poly Magazine... · 2016. 10. 17. · Victoria Field Penelope Shuttle Bill Mycock Michael Swan...

thepolyfeaturing the arts & our heritage

t h e m a g a z i n e o f the royal cornwallpolytechnic society2006 / 2007

£3.00

C o n t e n t s 1

ContentsFeatures Letter from the Chairman Anthony Phillips 2

A fresh start for the Poly

Introduction Keith Hambly-Staite 3

Refreshing the Brand Timothy Guy 5

Making the Marque Lou Jones 6

Science The Man Engine Michael Carver 10

History Samuel Foote David Peters 22Tuke’s Roller Brian Price 32

Art Nicholson’s masterpiece Brian Stewart 8Jason Wason Anthony Fagin 16

Returned to former glory Catherine Wallace 18

Theatre Near-Ta the Poly Daniel Richards 25

Poetry Throughout the magazine are poems by

members of the Falmouth Poetry Group.

Dawyth Agar Andrew Nightingale

Caroline Carver Bob Rogers

Victoria Field Penelope Shuttle

Bill Mycock Michael Swan

Vivienne Neale Jane Tozer

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8/14 Berkeley Vale, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3PATel: 01326 316655 Fax: 01326 313448 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.hinedowning.com

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Very many thanks to all who havecontributed to The Poly 2006/7

The Poly Magazineis the annual magazine of theRoyal Cornwall Polytechnic Society,24 Church Street, Falmouth,Cornwall TR11 3EG

Tel: Office: 01326 314566Box Office: 01326 212300email: [email protected]: www.falmoutharts.org

Cover photograph:The Man Engine - Dolcoath.RIC Archives.

to encourage education,and stimulate interestin science, the arts, andthe heritage of cornwall

F e at u r e

Keith Hambly-Staite

Lord Byron said of Falmouth ‘the claret isgood and Quakers plentiful’. Indeed it wastwo young Quaker girls, Anna Maria (13)and Caroline (17) Fox who gave Englandthe Polytechnic idea, and Falmouth a placein history. The Fox family were closelyinvolved in mining, and owned the PerranFoundry at Perran-ar-worthal. The sisterspersuaded their father that an organisation(subsequently to be called the CornwallPolytechnic Society) would help the minersand artisans who worked in the industry,as well as the employers who could benefitfrom the many ideas suggested by theseworkers.

The idea found favour, Robert Were Foxgathered his friends together to put theidea into effect, and in 1833 the Society

was founded. The objectives, written inbeautiful copperplate in the first minutebook, include ‘to stimulate the ingenuity of theyoung, … and to elicit the inventive powers ofthe community at large.’ These objectivesmay appear quaint today, but in fact theywere first and foremost about what todaywe call ‘economic regeneration’.

The early movers’ motivation undoubtedlyinvolved vested social and economicinterest, but also had the philanthropiceffect of developing capacities and talentsotherwise dormant, and bringing intonotice many useful improvements thatwould otherwise remain unknown. It wasan early example of support and encour-agement being given for the naturalaptitudes and talents of working men andwomen, which later led to publicrecognition and esteem.

From the beginning, the Society promotedits objectives through an annual exhibitionwith prizes and medals awarded for‘scientific and mechanical inventions andimprovements, and productions in the fine anduseful arts’. The very first exhibitionattracted a wide range of exhibits includingoil paintings, watercolours, engravings,maps and charts, models of such things as anew water gauge for steam boilers, anapparatus for making tea, and a new designfor a greenhouse, all of which drew largecrowds of people.

So successful were the early exhibitionsthat leading businessmen of the day wereencouraged to offer what were calledPremiums, financial rewards for innovationand good ideas. The most important wasprobably that of Charles Fox, which led tothe first ‘man-engine’, a life-saving and cost

2 F e at u r e 3

Letter from the ChairmanAnthony Phillips

There can rarely have been a time in thehistory of the Royal Cornwall PolytechnicSociety when more change was in the air.It has long been apparent that if theSociety was to fulfill its founders’ purposeof supporting the arts and sciences inCornwall, then it must find ways in whichrevenue could be increased. In the last twoyears, the Society has recorded a smallrevenue surplus – no mean achievementfor what is at present mainly an arts societywith almost no public funding.

But the Society has virtually no capitalreserves to enable it to modernize itsGrade II* listed building or to expand itstrading operations, both necessary if theSociety is to remain an effective institutionwithin the county. I therefore asked ourPresident, Sir Michael Lickiss, to chair asmall sub-Committee to consider the bestway forward. Their recommendationshave been accepted by the Board and arebeing put into effect.

Central to these is the splitting of thecharitable and commercial activities of theSociety. The former will remain theresponsibility of the Board of the Society,but to manage the latter The Poly TradingCompany has been formed with fivedirectors under my Chairmanship.

Some may question this new emphasis onthe commercial aspects of our activities;but without the generation of substantiallyincreased revenue, the Society cannotmaintain, let alone improve, its propertynor set about what is its core activity ofsupporting the arts and sciences inCornwall, particularly in the field ofeducation.

A start to our regeneration programme hasalready been made with the alteration of theground floor area fronting Church Street.The intention is to make the entrance verymuch more welcoming as well as to createwithin the two galleries a café/bar, retailarea and computerized booking office.Further, the installation of a new boiler withimprovements to the heating system isunder way, which may allow us to improvethe ventilation in the theatre.

To provide the initial finance for theseundertakings, the Society has had to enterinto a loan arrangement with its bankers

who have shown themselves verysupportive of our plans; and to managewhat will now be a very much expandedbusiness, Richard Glover has beenappointed Chief Executive. Clearly one ofhis tasks will be to secure greater outsidefunding for the Society. With hisexperience both in Cornwall ArtsMarketing and as Chief Executive of TruroCathedral, we consider ourselves fortunateindeed to have secured his services.

From now on the Society is dropping itstrading name of Falmouth Arts Centrewhich has caused confusion both withFalmouth Art Gallery and the former ArtCollege, now University College Falmouth,with both of whom we have the closest,and indeed expanding, relations. In futurewe shall be branded as The Poly, which, ofcourse, is traditionally what the RoyalCornwall Polytechnic Society has long beencalled by older residents of Falmouth. Inadopting this branding we are againstressing that it is not just the arts, but thesciences too, which will be our concern.

Two major developments have occurredsince the last issue of The Poly Magazine waspublished. First, we have completed theconservation of the entire Tuke collection ofboth oils and works on paper. This has beena huge undertaking, which would never havebeen realized without the enthusiasm of theTuke Committee and the project manager,Cath Wallace. All the funding came fromdonations from four major Trusts, togetherwith private donations. Now a further£25,000 is required to complete theCatalogue of this largest collection of Tukepaintings in public hands, and for which allthe paintings have already beenphotographed. This important work will beof immense value to galleries, academicinstitutions, students, collectors and all wholove Tuke’s paintings.

We are very grateful to the original donorof the bulk of the collection, Brian Price,for a further gift of one oil painting byHenry Scott Tuke and two by his sisterMaria. In carrying out the conservationwork, further paintings were discovered onthe reverse of some canvasses, which havenow been framed to show both sides. Thecollection now numbers 277 works, but wehope that further donations will be made.

The second development is the gift byPeter Gilson, who has long looked after thephotographic and other historical records

of the Society, of his own privatecollection. We are very greatly in his debtnot only for this gift, but for all the workhe and his team have undertaken on theSociety’s behalf. Once more an excellentCalendar has been produced for 2007 andis now on sale. We also rejoice in Peter’srecovery from serious illness.

During the 19th century, the Societyawarded both silver and bronze medals atthe Annual Exhibition for works andinventions deserving recognition. Veryrarely indeed the Committee also issuedgold medals for outstanding contributions– but we have never seen one! If anyreader knows of the existence of an RCPSGold Medal, we would be very glad to hearabout it. This year the Society hasreceived, as gifts, two of its silver medals.One was presented by Miss NancyDowning shortly before her death and wasawarded to the Falmouth artist J.R.Wilmerin 1900. The other came from my sister,Mrs. Angela Thorne, and was struck in1868 for Miss H.I. Sterling for amateurdrawing.

The Wilmer and Downing families wereclose friends: how the Sterling medal wasacquired by my family is a mystery. Mysister, who lives in Australia, felt it shouldcome home to Falmouth.

If readers of this exciting new edition ofThe Poly Magazine, which embraces ourpast, present and future, feel that they canin any way help us, then either RichardGlover or I would be pleased to hear fromyou. Many of you will already bemembers, but we need many more.Volunteers are essential, and financialsupport ever a necessity. We look forwardto a challenging future as a rejuvenatedPoly takes its rightful place in the artisticand scientific life of Cornwall; but itswellbeing in the end rests with thecommunity in which it is set and therecognition of its importance, not justwithin the county, but for all who care forthe heritage of the past and the excitingpossibilities for the future.

Anthony was born in Falmouth, qualified andpractised as a solicitor before reading theology atKing's College London and completing a doctorateat Cambridge. After ordination, he was Dean ofTrinity Hall, Cambridge, Chaplain of St. John'sCollege, Oxford and Head Master of the King'sSchool, Canterbury. He is a writer and has alsoworked in radio and television.

Introduction

Lou Jones

Having worked in industry as a CreativeDirector and Account Manager, Lou set uphis own design practice, Lou Jones Design,in 1990. This practice offers a multi-disciplined approach to project work, andcovers most aspects and applications ofmodern communications graphics.

