, folklore, tales, and some of the more unusual stories about Bodmin Moor, including strange women in lakes distributing swords.
A History of Looe Island: If you don't fancy the boat trip, this presentation brings the island to your hall. Did those feet in ancient times walk upon England's mountains green? or did they walk upon Looe Island?
Polperro's Artists and Writers: How a small fishing village with a smuggling problem has been captured in words and paintings.
Imaginary Lands: A look at the places we saw on maps and thought they existed but then found out they didn't, from the land of Taprobane to the island of California. This talk might feature monsters!
Smuggling; Fact or Fiction?: Was Jamaica Inn ever a smugglers haunt? Was Ross Poldark guilty? How much do we really know about smuggling?
Two Gentlemen of Looe: The story of two of Looe's greatest men, one a historian, another an engineer. Both important in the modern town we know today.
Freedom of the Parish: The story of Geoffrey Grigson, poet, author and son of Pelynt. His books should be read by anyone who loves the countryside.
A History of Tourism in Looe: Now onto part two of this talk, part one takes us up to the mid 1930's whilst part two looks at the war years and the 1950s.
Stags, Hens and Honeymoons: Created for the 2023 Cornwall Association of Local Historians spring conference, this talk is a humorous look at what happens before and after the big day through the ages.
Bodmin Moor’s Hidden Industrial Corners: A new talk for 2024, focusing on quarrying, China Clay and the mining heritage of the moor.
Contact:-
mark@walkaboutwest.co.uk
01503 273060
Hilary Coleman & Sally Burley
“We rolled from one song to the next and pints were clinked and clunked down with calls for more: it’s always an uproarious occasion.”
During 2012 Hilary Coleman and Sally Burley undertook a journey across the length and breadth of Cornwall, visiting pubs where they knew the tradition of Cornish harmony singing was taking place.
The idea behind this work of love was to take a snapshot of what was being sung and where. Twenty two visits later they have recorded their findings, and the result is a book and CD: Shout Kernow. This book has now been published and they are currently launching it at a number of venues across Cornwall.
Come and hear the tales of their adventures wonderfully illustrated with some of the songs sung how they belong to be by the Red River Singers. Song words will be available if you would like to join in!
Contact by email at: sallyburley@hotmail.co.uk
DEW VARDH (Bert Biscoe & Pol Hodge) Vyajor Gans Geryow & Mab Stenak Vur (Bardic names)
POEMS - SONGS - DIALECT - KERNEWEK - ENGLISH
Are Mermaids real? What really happened to Trevithick in South America? What is the most expensive hoover you can buy? What is turkey fricassee?
Pol Hodge and Bert Biscoe are two Bards. They have worked together as performers for the past 15 years and have entertained audiences throughout Cornwall and beyond with a mixture of poems, languages, songs, dialect, jokes and repartee. Their unique chemistry ripples with themes and images that leave a lasting impression.
Pol is one of Cornwall’s leading Cornish linguists – he writes with passion and eloquence. humour and history mingle with compassion and satire. He is an expert on Cornish place names and helps film makers and dramatists to include Kernewek in their productions. He was – unforgettably - the bearer of Excalibur in Gorsedh ceremonies. On one occasion, totally immersed in his role, he forgot to remove his mirror-shades – Howard Curnow’s sonorous whisper filled the Circle as Pol strode with sword in hand: ‘’Ah! Bardh Vader!”
Bert is a veteran of rock and roll and folk music. His bands toured extensively through the 1970s and 80s and won many fans at festivals and on the pub circuit. His songs are still known today. Poetry is his first love, and he has become a lyrical craftsman who writes of land, conflict, injustice – he portrays events and people and slides from surreal wit to deep emotion in the flash of an eye.
Dew Vardh love to perform for Old Cornwall Societies – they bring energy, fun, passion and surprises – and you can watch them three nights running without hearing the same thing twice!
Fees are negotiable. They like to bring a box of books and perform best when there’s a nice cup of tea to lubricate the throat.
