124-614: Penzance Borough Police was the police force for the borough and corporate town of Penzance , Cornwall , from 1836 to 1947. It was formed following the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , which reformed all UK boroughs, and stipulated that each appoint a Watch Committee to oversee a police force. The police force formed part of the commonality of the town's government, led by an elected Mayor, six aldermen and eighteen councillors. Prior to 1835, law and order in Penzance
248-622: A chapel of ease ) was granted parish status by church authorities though it had been registered since the new church was built in 1832. On 1 November 1755 the Lisbon earthquake caused seiching , a form of standing wave in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water, along the Cornish coast, and particularly in Mount's Bay, which is prone to seiching. At around 2:00 pm, the sea rose eight feet (2.4 m) in Penzance, came in at great speed, and fell at
372-435: A fifth-order Fresnel lens ) was built by Sandys & co. of Hayle and displayed a fixed red or green light, depending on the height of the tide. It remains operational, displaying a flashing sector light , which is visible up to 17 nmi (31 km; 20 mi) out to sea. The Scilly Isles Steam Navigation Company was founded in 1858 and placed in service the first steam ship on the route, SS Little Western . In 1870
496-697: A boat house built on Jennings Street near the Promenade in 1884 to promote their activities. Penzance, with its dry dock and engineering facilities, was chosen as the western depot for Trinity House that serviced all the lighthouses and lightships from Start Point to Trevose Head . It was opened in October 1866 adjacent to the harbour and the Buoy Store became the Trinity House National Lighthouse Museum until 2005 when Trinity House closed
620-418: A civil court with jurisdiction over cases not exceeding £50; and providing a prison. The Charter also confirmed the harbour rights given earlier in 1512 and granted two weekly markets to be held on Tuesdays and Thursday; which replaced a single market previously held on Wednesdays. Seven fairs were granted (or confirmed): The Crown was paid a perpetual rent of five marks (£3 6s 8d / £3.33) in acknowledgment of
744-451: A fair, lasting seven days at the Feast of St Peter ad Vincula on 1 August; and another fair of seven days on 24 August at Mousehole for the feast of St Bartholomew – later to be held in Penzance. The settlement was growing in importance as the weekly Wednesday market was confirmed by King Henry IV and three further fairs, each of two days, were granted on 8 April 1404. These were at the Feast of
868-441: A fish cellar. A carving in "Ludgvan granite" thought to be of St Anthony was removed in about 1830 and was used in the wall of a pig sty, which was further vandalised in 1850 when "a stranger ... taking fancy to the stony countenance and rough hands, they were broken off and carried away as relics ...". The remains of the vandalised relic were taken to St Mary's Churchyard by a mason who told Mr Millett that he "popped St Raffidy into
992-471: A fully "public" building, which the police occupied at the time along with the courts and council chambers, albeit in the basement level. In light of the cost of the new build, and the outbreak of World War 2, these plans were dropped and St John's Hall remained the headquarters of the Penzance Borough Police until 1947. In 1927 the force's gross expenditure was recorded as approximately £5,454 with
1116-599: A government subsidy provided to the force of £2,542. The first chief officer is recorded as Head Constable Pascoe, and early newspaper excerpts from the West Briton newspaper indicate that police were normally committed with dealing with thieves, robbers and vagrants, with one recorded instance of a Spanish soldier apprehended for vagrancy in the first week of October 1836. Punishment in the early nineteenth century normally involved imprisonment, fines, public humiliation and hard labour, and for this vagrant it would be eight hours on
1240-833: A large number of specially employed War Reserves. The addition of a criminal investigations department and a motor patrol between 1937 and 1941 by Chief Constable Robert Cyril Morton Jenkins boosted numbers further, although exact numbers are unknown. The historic reference to Inspectors and Superintendents in Penzance, relate to officers of the Cornwall County Constabulary covering the Penzance District, which in 1893 were Superintendent John Coombe, based in Camborne, and Inspector Edward Matthews, based in Chyandour. The Penzance Special Constabulary grew in number considerably during
1364-467: A large riot broke out between Newlyn, Porthleven and St Ives fishermen. Police were beaten back when they tried to intervene, giving them cause to call upon the assistance of the army who had arrived earlier. The police and army joined and were met with stone-throwing as they crossed the Newlyn Bridge, but were able to occupy the piers long enough to see in the arrival of HMS Ferret . The presence of
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#17328767795201488-691: A large-scale practice run for the Penzance ARP. Numbering over 260 volunteers, the drill was overseen by the ARP County Controller, Major G.H. Johnstone, and Chief Warden Mr F.S Shaw. In an operation that was hailed as a rousing success, Jenkins supervised twenty incidents, including a mock rescue operation at a ruined building on Coinagehall Street, an oil fire at Taylor's Garage and various demolition and decontamination exercises at sundry points. Equipment involved included two fire engines, eight AFS pumps, four ambulances, five cars for treating casualties,
1612-501: A mobile first-aid post and three mobile water vans. ARP personnel engaged included twenty umpires, twenty control room operators, over one hundred members of the Auxiliary Fire Service, seventy “casualties,” ten decontaminators, ten paramedics, ten demolition workers, twenty messengers and a large number of police officers, Boy Scouts and Air Cadets. Penzance town was bombed by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe between 1940 and 1942, with
1736-508: A modern version of the ring net. The largest vessels are beam trawlers owned by W Stevenson and Sons Ltd, one of Cornwall's largest fish producers; most of the other vessels are owned by their skippers. The company based in the Old Pilchard Works today are major supplies of Cornish sardines and mixed-species fish. The fishing industry is hard work and markets are seasonably variable; Lamorna Ash experienced it for herself. Newlyn RFC
1860-498: A new road link the harbour area and the Promenade, and in 1933 the St. Anthony Gardens were built, followed two years later by the Jubilee Pool opposite. Tourists could now make full use of the whole seafront between Penzance and Newlyn harbours. In the early 1990s, a bypass was built around the town. Penzance railway station is sited at the eastern end of Market Jew Street and close to
