Blog
Tags: Archeology, Conservation, Books, Cornwall, Archives, History, Collections
Among the shelves- my week of work experience at the Morrab Library, by Coby Smart
I first applied to do work experience at the Morrab Library in December last year. I was nervous at first, although I was excited to secure the place at this prestigious library- hidden away in the vibrant Morrab Gardens. My main interests are History & English, this is also another reason why the Morrab Library is an incredible place, with an extensive collection of books for any subject that you show interest in. It also has an extensive amount of historic photos and pieces of artwork- some available to view and study.
As soon as I arrived I was greeted with a warm smile as usual from Lisa, and was made to feel very welcome instantly. Clear guidance and information was provided and then I was straight off to start work. I started off with two experienced volunteers, both called Jane. I learnt a bit about the Dewey cataloging system, both Janes were very au fait with this and provided useful guidance to help familiarise myself with it and how spine labels worked, which are used in the Morrab Library to shelve books in the correct order and genre. I also got to catalogue my essay on ‘Cornwall At War’, which will be kept at the Morrab Library for the future to come. Later that day I was fortunate enough to take a trip down to the archive with Maggie, another wonderful volunteer, familiar with the archive environment. I helped to filter through sources used to write a book about the Bronte Family- then I assisted in the covering, wrapping and shelving of an aged and precious painting.
It is interesting to observe how the library still uses stamps and book tags to check books in/out. It’s an old but reliable system that has been trusted for many generations. It’s also one of the factors which separates this library from all of the others. It’s the little things which people notice and make a difference in this vast world.
I ventured upstairs to another location I had not yet had the chance to see, the Photo Archive. This is where the team scans, and upload historic photos, even post cards and more! Currently there are over 17,000 photos on the online Morrab Library photo archive. I learnt the precious skill of scanning, editing and describing the artefacts on the site. That morning I worked with Ashley who is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humour, we both had a good laugh together! The archive is such a significant part of the Morrab Library, as it represents the history from all around Cornwall which otherwise would possibly never be seen!
On Friday, my penultimate day, I spent the morning in the basement in the Conservation room, where books are taken to be repaired if they are fragile or broken. This means that they can still be accessed and viewed for future generations. I felt very privileged to view a 1914 edition of the Illustrated London News, showing me a piece of history preserved right here in Penzance. I had the opportunity to do a small spine repair on a damaged book using specialised paper to match up the colours, and glue to ensure it does not break again. I also witnessed how they price and choose whether to keep or sell books to raise money for the library. Depending on whether they have a duplicate in stock or whether they have been taken out on loan recently- all of these are significant factors in ensuring that the Morrab has a wide variety of literature available.
All of the volunteers and staff are equally as knowledgeable and cordial as each other, every one of them I personally want to thank for taking me in and taking the time to teach me new skills and valuable lessons that will stay with me for life. In particular, I have Lisa Di Tommaso to thank for this tremendous experience. From the very start when we joined as members, she has always been warm, welcoming, and is a great person to have a laugh with. I would say that she is the mum of the Library, bringing a smile to everyone, even to the people who have had the worst of days.
Coby Smart, Year 10.
Maritime Communities and Meeting the Creatures from the Deep – a blog by Sam Hill
Here is the second in a series of blogs written by our Photo Archive intern Sam Hill. Read on to discover more about the relationship between humans and marine creatures, told through our photographic collections.
Warning: This blog features images of marine animals in distress.
The maritime communities of Cornwall are no strangers to creatures of the deep. For centuries, brave fishermen have spun yarns and stories of mermaids, sea serpents, and spectral ships, but what happens when these creatures are captured on film and preserved in the archive?
Okay, I would be lying to you if I said that mermaids and sea monsters had been captured on camera. But Cornish men and women have faced REAL monsters of the deep. This blog will use photographic evidence to explore the various ways maritime communities interacted with “creatures of the deep” and what this can reveal about their relationship with marine wildlife.
One of the major means of interaction is through fishing. The fishing industry was primarily concerned with pilchards, mackerel and herring, but in many cases, larger animals were also caught. This is apparent in image 1, as the photo encapsulates how a hardy Cornish fisherman has reacted to capturing such a huge lobster- by stoically scowling and smoking a cigarette (presumably to calm his nerves!).