Contact by email at: bertbiscoe@btinternet.com Telephone: 01872 242293
Merv and Alison Davey Telynor An Weryn and Corolyores
We take on the persona of characters from history to talk about Cornish folk traditions and the music and dances associated with them. We cover topics from Cornish Scoot (step dancing) to traditional costume. Past projects include “The Guizer’s Tale” looking at Guize Dance traditions in Cornwall and “Harry and Carrie” with dances and traditions from the Clay Country. We are currently going back a little further in time with “Henric and Johanna” minstrels for the Earls of Cornwall. This is inspired by a reference in the Earldom accounts of 1296-7 recording a payment of 2/6 made by Johanna to release her husband Henric the piper of Trigg.
Contact: merv.withiel@outlook.com
Sam Drake
Author of a number of papers and contributor to Royal Institute of Cornwall journal. In 2020 a joint winner of the Federation of Old Cornwall Holyer an Gof Cup at the Gorsedh Kernow Holyer an Gof awards – awarded to one of the winners in classes 5 and 6 for "Cornwall: Connectivity and Identity in the Fourteenth Century".
Samuel Drake’s research focuses on later medieval Cornwall, exploring subjects ranging from piracy and collective identity through to Cornish belief in King Arthur. His work gives special consideration to Cornwall’s connections with the wider realm, those links fostered by royal government, warfare, lordship, commerce, the law, the Church, and maritime interests. He would happily present papers on any one of these subjects, introducing characters as varied as gentleman-criminals and the Black Prince himself, all of whom helped to make medieval Cornwall strikingly distinctive.
Contact by email at: sam.drake.2009@live.rhul.ac.uk
Guy English FRGS
Guy has spent 25 years in Cornwall, sailing, gig rowing, and exploring. He can offer the following talks to Societies: -
1. Elizabeth Andrew Warren, Botanist and Algologist of Flushing.
Elizabeth Warren, now forgotten, was a 19th Century botanist of note - “one of the best twelve women scientists of the century”. Losing her father at 11, and apparently self-taught, she was significant not only involved in British botany but through her unique location became an entrepot for plants from all over the planet. We learn most about her from her 40-year correspondence with William Hooker, first Director of Kew Gardens. Through her eyes we see huge changes - in transport, communication, and knowledge of the wider world.
2. Hugh Seymour Tremenheere - The most significant Cornishman you have never heard of!
Hugh, a child of Family but no Fortune, broadened his mind through extensive travel and put what he learnt into improving our circumstances. Inspector of Mines, first Inspector of Schools, he made his mark in both then became the go-to man for Royal and Parliamentary Commissions on all aspects of Victorian life. Extending the Factories Acts, working hours, chimney sweep boys, tied agricultural accommodation, the Truck system - he was a major force for improvement in working lives with impact even today.
3. Holy Wells of Cornwall
A fresh review of Cornwall’s Holy Wells: undertaken by Guy and his late wife, visiting all the wells covered in earlier books and adding more. This talk visits typical and unique wells, with their strange stories and patron saints, and describes their hunt - and how it became a memorial book. The hope for the talk - and the book - is that they will encourage others to seek out these gems and find new beauties and delights all around the county. More Information: https://holywellscornwall.co.uk
Charge: £30-£40
Contact: guybooks20@gmail.com
Tel: 07799 107572
Dean Evans
The Passmore Edwards Legacy
Dean Evans gives an illustrated talk on John Passmore Edwards; The Cornish Carnegie, Mr Greatheart, St Passmore, Blackwater Boy. Dean is the author of Funding the ladder - The Passmore Edwards Legacy; Holyer an Gof Award winner 2012.
Contact by email at: dean.evans5@gmail.com Mobile: 07588 711936
Kai Greet
Cornwall in the Cold War
Kai's talk explores the role Cornwall played during the Cold War, featuring original photography as well as publicly available historical imagery.
If you would like to book this talk for a future date, please feel free to get in touch.
Contact: kai@kaigreet.co.uk
Joel Griffett
'The Lost Years of Richard Trevithick in Latin America, 1816-1827'
Joel's illustrated talk is based on his in-depth study into Trevithick's mysterious eleven-year adventure across Latin America done with information gathered from the archives and libraries of Peru and Costa Rica, thus providing a brand new angle on the great Cornishman as an adventurer amidst the fall of the Spanish empire.