1984-626: A new vessel for the King Harry Ferry on the River Fal was launched, built on the keel of an old landing craft . A steam tug, the Primrose , was built in 1963. Land was reclaimed beside the Albert Pier in the 1930s to allow the railway station to be enlarged at a cost of £134,000. The 1880 building was retained, but extra platforms and sidings were provided to handle more perishable goods, as well as
2108-600: A payment of 8 shillings for the rent of logii (huts or sheds) of foreign fishermen, i.e. those outside the manor. At a second Inquest in 1327 the number had risen to 13 at Penzance; with 16 recorded at Mousehole and both now paying only 1 shilling each: the total rent for logii was 8s 6d (42 1 ⁄ 2 p) with 17 tenants paying 6d (2 1 ⁄ 2 p) each. Both Inquests record 29 burgesses at Penzance and 40 at Mousehole. A burgess paid his rent with money rather than with personal services, and this indicates that Penzance and Mousehole were considered to be towns. A comparison of
2232-464: A popular holiday destination with pubs and restaurants. Although the parish is now listed under Penzance, there is an electoral ward in separate existence called Mousehole, Newlyn and St Buryan . The population as of the 2011 census was 4,432. The settlement is recorded as Nulyn in 1279 and as Lulyn in 1290, and the name is thought to be derived from the Cornish for "pool for a fleet of boats" which
2356-651: A royal market in 1404. Henry VIII in 1512 granted the right to charge harbour dues, and King James I granted the town the status of a Borough in 1614. The Charter defined the bounds of the town by an artificial line formed by a half-mile circle, measured from the market cross in the Greenmarket. The granting of Borough status made the town independent of the County Courts, a right held until County Councils came into being in 1888. Other privileges included owning land and property; imposing fines for breaking bylaws ; holding
2480-500: A saltire couped Arg. a plate charged with a dagger point downwards Gu. Within a year the new Borough bought a "substantial degree of freedom" from the Manor of Alverton then known as Alverton and Penzance for £34 plus a perpetual annuity of £1 which was last paid in 1936. A market-house and Guildhall was built, and together with the rights bought in 1615, provided almost all the borough income for more than two centuries. The southern arm of
2604-804: A settlement, and an evolving field system with ditches and interconnecting pits suggesting water management. There are traces of a rampart and ditch to the west of Penzance at Mount Misery, and an oval rampart and ditch at Lesingey above the St Just road, which together with Lescudjack, overlook the coast of Penzance and Newlyn. Until recently, there was little evidence for anything but an early and short Roman occupation of Cornwall, and there have so far been only three finds in Penzance. In August 1899 two coins of Vespasian (69–79 AD) were found in an ancient trench in Penzance Cemetery. The coins were eight feet below ground together with some cow bones, and are now in
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#17328767795202728-506: A total of 867 bombs dropped, killing 16 persons (including a police sergeant) and injuring 115 others; 48 houses were completely destroyed, 157 seriously damaged, and 3,752 damaged. Total 3,957. Penzance Borough was absorbed into the Cornwall Constabulary on 1 April 1943 as part of a temporary countrywide measure to reduce the number of police forces the military had to deal with during the war. The decision to merge, even temporarily,
2852-466: A well-respected member in society and a keen socialite. Kenyon became known for hosting lavish Charity Balls in the concert hall at St. John's Hall, a tradition continued by his successor R.C.M. Jenkins. On 14 December 1934 police seized fifty cars in the district as the result of a round-up of a gang of car thieves who were operating from London. During the Second World War, Chief Constable Jenkins
2976-515: A wheelbarrow and trundle him off to the chapel yard." The carving remains in St Mary's Churchyard and has been dated by Prof Charles Thomas as early 12th century. There are no early documents mentioning the dedication to St Anthony; this seems to depend entirely on tradition and may be groundless. A licence for Divine Service in the Chapel of St Gabriel and St Raphael was granted in 1429, but nothing more
3100-503: Is a carved figure, now largely eroded, known as "St Raffidy" which can be found in the churchyard of the parish church of St Mary's near the original site of the chapel. Until the 1930s this history was also reflected in the choice of symbol for the town, the severed "holy head" of St John the Baptist . His head is shown on the civic regalia of the Mayor of Penzance and on the northern side of
3224-477: Is a seaside town and fishing port in south-west Cornwall , England, United Kingdom. It is the largest fishing port in England. Newlyn lies on the shore of Mount's Bay and forms a small conurbation with the neighbouring town of Penzance . It is part of the Penzance civil parish . The principal industry is fishing , although there are also a variety of yachts and pleasure boats in the harbour, as Newlyn has become
3348-470: Is about 64 miles (103 km) west-southwest of Plymouth and 255 miles (410 km) west-southwest of London. Situated in the shelter of Mount's Bay , the town faces south-east onto the English Channel , is bordered to the west by the fishing port of Newlyn , to the north by the civil parish of Madron and to the east by the civil parish of Ludgvan . The civil parish includes the town of Newlyn and
3472-631: Is home to the Newlyn fish festival which hosts live music, cooking demonstrations, and various marquees selling local produce. The UK National Tidal and Sea Level Facility (NTSLF) maintains a tidal observatory at Newlyn, and the UK Fundamental Benchmark is maintained there. Newlyn was made famous in the 1880s and 1890s for its Newlyn School artists' colony , including the painters Thomas Cooper Gotch , Albert Chevallier Tayler and Henry Scott Tuke . The current largest collection of work by
3596-460: Is in a manuscript written by William Borlase in 1750: ″The ancient chapel belonging to the town of Penzance may be seen in a fish cellar, near the key; it is small and as I remember had the image of the Virgin Mary in it.″ The chapel was built of greenstone and about 30 ft in length and 15 ft in breadth of which only a fragment remained in situ . In around 1800 the chapel was converted to
3720-513: Is in the St Clare area of the town, where a chapel existed to St Clare or Cleer. The earliest reference is a lease of 1584: "...a certain chapel situate below the high road between Pensaunce and Madderne." In the early part of the 19th century the foundations of a building, said to be the chapel, was discovered, and enough was exposed to show the shape of the building. An episcopal licence cannot be traced for this chapel. The name, St Clare, lives on in
