Belonging to be, July 2014

Above: Diane Donohue and Denny Harvey were available to assist those who wished to explore their own family histories and were able to offer valuable advice and encouragement which was much appreciated.

Review by Andrew Gordon

On Saturday July 19 2014, The Newlyn Archive held another of its popular Open Days at Trinity Centre. The fascinating displays portraying entertainment, local businesses, and notable local figures offered an exciting opportunity for the 147 visitors to discover how the spirit of Newlyn is reflected in the lives and work of villagers past and present. Information and photographs of the Gaiety Cinema, the Leper Colony at Wherrytown, St Peter’s Church, and The Lamorna Inn were on display, along with those of several families, including the Peakes, the Curnows, the Harveys, the Stevensons and the Lach-Szyrmas. Images revealing the once thriving stone quarry at Penlee brought back memories of mid day explosions, heavy lorries pounding through The Narrows and the seemingly endless stream of little trains carrying stone to waiting cargo ships on the South pier.

Pete Joseph was on hand to scan new material teased out of attics and cupboards by proud families and friends. A particularly exciting ‘new’ discovery was a medal created to celebrate the opening of the South pier in 1885. Trinity’s Ebb and Flow project provided a delightful opportunity for visitors wishing to ‘Spread a little Newlyn Sunshine’ by recording their thoughts on the petals of a giant sunflower. They found out that the most frequently expressed view about improvement at Newlyn was that the South Pier should be re-opened to the public! David and Diane’s extensive book sale was, as ever, a focus for booklovers and successfully raised much needed additional funds for the future of the Archive.

On a hot, sultry July Saturday it was encouraging to see so many visitors attending the exhibition and enjoying the refreshments provided by Gerry and his team. The considerable amount of work undertaken by Pam in preparing displays and planning the day ensured that the room buzzed with countless animated conversations as anecdotes were shared. The Archive succeeded in reflecting the true spirit of Newlyn’s proud past and present.

Below: Visitors enjoyed Maurice Bishop’s wonderful collection of photographs, most of which have been copied for the archive.