Charge: £50
Contact: jg1014@exeter.ac.uk
Mike Griffiths
During WW2 just outside the village of St Erth in West Cornwall there was an 'ULTRA' secret radio listening station. This was the site of Military Intelligence 6, (MI6), Radio Station St Erth. This station was one of the 'ears' of Bletchley Park, the now famous government WW2 code breaking establishment. I tell the story of my father's work at the station, as a radio operator, listening to the German and Italian Secret Services, Double Agents and many of the war's major campaigns. The station continued well into the 1960s.
Over the last few years I have given numerous power point presentations, to various organisations, throughout Cornwall, West Devon and at Bletchley Park.
I have written a book about the radio station entitled - ‘Listening to the Enemy, War comes to a Cornish Village', now available from the Federation's bookshop - please click here.
My presentation has numerous slides with sound. I would need a projector that can connect to my lap top and a screen or suitable wall. The running time is about 45mins to an hour and my fee is £50.
Contact: mikegriffiths268@gmail.com or mobile: 07980312129
Dr Mike Haywood
It was the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower in 2020
I thought members of the Old Cornwall Society may be interested in my presentation entitled “The Voyage of the Mayflower in 1620, the Myth and the Reality”.
There is a Cornish connection to the earliest English settlers in North America. I have been giving this 45 minute talk for several years to interested groups here in the UK and in the USA. I live in Liskeard.
Contact by email: www.mikehaywoodart.co.uk
Paul Holden
Paul Holden, FSA, is a freelance architectural historian, lecturer and writer. He was Chairman of the Cornish Buildings Group between 2010 and 2018 and editor of Celebrating Pevsner: the proceedings of the 2015 Cornish Buildings Group conference (2017). Other notable works include The Lanhydrock Atlas (2010) and The London Letters of Samuel Molyneux (2011). Paul is an editor for Architectural Historian, a member of the Faculty Advisory Group of Truro Cathedral, a Council member of the Cornish Buildings Group and reviewer for the Royal Society, the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain and the Society of Antiquaries of London.
Talks:
- Lanhydrock House and the Robartes family.
- The National Trust in Cornwall
- The Life and Work of Richard Coad, Architect.
- The Work of the Cornish Buildings Group
- The Cornish Country House
- The Lanhydrock Atlas (1696)
- The London Letters of Samuel Molyneux (1712/13)
- The Classical Cornish House
- 20 years at Lanhydrock: a personal reflection
- ‘Celebrating Pevsner’ a lay person's guide to Cornish buildings
- Damp cellars, Dusty Attics and a chesty Cough: researching the Cornish Country House
- The Life and Career of the Hon. Captain Tommy Agar-Robartes (1880-1915)
- Treasures of Lanhydrock
- Architectural Quiz of Cornish Buildings
Other talks can be arranged.
I charge £60 including travel for a 1 hour illustrated talk.
Contact by email at: pholden02@gmail.com Direct line: 01208 265963
Philip M Hosken Marak Resruth (Bardic name)
H.T.P. Hosken, Trevithick, Polkinhorn & Co Ltd
There is a substantial, unique part of Cornwall’s commercial history that is now being told. From 1890, H.T.P. was a conglomerate of several companies that included milling, shipping, baking, wool treatment and motor transport; it was a part of everyone’s life in Cornwall and beyond.
The company was created from four famous Cornish families and the book, ‘H.T.P. The Great Cornish Conglomerate’* covers the period from 1852 to 1936 It will be followed by another covering the 40 years of Farm Industries Ltd. The lecture depicts a period of considerable change in agriculture, business methods, technology and attitudes during a hundred and twenty years, including two World Wars. From a wealth of company ledgers, papers and newspaper reports, it explains how the directors tried, and generally failed, to shake off their feudal backgrounds and operate a multimillion pound company over a large area. It contains a lot of names, inter-family relationships and community history in addition to that of the company.
