14.06.07
Family impact on Cornish history explored

Family photographs, stories and traditions may have a wider impact than just nostalgia for relatives. Family history can also play an important role in tracing Cornish history and culture. Cornish family history and the idea of cultural memory will be studied in a workshop on the Tremough Campus, Penryn on 23 June.

Dr Garry Tregidga from the University of Exeter and Bob Keys of the College of St Mark & St John will show that the study of kinship provides a useful way of understanding wider issues relating to Cornwall's history and culture. The importance of family photographs and stories to research will be shown, alongside conventional use of written and statistical data and where that can be found.

This workshop is part of a series of public workshops offering an alternative taste of Cornish culture with experts from the University of Exeter, at the Institute of Cornish Studies, Tremough Campus, Penryn.

The workshop series ends with stories of haunted Cornwall on 21 July. Tales of witches, wild beasts and haunted houses will be linked with wider historical issues, including the legend of King Arthur and even tourism.

Each workshop costs £15 or £10 for concessions. Workshops run from 10am to 4pm.

Dr Shelley Trower from the Institute of Cornish Studies says: "What can we learn from family photographs? What can family stories tell us about Cornwall in the past and present? These are some of the questions that will be explored through a combination of lectures and workshop discussions at this CAVA study day. These Saturday sessions offer a different angle on Cornish culture and will be fascinating for enthusiasts or those completely new to these subjects."

The £100 million Tremough Campus is a Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative, of which the University of Exeter and University College Falmouth are two of the founding partners. It has received investment from the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council. Set in 70 acres of countryside, but close to the waterside towns of Penryn and Falmouth, the campus offers a lively student community. The University of Exeter now offers degrees in Biology, Cornish Studies, English, Geology, Geography, History, Law, Mining Engineering, Politics and Renewable Energy on its Tremough Campus, which has expanded rapidly as part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative.

For further information please contact Sarah Hoyle, Press Officer, University of Exeter on 01392 262062, or email s.hoyle@exeter.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). The University of Exeter is a partner of the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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