Just over one in 20 men and women in the Cornwall of the 1860s was recorded in the census as a shopkeeper, merchant or trader of some sort. These ranged from the humble itinerant hawkers peddling their trinkets from parish to parish, through innkeepers, grocers, drapers and other shopkeepers to merchants buying and selling a … Continue reading The butcher and the baker but not the candlestick maker
Tag: Truro
Clothing the people: female manufacturers
Whereas 18 per cent of men in the Cornwall of the 1860s worked in manufacturing, this classification encompassing a broad range of activities, around 13 per cent of unmarried women were found in the same sector, but largely concentrated in just one branch – the production of clothing. However, that 13 per cent is probably … Continue reading Clothing the people: female manufacturers
Cornish craftsmen in the 1860s
Nowadays fewer than one in five of the labour force are engaged in actually making things, in the sense of taking some raw materials and turning them into something else. The rest of us, if we are what economists call ‘active’, are instead selling stuff to each other, meeting demand for healthcare, education or hedonism, … Continue reading Cornish craftsmen in the 1860s
Truro: Cornwall’s ‘county’ town
Truro is now Cornwall’s premier town, leading the way in the transformation of Cornwall into a ‘home county’ by the sea. Its residents might prefer to call it a city though, courtesy of the cathedral built there in the 1880s after an Anglican diocese was restored to Cornwall. A population of just under 19,000 in … Continue reading Truro: Cornwall’s ‘county’ town
State of the nation: Population change
Back in 1961 Cornwall and Scilly were home to around 340,000 people. The population then began to rise sharply. By the end of this century on current trends it will be knocking on the door of a million, or 990,000 to be exact. While that’s likely to be the least of our worries if ‘business … Continue reading State of the nation: Population change
Truro: cathedral and clay pipes
Truro’s location had given it a key advantage. The small medieval port was squashed between the two rivers of the Allen and Kenwyn but this was the point where east-west roads could cross the upper reaches of the Fal estuary. Ships could sail as far as the town: in consequence trade grew around its quays. … Continue reading Truro: cathedral and clay pipes
Lamorran: Cornwall’s second smallest parish
Lamorran was unusual by the standards of Victorian Cornwall. Here, the population did not fall after the 1850s but remained stable into the 1880s. This parish on the Roseland south east of Truro was also Cornwall’s second smallest parish in terms of population with 92 residents in 15 households in 1861. (Question of the day … Continue reading Lamorran: Cornwall’s second smallest parish
Truro: The life of servants, part 1
Our next parish - Kenwyn - is a bit of a hybrid. In the nineteenth century half of its people lived in Truro with the usual mix of urban occupations. The other half lived in the countryside to the west and north of the town, where mining was the major concern at mid-century. Kenwyn’s urban … Continue reading Truro: The life of servants, part 1
The Truro riot of 1796
Food riots, where crowds gathered to demand a supply of staple foodstuffs, reduce their price or prevent their export, became commonplace in Cornwall over the course of the 1700s. One of the most serious occurred at Truro in 1796. After this, one participant - John Hoskin, also known as 'Wild Cat', was hanged. Here's an … Continue reading The Truro riot of 1796
The rise of the Lemons
Ever wondered how Lemon Street in Truro got its name? As well as adding to the wealth of established families, mining financed the rise of new families. Even before the 1780s, the Lemons had shown in spectacular fashion how Cornwall’s mines could provide a route into the landed class. In 1774 William Lemon’s election as … Continue reading The rise of the Lemons
Cornish studies resources 