Keith Hambly-Staite

After working in education, librarianshipand marketing for most of his career, Keithdirected In Pursuit of Excellence, an initiativeto stimulate investment into Cornwall. Heis a trustee and director of the RoyalCornwall Polytechnic Society and a trusteeof the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Tim Guy

For over three decades Tim Guy has runhis communications consultancy, providingcreative resolves for a wide variety ofclients, from the world's largest company,GE (USA), to our own Mermaid Trust atTreliske Hospital.

A fresh start for the Poly

F e at u r e

Refreshing the Brand“The Brand: A product orservice in a class of products orservices, including itstrademark, its brand name, itsreputation, and the atmosphereit builds up around it.”

Timothy GuyStrategic Marketing Director,

Aukett Brockliss Guy

My father was a bank manager and as suchhad to judge his potential customersparticularly well. Could he trust them,could he do business with them, and wastheir company going to succeed andultimately grow profits for the bank?‘Always look at their shoes first! You cantell a man by his shoes.’ But we all knowthat you can equally not judge someone atfirst sight – only when you get to know theperson can you make that decision.

The Poly has a personality just like each of us– the characteristics of this great institutionare what we call its brand – not just the shinyshoes but its beliefs and values, its ambitionsand its achievements – who it associates withand the influences under which it is shapedand governed. Above all, is it popular anddo we think by being its ‘friend’ that we willequally benefit?

On the 24th August 2005 a groupconsisting of trustees and supporters ofthe Poly came to my studio at EventsSquare to decide whether our friend wasshowing its best face, and I ran aworkshop that looked at all aspects of itsbrand. I call it ‘Message Mapping’. Wehave undertaken this for companies largeand small such as Cornwall Care, theOpen University, National Express andthe Devon & Cornwall SaferCommunities Trust. It ensures thateveryone involved in managing the Polyfocuses their efforts on maximising all theopportunities that the institution hasavailable, in order to succeed in today’sfast moving society.

All businesses need to refresh their brand atfrequent intervals. Technology and theinternet ensure that. Today an idea placedon the worldwide web can be copied within

moments and the converse is that, if wehave a product or a service to sell, we haveat our fingertips a global customer base.

So we spent a morning together,sometimes in fierce debate, sometimeswith humour, teasing out from everyonewhat the real Poly is all about – today.

We looked at its audiences, who they are,who they might be, and why they areimportant to us. We wanted to understandwhat they are like, what media they bestrespond to, and how they make theirdecisions. Most importantly, what actionsdo we want them to take? We looked atthe competition and the current perceptionabout the Poly. And finally we looked athow we could match the right messageswith the appropriate audiences.

The results you can start to see today; youhave a new, contemporary signature mark –a renaissance that visually expresses theteam’s belief about keeping the best of theold, and says to Falmouth and the widerworld, ‘Look at me – I have much to attracttoday’s audiences, and a host of offers toteach and entertain, to enjoy and support –and oh by the way, do you like my new pairof shoes?’

“You can always tell someone by their shoes”

Brand & corporate identification

Financial reportingPrint managementPublications

ExhibitionsSignage, wayfinding &visitor communications

InterpretationWebsite design

www.abgdesign.uk.com

Tidemill HouseDiscovery QuayFalmouthCornwall TR11 3XP

T +44 (0) 1326 213100

4 F e at u r e

effective way of taking men down and upthe many mine shafts in Cornwall.

What comes across from reading theoriginal minute books and reports is how,by promoting and encouraging the minersand businessmen of the mid 19th century,the immense vigour, enthusiasm anddaring of these early pioneers helped tomake Cornwall a place of innovation andachievement throughout the world. Animportant ‘brand’ was emerging, chiefly bythe most effective form of marketing –word of mouth. The Society identified theneeds of the public, satisfied those needs,and delivered a quality product.

An early report to members of the Societycontains a paragraph which deservesquotation, and shows how in 1835 aCornish institution understood what wasimportant to be successful:

‘… and from the liberal support which itgenerally received the committee confidently lookforward to the day when it will take a high rankamong the useful institutions of the country. Thebroad and unobjectionable principles on whichit is founded, the wide range of its objects,adapted to the tastes, and bearing on theinterests of all classes generally and those of thecounty particularly, cannot fail of recommendingit to the consideration of everyone, who bears thewelfare of his fellow creatures at heart.’

The Society continued to receive supportfor much of the rest of the century, andits contributions to the arts and scienceswere diverse and important. 1838 sawthe first application in the world ofphotography for scientific purposes,recording meteorological and magneticobservations with H Fox Talbot; 1842, thefirst man-engine at Tresavean; 1854, JAllen and the Society offered a Premiumfor the best statistical report on the stateof education in Cornwall; 1864, the Rev.W J Coope et al offered a Premium for thebest essay for improving the Cornish riverfisheries; 1868, records began at the newMeteorological Observatory. Throughoutthe century the Society received Royalpatronage at an unprecedented level, withQueen Victoria, Prince Albert and thePrince of Wales becoming Patrons ormembers of the Society.

After the initial impetus is over and theoriginal objectives are achieved, all organi-zations have a tendency to decline or fall.

The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Societywas no exception. World Wars took muchof the energy out of the Society, and tosurvive, it became more of an arts centre,specializing in exhibitions to encouragenew and old artists, and a cinema toprovide access to a wider range of filmsthan any other centre in the South West.Theatre and music have complementedthis provision, turning this change infortunes to general advantage.

As everyone turned their attention tocelebrating the new millennium, the Boardof the Society began to discuss its role inthe 21st century. The growingachievement and confidence in the countywas showing itself at Eden, St Ives,Falmouth and Padstow. The CombinedUniversities for Cornwall, receivingunprecedented demand for places in 2006,was rising from the earth at Tremough nearPenryn. Cornwall was asserting itself as aplace to live and work, where the distinc-tiveness of its landscape and its culturalheritage offered rich rewards to peoplewho wished to invest time and energy inthe county.

Time brings change, and the Boardrecognized that the response of the Societyto the needs of Cornwall in the 19thcentury could be a guide to its renaissancein the future. By re-evaluating the servicesthat it offered, it could honour itsfounders, better respond to the needs oftoday, and once again play a part in theimproving fortunes of the county’s artistic,cultural, educational and economic life.

Change also brings new challenges, newpartnerships, and fresh opportunities, twoof which can be mentioned.

In the past few years the Society hasacquired the largest collection in publichands of the works of the Newlyn andFalmouth artist Henry S Tuke. Thiscollection has been restored and conserved,and will soon be made available throughexhibitions in partnership with theFalmouth Art Gallery and the RoyalCornwall Museum, Truro.

Estate agents swear by ‘location’. From itsfounders the Society has inherited realestate in the very centre of Falmouth.The Society already works with UniversityCollege Falmouth. The Board are activelyseeking further appropriate partnerships

which make the most of our location andwill promote the constituent strengths ofthe CUC through the College and theUniversity of Exeter, providing readypublic access to their work in the arts andenvironmental sciences.

There is an opportunity to develop newand exciting partnerships with otherbodies, which will complement what weare able to offer – the CombinedUniversities of Cornwall, the NationalMaritime Museum Cornwall, the RoyalInstitution and the Falmouth Art Galleryspring to mind. Cornwall’s first CaféScientifique, the regular public forum fordebating key scientific issues withrenowned speakers leading the way, opensthis winter at the Poly with the support ofthe British Association for theAdvancement of Science.

We live in a world of competing demandswhere success is determined by profile,adaptability, and quality services that meetthe needs of customers. We recognise theneed to develop creative marketingtechniques, backed up by a database of ourcustomers, past, present, and future. Wewill certainly need to emphasise the qualityof everything we do, and communicate ourvalues to both old and new audiences.

We therefore invited two of the county’sleading designers, Tim Guy of ABG ofFalmouth and London, and Lou Jones ofLou Jones Design of Truro, to join us inassessing our future role, and to provide uswith the brand image that reflects who weare, and what our customers can expectfrom us.

The following paragraphs, written by thesetwo designers, chart our progress to thepoint we have reached today - an organi-zation that is refreshing itself, drawing onits roots, has confidence in the future, andwishes to fully contribute once again to thesocial and economic life of the county.

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T +44 (0) 1326 213100








T +44 (0) 1326 213100

6 F e at u r e

Lou Jones

My Father wasn’t a bank manager - but hewas a good customer of his bank! And it isfrom a customer’s perspective that webegan to develop our ideas for a newcorporate marque, or logo, that would bothsupport and become the vehicle forimplementing the brand message.

As with any organisation, in anymarketplace, its corporate branding has tobe both relevant and appealing to itscustomers and audiences. All aspects of itsshape, size, colour and typography arecarefully designed to say, “This is who weare!” The style of the design intones thespirit of the organisation, which in turncreates the framework for developing theoverall brand.

So how did we arrive at the new corporatemarque? Well, in the parlance of one well-known bank - ‘We listened!’ We initiallyused research and feedback from TimothyGuy’s message mapping and focus sessionsto develop a better understanding of theorganisation and the feelings that itscustomers and staff had towards it. This,together with meetings held at Board levelregarding the exciting plans for the‘renaissance’ of the Society and its buildingin Church Street, meant the development

of a corporate marque that would reflectthe future as well as the past. Ultimatelythe new branding must work at all levels ofthe Society’s day-to-day ‘arts based’operations, from cinema, live theatre andexhibitions, to representing the workcarried out by the Local History Group andthe Tuke Collection, while also appealingto the diverse age ranges of its customers.With future plans to also reinstate anddeliver the original scientific aims of theSociety, the job of the new corporatemarque was defined.