3844-521: Is indicated as many have been found elsewhere in Britain. The earliest evidence of settlement in Penzance is from the Bronze Age . A number of bronze implements such as a palstave , a spear-head, a knife, and pins, along with much pottery and large quantities of charcoal were discovered when building a new housing estate, at Tredarvah, to the west of Alverton. The defensive earthwork known as Lescudjack Castle
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3968-422: Is known of this chapel except, possibly, for the mason who mentioned ″St Raffidy″ in 1850. Adjoining the chapel is St Anthony's Gardens, named in 1933 and containing an archway said to have been taken from the chapel site. Dominating the skyline above the harbour is the present church of St Mary's. A St Mary's Chapel is mentioned in a 1548 document which states that it was founded by Sir Henry Tyes, Knight, Lord of
4092-530: Is no evidence of any Roman settlement in the area, although nearby villages such as Chysauster were occupied at this time. The Hundred of Penwith had its ancient centre at Connerton , now buried beneath the sands of Gwithian Towans at Gwithian . The Manor of Alverton , with an area of 64 Cornish acres, gave its name to the second largest tithing in Penwith. The manor included Penzance as well as parts of Madron, Paul, St Buryan and Sancreed. Although Penzance
4216-508: Is not excavated, but almost certainly belongs to the Iron Age . A single rampart encloses three acres of hilltop, and would have dominated the approach to the area from the east. There are no signs of the additional ramparts reported by William Hals in about 1730, and the site is now surrounded by housing with allotments. Excavations in 2008, 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the west at Penwith College found an enclosure ditch and pottery indicating
4340-565: Is not mentioned in the survey document the Domesday Book , it is likely that the area would have been included. Domesday records that in 1066 the Manor of Alwarton was owned by Alward who was dispossessed by Robert, Count of Mortain , a half-brother of William the Conqueror . The name Alward and tun , a personal name combined with a town or settlement suffix, indicate Saxon land ownership. In Cornwall
4464-799: Is the eccentric Egyptian House in Chapel Street, built in 1830. The first part of the Promenade along the sea front dates from 1844. After the passing of the Public Health Act (1848) , Penzance was one of the first towns to petition to form a local board of health , doing so in September that year. Following a report by a government inspector in February, the Board was established in 1849 which led to many facilities to enhance public health. The report shows that most streets were macadamised or sometimes paved, and
4588-410: Is thought to refer to the shallows offshore known as Gwavas Lake , traditionally the principal mooring for the fishing fleet in the area. Before the rise of Newlyn as an important settlement the landing rights and most properties within the Newlyn area were owned by the Manor of Alverton . Newlyn's history has been strongly linked to its role as a major fishing port. The natural protection afforded by
4712-584: The Gwavas Lake (an area of seawater in Mount's Bay ) led to many local fishermen using this area as a preferred landing site. The Spanish Raid of 1595 destroyed Penzance, Mousehole and Paul as well as Newlyn. In 1620 the Mayflower stopped off at Newlyn old quay to take on water. A plaque on the quay reads: To the memory of Bill Best Harris 1914 – 1987 Historian and son of Plymouth whose researches indicated that
4836-618: The Luftwaffe had sunk a British cruiser in Newlyn Harbour. The 2014 LP Cornish Pop Songs by indie band the Hit Parade contains several songs referencing Newlyn fishing industry including "The Ghost of the Fishing Fleet", a comment on the declining investment in the area, neglect by central government and the recent influx in tourist trade. Newlyn, along with nearby Mousehole and Paul,
4960-740: The Newlyn School . In 1896 Newlyn was the scene of the Newlyn riots following protests over the landing of fish on a Sunday by fishermen from the North of England , the local Cornish fishermen being members of the Methodist church and as such strong supporters of sabbatarianism . From 1915, the Ordnance Survey tidal observatory was established in the harbour and for the next six years measurements of tidal height were taken every 15 minutes. This tidal gauge data
5084-830: The Penlee House Museum . Another coin, found in 1934 in the Alverton area, depicts Sol , the Roman sun god. It is described as a ″ coin of the reign of Constantine the Great ″, and was also donated to the museum. A 30 mm (1 3/16 in) sestertius was found on a building site in or around Penzance about ten years previously, and was presented to the Royal Institution of Cornwall . Larger quantities of Roman coins have been found nearby, at Marazion Marsh and Kerris in Paul parish, but there
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5208-515: The Trelawny League in 2011. The club is nicknamed 'The Crab Army' due to Newlyn's fishing links, as well as the red crab featured on the club crest. The club plays its home games at Penzance Leisure Centre. The ground is affectionately known as 'The Santa Clara Stadium', or 'The Aquarium'. Cornish wrestling tournaments, for prizes, have been held in Newlyn for centuries. Amongst other place, tournaments were held at Trewarveneth Farm. Newlyn
5332-552: The tun indicates a manorial centre such as Helston or Connerton. The change of ownership in 1066 was a change from one alien landlord to another, and the name Alverton lives on as the western part of Penzance from St John's Hall , to the housing estate on the west side of the River Laregan. The first mention of the name Pensans is in the Assize Roll of 1284, and the first mention of the actual church that gave Penzance its name
5456-421: The "treadwheel" at Penzance Prison. Penzance, like many other towns of the era, had problems of infanticide amongst its poorer residents, with many recorded examples of parents murdering their newborns through stress, diminished responsibility and criminal intentions. The police were not always able to prove murder in many cases however, as it was often difficult to prove whether the infant, when discovered deceased,
5580-608: The Conception of Virgin Mary (8 December), St Peter in Cathedra (22 February) and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (8 September). It is not known when a quay was built at Penzance as there is no grant or licence, but an Inquest as to the Manor of Alverton in 1322 records eight fishing boats each paying 2 shillings each, and an unspecified number at Mousehole each paying 12 shillings. There was also
