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A very special book launch…

by admin | May 23, 2018 | Blog, Morrab Library, Talk

Photographs of just some of our wonderful new additions…

by admin | May 12, 2018 | Acquisitions, Blog, Morrab Library

Clive Charlton Talk – Ten Amazing Days: Napoleon in Plymouth Sound

by admin | Apr 19, 2018 | Uncategorized

Writer in Residence – Steph Haxton

by admin | Apr 17, 2018 | 200 year, Events, Morrab Library, Talk

Donations

by admin | Apr 17, 2018 | Uncategorized

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The Morrab Library

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The Morrab Library, Morrab Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 4DA
01736 364474
enquiries@morrablibrary.org.uk
Registered charity No. 1204735

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This month’s theme is reflection - taking a mome This month’s theme is reflection - taking a moment to look back, before we all leap forward into a new month and then a new year! And what better way to start than reflecting on how grateful we are to all of our amazing volunteers for their hard work. This afternoon we were able to spend a little bit of time away from the hubbub enjoying afternoon tea with them. Without their hard work, expertise and dedication, the Library would not be what it is today. #Library #volunteer #supportus #thankyou
Happy Halloween! Whether you celebrate All Hallow Happy Halloween! Whether you celebrate All Hallow’s Eve or not, Cornwall has its own celebration for the evening of the 31st October. Allantide focuses on the apple. Allan markets would be held beforehand selling glossy, sweet, red apples which were known as Allan apples and were gifted to family members to bring good luck. The festival is thought to have associations with the Cornish or Breton Saint Allan, a 6th Century Bishop. The following is a description of the festival as it was celebrated in Penzance at the turn of the 19th century: "The shops in Penzance would display Allan apples, which were highly polished large apples. On the day itself, these apples were given as gifts to each member of the family as a token of good luck. Older girls would place these apples under their pillows and hope to dream of the person whom they would one day marry. A local game is also recorded where two pieces of wood were nailed together in the shape of a cross. It was then suspended with 4 candles on each outcrop of the cross shape. Allan apples would then be suspended under the cross. The goal of the game was to catch the apples in your mouth, with hot wax being the penalty for slowness or inaccuracy." Image: Eight children in costumes at Hayle Towans. This might have been for a carnival. Morrab Library Photographic Archive #photofriday #exploreyourarchive #photoarchive
It was a joy to welcome our youngest members and f It was a joy to welcome our youngest members and friends to the library for Spooky Storytime this week. We made a joyous mess doing all sorts of craft activities! #SchoolHolidays #HalfTerm #KidsInLibraries #Storytime #Halloween 9
Cornish Folk-Lore by Robert Hunt is a short and sw Cornish Folk-Lore by Robert Hunt is a short and sweet publication of a handful of Cornish folktales, stories and superstitions. Delve into The Hurlers, Ordulph the Giant, ghosts, Spriggans and more. Another recommendation of ours is M. A. Courtney’s Cornish Feasts and Folk-Lore, an intriguing mix of games, traditions, stories, accounts from our county. When talking about ‘Charms,etc’, it states: ‘Should you in marrying “change the name, and not the letter, You’ll change for the worse, and not for the better” but it is lucky if your initials form a word. #Library #write #folktale #folklore
A suitably spooky subject in the lead up to All Ha A suitably spooky subject in the lead up to All Hallow’s Eve! Dr Serena Trowbridge gave a talk about Mary Shelley’s classic novel and it’s impacts on the literary world. Frankenstein and its legacies with Serena Trowbridge Find this talk, as well as all the other recordings of previous talks, here: https://shorturl.at/rgszw After watching, any donation, no matter how small, really helps the Library. #explore #cornwall #library #talk
Our photo Friday takes us away from Penzance, abou Our photo Friday takes us away from Penzance, about an hours drive from the Library's red doors. Do you know the legend of the Owlman of Mawnan Smith? This is a slightly more ‘modern’ folktale, with its roots based on a sighting of the beast by 2 boys in 1926. A report from the Cornish Echo recounts how the terrified boys ran and took cover behind a large metal grate. The next reported sighting came some 50 years later in 1976. Two witnesses described an abnormally large bird resembling a giant owl flying over the tower of the 13th century parish church in Mawnan Smith. Stanley Opie, “Mawnan Church,” Morrab Library Photographic Archive #photofriday #exploreyourarchive #photoarchive
A spotlight on our amazing Photo Archive. The bri A spotlight on our amazing Photo Archive. The brilliant team of volunteers that spearhead this project are continually updating the online catalogue (which is great fun to explore!) https://morrablibrary.org.uk/photo-archive/ You can also watch a recording of ‘Highlights of the photo archive’ with the Photo Archive manager, David Puddifoot. https://morrablibrary.org.uk/librarytalks/ Image: “Photographer E Richards on winch,” Morrab Library Photographic Archive. #Library #donate #exploreyourarchive #photoarchive
A plaque, still found at the Union Hotel on Chapel A plaque, still found at the Union Hotel on Chapel Street in Penzance, commemorates the first announcement to the British public about the ‘Victory of the Battle of Trafalgar’ on 21st October 1805. It is supposed that word travelled back to Penzance before anywhere else with fishermen that passed the fleet returning from Trafalgar, though this account has been disputed by historians. Image: “Plaque from the Union Hotel , Chapel Street , Penzance , commemorating the announcement of the Battle of Trafalgar Victory. 1803,” Morrab Library Photographic Archive #exploreyourarchive #photoarchive #trafalgar
David Cornwell, better known by his pen name John David Cornwell, better known by his pen name John le Carré, was born in 1931 on 19th October. He was a passionate supporter and friend of Morrab Library for many years. As well as holding the role of President from 1997-2002, he later continued for many years as our Patron. His relationship with the Library stretched even further back to the 1970’s. Nick Harkaway, author of the Sunday Times Bestseller ‘Karla’s Choice’ and son of John le Carré, will give the second John le Carré Memorial Lecture at the Acorn Theatre on Sunday 16th November. Tickets are available directly from the theatre. Read more about the lecture and purchasing tickets via the link in bio. Portrait in the Morrab Library by Gary Long. #JohnLeCarre #LibraryEvents #NickHarkaway #SpyNovel @acornpenzance
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