by Harriet-Jade Harrow | Jun 27, 2022 | Blog, Culture, Events, News, World
Morrab Library’s inaugural poetry competition is sponsored by The Dennis Myner Trust which continues the legacy of member and invaluable contributor to the library’s longevity – Dennis Myner.
Who was Dennis Myner?
Dennis Myner was born in London in 1927. During WWII, his family moved to St. Albans where he later qualified as an architect. He moved to Penzance for his mother’s health in the late 1950s and in the early 1960s built his own house in St. Ives, where he set up his architectural practice.
Dennis frequented the Morrab Library’s Photo Archive during his retirement where he would purchase photographs to recreate in paint. This fervent hobby was encouraged by his sister, Patricia Eschen, who bought him his first set of oils and brushes when he retired, saying that he would need something to keep him busy! He set himself the goal of painting 300 pictures and had reached an impressive total of 753 just a few months before he died.
Dennis dedicated the latter part of his life to supporting Morrab Library and it became his life’s ambition to help ensure its future was secure. An incredibly determined man, he devoted fifteen years to obtaining planning permission for a much-needed extension to the Library which was completed in 2013.
When Dennis passed away in 2012 he left hundreds of his paintings to the library, a selection of which are on display in the Photo Archive. Our lovely volunteer, David Sleeman wrote a fascinating blog about the history of one of the scenes that Dennis depicted which you can read here.
Our new poetry competition at the Library, the Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry, acknowledges the generous support of Dennis’ beloved older sister and only sibling – Patricia Eschen. Patricia was outgoing and well-travelled and despite living in California for most of her adult life, she would return to Cornwall to visit Dennis regularly.
She loved the Arts and attended the opera, ballet and museums around the world wherever she travelled. The Library’s Art Room is named in her honour, and the prize will continue her patronage of the arts.
Patricia was instrumental in Dennis taking up oil painting. Many of the photographs from her travels were used as subject matter for his artwork, as well as photographs he purchased from the Morrab Library Photo Archive. Without her encouragement of his painting, Dennis would not have visited the library and hence there would be no Dennis Myner Trust today.
How do The Myner Trust help the Library today?
The Dennis Myner Trust helps to support the library through donations which are used to fund projects such as the bespoke conservation-grade photographic storage cabinets, computers, and professional scanning equipment in the Photo Archive, which has proved invaluable in our ongoing digitisation programme.
We are delighted to be able to launch the international poetry competition – ‘Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry’ – from our very special library here in Penzance.
Our Library members have always shown a fervour for poetry – our earliest archive records reveal that poetry has been purchased for the library since our establishment in 1818. We have a thriving poetry group and a dedicated Poetry Room in the library. We are looking forward to shining a spotlight on poetry through our new competition this summer at the Morrab and we would not be able to do so without the support of the Dennis Myner Trust.
by Lisa Di Tommaso | Nov 14, 2019 | Blog, Events, News, Photographic Archive
Don’t forget our Christmas Craft Fair will be held this Saturday from 10.30 am to 2.00 pm. We will be jam-packed with stalls showcasing a variety of beautiful crafts including ceramics, knits, cards, art, woodwork, books and more. Images from our Photo Archives will also be on sale. First prize in our raffle is a wonderful Christmas cake and we’ll have a Tombola too. And of course, our delicious refreshments will be available to enjoy. We really hope to see you there.
by admin | Sep 18, 2019 | Events, Morrab Library, Sale
The fair starts tomorrow at 10.30am. There will be books from both our own collections and other sellers, delicious cakes & hot drinks, a raffle, photographic prints & more. As usual it’s free entry and everyone is welcome. We hope to see you there!
by admin | Jun 5, 2019 | Culture, Events, Morrab Library
We’re delighted that The Smugglers of Mousehole film, which used the library as one of it’s locations, is having its first screening at the Solomon Browne Hall, Mousehole on Sunday 16th June. The screening will be raising funds for Solomon Browne Hall, Penlee Lifeboat and Mousehole School. To book tickets, click on this link: https://crbo.ticketsolve.com/shows/873604040
Filming in the Library’s Reading Room.
by admin | Oct 13, 2018 | Blog, Events, Sale
On the 1st November there’s a Charity Auction being held in aid of The Gardeners’ House project. You can read more about this exciting project on their website. The auction looks set to be a very special evening & there’s a dizzying array of things up for bid – you can also see the full listings on their site & follow the event on Facebook.
by admin | Aug 22, 2018 | Blog, Culture, Events, Morrab Library
Wednesday 22nd August: Formal Handover by the Hypatia Trust
Finally – A room of our own
In 2012 the Hypatia Trust launched a campaign called “A room of our own”– inspired by Virginia Woolf’s seminal feminist essay–to find a new permanent home for the Elizabeth Treffry Collection on Women in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and just over 6 years later this 3000-strong collection of books and papers has finally found a permanent public home at the Morrab Library.
Hypatia has permanently gifted the Elizabeth Treffry Collection to the Morrab Library with a number of fittings and accessories to aid the continued cataloguing of the books and archives for the benefit of the public.
Dr Tehmina Goskar, Heritage Lead for the Hypatia Trust said:
“This move has been a long time coming. Echoing the struggles many women face to have their achievements recognised, recorded and valued, I am both relieved and delighted at the Morrab Library’s offer to be the place where the only collection dedicated to Cornish women will reside. And what a year to do it, to mark the suffrage centenary–the possibilities for women’s studies and women’s heritage in Cornwall have gone up considerably. We have numerous supporters to thank for making this happen, but in particular everyone involved in the Heritage Lottery-funded History 51 project in 2013 and the Tanner Trust who supported the cataloguing of the collection.”
The collection of books, information boxes and archives covers a range of topics from Cornish women’s achievements to their literary triumphs. It also includes works by women who have adopted Cornwall as their home or for whom the Duchy has been an inspiration.
Lisa Di Tommaso, Head Librarian of the Morrab Library said:
“We think the Morrab Library is a fitting permanent home for the collection. The library celebrates its 200th anniversary this year. It remains one of the last independent libraries in the UK, and with connections to Penzance’s late-18th century Ladies’ Book Club it is a very appropriate home for this unique collection of women’s writing.”
In a room of its own that has been lovingly decorated and set up by the library’s staff and trustees, readers will be able to use the collection for research and inspiration from this Autumn.