A Power Point lecture on this significant part of Cornwall’s history is available from:
Philip Hosken
Former Chairman Trevithick Society, 13 years
Author books on Trevithick
Editor, Cornish World, 6 years
Contact by email at: marrack@btinternet.com
Emma Jenkin
Cornish Language history talk and taster session
Emma Jenkin, the coordinator of Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek can provide a talk and taster session on the Cornish language. She will also provide a pop-up bookstall of Cornish language books.
She would be happy to provide a talk in return for travelling expenses, to a maximum of £20. She would be happy to fill in at short notice, but would require a little more notice for events east of Bodmin.
Emma is Cornish speaker and bard of Gorsedh Kernow.
Contact: kowethasanyeth@gmail.com
Andrew G Langdon Dyffresyas Crowsow (Bardic name)
General Talks on Cornish crosses
'An Introduction to Cornish crosses' – This is a general talk on Cornish crosses, which looks at their distribution, age, design and reasons for being set up. 50 mins to 1 hour. (reduced version available).
‘Discovery, repair and restoration of Cornish crosses’ – This talk is all about the practical work which takes place. Many of the photographs show people repairing or restoring these monuments. 50mins to 1 hour.
Several, more detailed talks about Cornish crosses are available, such as:
Boundaries and Boundary crosses
Lantern crosses, their biblical figure sculpture and symbolism
Stone Crosses in the north Cornwall area.
Other talks available
‘Wade-Bridge: The history of the 15th century bridge at Wadebridge’ - In this talk I discuss the building of the bridge and widening schemes, the legend of the bridge on wool, building accounts, historical events, and the social history. 50mins to 1 hour.
‘The Wadebridge Institution’ – This talk is all about the development of a Gentleman’s institution, school and reading room and includes discussion about the building, the organisation, lecturers and the discovery of Phrenology plaster heads in the 1960s. 40 to 50mins (Local interest only).
‘Deluge and Destruction: The Great North Cornwall Flood of 1847’ – This talk is about a great flood which devastated the river valley of the river Camel and Inny, damaging or destroying many bridges. Read as a lecture with powerpoint photographs. 50mins. (North Cornwall interest only).
Contact by email at: aglangdon@btinternet.com Telephone: 01872 271382
Dr Charlotte MacKenzie
I research, write, and speak mostly about Cornwall in the eighteenth century.
I have written and published history since 1983. Sole author of eight books, six on Cornish history, joint author and editor of others. Contributor to an eleventh book and several journals including Cornish Studies, the Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, and Troze the journal of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Overall winner of the Cardew-Rendle prize 2016.
Checkout information about Women writers and Georgian Cornwall and Mary Broad the documentary.
All of the Cornish history books are here
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/
Contact by email at: cm2research@gmail.com
Dr Joanna Mattingly Gwithyades Form Eglos (Bardic name)
Well known authority on Cornish churches having written and edited a number of books on Cornwall and Cornish subjects. Barded by Gorsedh Kernow for services to the study of the fabric and history of Cornish churches - Gwithyades Form Eglos - Church Bench Researcher
- Talks include:
- Cornish Churches
- Holy Wells in Cornwall
- Church Houses
- History of Sport in Cornwall
- A Short History of the Tea Cosy with Cornish examples
- Country House Fires in Cornwall
Fee - usually £30+ and travel expenses.
I do slide as well as powerpoint talks but always ask the group to provide equipment. This is usually slide projector, stand and screen and pointer, or laptop and power point projector, stand and screen and pointer.
Contact by email at: joannamattingly@btinternet.com Telephone: 01872 225254
Dr Joanna Mattingly. 21 Broad Street, Truro, Cornwall. TR1 1JD
Gary Mitchell
History of Boatbuilding and Social History of Mevagissey Area
Gary Mitchell, is the son of the famous boatbuilder Percy Mitchell, and provides an illustrated talk on the history of boatbuilding and touches on the social history of the Mevagissey area. His PowerPoint includes about 100 photographs dating from 1876, which takes just over the hour.
Gary has presented his talk to several Old Cornwall Societies, and the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth. He does not charge, but I offers his books ‘A Boatbuilders Story’ just in case anyone might like to buy one.