The designers’ brief was simple (!)...createa corporate marque that reflected theprovision of the Arts and Sciences; that wasprofessional, yet retained some of the‘quirkiness’ of the old organisation; thatwas not too old fashioned, nor brutallymodern; that would work well when usedon a theatre ticket or on the side of abuilding; that was colourful and inviting,yet strong enough to work in black &white; and most important of all, a marquethat would, in time, come to represent allthat is best in the new organisation, itsfuture aspirations and core values,including a name change to the ‘POLY’.

The word ‘Polytechnic’ is as old as theSociety itself. In fact the name was firstcoined in 1833 to describe the activities of

the new institution - this being the firsttime it came into the English language!Over the intervening years the ‘workingtitle’ by which the Society was known hasundergone many subtle changes, ending inmodern times as the ‘Falmouth ArtsCentre’, although throughout its historythe building has always been affectionatelyknown as the ‘POLY’. Through researchand discussion we felt that ‘POLY’ wasshort, snappy and memorable. Its classicGreek origins and meaning retain thegravitas required to encompass both the‘arts’ and ‘science’ dimensions of therevitalized organisation. It also picked upon the ‘quirkiness’ that we felt to be anintegral part of the new brand.

Finding a graphic device that wouldcomplement both the ‘arts’ and ‘sciences’aspects of the organisation as well as thename ‘POLY’ did prove slightly moredemanding. Our brief was to find a visuallink between the arts and sciences in a waythat demonstrated the academic nature ofthe original Society, fulfilled all the othercriteria required to make the marque workat all levels, and met all the requirementsneeded in today’s competitive marketplace.

Having re-discovered the ‘Golden Curve’(see panel) and got to grips with itssequence of construction, we prepared aseries of initial marque concept designs,amalgamating the agreed ‘POLY’ namestyle, ‘arts & science’ sub-title, and the curveitself. We felt that to truly achieve a balancebetween the arts and sciences, the curvewould be drawn in a free brush stroke,rather than a hard mechanical line. And, byusing tints and tones of colour to denote the‘building block’ sequence of theconstruction rectangles, we felt that a strong,dynamic marque had been achieved.

Choice of colour palette for the newmarque was important. The impact ofvarious colours and their effect andmeaning to the ‘tone of voice’ that themarque gives to the core brand messagewould be the final process in making themarque come alive! We felt that warm,vibrant colours such as reds, oranges oryellows might be used to express the arts,

F e at u r e

while cool, clinical colours such as blues,greys and some light greens might be usedto represent the sciences. Ultimately wechose colours from the darker green paletteto enhance and support the visualcrossover between arts and science, andreflect the softer side of science in nature,much as the ‘Golden Curve’ does in theconcept of the design. The use of the darkgreen palette suggests calm, order,understanding and longevity.

The marque uses a traditional ‘serif’typographic font to reflect the name andsubtitle. The serif face, called ‘Appoline’,

reflects the scholarly and academic natureof the original Society, while visuallysoftening the marque and making it morepersonal to the viewer. The ‘roundness’ ofthe serif is picked up in the ‘GoldenCurve’, which in its ‘brush stroke’execution is now more suggestive of afreehand or painted ‘waveform’ - somehowapt for its location, almost touching the seain Falmouth!

The new corporate marque, having beenformally adopted in July 2006, will now goon to be used in (and on) all literature,signage and business applications. The

make-up of the marque, typography,colour, style and tone of voice, will berolled-out across every aspect relating tocorporate communications with the rest ofthe world. It is this, along with thesupport of its officers, staff and members,that will begin to build the ‘POLY’ brand,maintaining the high calibre of the servicesit offers well into the future.

If the ‘POLY’ were a bank, then I hopethat with this new corporate marque, itsaccount would be well in credit!

Making the marque

7

L O U J O N E S D E S I G N

visual communication

Lou Jones Design Limited108 Kenwyn Street, Truro, Cornwall TR1 3DJ

T: 01872 240 500 F: 01872 240 580 mail@loujonesdesign .com www.loujonesdesign.com

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A little reading and research by the designteam brought about the discovery of aprinted work ‘Liber Abaci’ (The Book ofCalculations) published in the 13th centuryby Leonardo da Pisa - better known tohistory as Fibonacci (he wasn’t a bankmanager!). Fibonacci is perhaps bestknown for presenting a simple series ofnumbers, later named the FibonacciSequence. The series’ structure beginswith the numbers 0 and 1, after which thelast two numbers in the sequence areadded together to make the next in thesequence. ie; 0 + 1 =1, 1 + 1 = 2, 1 + 2 = 3,2 + 3 = 5, 3 + 5 = 8, 5 + 8 = 13. Thiscalculation is expressed in the FibonacciSequence as 0, 1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc.

Fibonacci then calculated a special value,which became known as the ‘GoldenSection’ or ‘Golden Ratio’. Using theresultant multiples, the sequence can bepresented visually as an ever-expandingrectangle, constructed by repeatedlyconjoining squares whose sides are of anequivalent dimension to the sum of thetwo proceeding squares’ sides. (see fig x).As this equation is multiplied, a ‘spiral’ canbe drawn by touching the corners of theprevious rectangles (see fig y).

The resulting spiral echoes that whichoften occurs in nature. These spirals can beseen in sea shells, seed arrangements andflowering plants. The ‘Golden Curve’ was

felt to provide a mathematical explanation

of the make-up of the natural world. As a

crossover between science and nature, this

mathematical equation has been used

widely in art, architecture and music

throughout history, notably during the

Renaissance and the neo-classical revivals

of the 17th and 18th centuries. The

‘Golden Section’ is normally denoted by

the Greek letter Phi. Greek

mathematicians of Plato’s time (400BC)

recognised it as a significant value, with

Greek architects using Phi as an integral

part of their designs - most famous of

which is the Parthenon in Athens.

The Golden Curve

fig x fig y

p o e t ry

FALMOUTH ART GALLERYfamily friendly & free

9

Brian Stewart

The government scheme to accept worksof art that are of national importance inlieu of inheritance tax has benefitedCornwall with the major acquisition forFalmouth Art Gallery of Ben Nicholson'smasterpiece 1933, Head.

The picture is a tender love portrait ofBarbara Hepworth and Nicholson at thebeginning of their relationship. Thepainting shows a portrait of Hepworth inprofile. Overlapping is drawn a profile selfportrait of Nicholson as if entwined in akiss. The two profiles cleverly join to makea portrait of Hepworth face-on. The pictureis in essence a drawing incised in darkpaint, which allowed the gesso ground toappear through. The scraping thin of partsof the paint was a favourite device forachieving a texture suggesting a time-wornobject.

It was painted in 1933 at the beginning oftheir relationship, and after the couple’svisit to France. A linocut by Nicholsonfrom 1933 also has the same motif ofoverlapping profiles.

The style was influenced by Picasso, Braqueand Arp, whom they visited that year, andalso by the Roman reliefs viewed duringtheir trip to the ruins at Glanum inProvence on the outskirts of St Remy.Glanum had been excavated in 1921 and isone of the most impressive archaeologicalsites in France. Glanum, with its Roman

arches and reliefs, was the subject of adelightful sketch by Nicholson and he alsotook a photograph of Barbara Hepworth infront of the ruins (Tate Archives).

Ben Nicholson was from an artistic family.His father William was a distinguishedpainter of portraits and still-lifes as well as adesigner of relief prints. His mother MabelPryde was also a talented artist who choseto forsake her career to bring up the family.

Although Ben Nicholson is firmlyassociated with St Ives, it was at Feock onthe river that he stayed on his visit toCornwall in August 1928. His painting1928, Pill Creek, Cornwall (Privatecollection) is an atmospheric and poeticrendition of the landscape of the shelteredcreeks to be found off the River Fal.

Nicholson was joined at Feock by the artistChristopher Wood. Later that August theartists travelled over to St Ives for the day.As Nicholson recalled in a letter to AndrasKalman:

“That day's visit from Pill Creek (Truro) in ahired open Ford --- we left this in St Ives withits driver at once and went all over & around StIves drawing & agreed to meet some hours later.The place in those days was comparativelyunspoilt & v. dramatic (especially coming fromthe sleepy Falmouth creek). Really I suppose mydesire was to record as many impressions asrapidly as possible in that time & prob. on oddsheets of paper or v.small sketch book. Iremember trying to draw a large ship in full sailwith the aid of a telescope … Most difficult bec.one had to find the ship between each pencil

stroke…This was an exciting day, for not onlywas it the first time I saw St Ives, but on theway back from Porthmeor Beach we passed anopen door in Back road west and through it sawsome paintings of ships and houses on oddpieces of paper and cardboard nailed up all overthe wall, with particularly large nails throughthe smallest ones. We knocked on the door andinside found Wallis.”

In 1931 Nicholson exhibited with JohnSkeaping who was married to BarbaraHepworth. The Nicholsons and theSkeapings quickly became close friends. ByOctober that year Nicholson and Hepworthwere seeing each other regularly.

