Boats in Newlyn harbour broke from their moorings as the seas rolled over both piers. It was the worst storm in living memory. The Penzance sea defences were critically breached, the promenade ruined and homes all along the front from the bathing pool to Newlyn’s Tolcarne awash.
Extreme weather conditions are only part of this collection of material about major events in Newlyn. It also includes historic events such as the Spanish Raid of 1595, the cholera outbreak of the 1830s and the Newlyn Riots of 1896, and more recent major events such as Royal Visits. The catalogue is set out by the date of the event.