Penzance

Late in the evening on the 29th September, 1760, the town was roused by the firing of guns in very close proximity, and it proved that an Algerine Xebecque was stranded on the beach to the west of the Battery. Several of the crew were drowned in attempting to get on shore, and the remainder were put into the Barbican cellar, where they were guarded by a volunteer company, which obeyed the call to arms in the dead of night; for since the strangers were each armed with scymetar and pistols, a vague fear of Turkish ferocity, massacre, and plunder, seized upon the inhabitants of Penzance, which only gave place to fear of plague when it was discovered that the men were Algerines, and they were compelled to perform quarantine at the Folly.

In the same year opposition was made, at great expense, to the Turnpike road being carried from Penryn through Penzance to Land’s End, and it was stopped at Marazion.

At the Coronation of King George III. and Queen Charlotte there were unusual rejoicings in Penzance. The following account of the proceedings I find in the late Mr. Thomas Giddy’s M.S.:—

“Morning Procession.—The Independent Company, headed by Mr. Walter Stone, three deep, with Mr. Jack Michell carrying a pair of new silk colours in the middle; Mr. Michael Pearce, carrying St. George’s flag adorned with flowers; six young gentlemen with white rods, two fifes, two drums, two German flutes, a French horn, and hautboy; the four constables with their long poles in their right hands, and their short poles slung with red ribbons over their left shoulders; the two sergeants-at-mace, Mayor, Aldermen, Common Council, gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood. The town crier with a white rod closed the procession. When they came to the chapel yard the Independents drew up on each side, from the stile to the great door, for the procession to pass through, the music and constables falling off each side as they came on; the six young gentlemen with white rods walked into the chapel before the Mayor, &c., when an excellent sermon was preached on the occasion. After divine service was ended the procession proceeded to the Battery, and after the cannon was fired they proceeded to the Town hall in the same order, when “God save Great George our King” was sung in grand chorus. They then adjourned till four o’clock in the afternoon.

“In the Afternoon.—At four o’clock the fifes, drums, with the German flutes, hautboy and French horn, with the six young gentlemen with white rods, assembled at the Corn-market house, from whence the proceeded to the Mayor’s house and waited on him, the gentlemen, &c., to the Corn-market house, where they passed through the Independents under arms with rested firelocks, into the Town hall. Then the Independents, preceded by the drums, fifes, and other music, marched into the Square opposite the Town hall, and fired at every health toasted in the Town hall upon a signal given from the window, and in the intervals the music played.

“After the firing was over the Independents, preceded by the music, marched again into the Corn-market house, when “God save Great George our King” was sung in grand chorus, with the music, &c. Then the Independents marched in procession with colours, music, &c., as in the morning, to the ‘Star’ tavern, and drew up on each side for the Mayor, &c., to pass through them, after which they were ordered to several houses to supper. All the Corporation, gentlemen, music, Independent company, and all the town’s people—men, women, and children—wore cockades in honour of the day. The evening was concluded with a grand ball, illuminations, tar-barrels, bonfires, and every demonstration of joy; and everything was conducted with the greatest order, regularity, and decency imaginable; tho’ great part of the neighbouring parishes came in to see the show, there was not the least disturbance or disorder: the Mayor having several days before set up advertisements to forbid all sorts of squibs, crackers, &c.”

During the reign of George III. Penzance prospered, and was well-to-do. Fish, tin, and copper—ever the staple commodities of the county—were largely exported. Mining and the fisheries brought profit and revenue to the town. A certain toast was not unknown in this loyal and ancient Borough; it is:—

“Here’s a health to the Pope, may he live to repent,
And add just six months to the term of his lent;
And tell all his vassals, from Rome to the Poles,
There’s nothing like pilchards for saving their souls.“

Society was not more refined here than elsewhere in the earliest part of this reign. Only one newspaper was circulated in the west then, and that was the Sherborne Mercury. Cock fighting, smuggling, and intemperance, were not thought of in the same light they are now. Travelling was usually effected on horseback, and merchandise was chiefly conveyed in the same manner. The simplest luxuries in the way of furniture—comforts such as carpets—were unknown except among the wealthy,—sanded floors were the rule; and there was not a silver fork in the town. A certain Mrs. Treweeke, through whose agency the old Assembly rooms at the back of the Union Hotel were built, was the first person who possessed a carpet in her then new house, now occupied by Mr. Prockter. I have heard of a lady of the old school who called upon a newly-married couple, and finding them sitting with their feet on a small square of carpet, which scarcely extended beyond the limits of the table, exclaimed, “Deary me! are you so tender footed? I expect I’ll find you sitting with your feet in feather beds, the next time I call.” Mrs. Treweeke also possessed a carriage; and so rarely was such a phenomenon seen in this neighbourhood that I must tell you what happened at St. Ives. A concert had been announced to take place in that town; and some of the inhabitants at least must have known as much about concerts as they did about carriages, for when Mrs. Treweeke was entering St. Ives, having driven from Penzance in her vehicle of the period, she was followed by an admiring crowd, shouting, “The concert is come! the concert is come!!”^†