5704-541: The Cornwall Constabulary merge with the Devon & Exeter and Plymouth City forces to become the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary. No public tributes are known to exist, a common theme with borough forces which in the 21st Century are largely forgotten. Historian and former Devon & Cornwall police officer Simon Dell has written a number of books on policing in Cornwall. In the will of former Chief Constable Jenkins [d. 1973] it
5828-646: The Cornwall Railway was built to the 7 ft ( 2,134 mm ) broad gauge . The West Cornwall Railway Act included a clause that it would be converted to broad gauge once it had been connected to another broad gauge line, but the company could not raise the funds to do so. The line was sold to the Great Western Railway and its "Associated Companies" (the Bristol and Exeter Railway and South Devon Railway ) on 1 January 1866. The new owners quickly converted
5952-507: The Lizard . They were considered a success, carrying 16,091 passengers by the end of the year, so were followed the next spring by further routes to Land's End and St Just. These services developed into the First Kernow bus network that currently serves the area and is still centred on a terminus alongside Penzance railway station . In 1912, Penzance erected its first electric street lamps and
6076-600: The MAYFLOWER 16 – 8 – 1620 docked at the Old Quay Newlyn for water and supplies making it the last port of call in England The water supply at Plymouth being the cause of fever and cholera in the city Let debate begin In 1755, the Lisbon earthquake caused a tsunami to strike the Cornish coast more than 600 miles (970 km) away from the epicentre. The sea rose ten feet (3 m) in ten minutes at Newlyn, and ebbed at
6200-519: The Manor of Alverton, who gave a £4 stipend for a priest. There is an earlier document from 1379, when Bishop Brantyngham licensed for services "the chapel of Blessed Mary of Pensande". At this date it was probably used as a chapel of ease , and not used for Sunday services, which would have affected the attendance at the Parish Church in Madron. Further evidence of historical settlement from this period
6324-514: The Market House in the town. About 400 prehistoric stone axes, known as Group 1 axes and made from greenstone , have been found all over Britain, which from petrological analysis appear to come from west Cornwall. Although the quarry has not been identified, it has been suggested that the Gear , a rock now submerged half a mile from the shore at Penzance, may be the site. A significant amount of trade
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#17328767795206448-661: The Police Watch Committee, addressed the Town Council and declared "there was no force in the country working greater efficiency than the Penzance Borough Force." Penzance Penzance ( / p ɛ n ˈ z æ n s / pen- ZANSS ; Cornish : Pennsans ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall , England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and
6572-446: The Second World War Newlyn was a base for the Air Sea Rescue craft covering the Western Approaches . The harbour was bombed during the war, hitting the collier Greenhithe , which was beached in the harbour at the time and supplied coal to the east coast drifters, which travelled to Newlyn during the mackerel fishing season between the wars. Reporting the event on the " Germany Calling " propaganda broadcast Lord Haw-Haw announced that
6696-449: The Second World War, and when war was declared the swift actions of the Chief Constable and a Sergeant Hancock ensured that every member had reported for duty within five hours. In 1941 Chief Constable Jenkins paid tribute to the Special Constabulary, and he in turn was presented with the gift on an inscribed silver plate and the promise of a group photograph. Many members of the Penzance Special Constabulary would go on to serve as regulars in
6820-429: The UK. Also of interest is the seafront with its promenade and the open-air seawater Jubilee Pool (one of the oldest surviving Art Deco swimming baths in the country). Penzance is the base of the pirates in Gilbert and Sullivan 's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance . At the time the libretto was written, 1879, Penzance had become popular as a peaceful resort town, so the idea of it being overrun by pirates
6944-408: The area which is now known as Gwavas to worship at Paul Church. Until the mid-20th century an ancient stone cross was present on this route at "Park an Grouse" (The Field of the Cross), this cross was one site of veneration of the Cornish sea deity Bucca , (others were the beaches of Newlyn and Mousehole) the name 'Bucca' has often been used as a nickname for people who reside in Newlyn: the location of
7068-402: The borough. The force was led by a Head Constable from its inception, a term that fell out of use in the early twentieth century in favour of the title (and rank) of Chief Constable . In 1937 plans were made by the Borough Council to relocate the police to a proposed new building on the site of the Penalverne car park. The matter of relocating the police was raised to "reclaim" St John's Hall as
7192-447: The carriages away to Swindon Works at 9.57pm, and all trains since have been standard gauge. The ability of the railway to carry fresh produce to distant markets such as Bristol , London and Manchester enabled local farmers and fishermen to sell more produce and at better prices. The special "perishable" train soon became a feature of the railway, these being fast extra goods trains carrying potatoes , broccoli or fish depending on
7316-420: The chief officer was invariably referred to as both the Head Constable and Superintendent. RCM Jenkins was the first chief officer of the force to hold the rank of Chief Constable. Three officers of the Penzance Borough force are listed as resigning their posts and going to war, and all of them returned. Chief Constable Kenyon regularly prosecuted offenders under the Defence of the Realm Act 1914 . In July 1915
7440-407: The coroner could not determine whether the child's death by suffocation was accidental, even though evidence was found that the mother had tried to dispose of the body. On 18 May 1896 a major civil disturbance occurred in Newlyn , which was at the time a major fishing port. Newlyn was home to a large number of Methodist and Non-Conformist religious groups, some of whom practised a ban on fishing on
7564-416: The cross is now unknown. In 1851 Newlyn became the separate ecclesiastical parish of Newlyn St Peter. The church of St Peter was built in the Early English style in 1859–66. The interior is embellished with various works of art including the altarpiece and a statue of the Madonna and Child (by the then vicar the Rev. Allan G. Wyon ). "The ensemble is an outstanding example of Anglo-Catholic embellishment of