Contact:
Gary Mitchell
Email: gmboatdesign@gmail.com
Tel: 01726 842407 (evenings)
Laura Miucci - Federation Archaeology Officer
Laura is an experienced archaeologist, historian, experimental potter, author and education practitioner. She focuses mainly on archaeological artefacts.
She currently offers the following talk-workshops (a short talk followed by an activity, focusing on artefacts):-
- Medieval conservation & restoration: frescoes of Cornwall
- Medieval identities & documents: local seal matrices
- Medieval trading & documents: potteries in Cornwall
- Neolithic identities & craftsmanship: greenstone axe production in Cornwall
- Bronze Age identities & craftsmanship: Trevisker Ware; a proto-Cornish pottery
- Iron Age past identities & craftsmanship: local glass beads
- Romano-British past identities & craftsmanship: cameo rings
Published by Whisky & Beards publishing, she also offers poetry readings of her own work. She currently has two published collections: Lambs with Manes of Lions, and Turn-Stiles & Turn-Around Smiles.
She charges £50 + travelling and is happy to tailor the content and format of the talk/workshop to individual requirements.
Contact: LMArchaeology@gmail.com
Mike O'Connor
Mike O’Connor OBE is one of the leading researcher of music and folklore in Cornwall. Also, without fanfare, he is one of the best selling authors in Cornwall today. He has published numerous transcriptions of old Cornish music MSS and his Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Folk Tale books have sold many thousands of copies. Mike selected and arranged the folk music for TVs Poldark and has many film, radio, and podcast credits. More info can be found: www.lyngham.co.uk
Mike can provide a number of talks/performances on the following topics.
1. 1000 years of Cornish Music
2. The History of Storytelling in Cornwall
3. Musical Performance - Concert of historical Cornish Music (with Barbara Griggs on Harp)
4. Storytelling Performance - Concert of Cornish Folktales
He normally charges £60, but adjustments can be made in the name of Cornish Culture!
Please contact by email at: crowdercref@icloud.com
Brian Oldham
Brian Oldham is President of Liskeard OCS and a Volunteer at Liskeard & District Museum. He has drawn from the Archives of both these organisations, as well as the Cornwall Record Office, to compile a series of illustrated talks which have proved popular to other groups in South East Cornwall.
Illustrated talks by Brian Oldham:
‘Liskeard & District Migrants in the Great Cornish Emigration’ (over 20 true accounts of their background and how they fared in North America, South Africa and Australasia).
'Safeguarding of Antiquities in South East Cornwall' (this is the work of Liskeard OCS in bringing sites such as Dupath Well, Trethevy Quoit, King Doniert's Stone and many Cornish Crosses out of private hands into public ownership).
'The Remarkable Daniel Gumb' (including his estate plans prepared for Tredis, Lewannick and Coldrennick).
'Memories & Sketches of a C20 Caradon Miner' (from his note book and backed up by documents at Kresen Kernow).
'Liskeard's Iron Foundries' (at Moorswater and Roseland Vale)
'Connections between Lanhydrock and the Liskeard District'.
‘Trades and Occupations of 19th Century Liskeard’
‘John Kerkin Broad B.W.S. (1869-1947), Watercolourist & Observer of Life in Liskeard’ (life and works of a member of the British Watercolour Society and Cornish Times Columnist)
‘What John Passmore Edwards did for Liskeard’ (a history of the Free Library and the Cottage Hospital)
My fee is £30. My mobile number is 07950113770.
Roger Radcliffe
St Agnes
I am usually unavailable for daytime talks; evenings suit me better.
The presentations I have in stock are:
- Wheal Kitty and Goonlaze Downs
- The Search for the Lady Agnes
- All Washed up at St. Agnes
- The Coastline of St. Agnes
Contact by email at: rogerradcliffe@hotmail.co.uk Telephone: 01872 552181
Mike Sagar-Fenton
Jason Semmens
Director at The Museum of Military Medicine and holds a Masters of Art in Museum Studies and is a well known author and editor on works relating to Cornish witchcraft and folklore
The talks I can offer are as follows:
- Witchcraft and Folk Magic in Cornwall Introduction to historic witch beliefs and practices in Cornwall, from the medieval period until the mid twentieth century.
