Archives and Cornish Studies Service

30/05/2026

As we know, the print industry worked alongside many other industries in Cornwall, and none so much as mining.

Printer, John Olver Harris, was born in Penryn in 1812 and established the Teetotal printing press in Falmouth. He printed the ‘Cornwall Temperance Journal’ until 1842, then moved to Copperhouse in Hayle, and was perhaps the first printer to be based in Hayle. Once there he printed the weekly periodical ‘The Hayle Miscellany’ and monthly journal ‘The Cornish Herald’, which then became the ‘Hayle Weekly News’ in 1868. He passed his business on to his son JE Olver in 1869.

This poem was written by Mark Watts and printed by Harris in 1864. It perhaps represents the collapse in the price of copper in the 1860s, although the mines worked from 1815 to 1870, producing over 112,000 tons of copper.

We particularly like the etched images at the top of the poster!

Cornwall in Print is on until 20 June and is free to visit during our usual opening hours.

29/05/2026

Celebrate Pride Month with colour, creativity and community! 🏳️‍🌈

Join artist James Frost at Kresen Kernow on Saturday 6 June, 10am–3pm, for a joyful, hands on workshop where you’ll design, cut and heat press your own q***r slogan t shirt.
Inspired by the Outback newsletters and other q***r histories from our collections, this workshop celebrates visible q***r joy, self expression and camp creativity. Whether your slogan is playful, political, tender or loud, this is your chance to wear your words with pride.

The day will include:
✨ a short artist talk exploring slogan art, q***r camp and humour
✨ a heat press and letter cutting demo
✨ open making time to design, print, chat and connect
✨ breaks for tea, lunch and socialising
All materials are provided — including a blank t shirt — and hot water will be available for drinks. The Arch Café will be open for lunch, there are also shops nearby or feel free to bring your own.

🎟️ £20 per person, including all materials
📍 Ages 16+ (due to craft knives and heat press equipment)
👉 Booking via the Frosty Studio Eventbrite page - http://tiny.cc/kernowq***rpress
📩 Access needs or questions? Contact .studio on Instagram
Come as you are and leave with a t shirt that says exactly what you want it to.

***rHistory

28/05/2026

Join Speak Cornish next Thursday, 4 June, 2-3.30pm, to learn some Cornish!

Aimed at beginners or people with just a little Kernewek but open to all, it’s free and there’s no need to book.

Splann!

28/05/2026

Join us on Saturday 20 June, during Pride Month, for a special author talk with Dr Paul Taylor McCartney, exploring his new book 'Cornwall Uncharted: Mapping Cornwall’s Q***r History of Concealment, Culture and Creativity' (The History Press).

In conversation with fellow author and researcher Peter McAllister, Paul will trace q***r lives across Cornwall’s towns, coves, chapels, studios and lanes, drawing on archives, literature and lived landscapes. From well known figures to quieter stories, the talk explores how place shaped what could be lived, hidden, recorded — or left unsaid.

Paul will also discuss the book’s maps, illustrations and visual language, showing how images can hold meaning when the archive falls silent, and how each chapter follows a different Cornish landscape and kind of story.

Part of our programme celebrating history, heritage and creative voices. Stay for refreshments, conversation, and the chance to purchase signed copies of Cornwall Uncharted, with special giveaways available.

🎟️ Free but ticketed — book via Ticket Tailor: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/author/2058415

27/05/2026

Our Weekly Reads are continuing with new books and this week we are highlighting ‘Troon Cricket Club, 1875-2025: 150 years not out’.
To celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary, members have researched and published the book which explores the club’s history. It begins with the first recorded game, Troon versus Hayle Crown, played at Camborne in 1875, when Troon won by 35 runs, right up to the start of the 2025 season and the positive future ahead.

The book, with a foreword by Sir Tim Rice, includes photographs of teams across the years recording the names of players past and present and charting fortunes in leagues and tournaments over the seasons.
Celebrate Redruth’s Murdoch Day with a hands on, creative activity for all ages. Join us on Saturday 13 June, 10am–12pm or 1–3pm, to build your own mini town house using matchboxes.

Inspired by historic photographs of Redruth houses, you’ll imagine what the town might have looked like when William Murdoch first lit his home using gas lighting.

27/05/2026

Did you watch the new series of Who Do You Think You Are on BBC One last night? If so, you may have spotted a familiar building! 🤩

Yes – broadcaster and presenter Zoe Ball came down to Cornwall and visited Kresen Kernow to discover more about her ancestors from Camborne.

