Susan Coney brings us the history of N Gill and Son, arguably, the leading retailer and manufacturer of drapery, ladies and gentlemen’s attire and house furnishing in Truro for 120 years, from 1833 to 1953. The owners, especially William Nicholas Gill and his son Arthur William Gill, were prominent and philanthropic members of the Truro…Continue Reading “N Gill and Son – a very successful Truro Family Business for 120 years”
John Dirring has discussed the beginnings of banking in eighteenth-century Cornwall in the first part of this series. He now continues the story by relating the early history of the Miners’ Bank, established as a partnership under the `Agreement Quinquepartite’, the heading of which is shown here (Kresen Kernow, ref BU/431). The oldest banks…Continue Reading “Banking in Cornwall – Part 2: The early Miners’ Bank, 1771-1828”
With work on the Chiverton to Carland dual carriageway well underway it will not be long before some familiar landscapes will change for ever. In this article Tony Mansell takes a look at the history of this road crossing and of one particular business which existed there from long before the motor car became a…Continue Reading “Chiverton Cross & Ward’s Garage”
Tony Mansell shares his mining experiences as he takes us underground to four Cornish mines but in particular to Cligga Mine in Perranzabuloe. I had already been down three Cornish tin mines so the thought of a few hundred feet of granite above me was not of great concern, but those previous trips had…Continue Reading “A Trip to the Underworld”
The Vage family were well-known in the Truro business community and here, Simon Vage, brings us their story with emphasis on W A Vage, Jeweller. The end of the 19th Century was a golden period for the Vage Family, as it was for many of Cornwall`s families. As with so many natives of Cornwall,…Continue Reading “The Vage Family in business in Truro”
The Cornish Range or “Slab” was once an essential item in every home, it was where so many Cornish maids baked their first pasty. From early times, however, the commercial baker has been a part of every community and in this article, Tony Mansell looks back on his family’s history to a time when his…Continue Reading “A Trura Baker”