- Tammy Blee's Cabalistic Agency - Witchcraft and Popular Magic in 19th Century Cornwall Cunning-folk and witchcraft in Cornwall as seen through the life of Thomasine Blight (1793-1856) of Redruth and Helston.
- The Cornish Witch-finder: William Henry Paynter and the Folklore of Cornwall One of the most active collectors in the early Old Cornwall movement, Paynter's collections are the last significant body of Cornish folklore; what did he find and what do his collections tell us about Cornish beliefs in the early twentieth century?
- Myrgh An Hallow: Barbara Catherine Spooner's Folklore Collecting in North East Cornwall From King Arthur to Witches, via ghosts and Tregeagle, Spooner's little known folklore collections shed light on beliefs in North East Cornwall in the first half of the twentieth century.
- The Life and Afterlives of an Ancient Egyptian in Cornwall. This talk focused on the Egyptian mummy at the Royal Cornwall Museum and how he came to be there.
Contact by email at: cornubiensis@aol.com
Trevor Smitheram Gevell Gov An Hordh (Bardic name)
President of Hayle Old Cornwall Society Trevor is well known as a highly entertaining speaker on Cornish subjects including the Cornish dialect.
Trevor is also an authority on Hayle and it's historic heritage and is a volunteer at Hayle Heritage Centre
Guided walks around Hayle can be arranged with Trevor
Contact by email at: trevor.smitheram@btopenworld.com Telephone: 01736 756793
Caroline Stephenson, David Skelhorn and Bob Hatton
Caroline, David and Bob work together to tell stories of sustainable energy through the past 200 years, mainly focused on the mining entrepreneur, Joseph Austen Treffry and linked with wonderful local waterwheel and mining walks.
They offer talks and events at the Meadow Barn, and can also come to visit your Society.
Click here for more information.
Contact: Email Caroline (click here)
TIR HA TAVAS - Delia and Dave Brotherton Myrghwym Melynor & Ilewydh Porthia (Bardic names)
Music, songs and words inspired by the beauty of Cornwall.
Tir ha Tavas, which means “land and language” in the Cornish language
Kernewek, is Delia Brotherton, Myrghwyn Melynor and Dave Brotherton, Ilewydh
Porthia, bards of Gorsedh Kernow, musicians and singer-songwriters based in St
Ives, West Cornwall.
Dee and Dave are familiar figures on the traditional Cornish and Celtic folk scene
and originally formed Bagas Porthia and St Ives Guisers in 2007 following a need
to provide local musicians and dancers for traditional events such St Ives Feast
Day, St Pirans Day, May Day and during Christmastide.
Their duo Tir ha Tavas grew out of a desire to write and perform more of their
own original material including songs in the Cornish language Kernewek. They
possess a strong musical chemistry and are inspired by the beauty and majesty of
the West Cornwall landscape and the recurring feeling of “hireth” or longing for
home, felt very strongly by those who love Cornwall. Their songs combine a
sense of fun and wistfulness reflecting their take on modern Cornish life. They
can also combine a talk about the Cornish language with a selection of songs if a
more educational evening is required.
Tir ha Tavas has performed at many events in Cornwall, including;
St Ives September Festival
Lowender Peran Festival of the Celts
Gorsedh Kernow’s Esedhvos Festival of Cornish Culture
Old Cornwall Society events
Concerts in local churches
Their show “Towl Ros/Cast Net” about St Ives fishing in music, dance and words
won a Gorsedh Kernow Creativity Award.
They represented Cornwall in the traditional song section of the Pan Celtic
International Festival in Ireland. They have also featured on local radio
programmes.
They have recorded three CDs
- “Bagas Porthia” - Cornish and Celtic tunes and songs from their five-piece
band Bagas Porthia.
- “Ogh Penndra Vyghan” - a more intimate collection of songs with Tir ha
Tavas, all in Kernewek.
- “An Viaj / The Journey”- with Tir ha Tavas, a collection of mostly self-
penned songs in Kernewek and English.
They are currently offering three shows, some of which feature special guest
performers;
- “Christmas in Cornwall” – seasonal words and music geared to your time
slot.