He spent Christmas of 1932 with his wifeWinifred, who had moved to Paris with thechildren. In early 1933, Skeaping obtainedhis divorce from Barbara, Nicholson beingcited as co-respondent. At Easter 1933,Nicholson and Hepworth spent a shortholiday in southern France staying inAvignon and St Remy. This painting is adirect result of that visit.

The expert advisors to the Secretary of Stateconsidered the painting to be of especialimportance, noting that this was one of asmall body of works which dated to thebeginning of Nicholson’s relationship withHepworth. It was regarded as a rare andimportant work from the most significantmoment of the artist's long career.

Brian Stewart is author of a number of books onBritish art including The Dictionary of PortraitPainters in Britain up to 1920. He is curator ofFalmouth Art Gallery.

Nicholson's masterpiecehoused in Cornwall

1933, Study for a Head by Ben Nicholson (1894-

1982), signed and dated on reverse, oil on canvas,

59.7 x 34.3 cm. Falmouth Art Gallery collection.

Accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Tax and

allocated to Falmouth Art Gallery. FAMAG:2005.14

© Angela Verren Taunt. All rights reserved DACS.

a rt8

SEASICK

(In a Cornish Art Gallery)

The sea is vast, immense,and covers two thirdsof the globe, as we know

but it’s a mere drop in the oceancompared with the seasthat cover these walls.

Bob Rogers

www.falmouthartgallery.comnominated for 14 national awards

opening times:monday - saturday 10-5(including spring and summer bank holidays)

Return of the Fleet Sir Frank Brangwyn RA RWS PRBA RE HRSA (1867-1956)

THE ROBARTES MEMORIAL

Truro Cathedral

John and Phillipa Robartesare lying stretched outin their finery and ruffsone above the otheras if in a compartment on the Orient Express.

For nearly four hundred yearsJohn’s been on topreading a bookand ignoring his wife.

She’s on her sidepropped on one elbow, her head in her hand, bored and resigned, but wearing the faintly wistfulfar-away lookof an old married woman with a naughty secret she’ll take to her grave.

Bob Rogers

s c i e n c e10 s c i e n c e 11

It is well known that the only mode of accessto the Cornish mines is by a suite of perpen-dicular, or slightly inclined ladders,sometimes uninterrupted, but more generallybroken, at regular intervals, by resting placestechnically called ‘sollers’. The exertion ofdescending and ascending these ladders,which in the deep mines, necessarily extendto the depth of 1200 to 1500 feet, is laboriousand painful in the extreme. (CPS 1834)

This ascent to light and fresh air couldoften take up to two hours of steadyclimbing in the dark.

The daily recurrence of this fatiguing exerciseis attended with the most perniciousconsequences to the miner, tending materiallyto impair his physical energy, to injure hishealth, and considerably to shorten theduration of his life; these ladders beingunprotected, and naturally liable to decay,miners are continually exposed to serious andfatal accidents, melancholy examples ofwhich are constantly occurring; and if toavoid the fatigue of the ladders, they areinduced to ascend in the buckets, the dangerbecomes still more imminent, on account ofthe obliquity of the shaft. (CPS 1834)

As the next sentence shows, it was not onlythe miners who suffered!

It should also be observed that the practice,above referred to, must necessarily beattended with considerable loss to theadventurers. (CPS 1834)

The adventurers (mine owners andinvestors) were primarily interested in theamount of work completed by theirworkers, and the author of this paperattests that one fifth of a man’s labour wasspent climbing ladders. Since the miner

was paid only for the work produced, thiswas hugely unprofitable for him as well asfor the adventurer. So for self-interestedreasons, as well as genuinely altruisticones, the situation had to be improved.

The invention of the Man Engine

By 1833, the first year of the Society’sexistence, Mr Charles Fox of Perran hadheard that a device in use in the Harzmountains for lowering and raising miners,powered by water wheels, was alreadyworking safely; it should certainly bepossible to discover a method for use inCornwall. He therefore offered, throughthe Society, three prizes of 10, 5 and 3guineas for the best improvement on thepresent method of ascending and descendingin mines.

This offer was the genesis of whateventually produced Man Engines in minesthroughout Cornwall, and improved thelives of uncounted men and women.

In the following year the judges reported:

On an investigation of their respective merits,(we) are unanimously of the opinion, thatthe principle of balanced rods, working in areciprocating motion in a shaft, withplatforms attached to them at regularintervals, is preferable to that of a car,attached by a rope or chain to the movingpower, and guided by racks or rods.(CPS 1834)

The first Prize (or Premium) of 1834 wasawarded to Mr Michael Loam, Consols,who had actually invented it beforeCharles Fox offered the original prizes; hehad already offered it for sale (not to theSociety), but it had been rejected withouttrial. In the next few years he presentedpapers to the Society on Loam’s Counter,Loam’s Improved Miners’ SurveyingInstrument, Loam’s Engine, and Loam’s WheelWrench.

In principle Loam’s Machinery for RaisingMiners was quite simple:

A vertical section of the shaft, with a rodattached to a beam connected with themoving power, having an alternating actionin the shaft; platforms attached to the rod atregular intervals, equal to the distance of thestroke; corresponding platforms in the shaftcoinciding with those attached to the shaft.It is proposed that the men shall pass succes-sively from the platforms on the rod to thosein the shaft, and back; till they are raised tothe surface, or lowered to the bottom.(CPS 1834)

The diagram (Figure 7) illustrates theconcept. Starting at the top, the minerwould step onto a small platform 15”square, fixed to one of two long verticalrods that rose and fell at regular intervals,pausing between each stroke. The manwould descend until his platform was levelwith a fixed platform (soller) built onto theside of the shaft. There it would pause,allowing the miner to step across, and waituntil the rod rose again; when it returnedon the next downstroke he would stepback onto the rod and descend a level tothe next fixed platform; and so on, at 12feet each step, and the same in reverse atthe end of his shift, until he reached thesurface. It sounds easy enough.

However, consider the conditions. Thisrod, or a series of joined rods, is designedto drop to the bottom of the mine -perhaps 1500 feet. The miner has workeda full 8 hour shift, on piece rate (tutwork),and thus is paid only from the moment heactually produces. No slacking, therefore -although the pride that all miners took intheir trade would have prevented this inany case. He has eaten poorly, he is nowexhausted, and even if he has a candle leftfrom his day’s work (which he is probablysaving for use at home, since he has had to

Charles FoxRCPS Archives

A main ladderway at East PooleRIC Archives

The Man EngineThe ‘Darling Object’Michael CarverEarly days

Ever since men started venturingunderground, it’s safe to assume they’vewondered about getting back up again. Inthe pre-historic flint mines they seem tohave clambered up and down notched treetrunks – but even then they may havedreamed that a safer and faster methodmight one day be invented.

Over 3000 years ago, during the BronzeAge, the discovery that in Cornwall therewere large deposits of the vital tin, easilyreached by surface mining, created aflourishing trade with the Mediterranean,which lasted well into the industrial heydayof the 19TH century. However, as thealluvial deposits were worked out and theprecious ore had to be sought deeper anddeeper, the old problem re-surfaced: how toget the miners up ‘to grass’ again? In theHarz Mountains in Germany, to judge bythe 16TH century print, the system looksslow, laborious, and dangerous.

By the early 19TH century, the miningindustry was of enormous importance toCornwall. It employed thousands of men,and brought great profits to the mineowners and adventurers. However, thedreadful working conditions of the minersthemselves had become clearly recognised,and it was vital that improvements be made.

The Society is formed

The Cornwall Polytechnic Society wasformed in 1833 for the encouragement ofArts and Industry, and one of its first aimswas to encourage the inventive powers ofthe community at large. The AnnualReport of 1834 suggests:

The genius of a Watt has, perhaps, oftenslumbered within the breast of many a rudeand uneducated mechanic, whom poverty andneglect have led to mistrust his own powers;the germ of thought has either been repressedin the bud; or may have expended itself incrude and hopeless attempts … for want ofsome fostering hand to prompt hisendeavours, and direct his energies into theright channel. (CPS 1834)

Clearly, for an organisation with philan-thropic aims, conditions in the mines werea matter of concern, and one year after theSociety’s formation, the Committeedecided to offer a number of prizes forscientific and mechanical inventions andimprovements, particularly those that wouldimprove the lot of the invaluable miner.

Prizes were offered, among other subjects,for a safer method of blasting rock, ahideously dangerous process; for bettercirculation of air, which in the hot deeperlevels could dim the candles and affect theminers’ breathing; for some method ofimproving the lighting, which consisted oftallow candles; and for an improved andsafer form of wire rope.

However, the first and most important aimwas to devise some mechanical means oflowering and raising the working minersinto and out of the shafts.

In the Society’s Annual Report for 1834Dr C.C. Carlyon writes:

Men who work at great depths under ground,exposed to impurities of air, and irregularityof temperature, must have their heart andlungs tried severely. In order to judge of theextent of the heart’s distress, when the minerhas ascended by ladders, from a depth,sometimes of more than 200 fathoms, heshould be seen emerging from the shaft, onhis getting, as it is technically known, tograss, his heart beating as if ready to burst,his whole frame bedewed with sweat, and hisstrength ready to pass from the extreme offeverish excitement, into the opposite state ofperilous exhaustion. The descent is easy.(CPS 1834)

(Only by comparison, one feels.)