One fine summer afternoon, in the days when ladies wore skirts so closely fitting that they scarcely allowed of taking moderately long steps, this same old lady, a portly dame, was leisurely crossing the upper part of Market-place towards her house. It happened to be market-day; and a lusty pig, having broken the tether which bound him to the Market cross, was hurrying towards Chapel street as fast as his wayward nature would let him; but pigs are not famous for running in a straight line, particularly when they are being chivied by a fat old farmer, and any number of small boys, so when near Mrs. Treweeke he suddenly made a dive at her feet, and running his head between her ankles fairly lifted her off the ground, carrying her on his back into a china shop which was near; the old lady keeping her balance however, and holding on with might and main till she was safely landed on the floor all among the crockery, much to the dismay of herself and the proprietor, and to the amusement of the small boys giving chase in particular.^§

I have already told you that we owe to a lady of the time of Edward III. the first privileges the town possessed. Again the ladies of Penzance took the initiative in the literary awakening, which commenced in the latter part of the last century. The Ladies’ Book Club was established in 1770, and it is still in existence. The Gentlemen’s Book Club soon followed and the Grammar school was founded by the Corporation in 1789. Then several societies—Agricultural, Provident, Humane, Scientific, and Literary,—amongst them the Penzance Institute—sprang up in quick succession.

Important changes too soon crowd themselves upon our attention. New Churches, new Market houses and Guild hall (since superseded), new Piers, Railway accommodation (we still want a new Railway Station), Royal visits, and a hundred other incidents of more or less moment; but for the present the progress of Penzance has been crowned by the erection of the noble pile of buildings in which I now have the honour to address you, wherein Law, Literature, Science, Art, and Music find a home.

Time, however, will not allow me to dwell further on the many points which suggest themselves. To remind a Penzance audience that Sir Humphry Davy was born here is unnecessary; but inasmuch as I have done little more than hurry past the time of his birth, I may be excused from dilating upon one whose fame is world-wide.

And now, having reached times within memory of the present generation, I must bring my sketch to a close; not without regret, however at having been able to do little more than allude to more recent events, and with a keen sense of the inadequate manner in which I have attempted to give an outline of the history of my native town,

Our Beloved Penzance.

