CW60 p68 Reviews:Layout 1 30/9/08 16:47 Page 69
culture: reviews
An Island Parish: A
Summer on Scilly
Nigel Farrell £7.99 Cornubia’s Son: A Life of Banners of the Old
As a huge fan of the television series, I sat Mark Guy Pearse Cornwall Societies
down with the book accompaniment to An Derek R Williams £12.99 Federation of Old Cornwall
Island Parish with a sense of eager Inner city problems are not perhaps as new Societies £3
anticipation. as we sometimes construe them to be. A quality production of 32 A5 pages with
Within three pages I was laughing out Here is a stark warning about was many colour illustrations, this gazetteer of Old
loud (or rather, sniggering to myself) at a happening in Victorian West London as Cornwall Society banners will prove good
particularly amusing moment concerning a some congregations began to turn inwards value for those interested in this subject.
shared berth on the night train. for solace forgetting the conditions outside. Each banner is described in detail, its
Later, I had tears in my eyes as I read the One Wesleyan Minister, born in Camborne, history outlined and symbols explained.
delicate and sensitive description of the took the task of evangelising with Included too are banners for the Gorseth
sudden death of gig-rower Nathan seriousness and zeal. Kernow, the Cornish branch of the Celtic
Woodcock. Mark Guy Pearce joined with Welsh Congress and the Esethvos Kernow.
It seems fair to wonder if, having watched Methodist Hugh Price Hughes to form the David Stark writes in his introduction:
the television series, the book would simply West London Methodist Mission. These “Since time immemorial, people have
repeat what viewers have already seen. strong supporters of the Temperance mustered under banners in times of strife”.
Though to a certain extent it must, it seems movement formed the organisation which Government agencies, with little
that the wealth of excess information has worked tirelessly for the homeless, understanding of our ways, now crassly
garnered by Farrell, the writer and broadcaster those with drug and alcohol problems ever seek to define our unique and distinctive
of the television series, that didn’t fit into the since. The funds raised helped support this culture for us after a patronising travesty of
BBC’s weekly slot is gathered here. The result most effective Christian Socialist Movement, consultation and without our consent.
is therefore an interesting companion rather which also commissioned the building of In these current ‘times of strife’, long may
than a text repetition. Central Hall, Westminster and supported the these valiant societies continue to hold their
At times the slightly patronising attitude early suffragette movement. splendid banners high and to fight the good
towards Cornwall and the Scilly folk grates, This is a very detailed and well-illustrated fight under them!
and the depiction of Fraser and Tim Hicks account of Pearse’s life and his many Andy Phillips
isn’t necessarily a pleasant one, accurate as intellectual and social concerns. It also gives
it might possibly be. Nevertheless, this is a an intriguing insight into the background
book written in a readable and highly social history from 1840-1930. As Rev TW
amusing way, interspersed with genuinely Slater remarked, to spend an hour in his
Reviews
fascinating nuggets of information. company was ‘to see an exhibition and
How many of us knew, for instance, that demonstration of his genius and to feel the
due to an unsigned peace treaty the Isles of impact of a personality endowed with the
Continued
Scilly was actually at war with Holland for highest gifts and beautified with the finest
over 300 years until 1986? graces’.
Megan Westley George Care
naw ha tri ugens 69
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