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#17328767795207688-434: The current population.) A proposed electric tramway along the Promenade to Newlyn , which would have continued as a light railway to St Just , failed to gain authorisation in 1898. Instead motor buses were put into service on 31 October 1903. These linked Penzance with Marazion and were operated by the Great Western Railway , being introduced only 11 weeks after the railway's pioneering service between Helston and
7812-428: The day of the Sabbath. Non-Cornish fisherman, largely from Lowestoft and other English ports, did not hold the same opinions about observing the Sabbath, and so continued to fish on a Sunday, which would attract higher prices for their fish than sold on a weekday. On the morning of the 18th, a group of 40 fishermen bolstered by a mob of roughly a thousand supporters, boarded a number of non-Cornish fishing boats moored in
7936-403: The dual role of Inspectors of Weights and Measures, an arrangement which ended when RCM Jenkins was sworn in. Kenyon continued on as Inspector of Weights & Measures into his retirement, although with the swearing in of Frederick Beale, the role defaulted back to the incumbent Chief Constable. Historically the term Head Constable referred to the officer's role, not his rank, and from 1836 to 1937
8060-451: The east and Newlyn and Mousehole in the west. Since 2021, the town has been part of the new Mousehole, Newlyn and St Buryan division. Newlyn is located in western Cornwall, just south of Penzance . It lies along the B3315 road which connects it to Land's End . Paul and Mousehole lie to the south. The Ordnance Survey , the United Kingdom's mapping agency, bases all elevations including mapped contour lines and spot heights on
8184-413: The eastern side of the harbour, although trains only ran to Redruth at first. From 25 August 1852 the line was extended to Truro , but the Cornwall Railway linking that place with Plymouth was not opened until 4 May 1859. Passengers and goods had to change trains at Truro as the West Cornwall had been built using the 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge , but
8308-575: The far west of Cornwall, Penzance and the surrounding villages have been sacked many times by foreign fleets. On 23 July 1595, several years after the Spanish Armada of 1588, a Spanish force of four galleys transporting 400 arquebusiers under Don Carlos de Amesquita , which had been patrolling the Channel, landed troops in Cornwall . The local militias, which formed the cornerstone of their anti-invasion measures and numbered several hundred men, threw down their arms and fled in panic. Only Francis Godolphin, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall and commander of
8432-407: The first in the South West . In 1840 Nicholas Holman of St Just opened a branch of his foundry business on the quayside. These facilities proved valuable in supporting the steamships that were soon calling at the harbour in increasing numbers. Gas lighting was introduced in 1830 and the old Market House was demolished in 1836. Its replacement , designed by W. Harris of Bristol , was completed at
8556-518: The force numbered two sergeants and ten constables led by Head Constable Richard Nicholas. During the Newlyn Riots of 1896 the force numbered only eight. The 1911 Census records Head Constable Harry Kenyon, two sergeants, and twelve constables. In 1914 there were two sergeants and thirteen constables. A photograph taken in 1936 shows a strength of twenty, and by 1939 twenty-five. The force would boast its highest number of recruits during World War II , when its regulars were supported by Special Constables and
8680-481: The force rarely numbered more than thirteen men until the First World War when numbers were boosted by Special Constables. In 1927 there were approximately 40 members of the Penzance Special Constabulary, and no women constables. A report by the Inspector of Constabulary noted, in that year, there was one Police Constable for every 775 persons of a population of 12,087 In 1883 the force consisted of two sergeants and eight constables led by Head Constable John Olds. In 1893
8804-408: The force were housed within St John's Hall, built in 1867–68, on Alverton Street, which also contained the Police Court. In 1895 a County police station was erected at Chyandour. There were also County stations in Nancherrow and Charles Hill, containing a sergeant and one constable, in St. Just. The County stations formed part of the larger Cornwall County Constabulary , and were not directly related to
8928-399: The force. The first Head Constable of the force was Mr Pascoe in 1836, who was succeeded by John Martins. Sergeant John Olds was made Joint Head Constable along with Sergeant William Wallis, an unusual arrangement for a borough force. When Mr Martins decreased his duties owing to age, John Olds became the sole Head Constable from 1853 until 1886, with William Wallis becoming Olds' deputy. Olds
9052-520: The formation of the Borough Police. The title of Parish Constable was abolished in favour of the title of Head Constable . The Penzance Borough Police was governed by a Police Watch Committee, the body itself led by a town councillor responsible for appointing a Head Constable who held the rank of Superintendent. Watch Committees granted strong autonomy for police forces, resulting in regional variations in organisation and decision-making. The offices of
9176-475: The group at Penzance, and, backed by a large number of local youths, managed to deter them from attack. By mid afternoon the situation was out of control, and the police called in the military. At 6pm 400 soldiers from the Royal Berkshire Regiment under Major Massard arrived by train at Penzance and took temporary billets in the town, remaining on standby until the police required them. Two hours later,
9300-404: The harbour and destroyed their catches. Police were alerted and arrived on the scene within a few hours, although they numbered only eight, supported by Cornwall County officers Superintendent Richard Nicholas and Inspector Matthews. Out at sea, over 100 Lowestoft vessels were approached by a small steamer piloted by the Newlyn harbour master, warning them of the situation. The harbour master himself
9424-535: The harbour over the Ross Swing Bridge (1881) (named after Charles Campbell Ross ), allowing the construction of proper sewers beneath. A larger dry dock replaced Matthews' original facility (1880), and a floating harbour was made (1884) with lock gates to keep in the water at low tide. Around the headland, public baths were opened on the Promenade in 1887 and the Morrab Gardens with its sub-tropical plants
9548-896: The harbour; it is the southernmost station on the UK mainland rail network. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line , which runs above the beach to Marazion; this affords passengers good views of St. Michael's Mount and Mount's Bay. Services are operated by two train operating companies : The bus and coach station is next to the railway station from where National Express operates coach services to London Victoria Coach Station (taking around 9 hours) via Heathrow Airport . Local bus services run by First Kernow connect Penzance with most major settlements in Cornwall, including Truro , St Ives , St Just , St Buryan , Land's End and also Plymouth in Devon. Newlyn Newlyn ( Cornish : Lulyn : Lu 'fleet', Lynn/Lydn 'pool')