Some of the conditions in the mines wereclearly beyond the present scope of theCornwall Polytechnic Society, although theAnnual Reports continued to show theconcerns felt by its members. However,the invention of a mechanism to bring themen up to grass was something theCommittee could very well encourage:

De re metallica Georgius Agricola, 16th century

Ladderway at DolcoathClimbing a flat ladderway ismore tiring than climbing avertical ladder.RIC Archives

Michael Loam’s winning designRCPS Archives


Dr Carlyon writes of the men taking withthem a small quantity of food, such as breadand butter, bread and a bit of mutton orpork, or a cold pasty, but it was just aslikely that the miner’s croust would consistof a lump of baked dough, perhapswarmed on a shovel over his candle; and ifit contained any protein at all, it wouldprobably be a piece of fish which had beenon the back of a donkey for a day or two.

Richard Lanyon confirms Dr Carlyon’sview of the effects of his labour on theminer’s health:

Daily observation attests that the wan andsickly aspect is by far more frequently seen,than the ruddy glow of health; and alas!That the wrinkled brow, the stoop, and thedecrepitude of premature old age are verymuch oftener met with, than the veteranstrength and maturity of three score yearsand ten! (RCPS 1836)

These conditions did not prevent theyoung and fit men racing each other backup to grass:

Boys for instance, whose health is yetunimpaired by working under ground, withmore buoyant spirits, are notorious for theirattempts to signalise themselves by feats ofclimbing, which are often carried to a verydangerous extent. Frequently after efforts ofthis sort, they reach the surface almostbreathless, and they are instantly obliged tosink on the ground in almost a lifeless stateto recover themselves. (RCPS 1836)

Life expectancy

Lanyon made an exhaustive comparison ofthe ages of miners with those of menworking in other labouring jobs. His testgroup consisted of 120 labourers and 240miners, which speaks to the prepon-derance, if not the popularity, ofunderground work. Among the labourers,he found the average age to be 47 yearsand 9 months, with 14 men above the ageof 70, and 8 above the age of 75; amongthe miners the average age was reduced to32 years and 5 months, with only 2 menabove 65. Above 70, there were none.

However, at least the Society’s AnnualReports were drawing attention to theimportance of the miner as well as themine, and to the conditions in which theadventurers and mine owners forced himto live and work. Richard Lanyon againexpresses a real understanding andsympathy for the people whose cause hehas taken up, and tries to shame theadventurers into action:

When we recollect how very little, compara-tively, Cornwall is assisted and enriched byagriculture and manufactories, and how veryfew labourers are employed in them, whencompared with the number of those engagedin mining pursuits; and that to the successfulexertions of the latter she is indebted for byfar the largest portion of her immensereserves, which success only depends on theirwellbeing; - we shall at once see a motivewhich should actuate the lords andadventurers of mines to exert themselves toalleviate the distress of this useful class ofmen, - a race of beings of superiorintelligence, and not inferior in moralcharacter to any description of labourers, -who not only bear want and hardshipcheerfully, but impressed with the fact that inthe natural course of events they arehastening through toils, and dangers, andprivations, to meet an early tomb, who yetstruggle on, patiently and perseveringlywithout encouragement or adequate reward,and too frequently die with the painfulconviction on their minds of leaving theirwives and children to the care of the parishofficers. (RCPS 1838)

The ironic emphasis placed on the word‘care’ makes clear what sort of help isactually available from the parish. Hecontinues:

How such a reflection must embitter the lastmoments of a man of acute feelings (for suchthe miner possesses), those who are husbandsand fathers can best appreciate. By the sweatof his brow he ought surely to have madesome provision for such a contingency; butunless he has been a member of a FriendlySociety, or a depositor in a Savings Bank, heleaves his family houseless and penniless.That such a wretched condition should be thelot of anyone, it is painful to observe. Andthis becomes much more so when we knowthat it falls on him from whom we derive ourentire subsistence, whilst from the samesource many enjoy ample fortunes.(RCPS 1838)

As long as he remained fit and continuedto work, the miner might claim certainbenefits:

The advantages which accrue to him may beeasily enumerated: if he be injured, all hiswants are supplied by the Mine club until heis able to resume his occupations, and he isattended also gratuitously by the Minesurgeons during the same period. In most

instances, the contributions to the medicalman are such as to ensure his attendanceduring illness, but this does not universallyobtain. In this last case, the miner derives noassistance either from the Mine club ordoctor; and independently of the loss of hiswages, and the pain and suffering of disease,he has also the very uninteresting prospect ofa Doctor’s bill, generally an unpalatabledose. (RCPS 1838)

In 1841 Mr William Wale Taylor, Surgeonto the Fowey Consols, recounts how heurges one of the men to leave off workingunderground, but is told,

“I have a wife and a large family of youngchildren to support, how can I keep themon nine or ten shillings a week (the wagesof a surface, or agricultural labourer here),when I can barely manage on twelve orthirteen shillings a week; I will try it on alittle longer.”

That little longer renders the case soonhopeless. There is also another importantconsideration to a miner; … while he worksat the mine, he is certain of receiving sevenshillings a week from the sick club whendisabled, as long as he lives; this advantagewould be entirely lost if he changed hisemployment. (RCPS 1841)

Richard Lanyon’s heart is with the miners,with the women as well as the men, andyear after year he pursues his aim ofdescribing and improving their lot:

Being employed from their girlhood theentire day at the mine, little time oropportunity remains for them to acquire anyknowledge of matter of so much importanceto the health and happiness of those withwhom they become connected, and such apassion for dress exists also among theunmarried portion, that the members of itnever calculate on making a provision forany future contingency. They areconsequently unable to render thehardworking miners any assistance infurnishing their domicile in case of marriage.(RCPS 1838)

Bal Maidens in their working clothes - TincroftRCPS Archives

“A passion for dress...” - DolcoathRCPS Archives

pay for it himself), the draft in the shaftwill probably blow it out. In that case hewill be carrying out this dangerous stepacross from platform to platform, reachingfor the handle to guide him onto each step,all the way to the top, in pitch darkness.

Nonetheless, the idea seemed workable onpaper, and Mr Loam, was awarded the tenguinea prize. Second prize was awarded toCaptain (ie mine manager) W. Nicholas,Wheal Trannack, whose idea worked onthe same principle except that theplatforms were built onto two rods whichworked opposite each other but, amazingly,did not allow a pause for the miners tocross from platform to platform; and thethird prize went to Captain Richards,Wheal Vor, which represented a carcontaining a number of men (Figure 8)which, if the cable broke (and cables did!),would remain in place due to the coggedwheels on either side. The judges foundthis an ingenious invention, but it did notoperate on the principle of which theyapproved.

There were various other models anddrawings in the 1834 Report, most workingon the same principle of men moving fromone platform to another; and one whichproposed two ladders rising and fallingopposite each other, the ladders slightlyinclined towards each other to make themove easier, so that the men could stepfrom one to the other and thus rise ordescend. However none of these, whilecommended by the judges, received anyPremiums. The Report was signed by sevenobvious Cornishmen - Messrs Enys, Boase,Williams, Grose, Vivian, Richards, andTregaskis.

Who will make the first move?

So in the first two years of its existence, aswell as achieving Royal Patronage fromWilliam IV, the now Royal Society certainlyproduced its fill of good intentions and

ideas; and in the second year, it looked as ifthere would soon be concrete results:

The plans submitted by Mr Loam have beenadopted, and will shortly be in full operation,in the Consolidated Mines. The conductors ofthese mines have it in consideration to applyto a shaft 170 fathoms deep, the method ofraising miners which obtained the firstpremium … and they hope, in their nextreport, to have the satisfaction of announcing,that measures have been actually taken forcarrying this object into effect.(RCPS 1835)

Unfortunately, Consolidated Mines musthave had second thoughts, words beingeasier and less expensive to produce thanactions, and for the next eight years, hopeswere all that the Society could report. Inlate 1835 the Report laments:

No plan has, as yet, been generally adopted,for superseding the immense ungainfulexpenditure of vital and muscular energy,necessary to convey the miner to the surfacefrom the scene of his underground labours.(RCPS 1835)

And next year:

Notwithstanding the interest expressed uponthe subject by influential and practical men,no attempt has yet been made in this countryto apply any of the methods suggested forfacilitating the ascent and descent of ourminers. (RCPS 1836)

In an attempt to get things moving,Charles Fox offered the sum of £100 to thefirst mine to install an operational ManEngine, but the disappointment of theSociety is re-echoed in 1837:

But hitherto, although many ingeniousmodels have, from time to time, beensubmitted to the Society, none of them havebeen adopted in any of the Cornish mines.(RCPS 1837)

A sense of frustration and urgency becamemore apparent every year, and in 1838Charles Fox’s offer of £100 was increased toa total of £530 by G.C. Fox, Robert WereFox, and five others, followed in 1840 byan additional premium of £50 from theRev Canon Rogers, but still to no avail.

This is not really surprising. Since no suchmachine already existed in Cornwall, theadventurers were not eager to invest theircapital in an invention that might not work,and would certainly be expensive to install.In the 1838 Report, Mr E.O. Tregellesestimated the cost of installing a manengine at £2,365, with the proviso that

… it appears, by an essay on this subjectlaid before the Polytechnic Society at its lastannual meeting, “that the occupation of theminer shortens his life by at least twentyyears”; not that the whole of the injurysustained is chargeable to the descent andascent by ladders, but it must be admittedthat a large part is attributable to excessivefatigue, in climbing from a great depth, atthe end of a laborious day’s work.(RCPS 1838)

The Miner’s Life

We should understand some of theconditions of work underground at thetime of the Man Engine’s invention. TheAnnual Reports of the Society for 1834,’35, ’36 and ’37 all contained lengthypapers on this topic, starting with Dr C.C.Carlyon in 1835.

