By Bert Biscoe, Truro OCS
Angela Broome was Courtney Librarian at the RIC for over forty years. There will be many amongst your members who will have met or heard of Angela, or correspondede with her during their researches. I very much doubt if there is a photograph available, as Angela was a devout Quaker and a very modest plain person, but one whose stature as a learned supporter of library users and knowledge seekers was indefatigable.
There are very few books about Cornwall which have prompted research which do not, over the past 40 or so years, acknowledge the support and asssistance of Angela. That she held so much knowledge with such self-effacing modesty, and was held in such high esteem by so many, but never seemed to notice, are qualities which only strengthen thew part she has played in Cornish life for so long.
Angela was a strong supporter of Truro Old Cornwall Soceity. I don’t think she was a Bard, but I do think that Gorsedh Kernow, FOCS and all others should stand and acknowlege a quietly passionate life which has fostered and inspired many people and, indeed, the nation of Kernow.
I know because I was there that Angela also bore the weight of disdain and dismissal targetted at her by foolish people who really should have been more intelligent – this she did with cheerfulness and fortitude, qualities which she derived from her deeply held principles and beliefs.
Kernow should dip herself to half-mast all over the world, wherever she is known – is a very melancholy moment, this passing of such a great life.
She was the Courtney Library ! So glad to have known her.
She helped me greatly when I was researching into the history of the Cornish cultural and national movement.