9672-686: The increasing numbers of tourists. In 1905 a new bandstand was built on the Promenade opposite the Queen's Hotel, and the Pavilion Theatre opened nearby in 1911, complete with a roof garden and café. Travel to Penzance was easier than ever, with the Great Western Railway introducing the Cornish Riviera Express on 1 July 1904, which left London Paddington at 10:10 am and arrived in Penzance just 7 hours later, two hours faster than
9796-521: The inspiration for Treasure Island ' s "Admiral Benbow Inn"), the Union Hotel (including a Georgian theatre which is no longer in use), and Branwell House, where the mother and aunt of the famous Brontë sisters once lived. Regency and Georgian terraces and houses are common in some parts of the town. The nearby sub-tropical Morrab Gardens has a large collection of tender trees and shrubs, many of which cannot be grown outdoors anywhere else in
9920-550: The latter two became proficient in its use. In 1894 Newlyn became part of Paul Urban District , while Tolcarne on the eastern side of the stream was in Madron Urban District . The urban districts were abolished in 1934 and Newlyn and Tolcarne were absorbed into the municipal borough of Penzance. Penzance Municipal Borough was itself abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 , and Newlyn became part of
10044-464: The line to mixed gauge using three rails so that both broad and "narrow" trains could operate. Broad gauge goods trains started running in November that year, with through passenger trains running to London Paddington from 1 March 1867. The last broad gauge train arrived at 8.49pm on 20 May 1892, having left London Paddington at 10.15am that morning. The two locomotives, numbers 1256 and 3557 , took
10168-441: The mean sea level at Newlyn ( see Ordnance Datum ). The mean sea level data was calculated from hourly readings of the sea level between 1 May 1915 and 30 April 1921. Newlyn's economy is largely dependent on its harbour and the associated fishing industry ; Newlyn Harbour is the largest fishing port in England. The port was a major catcher of pilchard until the 1960s. Today, a few vessels have resumed pilchard fishing and use
10292-427: The mild climate of Penzance. Bathing machines had been advertised for hire on the beach as early as 1823, and the town was already "noted for the pleasantness of its situation, the salubrity of its air, and the beauty of its natives". The town's first official guide book was published in 1860, and the Queen's Hotel opened on the seafront the following year. It was so successful that it was extended in 1871 and 1908. At
10416-462: The military on land and sea was enough to calm the rioters, and by midnight the disturbance was over. Uniform bore the insignia of the head of St. John the Baptist, located on the helmet plate, belt buckle and buttons. In 1938 the helmet plate was changed to the Penzance Borough crest, one of many forces to do so in an attempt to adopt and reflect unique coats of arms. These were later replaced by
10540-406: The militias along with 12 of his soldiers stood to offer some kind of resistance. Amesquita's force seized supplies, raided and burned Penzance and surrounding villages, held a mass, and sailed away to successfully engage and put to flee a Dutch squadron of 46 ships. The reason for Penzance's relative success probably stems from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries when King Henry IV granted the town
10664-550: The modern harbour being reclaimed land and formerly a beach. In fact Newlyn comprises three discrete hamlets all previously separated by bodies of water, being Tolcarne (Tal Carn: Brow of the Rocks), Street-an-owan (Street-an-Owan: Oxen Street) and Trewarveneth (Farm/Manor on the Hill). Newlyn (like Mousehole) was part of the ancient parish of Paul . It was common for villagers to climb the relatively steep route from "Newlyn Cliff" to Paul via
10788-412: The museum. In 1875 a local newspaper described the railway station as a large dog's house of the nastiest and draughtiest kind but a series of works improved this part of the town during the 1880s. The original railway station was rebuilt with the present buildings and train shed over the platforms (1880). The lower end of Market Jew Street was widened and a new road was built to link the station with
10912-441: The new Penwith District. The former borough was unparished until 1980. The unparished area was formed into a civil parish in 1980, and the new Penzance parish council chose to call itself a town council. Newlyn returns five councillors to Penzance Town Council. Penwith District was abolished in 2009, and Newlyn now falls under the unitary Cornwall Council , with the town being shared between two divisions, Penzance Promenade in
11036-639: The new West Cornwall Steam Ship Company joined the route, taking over the Scilly Isles Company the following year. In 1853 the Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed one of their boats in the town, the first since 1812, and maintained a station here until 1908 when the Watson Class Elizabeth Blanche was transferred to Newlyn as the first step towards setting up Penlee Lifeboat Station . The RNLI still use
11160-446: The period [1936–55]" (Peter Beacham). Father Wyon was the vicar from 1936 until his retirement in 1955. There is a Cornish cross by the road near the churchyard; it was found at Trereiffe about 1870 and much later placed near the church by the Rev. W. S. Lach-Szyrma . In the 1880s a number of artists moved to the town and formed an artists' colony. The painters of Newlyn came to be known as
11284-562: The pier was built in 1766 and extended in 1785, to add to the first pier of which was built prior to 1512. During the English Civil War Penzance was sacked by the Parliamentarian forces of Sir Thomas Fairfax apparently for the kindness shown to Lord Goring and Lord Hopton 's troops during the conflict. Further Civic improvements included the construction in 1759 of a reservoir which supplied water to public pumps in
11408-477: The police court saw numerous cases of military men drunk whilst off duty (which was prohibited under the Act) and sailors absent without leave. Naval trawlers would not leave port without their full crew complement, which would cause considerable delay and disruption to military movements. On 8 February 1917 Solly Tiskofsky, a Russian-born British soldier, handed himself in at the Penzance police station and notified them he
11532-417: The previous quickest service. (In 2018 it left Paddington at 10:03 am and took 5 hours and 8 minutes.) The railway promoted local tourism with postcards that were sold at its railway stations, and an annual guide book, The Cornish Riviera , in which SPB Mais described the town as "a suburb of Covent Garden, and a great fishing centre ... there is always something going on in its harbour". 1923 saw