He is tired enough, when the labours of hisstem are over, to throw himself down andsleep. But this is not all; his cottage is oftenseveral miles off; and impatient to returnthither – for home is home, however homely– he regards not his fatigue, but braving thelength of the way, the darkness of the night,and the pelting of the wind and rain, he setsoff with his glimmering lantern in hand, andpursuing his intricate course amidst shafts,and banks, and fragments of all sorts ofmachinery, arrives at length at his journey’send, where he does not, I fear, always find acomfortable meal prepared for him; for it isbut too true, that the household economy ofour common miners, is for the most part badenough. (RCPS 1835)

It is not surprising that the miner found no‘comfortable meal’ prepared for him. MrRichard Lanyon pursues this theme inlengthy papers in the Reports of 1836 and’37:

The diet of miners generally, I am quite sure,is totally insufficient to compensate for thewear and tear of their severe and peculiarlydestructive labours. The wife has little or noacquaintance with household duties, havingleft the cobbing shed, where the whole of herlife has been spent, to become at once theprovider and manager of a domesticestablishment. He leaves a cheerless home,to follow his disagreeable and dangerouscalling, supplied with food of the meanestand most indigestible kind, which generallyconsists of a piece of baked dough, mixedwith little if anything else, technically termeda ‘Hoggan’, and this is supposed to beadequate to his support. (RCPS 1836)

Quite simple in principlePrinciples of Metal Mining - J.H. Collins 1875

Ingenious, but not approvedRCPS Archives


The end of the Man Engine

The Tresavean Man Engine, now driven bya steam engine, was eventually dropped toa depth of 290 fathoms, and worked safelyuntil 1858, when, following a dispute, themine was allowed to flood, and the enginewas removed. Models were installed in asmany as 15 other mines – the first beingUnited Mines in 1845, with Fowey Consolsfollowing in 1851. Both followed theTresavean example, with two rodsoperating at the same time, though all later

Engines operated on one rod, presumablyfor economy. After a number ofextensions, Dolcoath’s Engine descendedover 2,000 feet, and brought men back tograss at over 80 feet a minute. It ransuccessfully for more than 40 years.

In 1855 the Levant mine installed anEngine, which operated until 1919. In thatyear, however, the cap at the top of the rodbroke and 31 men and boys died, manywere injured, and 75 children orphaned.Nearly all other Man Engines in Cornwallhad stopped operating by 1900, Levantbeing the last to keep going. After thisdisaster, Levant also dismantled its Engine,and moved to gigs and cages, like all theothers. It had been found these couldcarry men safely and fast, thanks tostronger and more reliable wire ropes.Readers will remember that this wasanother of the original aims of the CornwallPolytechnic Society in 1833 - to invent animproved and safer form of Wire Rope.

It has been suggested that the Society offer aprize for a Man Engine to raise visitors tothe Theatre and the Well Lane Gallery atthe Poly.

With thanks to John Morris (Allihies,County Cork), Ken Brown (Hayle), JoffBullen (Camborne), and Royal Institutionof Cornwall, Truro

Michael taught English and History in Canada for30 years before moving to Cornwall and becominginvolved with the Poly, where he was Administratorfor 11 years. He is now on the Board and edits thePoly Magazine

The underground photographs, used bycourtesy of the Royal Institution ofCornwall, were taken by J.C. Burrow FRPS,50 years after the Tresavean Man Enginewas installed. Working by candlelight, theminers would never have seen the interiorof their mines in such remarkable detail.

Safety cage - South CondurrowRIC Archives

The Man Engine shaft at Tresavean today1500 feet deep

Action at last

So the annual search for a mine owner whowas prepared to install a Man Enginecontinued; and finally, in 1842, came hope.Although not mentioned in the AnnualReport, the handwritten Minutes of theCommittee meeting of December 23rd1841 quote a letter sent to the Society:

‘A deputation of the Committee ofManagement of the Tresavean adventurersmet on this mine by appointment the RevdCanon Rogers, for the purpose of consideringthe propriety of making an experiment of aplan produced by Mr. Loam, for getting upout of this deep mine, the miners from theirlabour. - When it was agreed to adopt theplan, by way of trial, to the extent of 28fathoms; and if found to answer, with theintention of completing it to the depth of 280fathoms. … The Revd Canon Rogers readan estimate of the expence of the machinerywhich is calculated at £1670..8s..9d to thebottom of the mine 280 fathoms.’

Positive action at last! A trial Engine,worked by a waterwheel, was dropped to adepth of 28 fathoms at Tresavean Mine inLanner, and proved successful. Next yearthe Annual Report declares:

The experiment which has been this year sosuccessfully tried in Tresavean mine …. isone which your Committee have regardedwith feelings of no common gratification. Ifthe exertions of the Society had been attendedwith no other result than this … it mightexult in the consciousness of having renderedan essential service. (RCPS 1842)

The Report continues:

From the very first commencement of theSociety, its darling object had been to carryout a scheme by which the miner should berelieved from the toil and peril to which he isexposed, in going to and from his work in thedeep mines. For years this object has beenunder their consideration. And now we mustsay that if there was anyone who stillentertained any doubt as to the beneficial

working of the society to which theybelonged, let him go and visit the great workat the Tresavean mine. (RCPS 1842)

Originally, some of the older miners hadcalled the innovation ‘an engine to killmen’, and certainly there were accidentscaused by fear, giddiness, being crushedbetween the step and the slippery soller, orby falling objects; however, these were rare,and just one year after its installation theSociety received a letter signed by 391working miners of Tresavean:

Gentlemen,

Having learnt from the agents of this mine,that you are desirous of having our opinion,as operative miners, upon the machinerecently erected here for the purpose oflowering and bringing us to the surface, wedo so most readily.

It is now about eleven months since thismachine has been erected, and we give it asour most unqualified opinion, that nomachine could be better for the purpose, andwe are quite satisfied respecting its safety.

We understand that your society gave a largesum of money, for the purpose of carryinginto effect this machine, which to us is ofmore importance than we can find languageto express, and would humbly beg youracceptance of our thanks for your aid in thismatter.

This letter was framed and hung in thePolytechnic Hall.

To cap it all, in the same year the Societyactually received Royal Approval:

From the Duchy of Cornwall, Somerset House, London

Sir I am commanded by the Council of HisRoyal Highness The Prince of Wales toacquaint you that the Council have seenwith much satisfaction the proceedings ofthe Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Societyduring the past year, and are particularlygratified to learn that the experimentswhich the Society had tried for the purposeof lowering and raising miners bymachinery had proved so successful. Inconsequence of the representations whichyou have made, the Council feel justified inauthorising an additional donation of £20for the present year.

This is immediately followed by a caveat:

But they desire me at the same time to statethat they cannot recommend to Her Majestyto make any increase to the annualsubscription of £5 already granted to theSociety from the Revenues of the Prince ofWales.

A wise and cautious move by Her Majesty.Increases in annual subscriptions areseldom welcome to members of societies.

The word spreads

It was now 1842, the Man Engine hadfinally been built and installed in aCornish mine, and it was time for therewards. In October the owners ofTresavean invited the Committee of theSociety to inspect the machine inoperation, in order that they might claimthe first part of the Premium (£300). Thiswas agreed immediately, and in thefollowing July, four intrepid members ofthe Committee – Messrs Gilbert, Blee,Hunt and Capt Richards – thoroughlyinspected all the underground workings,and returned safely to grass – though notwithout some awkward moments. Asreported in the West Briton of 4thNovember 1842,

“In every space there was a candle fixedagainst both rods so that the shaft was welllighted, and in different parts men werestationed. We went to the bottom at a timewhen nearly all the candles were burnt out.While we were on the journey, our light wasextinguished, and there we were, moving upand down, making no progress, until Capt.Reed kindly came to the rescue and handedus a lighted candle. But the minersthemselves say that they can pass from onerod to the other in the dark…”

The Committee therefore expressed theirentire satisfaction with the manner in whichthe machine had been constructed, and theremaining portion of the Premium (£200)was duly paid. Nor were the Tresaveanadventurers any less happy; an analysisfound the cost per man worked out at lessthan 1 penny per day, as opposed to up to6 pence in lost labour before the instal-lation, and a saving at the rate of £2000 ayear.... results from the use of the machine.

The efforts of Charles Fox and the Societyhad finally succeeded in developing andinstalling an invention which changed forthe better the lives and working conditionsof thousands of men and women, workingin the most important industry in Cornwall.

Man-riding gig - DolcoathRIC Archives

“No machine could be better for the purpose” - DolcoathRIC Archives

‘The Cathedral’ - Condurrow. RIC Archives

a rt

Today Wason is closely associated withJapan, where his work is highly regarded.He had his first solo show in that countryat the Maruzen Department Store in Tokyoin 1992 and spends increasing amounts oftime there, touched by the esteem in whichpotters are still held and by the skill andcraftsmanship that continue to flourish. Sixtimes he has visited Japan, on threeoccasions as artist in residence at Seto CityCultural Centre in Aichi prefecture, one ofthe country’s great pottery areas. There heworks with his friend Yasuo Terada, a fifth-generation potter from Seto. Althoughtheir work has little in common, theyfrequently exhibit together. Wason admiresTerada’s deep knowledge of traditionalJapanese firing techniques. Terada hasestablished the Seihoji Ancient Kiln Parkon the Chukyo University campus where,together, they have fired the vast ogamaand anagama kilns.

