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I’ve completed almost 730 individual illustrations and mini histories since I started The Cornish Year on 1st January 2023. Yet I keep finding new and interesting people that I wish I had been able to include.

So in this blog I’m going to list the people I’ve found post December 2023 that I’ve not been able to include in the catch up posts scheduled up to the end of March.

Jim Hodge

Jim Hodge from St Ives worked for the water board and in his time he managed to save St Ives twice!

Firstly, the water for St Ives comes from mine shafts and adits and in the 1960s one of the main pipes ruptured, meaning that St Ives would be without water. He and a mine engineer risked their lives underground fixing the problem. For his troubles he received a thank you bonus from the water board of £25.

Secondly, on 7th July 1970 a fire broke out in the old fishing cottages in the town, the water pressure was too low for the fire engines to pump the water and the tide was fully out. The fire was raging and could have spread across the whole of St Ives. Jim raced around the area, some 2.5miles, releasing the water valves, which he managed to do in 30mins. The increased water pressure meant the town was spared.

Born in the 1930s – there is a book of his memoirs, written by his daughter Janet Hodge, available called The Water Man.

Elizabeth Osborne

Apprenticed to John Lobb from the age of nine but was dismissed from his employ at the age of seventeen. Three years later she burnt down his mow of corn as an act of revenge, admitting it to everyone she spoke to.

She was arrested, tried and hanged on 6th September 1813. What she was avenging remains a mystery.

Sarah Polgreen

Poisoned her husband with butter laced with Arsenic, why we will never know. She was hanged in August 1820

Elizabeth Cummings

Elizabeth was orphaned as a child and placed in the care of a Mr Busistow of Tywardreath. She lived with him for many years then in her early 20s she became pregnant by him, giving birth to her child in the cow shed. She tried to stop the child from crying by covering it up with chaff, but then hit the babies head on the side of the makeshift crib, killing it instantly. 

Mr Busistow found her and the dead child, and called the constables.

She was found guilty of infanticide and hung on 8th August 1828. It is believed that a public dissection of her body was carried out as a warning to other women.

Sheila Bird

History writer from Falmouth

Janie Bolitho

Crime writer

John, Nicholas and Thomas Bosom

18th century writers in the Cornish language

Myrna Combellack

Writer of Cornish history

Andrew Pears

Inventor of Pears Soap

Susan Penhaligon

Actress

Kristen Scott Thomas

Actress

John Nettles

Actor

Rick Stein

Chef

John Spargo

Socialist and Scholar

Samuel Wallis

Explorer of the Pacific

Edsel Kragg

Performance artist

John Bodinnow

1550 – 1605

Cerris Morgan Moyer

Actress and businesswoman

Ralph Allen

Founder of the modern postal service and mayor of Bath

Selina Wadge

She had two illegitimate sons, the youngest was badly crippled. She left the Workhouse with her sons to meet with her soldier boyfriend but only returned with her eldest child. 

She at first blamed her intended for drowning her son, then said he’d forced her to it as he only agreed to marry her if she got rid of the crippled son.  The body of her youngest was found in three foot of water down a well. She was arrested and her trial was held on 27th July 1878, where she was sentenced to hang.

David Penhaligon

Truro MP

Patrick Gale

Author

Warwick Ward

Born on 3rd December 1891, he became a silent films actor doing 64 films between 1919 and 1933. He died 9th December 1967.

Dorothea Sharp

Artist – 1874 to 17th December 1955

Thomas Trengoose

17th century Puritan minister who was silenced for being a non-conformist in 1670-71.

John Quick

Born in St Ives on 22nd April 1852 he emigrated to Australia and became a lawyer, politician and judge. He was part of the group that drafted the Australian Constitution and later wrote many books of constitutional law. He died 17th June 1932.

Emperor Haile Selassie

Forced to flee his throne in Ethiopia when Mussolini invaded in WWII, ended up living at Eagles Nest near Zennor.

Jimmy Moody

Gangster, hitman and prison escapee. Born in Looe on 27th February 1941 he had run-ins with the Krays! He specialised in robbing armoured trucks with a chain saw! Died on 1st June 1993.

Claire Imrie

Born in 4th October 1870 she was one of the wealthiest heiresses in Britain. However at the age of 37 she shunned the wealth and became a Roman Catholic nun. She died on 4th April 1944.

Harry and Fanny

Buskers of Cornwall during the later 1800s and early 20th century

Sir Humphrey Arundell

He was the leader of the Cornish army in 1549 against the introduction of the English prayer book. He fought the government who had hired mercenaries from abroad, but un-beknown to him his servant, John Kestell, was an informant betraying Humphreys location to the enemy.

Humphrey was captured, tried and subsequently hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn in London on 27th January 1550.

Tassy Swallow

Born on 30th January 1994. Tassy is a professional surfer from St Ives, a qualified coach who has set up a surf school, the Surf Ratz, for young girls.

At nineteen she was made Bard of Gorsedh!

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So many interesting people – I haven’t even touched upon possible stories and histories from the buildings I keep finding either!

Hope you enjoy them as much as I have in finding them!

Sally x