11656-455: The rights granted by the Charter, which was paid until 1832, but there was no grant of Parliamentary representation. The old arms of Penzance were the head of St John the Baptist on a charger, with the legend "Pensans anno Domini 1614". The arms of the borough are Arg. a Paschal lamb proper in base a Maltese cross Az. on a chief embattled of the last between two keys in saltire wards upwards Or and
11780-488: The same rate. Little damage was recorded. At the start of the 19th century (1801), the town had a population of 2,248. The census, which is taken every ten years, recorded a peak population in 1861 of 3,843, but it then declined, as in most of Cornwall, through the remainder of the century, being just 3,088 in 1901. By the time Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, Penzance had established itself as an important regional centre. The Royal Geological Society of Cornwall
11904-399: The same rate. The 19th-century French writer, Arnold Boscowitz, claimed that "great loss of life and property occurred upon the coasts of Cornwall". Before the 19th century, "Newlyn" referred only to the area near the old quay. The part of the village that now contains the fish market was known as "Streetanowan", this was separated at high tide from "Newlyn Town" the site of the lower part of
12028-480: The same time as the railway was being built more improvements were being made to the harbour, with a second pier on the eastern side of the harbour, the Albert Pier, completed in 1853 to provide even better shelter for shipping. At the same time the Old Pier was also extended, and a lighthouse was built on it (replacing an earlier light), commissioned in 1855. The lighthouse (which was originally lit by an oil lamp within
12152-457: The season. In August 1861, 1,787 tons of potatoes, 867 tons of broccoli, and 1,063 tons of fish were dispatched from the station. Fruit and flowers were also carried; the mild climate around Penzance and on the Scilly Isles meant that they were ready for market earlier and could command high prices. The completion of the railway through Cornwall made it easier for tourists and invalids to enjoy
12276-454: The second and fourth Monday in the month at 11am, first at Penzance Grammar School and later at the newly constructed Guildhall. The first Petty Sessions of the new borough took place on Monday 18 July 1836. Serious matters of theft, criminal damage, trespass and infringement were dealt with by the Justice at Quarter Sessions, held four times a year. Petty and Quarter Sessions were retained following
12400-555: The settlements in West Cornwall can be made with the annual payments, based on the number of fishing boats, made to the Duchy of Cornwall in 1337: Porthia (St Ives) £6; Mosehole (Mousehole) £5; Marcasion (Marazion) £3; Pensanns (Penzance) 12s (60p); Londeseynde (Land's End), (Sennen Cove) 10s (50p); Nywelyn (Newlyn) 10s; and Portmynster (Porthminster, St Ives) 2s (10p). In 1425, 1432 and 1440 ships in Penzance were licensed to carry pilgrims to
12524-408: The shrine of St James of Compostella , in north-west Spain . In medieval times and later, Penzance was subject to frequent raiding by "Turkish pirates", in fact Barbary Corsairs . Throughout the period before Penzance gained borough status in 1614 the village and surrounding areas continued to be within the control of the Manor of Alverton and was subject to the taxation regime of that manor. In
12648-581: The standard royal cipher, a step seen as detrimental to individual identity by serving officers. During the Second World War, those employed as War Reserves wore the letters WR on their collars, and routinely carried gas masks in a carryall. Members of the Special Constabulary wore striped arm bands along with the standard uniform. The early strength of the Penzance Borough Police was very small, with only two officers and two gaolers in 1856. In 1882 there were eleven men and records from 1883 to 1893 suggest
12772-572: The streets. In 1768 a friendly society of Tradesmen was formed at Penzance with 101 members living within three miles of the town. The members met on the first Monday in each month at the King's Head, kept by Richard Runnals. The benefits of the Society were: a member being sick, lame or infirm would receive seven shillings a week. [gout and rupture were common, and excepted from payment unless 'needful'. Aged and infirm members were allowed 3/6p per week. Three pounds
12896-435: The summer of 1578 Penzance was visited by the plague . The burial registers of Madron (where all Penzance births, deaths and marriages were recorded) shows a massive increase in deaths for 1578, from 12 the previous year to 155. This is estimated to be about 10% of the population of the village at the time. The plague also returned in 1647 and the registers again show an increase of from 22 burials to 217 in one year. Being at
13020-415: The top of Market Jew Street in 1838. (The name Market Jew comes from the Cornish language Marghas Yow , meaning Thursday Market , the name of a nearby village now absorbed into Marazion , to which Market Jew Street leads. ) St Mary's Church, another prominent feature of the Penzance skyline, was completed in 1836, while a Roman Catholic church was built in 1843. Another familiar building from this period
13144-452: The town as "St Clare Street", which is part of the road from Penzance to Madron, and the St Clare cricket ground at the top of the hill. Markets were held on a fixed day each week, and fairs on fixed date(s) each year. To obtain either, a manorial lord had to apply for a royal charter . The right to hold a market each Wednesday was granted by King Edward III to Alice de Lisle, sister of Lord Tyes and widow of Warin de Lisle, on 25 April 1332;
13268-472: The town was lit by 121 gas lamps from October to March each year, although they were not lit when there was a full moon. Water was supplied from 6 public pumps, and there were a further 53 private wells. There were no sewage pipes at the time, waste being collected from the main streets by a refuse cart. Penzance railway station , the terminus of the West Cornwall Railway , opened on 11 March 1852 on
13392-501: The town's first cinema opened. The dry dock was sold on 25 August 1904 to N. Holman and Sons Limited, the engineering business that had been trading in Penzance since 1840. New workshops would be built during the 1930s, and the facility continued to be used by the Scilly ferries and other merchant ships, as well as Trinity House, the Royal Navy and Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service . In 1951
13516-456: The villages of Mousehole , Paul , Gulval , and Heamoor . Granted various royal charters from 1512 onwards and incorporated on 9 May 1614, it has a population of 21,200 (2011 census). Penzance's former main street Chapel Street has a number of interesting features, including the Egyptian House , The Admiral Benbow public house (home to a real life 1800s smuggling gang and allegedly