Wason sees himself as connected withJapan but not influenced by it, and feelshonoured to have his work in thepermanent collection of the prestigiousMashiko Museum. Likewise he is delightedto have been invited, during his mostrecent eight-week visit, to exhibit again inTokyo later in 2006. But he is acutely awarethat he should never seek to emulate thework or the traditions of his hosts, even ifhis own integrity would allow it. His workflows from a quite different source and thatis precisely the reason why he and otherinternational artists are invited to work inJapan. In this highly traditional culturethere is a strong desire to incorporate freshideas – to embrace the exotic – to themutual benefit of host and guest.

Mimbres

In 1998 Wason was awarded an ArtsCouncil grant to go to New Mexico in orderto study the work of the Mimbres potters of

the southwest region. Here again this leftno discernible influence on his work, butthe effect of immersing himself in othercultures has ultimately strengthened thecharacter of his own work.

So what is the source of Wason’sinspiration? He professes not to know: it isa tender thing, which should never beforced or intellectualised. If the muse is notthere, he takes his canoe out on the oceanor walks his dog on the moors andclifftops. Or he gets together with otherPenwith artists and musicians at theirregular Deaf Dog Full Moon Band sessions.

During his most recent trip to Japan hesurprised himself by starting down anentirely different path and producing aninstallation that he called City of Stones,but he does not know where it came fromnor why. Rather than question it, he

simply went along with it and in the end itfelt like growth. The individual pieces,resembling the skeletal ribs of an animal,carry an incised or impressed zigzagpattern familiar from some of his vessels.Some have rectilinear slots, others a tinybalcony or pulpit. The original pieces werefired in the ogama kiln in a large bricksaggar filled with rice husks and shellsfrom a nearby sushi restaurant andachieved a texture resembling desiccated,wind-worn, desert rock. Since his return hehas not yet managed to recreate thattexture, but continues to experiment.

Jason Wason’s work can be seen at AustinDesmond Fine Art, Bloomsbury, London.www.jasonwasonceramics.com

Anthony Fagin is a photographer and sculptor,living in Falmouth. Visitors to the Poly will haveseen his ‘Overcrowded World’ half way up thestairs to the Well Lane Gallery. This article firstappeared in Ceramic Review, the internationalmagazine of ceramic art and craft (issue 220July/August 2006), and is reproduced here withpermission.

Blue necked pot ‘Overcrowded World’Anthony Fagin

Workshop table

16 a rt 17

Anthony FaginHe may have the most memorable namein British ceramics, but the work ofJason Wason (a childhood nicknamethat stuck) is not as widely known inthis country as it deserves to be. Is thisbecause he sees himself as an outsider, asomewhat solitary spirit, at one removefrom the commercial mainstream andthe vicissitudes of artistic fashion? Helives as he works, uncompromisinglyand entirely devoid of excess, on thewindswept moors of West Penwith inCornwall. On a fine day he can look outfrom this ancient edge of England overthe blue Atlantic to the Scillies andbeyond. During winter gales when thewind lashes the rain horizontally andwith visibility down to zero, heoccasionally has to erect a temporarybuttress to prevent the end wall of hiswooden studio from blowing in. In thisdemanding environment, Wasonproduces an extraordinary body of work.Its austere beauty and strong presenceare a combination, as with all goodwork, of the person and the place.

As a potter, he is largely self-taught. Hepresented himself at the Leach Pottery inSt Ives to enquire about buying a Leachkick-wheel one day in 1976. Janet Leachwas on duty and offered him a job toreplace someone who had just left. Hetook it. Over the years he acquired goodworkshop practice and an acute eye. ‘Atthe Leach,’ he says, ‘I knew I was near adeep well.’ As Bernard Leach grew olderand his eyesight failed, one of Wason’snightly duties was to read aloud to Leachwho, characteristically perhaps, chose hisown autobiography, Beyond East and West,for the evening’s reading.

Before arriving at the Leach Pottery, Wasonhad set up a craft co-operative in Scotland,having spent the previous decadetravelling, principally in the Middle andFar East and North Africa. During histravels, the traditional wares of the peoplehe moved among had always spoken tohim to such an extent that he knew that assoon as he returned he would answer thecall to become a potter himself. What wasit that had appealed to him about pots? Itwas their functionality, aesthetic andindispensability to all people in all ages.The fact that they remain humanity’s mostdurable good and that archaeologistsdepend on them to interpret past civili-sations, added to the allure.

Balance

All Wason pots are well-mannered, havingbeen rigorously controlled in the designand making. Their strong, sculptural

shapes and delicately poised articulation,together with the rich, unglazed surfacetreatment, imbue them with a dignity anda presence that are their hallmark. Theyare, for the most part, based on vessels andother container forms. But they have leftfunctionalism behind and evolved ontoanother plane, where simply being ratherthan being for some purpose, is theessence. ‘If a pot has a presence and a senseof balance, but overall, a stillness, aquietness; then the thing works,’ he says.At a time when some may strive forasymmetry, Wason’s pots, including thosenot thrown on the wheel, are perfectlysymmetrical. If his work contains echoes ofanyone else, it is of Hans Coper. Not toosurprising, perhaps, since many are madeon the very wheel that Coper owned andWason inherited.

Jason Wasonfrom Mimbres to Mashiko

Studded bowl

Low vessel

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while Tuke stayed in Newlyn. The mouldgrowth on this pastel was extensive, and ithad attached itself to individual particles ofpastel and in places eaten into it, creating aspotty dappled effect. This meantremoving the mould particle by particle.

The next phase for all watercolours, afterthe pigments have been tested, is to washeach one in water. This sounds alarmingbut the works float on the water andwashing is done by osmosis whereby dirt isdrawn out through the back of the picture.This is why it so important to remove allthe backing material first.

If after this process there remain stubbornstains and discolouration, the works arebleached. This is done with extreme careafter drying the work and constantlyaccessing its reaction to the treatment.After bleaching the work has to be washedagain to remove all traces of the bleachingagent. If an item is washed and bleached,it also gets a de-acidification treatmentwhich involves placing the work in a bathwith magnesium carbonate. This acts as abuffer against future acidity, helping toarrest the process which will happen withall works on paper.

Then works are lined onto an acid-freepaper as the surface gets disturbed in thewashing process. “I use 100% cottonWaterford Weston paper 190 gsm which islaminated with Japanese cream paper foraesthetic reasons. This is also used to reinforcethe original, especially if it is in weak conditionand it makes it easy to release if the originalneeds to be remounted. It also provides amargin, which is hidden by the mount, forhandling.”

The final process for the works on paper,which can be controversial, is retouching. Itis only applied where there are missing

areas and in tears and holes and where therehas been bad foxing. “I use watercolour,watercolour pencils and pastel. The latter twomaterials are reversible,” explains Sue.

From a display point of view, it wasessential that the works were presented inthe highest quality materials as possible toprevent any further staining and deterio-ration. Each work was mounted andbacked with 2,200 micron Museum boardin cream. The mounted works are nowkept in acid-free solander boxes and will bedisplayed in standard frames with museumuv glass.

The oils in the collection, of which thereare 80, were less complex for theconservator Gilly Kinloch to deal with.They were all cleaned by removing thediscoloured layer of varnish, and a newlayer was applied after any damage hadbeen repaired. Some paintings wereaffected by mildew, which is a kind offungus which grows in dark, humid andwarm surroundings.

The main work was removing 17 oils oncanvas from their backing boards, whichthey had adhered to, and wax-lined ontonew canvas stretchers. “This allows the workto breathe,” says Gilly, “and gives the picture asoftness, which was the original intention of theartist.”

The cleaning process for both oils andwatercolours has revealed inscriptions anddates previously unseen or recorded, andhas preserved the collection for another 40years at least.

Reframing of the oils is yet to becompleted, and further funds are requiredto print and publish the catalogueillustrating all the works in the collection.

(All illustrations are © RCPS Tuke Collection)

Catherine Wallace is a freelance writer andcurator. She was curator of Falmouth Art Galleryfrom 1993 - 2000. She then ran her own artsagency until 2005.

Author of Under the Open Sky: Paintings by theNewlyn and Lamorna Artists 1880 - 1940,Catherine has written the catalogue for the Poly'sTuke collection and is currently writing a book onH. S. Tuke to be published in 2008.

Portrait of an Italian Youth, c1880/81Charcoal on paper, A14

Basking, 1899, watercolour, 13.9 x 21.4cm A100Before and after conservation, which involved removal of surface dirt, washing, bleaching,

de-acidification, light re-touching and infill of large wormholes.

Sketch for Boy in a Tree, c.1882 Charcoal on paper, A14a

Revealed on the reverse of Portrait of an Italian Youth

Philip Barking NetsAfter conservation, all mould removed

painstakingly particle by particle.

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Returned to former glory!Catherine Wallace

The restoration of the Poly’s Tuke collectionis complete. Cath Wallace, project co-ordinator, reports on the painstaking work ofconservators Sue Corfield and Gilly Kinlochwho made it happen.