You can catch up on the episode on BBC iPlayer right now!

The show is made by , with Linkline Sound Recordist Martin Evanson and Camera Operator Robin Kay who were part of the amazing crew on this series. Explore Your Archive

27/05/2026

Celebrate Redruth’s Murdoch Day with a hands on, creative activity for all ages. Join us on Saturday 13 June, 10am–12pm or 1–3pm, to build your own mini town house using matchboxes.

Inspired by historic photographs of Redruth houses, you’ll imagine what the town might have looked like when William Murdoch first lit his home using gas lighting. Create a mini Murdoch house, complete with tiny rooms inside, or build a whole street of houses — each matchbox opening to reveal its own little scene.

On the day, you’ll explore historic images, design and decorate your matchbox houses, and create something small but full of character — with plenty of time to experiment, chat and get creative.

Take your creations home to play with, or send them as a gift with a message tucked inside the box. 💌

This is a free, drop in activity, suitable for all ages, part of Redruth’s Murdoch Day celebrations.

26/05/2026

We had a great time this morning stamping, drawing and hand-stamping! Come and join us again on Thursday 28 May, 10am-12pm!

Looking for something creative to do this May half term? 👀🎨

Join us for Make Your Mark - a fun, free family craft session taking place on Tuesday 26 May and Thursday 28 May, 10am–12pm. 🖐🏻

Inspired by our current exhibition exploring the history of printing in Cornwall, this playful workshop invites everyone to experiment with printmaking. Cornish printers once produced books and posters in many distinctive styles — now it’s your turn to discover and create your own.

Print bold shapes and patterns using your hands, then layer your designs with letter and animal stamps to make something completely unique.

This free, drop‑in activity is suitable for all ages, and creative fun is very much encouraged. Please note that although the inks are washable, this is a slightly messy activity. A limited number of aprons are available, so we recommend wearing suitable clothing.

✨ No booking required — just come along and get creative!

26/05/2026

Join us THIS SATURDAY 30 May, 10am–12pm, for Storytale Studio — creative craft sessions inspired by the wonderful collections in our library.

This month, we’ll be getting colourful with inks and dyes, experimenting with tie dye techniques!

Experiment with different knots and folds to explore pattern, movement and colour. Taking inspiration from the library collection, we’ll explore poetic descriptions of the sea and Cornish scenery, creating striking silhouettes against vibrant, flowing backgrounds.

Delivered in collaboration with artist Sophie Stanley Butcher from Pop Up Paint Pot, these sessions are free and there's no need to book — just drop in and get creative with us.

This project is a collaboration with Redruth Library and is funded by the South West Regional Library Services (SWRLS).
A relaxed, welcoming session for families and young creatives alike ✨

25/05/2026

Tap, shuffle, step! 👞✨ Happy National Tap Dance Day! Celebrated each year on 25 May, the day honours the birthday of legendary performer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. The day was officially recognised in the United States in 1989, celebrating the artistry, history and cultural significance of tap.

This delightful portrait by photographer George Ellis captures a young dancer mid-pose, dressed in a sparkling costume and tap shoes—ready to let rhythm speak through every step. There’s a timeless energy here, a reminder of how tap dance turns movement into music.

Tap dance itself has a rich story. It emerged in the 19th century in America, shaped by a vibrant blend of African rhythmic traditions and Irish step dancing. Over time, it evolved into a uniquely expressive art form—one where the dancer becomes both performer and percussionist.

From stage shows to local dance halls, historic pioneers to young performers like the one captured in this portrait, tap continues to be a popular dance genre.

25/05/2026

It’s Manorial Monday! 🥳🗺️. To scale or not to scale….that is the question!

How we measure and how measurements are recorded have changed over time. On many of our manorial maps, we can find a variety of measurements, including acres, which were divided into roods and perches and are often shortened to A R P on maps. Other measurements you might see are chains and poles, and until the 17th century, it was not unusual for measurement to be dependent on the land’s use. For example, one acre as an area that could be ploughed by a team of eight oxen in one day.

When the Gunter’s chain was invented in 1620, triangulation was used to measure land accurately. The chain measured 66 feet divided into 100 links, 10 chains were a furlong, 80 chains were a mile. 40 perches equalled a rood, there were 4 roods to an acre, and 640 acres to a square mile. The term furlong came from ‘a furrow long’, the distance that could be ploughed by an ox without a rest.

Some maps would also display a statute and/or a customary measurement, and Cornish measures. The surveyors also seemed to enjoy decorating the map scales.