Image 1: Fisherman Holding a Large Lobster, 1911-30. https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/11276
In some cases, fishermen revelled in the opportunity to pose with creatures captured at sea. Image 2 displays the sheer pride of the men capturing a Blue Shark along the coast. The capture of these creatures of the deep caused additional logistical problems for fishermen trying to get their catch to market, with Image 3 demonstrating how a large sturgeon caused a hand-drawn cart to be hauled by three able workmen!
Image 2: Captured Blue Shark held by Crewmen, 1934. https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/11287
Image 3: Men with Sturgeon, 1936 https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/11297
A second, yet unfortunate way these interactions occurred was through animals becoming stranded on Cornwall’s beaches. The use of photography to capture these events reveals the morbid curiosity of people to examine the appearance, size, and number of creatures that washed up on nearby shores.
Image 4: Group Looking at Basking Shark, Lighthouse Pier, Newlyn https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/11280
Image 5: Crowd, beached whales Eastern Green Beach https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/11266
This curiosity is vividly captured in Images 4 and 5. In both photographs, well-dressed crowds gather to observe the fate of a pod of whales and a basking shark. This fascination a nd the event itself led to the stranded whales being depicted in the postcards shown in Images 6 and 7.
Image 6: Postcard, Whales Stranded in Mounts Bay https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/16793
Image 7: Postcard Whales Stranded in Mount’s Bay https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/16792
A further way in which communities interacted with such animals was through the imagination of local people. This links back to the yarn-spinning of yesteryear, but the technology of the 20th century encapsulated how people created and showed off these so-called “creatures of the deep.”
A so-called “shark” was presented to a puzzled yet intrigued crowd on a beach in Image 8. The image shows how a group of fishermen or sailors clearly saw a humorous opportunity to carve a piece of driftwood to appear as a captured basking shark. This type of hoax was repeated years later, as Image 9 shows a proud group of men holding a very strange animal “captured” from the deep.
Image 8: Group of People Looking at a Wooden Shark https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/18606
Image 9: Men Holding Wooden Shark https://photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk/items/show/20140
The use of the Morrab’s Photo Archive reveals the various interactions that maritime communities had to the maritime wildlife of the area. The photographs’ ability to capture the visual reactions, the fascination, and the imagination of people of these intriguing occurrences are very important for understanding how our own reactions to such animals have been shaped.
If you are interested in marine wildlife, maritime communities, or photographs more generally, I would implore you to take time to look through the Photo Archive held by the Morrab Library, all available to search for free via their website: https://morrablibrary.org.uk/photo-archive/
Sam Hill
My three-month work placement at Morrab Library, by Samuel Hill
Hello readers!
My name is Samuel Hill, and I’m a History PhD student from the University of Exeter. As a requirement of my PhD being funded by the ESRC SWDTP (Economic and Social Research Centre Southwest Doctoral Training Program), I have the requirement of undertaking a three months’ work placement within any institution of my choice – with my choice being Morrab Library!
My main historical interests are the social history of the southwest, with my thesis exploring the lives of maritime communities in Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly between 1750 and 1899. My thesis is exploring the various acts of resistance like smuggling, wrecking, and food rioting during times of social and economic hardship.
The reason I chose the Morrab Library for my work placement was simple. Throughout my studies, I have made numerous trips to Penzance to use the library’s broad collection of historical documents and books. Like many who use the library, I have a great fondness for the library’s incredible building, gardens, and the amazing staff who have always made me feel very welcome and supported!
My role within the library will see me work within the Morrab’s Photo Archive. The archive possesses over 17,000 photos from the local area and beyond, and it beautifully details a wide range of subjects including agriculture, community life, hobbies, leisure, working lives, schools and youth groups, transport, and even a good section on cats!
Fortunately for me, the Photo Archive possesses a broad range of photographs that beautifully illustrate the lives of maritime communities within the region. My role will be to continue to update the tags and descriptions of the collection, with my particular focus being on the fascinating range of shipwreck photos. During my time here, I will be writing blogs, an article, and deliver a talk that uses the photographic evidence to illustrate the lived experiences of these unique communities.
I hope that these blogs are of particular interest to visitors of the library and that the photos you see within the blogs inspire you to have a look at the collection! You can view them here via this link: https://morrablibrary.org.uk/photo-archive/
The Photo Archives team are available to visit in the library on Thursday mornings between 10.00am and 1.00pm, so drop in to say hello and find out more about the collections.