A LIST OF THE MAYORS OF PENZANCE

1614 John Madern 1615 [John Clies, see below*] 1616 1617 1618 1619 1620 1621 Roger Polkinhorne (? ’20) 1622 1623 James Bonithon 1624 Thomas Millard 1625 1626 1627 1628 1629 1630 William Norsworthy 1631 Nicholas Madren 1632 1633 Roger Polkinghorne 1634 1635 1636 Nicholas Shearme 1637 1638 1639 William Norsworthy 1640 Robert Feny 1641 1642 1643 Nicholas Shearme 1644 Nicholas Shearme 1645 Anthony Gubbes 1646 John Games 1647 Nicholas Shearme 1648 1649 1650 Philip Lanyon 1651 Joseph Gubbes 1652 Joseph Gubbes 1653 Thomas Grosse 1654 Thomas Games 1655 John Tremenheere 1656 Anthony Gubbes 1657 Nicholas John	1658 Walter Fynny 1659 Joseph Gubbs 1660 Nicholas Shearme 1661 Thomas Grosse 1662 Martin Maddren 1663 John Keigwin 1664 Thomas Benmer 1665 John Loase 1666 Richard Veale 1667 Thomas Chirgwin 1668 Nicholas Shearme 1669 Thomas Grosse 1670 Martin Maddern and John Keigwin 1671 Thomas Benmer 1672 Robert Harry 1673 James Loase 1674 Henry Tremenheere 1675 James Penhallow 1676 Thomas Grosse 1677 Thomas Grosse, jun. 1678 Robert Harry 1679 Thomas Benmer 1680 James Lose 1681 John Trevethan 1682 Henry Tremenheere 1683 William Pearce 1684 John Grosse 1685 Peter Jenkin 1686 John Tremenheere 1687 Richard Usticke 1688 James Lose 1689 Richard Pearce 1690 John Tremenheere 1691 Peter Jenkin 1692 George Richards 1693 Thomas Eaistlake 1694 Richard Pearce 1695 John Grosse 1696 John Pellow 1697 John Tremenheere 1698 Daniel Hawkey 1699 Daniel Hawkey 1700 Samuel Williams
1701 John Pellowe 1702 Daniel Hawkey 1703 John Carveth, who by 1704 force and violence held 1705 the mayoralty until January, 1706 1706 William Tonkin; October, Daniel Hawkey 1707 John Pellow 1708 William Tonkin 1709 Samuel Williams 1710 Daniel Hawkey 1711 John Pellowe 1712 William Tonkin 1713 Samuel Williams 1714 Daniel Hawkey 1715 John Pellowe 1716 William Tonkin 1717 James Hawkey 1718 Thomas Pellowe 1719 Samuel Williams 1720 John Pellowe 1721 William Tonkin 1722 Uriah Tonkin 1723 James Hawkey 1724 Thomas Pellowe 1725 Samuel Williams 1726 William Tonkin 1727 Uriah Tonkin 1728 Thomas Pellowe 1729 George Treweeke 1730 William John 1731 James Tremenheere 1732 Goerge Borlase 1733 Henry Hichens 1734 Uriah Tonkin 1735 Thomas Pellowe 1736 George Treweeke 1737 William John 1738 George Borlase 1739 James Tremenheere 1740 Henry Hichens 1741 Uriah Tonkin 1742 George Treweeke 1743 William John 1744 George Borlase 1745 Henry Hichens 1746 William Veale 1747 Christopher Pender 1748 Uriah Tonkin 1749 George Treweeke	1750 George Borlase 1751 Henry Hichens 1752 William Veale 1753 James Tonkin 1754 William John 1755 George Treweeke, jun. 1756 Walter Borlase 1757 Uriah Tonkin 1758 George Borlase 1759 Henry Hichens 1760 John Tonkin 1761 William John 1762 George Treweeke 1763 Uriah Tonkin 1764 George Borlase 1765 Walter Borlase 1766 George Treweeke 1767 James Tonkin 1768 John Price 1769 John Pender 1770 John Tonkin 1771 George Treweeke 1772 James Tonkin 1773 John Pender 1774 John Tonkin 1775 John Price 1776 John Beard 1777 George Treweeke 1778 James Tonkin 1779 John Price 1780 John Tonkin 1781 George Treweeke 1782 Thomas Giddy 1783 James Tonkin 1784 John Beard 1785 Thomas Giddy 1786 Thomas John 1787 John Tonkin 1788 John Price 1789 John Batten 1790 Thomas Giddy 1791 John Tremenheere 1792 Thomas Giddy 1793 John Batten 1794 John Beard 1795 John Batten 1796 Thomas Giddy 1797 John Tremenheere 1798 John Batten 1799 John Beard 1800 John Batten, jun.
1801 Thomas Giddy 1802 John Batten 1803 John Batten, jun. 1804 John Giddy 1805 Thomas Giddy 1806 Richard Jewell Ferris 1807 John batten, jun. 1808 Thomas Giddy 1809 Benjamin Carne Branwell 1810 John Bingham Borlase 1811 Thomas Giddy 1812 George John 1813 John Batten 1814 Richard Jewell Ferris 1815 Thomas Giddy 1816 Henry Boase 1817 Henry Penneck 1818 George John 1819 Edward Collins Giddy 1820 John Jones Pearce 1821 Edward Collins Giddy 1822 John Jones Pearce 1823 Edward Collins Giddy 1824 John Batten 1825 Edward Collins Giddy 1826 Henry Penneck 1827 Edward Collins Giddy 1828 Joseph Nichols 1829 Edward Collins Giddy 1830 Robert Richards 1831 Edward Collins Giddy 1832 John Batten 1833 Robert Richards 1834 Richard Jewell Ferris 1835 Richard Jewell Ferris, to 1st January After the Reform:— 1836 William Davy, from 1st January to 9th November 1836 John Batten, elected 9th November 1837 Richard Pearce	1838 Richard Moyle 1839 John Batten 1840 John Robyns 1841 Richard Longfield Davies 1842 Richard Pearce 1843 John Batten 1844 Samuel Pidwell 1845 Edward Bolitho 1846 Thomas Simon Bolitho 1847 Richard Pearce 1848 John Nicholas Richards Millett 1849 Samuel Pidwell 1850 Robert Branwell 1851 Richard Pearce 1852 Thomas Simon Bolithio 1853 Samuel Higgs 1854 Delbœuf Baker Bedford 1855 Walter Borlase 1856 Thomas Coulson 1857 William Davies Mathews 1858 Richard Pearce 1859 Francis Boase 1860 Samuel Higgs 1861 William Davies Mathews 1862 Rowland Augustus Griffiths Davies 1863 Rowland Augustus Griffiths Davies and William Davies Mathews 1864 Francis Boase 1865 John Richards Branwell 1866 Francis Boase 1867 Francis Boase 1868 John Richards Branwell 1869 Nicholas Berriman Downing 1870 Francis Boase 1871 John Richards Branwell 1872 Henry Coulson York 1873 Francis Boase 1874 William Henry Rodd 1875 William Henry Rodd

The greater part of the foregoing List is extracted from an original MS. in my possession, entitled, “Memoranda selected from the Archives of the Corporation of Penzance, by Mr. Thomas Giddy, many years senior Alderman, and ten times chief Magistrate of that place.“ Mr. Giddy died in 1825, and the names occurring after that date have been supplied from the office of the town clerk.

* John Clies, or Clyes, is mentioned in the charter as the successor of Jahn Madern in case of the death of the latter before he fulfilled the office, therefore he was probably the second Mayor; at all events, he was twice Mayor of Penzance as stated on his monument in Madron church, and he died on the 27th of November, 1623.

† State of Society in Mount’s Bay. See Dr. Davy’s Life of Sir Humphry Davy, vol. i., p. 8. Possibly some of the statements must be taken cum grano.

§ Mrs. Treweeke and the pig. this somewhat extraordinary story is vouched for by a person who was living at the time.