13640-465: Was amusing to contemporaries. Penzance— Pennsans ; "holy headland" in the Cornish language —refers to the location of a chapel nowadays called St Anthony's that is said to have stood over a thousand years ago on the headland to the west of what became Penzance Harbour. There are no early documents mentioning an actual dedication to St Anthony which seems to depend entirely on tradition and may be groundless. The only remaining object from this chapel
13764-528: Was an absentee. Tiskofsky had absconded from the Army and stowed away on the SS Crown Point, which was subsequently torpedoed. Having landed with the survivors at Penzance, he had nowhere else to go, and so turned himself in. Chief Constable Kenyon handed him over to the military authorities. The interwar years were ones of growth and organisation for the force, with the incumbent Chief Constable Harry Kenyon becoming
13888-439: Was born alive in the first place. So rife was infanticide that where a death was accidental, some parents were wrongfully arrested and tried for murder. An example can be evidenced from a report in the West Briton newspaper on 9 August 1839, when police arrested work-house employee Charlotte Galloway for the murder of her three-week-old child. Despite testimony that she was seen to neglect the child, murder charges were not brought as
14012-559: Was enforced by a Parish Constable appointed by a Justice of the Peace , under supervision of the Lord Lieutenant, a tradition begun in the 13th century during the reign of Edward I . Parish Constables were part-time and unpaid. Justices of the Peace were also unpaid members of the local gentry deemed to be "good and lawful," and were able to hold courts of Petty Sessions to deal with minor misdemeanours. In Penzance, Petty Sessions were held on
14136-657: Was formed in 1894 (or 1895) by the curate of St Peter's Church, the Rev Fred Peel Yates. The club amalgamated with Penzance RFC in 1944 to form Penzance and Newlyn RFC (The Pirates), currently known as the Cornish Pirates . Newlyn Non-Athletico FC was formed in 1990 by a group of friends playing on Sunday mornings. They initially played in the West Penwith League, before joining the Mining League in 2002 and
14260-466: Was founded in the town in 1814 and about 1817 was responsible for introducing a miner's safety tamping bar, which attracted the Prince Regent to become its patron. The first lifeboat in Cornwall was bought by the people of Penzance in 1803 but it was sold in 1812 due to lack of funds to keep it in operation. The pier had been extended again in 1812 and John Matthews opened a small dry dock in 1814,
14384-399: Was given toward the funeral of a member and 10 pounds to the widow or children. All members were to attend the funeral or be fined a shilling. How long this association lasted is not known. Penzance has a long-standing association with the local parish of Madron . Madron Church was in fact the centre of most religious activity in the town until 1871, when St Mary's Church (until this period
14508-487: Was opened two years later. A bandstand was added to the gardens in 1897. In 1901 the town had a population of 3,088. The decennial census recorded a continuing decline in population until 1921, when just 2,616 people were recorded. The population then climbed to 4,888 (1931) then 5,545 (1951) – thus more than doubling in 30 years. It was now larger than at any time in the past. (The census boundaries changed in 1981 so these figures do not directly compare with those stated for
14632-483: Was pursued by a local trawler, and by late afternoon a fleet of vessels from Porthleven had arrived in support of the mob. The following morning, police clashed with rioters around Newlyn Harbour, with Inspector Matthews severely injured by a fish box which was thrown at him, cutting his head and breaking his finger. During the chaos, seven "Yorkie" vessels were spotted making for Penzance to land their catches, and over 300 rioters made for Penzance harbour. Police intercepted
14756-583: Was requested that a painting of Jenkins by the artist Stanhope Forbes be donated to Devon & Cornwall Constabulary as a tribute to Penzance Borough Police. Penzance Borough Police was one of the more successful borough forces, compared to others in the region which had been severely criticized for inefficiency, insubordination and corruption. Neighbouring St Ives Borough Police was deemed, following an inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, to be "too small an inefficient to be worthy of keeping." On 10 November 1941, Mr F.S. Shaw, then Chairman of
14880-558: Was responsible for building up the force's War Reserves and Special Constabulary , as well overseeing the growth of the Auxiliary Fire Service and the ARP . The Home Guard also had a strong presence in Penzance, although frequently found themselves at odds with the police and the ARP, with many of them failing to take their responsibilities seriously. On Sunday 17 March 1940, RCM Jenkins led
15004-408: Was succeeded by Richard Nicholas, who held the post for 42 years until his retirement in 1908. Burnley Borough Police Inspector Harry Kenyon took over from 1908 and served until 1937, when he was succeeded by RCM Jenkins. Jenkins had a short tenure and departed for Folkestone in 1941, with Frederick George Beale taking over until the force was abolished in 1943. Messrs Olds, Nicholas and Kenyon had
15128-461: Was the last stronghold of the Cornish language , presumably due to the strength of its fishing fleet. William Gwavas , James Jenkins , Nicholas Boson , Thomas Boson , John Boson , John Keigwin , and John Kelynack Jnr had roots in or strong links with the district. Subsequently, several antiquarians including Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte , Daines Barrington , Georg Sauerwein and Henry Jenner who all collected Cornish writings or sayings, and
15252-582: Was unpopular and in 1942 the Mayor of Penzance, Alderman C.E. Harvey, travelled to London to speak to the Home Secretary Herbert Morrison in person about the issue, and made recommendations against it. The amalgamation with Cornwall Constabulary created the "Penzance Division," with Chief Constable Beale appointed Superintendent. By 1947, the government passed the 1946 Police Act which abolished borough police forces altogether. Further reform in 1967 saw
15376-512: Was used to calculate the mean sea level at Newlyn, Ordnance Datum Newlyn , which became the vertical datum the Ordnance Survey uses to map altitudes throughout Great Britain. In 1937, the fishing vessel Rosebud sailed to London to deliver a petition to the Minister of Health on behalf of those villagers whose homes were threatened under the government's slum clearance scheme. During
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