- “The Cornish Year” – a journey in music and words around Cornwall’s
iconic and unique festivals and events, content selected to suit the season
and your time slot.
- “Cornwall – a Sense of Place”- a new show under development with music,
words and images to take you around this beautiful world at the end of the
land.
If you would like to enquire about Tir ha Tavas please contact us by email
at: tirhatavas@outlook.com or tel 01736 799305 or mob 07870 686026
Merryn Threadgould
Made in Penryn, and sold via the website, from my house in Lostwithiel, and in a handful of shops and museums across the Duchy, I am giving illustrated talks about the stories in the game and the research process that went into it.
Please contact me if you are interested in a talk for your Old Cornwall Society.
Richard Trethewey
Louis Turner
Louis is a researcher and writer working on Cornish tourism. His book on the global tourist industry, The Golden Horde: International Tourism and the Pleasure Periphery, was published in 1975, and he is now exploring how the tourism industry developed in Cornwall.
Louis is a Trustee of the Poly in Falmouth and has given a talk that explored "the challenges and opportunities of Cornish tourism, including its isolation, the development of hotels, the impact of the Great Western Railway, and the rise of mass tourism and package holidays. Turner will also address important questions such as the potential conflict between tourism and environmental sustainability, and how tourism fits into debates about Cornish identity."
Louis is continuing is research and working on particular destinations in Cornwall and would be keen to speak to and talk with Old Cornwall Societies about tourism in their areas.
Contact Louis Turner on 0790 5204 677 or email louis@3dk.org.uk
Kathy Wallis
Kathy is currently offering 3 presentations; Cornish Midwinter Customs: How many do you know, how many have you joined in with and .. do they really do that!!!!!
Rillaton – 2 farms, 7 houses, 2 black dogs, one ghost story and 3 living traditions - this tiny hamlet on the SE corner of Bodmin Moor holds all of these and proudly celebrates them each year. This presentation takes you through the year and answers the question, Why does she have to bake a cake and give it to the farmer at the bottom of the lane twice a year?
All of these are presented using PowerPoint to enhance the telling so a projector would be required. Kathy is willing to travel from the East of the Duchy to approximately the middle for expenses or, if local to her, a donation to put into her nominated charity.
Contact Kathy Wallis on 07595 220806 or email rillaton@gmail.com
Julian Waring
Julian is based in Helston and is the Regional Fundraising Manager for the Fishermen's Mission. He offers talks about the charity, which for over 140 years has been active in supporting deep sea fishermen and their families.
Please contact Julian if you are interested in a talk for your Old Cornwall Society.
Nicola Wills
Nicola has researched the shipwreck of “The Barque John” off the Manacles in 1855 for 11 years and gives a talk about this historic incident.
Please contact Nicola if you are interested in a talk for your Old Cornwall Society.
Duncan Yeates
"Poverty’s friends are few": the poetry and extraordinary life of the nineteenth century Cornish Miner, John Harris (1820-1884)’
This talk explores the extraordinary life and work of the Cornish labouring-class miner poet, John Harris (1820–1884). Despite working underground as a miner from the age of ten, Harris published 15 volumes of verse throughout the nineteenth century, all of which were reviewed positively by the national literary press. In 1868, Harris entered a competition to write a poem in praise of Shakespeare and won the Shakespeare Tercentenary prize. At the time of its composition, his winning poem was the only one held in the Shakespeare Museum written by a working man. Harris was also held in high regard by literary figures such as Charles Causley who commented that ‘whether dealing with scenes of childhood, the wild life of his Cornish countryside, or the grinding drama of life of the poor – Harris captures, with marvellous economy, the explosive charge contained in the sudden moment of revelation'. However, for reasons that seem inexplicable, Harris is still not consistently mentioned alongside other Cornish literary figures such as R.S. Hawker, Jack Clemo and Charles Causley himself . This talk addresses the reasons why Harris should be a more well known part of Cornish literary history and we should celebrate his literary legacy.
The above talk is an illustrated presentation delivered via PowerPoint
Speaker's fee: £50
Contact: lallocropia@gmail.com