By Tony Mansell Cornwall once had many railway branch lines but, sad to say, only a few remain. One that still operates is the Looe Valley Line but without the the need to transport minerals from Caradon to quayside, it would never have been built. Perhaps that statement is not entirely true: who knows whether…Continue Reading “Caradon to Looe Railway”
by John Webb This history of the current Toronto Cornish Association is from the Association’s February 2026 newsletter. It is included here as a part of Cornish Story’s Global Kernow. In 2024, as the Toronto Cornish Association marked its 30th anniversary, it felt like the right moment to look back –particularly to those formative first ten years when habits were established, friendships…Continue Reading “The First Decade of the Toronto Cornish Association (1994–2004)”
By Tony Mansell No story of Truro could be told without reference to its rivers and their role in its development. Sailing ships and then steam ships were a common sight as they made their way from Falmouth Haven, along what we now know as Carrick Roads, the River Fal and into Truro River…Continue Reading “Truro’s Rivers”
The Royal Institution of Cornwall By Susan Coney This article is a brief summary of the history of the Royal Institution of Cornwall (RIC). More comprehensive information can be found in the Royal Institution of Cornwall’s Journals 2018 and 2019. Copies of these Journals can be found in the Courtney Library at the Cornwall Museum,…Continue Reading “The Royal Institution of Cornwall”
By J Brandon Wilgus The wrecker looms as a grim figure in maritime history. Often impoverished, these Cornish brigands, distant from the authorities in London, found a murderous way to gain wealth. According to contemporary stories, wreckers drew merchants onto the hidden rocks and shifting shoals of the Cornish Coast to ruin ships and…Continue Reading “Cornish Wrecking and the Caribbean”
Tidal Mills By Tony Mansell The concept of using natural movement to produce power has fascinated mankind for generations. Our forefathers recognised that it could be harnessed to provide power and contributed to the wealth of the communities which they served. But to harness the movement of the sea, well that’s another matter! Converting it…Continue Reading “Tidal Mills”