The Poly’s Tuke collection is the largestsingle public collection of works by HenryScott Tuke RA RWS (1858 – 1929) in theUK, with over 265 paintings, watercolours,pastels, etchings and drawings. The Polyhas had the collection in its care since1965, when the bulk of it was given to theSociety by Brian D. Price. It spans Tuke’slife from works he undertook when he wasjust 10 years old, to self portraits done in1927, two years before his death. Since1995 it has been housed for securityreasons at Falmouth Art Gallery.

Recently, a new Tuke committee wasformed at the Poly, and in December 2004a fundraising plan was put into action toraise the considerable sums required tocover the costs of restoring all the works.By August 2006 this had been achieved.

As with all works of art that are approxi-mately 100 years old, the collection hassuffered from the ravages of time, partic-ularly the works on paper. The mainproblems were diagnosed by paperconservator Sue Corfield of Blue Iris, basedin Sancreed.

“A particular problem associated with paper isacidity, and the greater the acidity created within,or in contact with the paper, the greater thedamage and vulnerability,” says Sue. “It’s likewhen you walk into an old bookshop - the smellthat hits you is the acidity in the paper, and inold books the paper is very brittle and brown.”

The evidence of the damage caused by thisacidity was visible in the works in severalways.

First, nearly all of the works suffered fromsurface and ingrained dirt, which tends tooccur when greasy deposits from thehandling attract dirt, which lodges in thefibres.

Another visible sign is discolouration,which is caused by the paper breakingdown due to age and poor qualitymounting board and backing material,turning the paper yellow or brown.

Due to the damp conditions in previoushouses and storage of the work, mouldwas another problem, which is visible asbrown spots known as ‘foxing’ and apowdery mildew on the surface. Waterstains are also visible signs of acidity anddirt where the paper has brown tidemarks. This weakens the paper andmakes it more vulnerable to mouldgrowth and tears.

Materials have changed over the years forsticking down mounts and paper, butprevious tapes using animal glue and somesynthetic adhesives cause damage wherethey have stuck to the original work.

From a provisional survey, Sue Corfieldreported that 36% of the collection was ingood condition, 42% was fair and 22% waspoor.

As part of the project I was commissionedto catalogue the collection. This includedremoving all existing works from theirframes and removing any old mountsbefore giving them to Sue and GillyKinloch to treat.

Sue Corfield’s first challenge was toremove as much of the old backing boardsas possible, which is very time consuming.The best way to do it is by water, but thiscannot be done until the pigments in thewatercolour are tested for their sensitivity.

What is exciting about this phase of theprocess is that a number of drawings andsketches, previously unknown, have beenrevealed on the back of the works. (Seeillustration opposite of the sketch on thereverse of an Italian Youth drawing.)

The first treatment after the removal of thebacking material and any adhesive tapes isto give each work a surface clean. This is adry process and involves removing mouldparticles and dust with a ‘groom stick’.One of the pictures in the collection whichcaused Sue the greatest problems was apastel of Philip Barking Nets c.1884, done

Algiers, c.1925, watercolour, 17.9 x 26cm, A153. (detail)Before and after conservation.The before shot shows the rash of foxing marks across thesurface of the watercolour caused by the mould growth.It also had a rust hole which had to be filled.

Philip Barking Nets, c.1884, Pastel, 29 x 21.5cm, A102Before conservation, showing mould marks

where it has eaten away the pastel.

WALKING IN FALMOUTH

I come out of sleepand open my earsto the hiss of the windin trees and shrubs,a distant motorbikerevving uphill,a blackbird singingin a neighbour’s garden,the sudden intrusionof a screeching gull,the peep peep peepof a backing lorry,voices of children walking to school,two mournful blastsfrom a ship coming inon the morning tide, then St Mary’s bell—three times threeand a steady nine –telling the timetolling the timeless.

Bob Rogers

BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS

Butter melts in a pan,patterned with bubbleswhere the heat is underneath.The rain last nightleft trails in the sandthat read like a secret message,a Linear B, an alien scriptwith uncrackable encryption.I don’t want to sleep.I’m looking for patterns.It’s no accident.It’s what I’m programmed to do.The stars are in constellations,the clouds pull facesand when breakers crashI look for Mandelbrot patterns.I’m a parasite feedingon raw data.I can’t be cured.I see patterns on patternsof patterns until nothingcan possibly make sense.

Andrew Nightingale

THE HOUSE OF THE MOON

Glass feathers have grownon the window pane. The winter moonhas played the same high C all nightin coded syncopations.Now the keyboard cover comes downas half-light grimaces in the east.

The bedside lamp makes the rooma rosy frame around a pictureof hunched grey sky.Glum warmth leaks from the spacewhere I left my crumpled sleep.

I was raised in the house of the moon.Now I work in an office all hours of the day.Today is the day I should refuse.But the moon has set and my room is rented.

This is the desk, the office, the townwhere capital is milked from the day.Today is the day I should refuse.A day I should keep for the moon.Instead I work on columns of figures,feeding the ashes of yesterday’s firein someone else’s house.

Andrew Nightingale

BEYOND REASON

What have you to lose? (Pascal)

'Oh look,' she sayspointing to the sky.'A new moon, and not through glass!'

Then she crosses herself,closes her eyesand goes silentmaking a wish.

'Being superstitiousis weird enough,' I say,'but why cross yourself?You're not Catholic,You're not even Christian.'

'Belt and braces,'she says with a grin,'just belt and braces.'

Bob Rogers

p o e t ry20 p o e t ry

HEPWORTH’S MUSEUM ST IVES.

It was hot; the afternoon was hanging low;the streets were dozily quiet below Hepworth’sgarden wall. I paid my fee and wandered throughthe rooms, it was cool. I’d been before so there wereno surprises except for German tourists reading aguidebook loudly in English. I had to get away from them.I just wanted to be like you with those powerful arms andwrinkled face where smoke had wreathed its sculpturedtrace but as the years have passed this shrine decays.The summerhouse with single bed is cream, not white;the candlewick bedcover is dotted with dead flies.Miss Havisham stopped all the clocks, but lived, yet herethe space is kept as if you might return but you wouldn’tlike it if you did: your tools are pocked with spots of rust,your apron stiff and hard with dust and plants have grownaway into their own space, no longer the shapes you knew.

Vivienne Neale

21

www.csa-architects.co.uk

h i s to ry

life history trial and the last dying words of hisbrother Capt. Samuel Goodere….. dedicated byS. Foote of Worcester College Oxford Esq, andnephew to the late Sir John Dinely GoodereBart.”

This, his first publication, was sold by abook seller living near the Old Bailey;curiously, it endeavoured to rescue theCaptain’s reputation.

Foote soon came into another fortunewhich enabled him to spend his time at thetheatre and in the fashionable coffeehouses at Drury Lane, engaging with thebeaux esprits in lively dramatic criticism.He was a shrewd and respected critic,antagonistic to the prevailing style ofacting, believing that lines should bespoken with credible and dignifiedenunciation, that actors should be dressedin the appropriate period costume – Caesarshould wear a toga, not a wig – sets shouldbe realistic, and contemporary plays shouldreflect actual society and draw on realpersons.

After three years he was once againinsolvent, so his translation from critic toplayer/playwright was driven fromnecessity as well as inclination.

His debut took place at The Haymarket onthe 6 February 1747, when he played thepart of Othello. This was not a success.Neither Tragedy nor even genteel Comedysuited him either as writer or actor. As anactor, his portrayal of Fondlewife inCongreve’s “The Old Batchelor” was muchadmired; his success as a dramatist lay insatirical farces where the audience wereaware of the person being ridiculed; evenhis friends and patrons were not spared.

In “The Author” he used the characterCadwallader to lampoon his friend andpatron of the Arts, Mr Aprice, with suchsuccess that Aprice was accosted whereverhe went by people quoting lines from theplay and imitating his mannerisms. Thisridicule became so intense that the poorman sought and obtained an injunctionfrom the Lord Chamberlain prohibitingfurther performances.

Foote was not however prepared to riskmaking an enemy of Dr Johnson. Whenthe Doctor heard that Foote was contem-plating a play satirising him, it wasreported that the Doctor asked his servant“What is the price of a cane?” “Six pence.”“Here is a shilling - fetch me the stoutest andtell Mr Foote that at his first performance I shallvisit the theatre, go on stage and thrash himsoundly.” The play was not written.

Foote was not apologetic about upsettinghis targets. His self-justification wasexpressed as follows:

“In exposing follies, I never lost my credit withthe public because they knew I proceeded uponprinciple.”

In 1748 Foote was left another fortune by arelative of his mother (perhaps part of theGoodere Inheritance). He abandoned thetheatre and went to France for four yearsuntil his money ran out again. Wishfulthinking by those he had offended led torumours that he had been killed in a duel,died of an illness brought on by “the feverof youth”, or hanged. On his return in1752 Garrick wrote a new prologue toFoote’s play “The Englishman in Paris”:

“Paper! boy.” “Here, Sir, I am.” “What newstoday?”

“Foote, Sir, is advertised.” “What! run away?”

“No, Sir; this week he acts at Drury-lane.”

“How’s that? (cries feeble Grub) Foote comeagain!

I thought that fool had done his devil’s dance;

Was he not hanged some months ago inFrance?”

In 1762 Foote had a serious accident whilevisiting Lord Mexborough with his friend SirF B Delaval and the Duke of York. Foote,who was not a ho

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