HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION

On the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the reformation of the Association, Mary Royle, a founder and life member wrote the following article recalling the early days of the Association.

"Syns Dha Glap" by Mary Royle

Syns Dha Glap," I read in the Sunday Independent one day, 25 years ago. "Aha, I thought. "Something in the Cornish language!"

It means, more or less, hold your tongue, or perhaps belt up! What had happened was that a Mr Walsh wrote a letter to the paper condemning the plea for street signs to be written in both Cornish and English. The following week came a spirited response from a W K Brooke, defending use of the old language. He wrote from Paignton and so intrigued was I that I wrote there and then suggesting a meeting. At that time I had no idea whether W K Brooke was old or young, male or female and I still had no idea when I set out two weeks later for the rendezvous at Roselands. That was on New Year's Eve, 1972. The writer turned out to be Keith Brook, a young teacher at King EdwardVI School at Totnes. That night as he and I and his wife Marion toasted in the New Year with "Kernow Bys Vyken," the Torbay Cornish Association was born.

A letter appeared under our joint names five days later in the Torquay Times and the Paignton News, both now sadly defunct. The headline was in Cornish - Gelwel pup Kernowyon oil" - "Call all Cornishmen." As a result, the inaugural meeting was held on January 22nd, 1973, at Keith and Marion's house. Twelve people attended. We decided on the name and set an annual subscription of 50p, with 15p per meeting to cover running costs. The Chairman was Hugh Tregaskes, from Bude, Keith (North Tamerton) Treasurer and myself (Cawsand) Secretary. Membership, we decided should be restricted to people Cornish by birth, marriage or descent. We also decided that first night to adopt the Cornish Choughs at Paignton Zoo.

Right from the outset we worked to a regular pattern of monthly meetings with a speaker or event of special interest to Cornish people. These soon became so popular, however, that we had to move out of the Roselands house for more spacious accommodation. We continued to meet in Paignton, for several months at the old Gerston Hotel and then at the Coverdale Hotel. Soon after our first annual general meeting we moved yet again, this time to a central point - St Paul's Church Hall at Preston. We were full of enthusiasm that first year - numbers soared. Five of the original 12 were never seen again, but the survivors stayed on for years, and there was an age range of from 20 to about 65.

In that first year we had talks on the archaeology of the moors, the Isles of Scilly, the Cornish Gorsedd, witchcraft over the ages (that was at Halloween), and Mebyon Kernow. There was also poetry and Jan Stewer readings and a concert of Cornish choirs and bands on records. A major event was the formal adoption of the Choughs. This took place in pouring rain in May with 31 members present. With radio and television crews also in attendance. It gave us very good early publicity.

Three other events were inaugurated that first year: the annual coach outing, the dinner, and cheese and wine parties. The first outing was to Trecarrell Manor at Linkinhorne, plus Jamaica Inn and Launceston. There was a loss of 70p and a further loss on the dinner of £6.42. But with the tickets at only £1.75 perhaps this was not surprising. It was held at the Livermead Cliff Hotel, where it has been ever since and was attended by our President, the late Alderman Kimberley Foster, Chairman of Cornwall County Council. Just one month after our foundation, the first Cornish Language class was started. By the end of the first year there were eight students, with a further four in a second class for beginners.

We also made early links with other Cornish Associations: Plymouth and Cardiff first, followed by several others, including the `parent' Association, the London Cornish.

We were given a Chairman's gavel, designed a banner, and talked about a Chairman's badge of office; the latter two came in due course.

In 1975 I moved back to Cornwall and Vi Stanton (Isles of Scilly) became secretary. Hugh Tregaskes died the same year and was succeeded by the Vice-Chairman, Les Tizzard (Millbrook) and the following year by Ben Hocking (St. Just in Penwith). Keith Brooke continued as Treasurer for several years. Over the twenty five years, then, people have changed, but the general structure of the Association has not. There are still the dinners, parties, outings, talks, concerts - and the Choughs! And, all out of a couple of letters and a toast to Cornwall on New Year's Eve, 1972!

PAST CHAIRMEN OF THE ASSOCIATION

Copyright © 2007 Torbay Cornish Association

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