Heart of Conflict events planned for November

Redruth Boys Brigade visits Helston Museum to learn more about WW1 

We're moving on with our Heart of Conflict project, looking at the legacy of World War One in the Camborne/Redruth area of Cornwall. We are working with local groups to collect personal stories, objects and photographs, These went on on display at the Cornish Studies Library, Redruth, in February 2015  - and we'll be staging three 'pop up' events in the autumn to mark Remembrance Day this year. Local Guides and youth groups will be involved, and we’ll invite everyone who was involved in the February exhibition as well.
Entry is free: please do let us know if you'd like to be involved. The events are:

• an evening at Penponds Church looking at the War Memorial there on Friday 6^th November at 7pm
• a ‘pop up exhibition’ at Redruth Wesleyan Chapel on Saturday 30 October from 10am to 4pm
• a similar event at the Donald Thomas Centre, Camborne, on Saturday 7^th November from 10am to 4pm.
  
  
  
  

Members of Redruth Wesleyan Chapel visit

One of the things that has been exhilarating about Heart of Conflict , our exhibition about World War One, is the way that new connections are constantly being made and the project grows. This morning there was a visit from members of Redruth Wesleyan Chapel: the exhibition features letters back to the Chapel written by members of the Young Men's Bible Class who signed up (150 in total over the war years). Some of the visitors remembered Harry Rich, who ran the class, in particular Ida Congdon as he was her godfather.

Denzil Richards had photographs and memories of the Young Men's Bible Class -- his grandfather James Hebberd was a member. We are planning to research more about all this as the project progresses. It's extrordinary to think that the Young Men's Bible Class was so big. Redruth Wesleyan was a huge force locally.


Ida Congdon, below, whose father was in Redruth Wesleyan Young Men's Bible Class. Harry Rich, the class leader, was her godfather.







Photo of Redruth Wesleyan Chapel needed for exhibition

A quick stop on a tricky corner in Redruth: we need a photo of Redruth Wesleyan Chapel to illustrate panels in the exhibition.

We will be displaying at Heart of Conflict (courtesy of the County Records Office) various letters written back home from members of the Young Men's Bible Class there who signed up during World War One.
The Chapel looms like a huge ship over the station, and is bedecked with scaffolding at the moment.

By the door is a tablet of Aberdeen and Cornish granite with names of the dead, including that of Chester Trelease whose grave is at St Euny Church: we plan to visit it later in the day.

Shock to see list of fallen at Redruth Wesleyan Chapel

After reading the letters written to the Redruth Wesleyan minister from soldiers at the Front, I just had to go along this morning to the Chapel for its early morning service.

Something of a shock outside to see - immediately  - a list of the fallen.

No fewer than 180 members of the Sunday School and the Young Men's Bible class at the Chapel signed up.




















This seems a huge number: but Redruth was a large chapel. It is still extremely impressive.










From outside it looks like a huge ship: unmissable from the station and something of a landmark as you leave west Cornwall by train.

Inside, there is a brass plaque with the names of everyone who served, with a central panel listing those who died.  It is beautifully polished and maintained. I spot the names (in the list of fallen) of at least one man who wrote a letter to the minister - Chester Trelease.