Melissa Hardie

We were in the process of cataloguing a cutting about Melissa Hardie when we heard the sad news of her death. The photo shows the occasion of Melissa’s   final journey down her beloved Chapel Street on Wednesday 20th July. Many Friends of the Archive wearing bright colours, as requested,  congregated on the  pavements to say farewell.

Melissa was a remarkable woman. The cutting we were cataloguing recorded a glittering occasion in October 2000 when Penzance put its history on parade and launched Melissa’s new book about life in the town. The event was organised by Penzance Councillors and Members of the Hypatia Trust.

Melissa was an ardent historian and was responsible for documenting and preserving much of Newlyn’s Art history. This became  the West Cornwall Art Archive which she presented to us at the end of 2012. It included the extensive Newlyn Art Gallery collection as well as a great deal of material about the historic colony of Newlyn Artists and more recent artists (particularly women artists).