Helston Old Cornwall Society

09/06/2026

06/06/2026

We were delighted to show staff and volunteers from the Museum of Cornish Life our ‘Cornwall in Print’ exhibition recently and highlight some of Helston’s printers.

One such printer was William Penaluna, perhaps one of Helston’s oldest printers. William, born in Stithians in 1780, began his career working with John Heard in Falmouth around 1808, but the partnership was dissolved a couple of years later when John Heard moved to Truro and founded the West Briton. Between 1811 and 1815, William took over the printing of Lean's Engine Reporter, a broadsheet devoted to specialist interest and 'the comparative duty of the mine engines in Cornwall'. However, he is probably most famous for printing and publishing etched of views of Cornwall.

We hold a copy of William’s will and court papers relating to his business affairs after his death. His family took the executors of the will to chancery court for not administering the will and estate correctly.

If you’d like to see some original printing presses, the Museum of Cornish Life have some on permanent display.

07/05/2026

1857 West Briton, 15th May: ‘The Weather throughout the day was fine as could be desired and the attendance of strangers was far more numerous than had been known for some years past. The entrances to most of the inns were decorated with boughs and evergreens. In the early part of the day a procession, which caused much amusement, started from the ancient city of St. Johns where a self-elected corporation has of late years been formed. The Mayor and other officers of that city having been duly sworn in, they commenced to parade the streets of Helston, in the following order: attendant on horseback, constables and police; ‘Aunt Mary Moses’ on horseback fantastically dressed in flowers and attended by her ‘knights and squires’; band of music; the Mayor of St Johns in cocked hat and wig, in a carriage dressed with evergreens and flowers drawn by six Jerusalem ponies (donkeys) ridden by juvenile outriders in full costume; city crier in a carriage and pair; aldermen and councilmen two and two. A proclamation of the rules and customs of the city was read by the crier in different parts of the town, and after parading the streets until after mid-day they again returned to St Johns (Jenkin 2013, 35).

28/04/2026

The Blue Anchor in Helston, Cornwall, started life in the 15th century as a rest house run by monks brewing mead on the site.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it became a tavern and a brewery. Today, it sells its own ales, which it has been brewing on-site for hundreds of years.

Brewing is an ancient occupation which became an organised industry in the Middle Ages.

Until the appearance of large industrial brewers in the 18th century, most brewing was done in brewhouses attached to inns and pubs, like the Blue Anchor.

22/04/2026

Laura here:
We're so excited! 😃
Behind the scenes, we've been slowly chipping away at getting together a wonderful cohort of heritage friends, and an engaging, varied performance schedule together...
COMING SOON
Meanwhile, here's the Event Poster for our big Heritage Day in July; in collaboration with Lore & Piece and Institute of Cornish Studies❤

30/03/2026

The next Mullion Old Cornwall Society meeting is on Monday April 13th, and it promises to be a fascinating and informative look into a significant period of local history.

We are delighted to welcome back James Woolford for a talk entitled, 'John Winslade, Bochym & The Prayer Book Rebellion: Commotion on the Lizard'. James will explore the dramatic events of 1549, the significant role played locally, and the effect on the Lizard peninsula. There will be particular focus on John Winslade of Bochym, a prominent local landowner and a key leader of the Cornish people. His steadfast commitment ultimately led to his capture and ex*****on at the Tower of London. It is an excellent opportunity for those interested in Cornish and local Mullion history to discover how these most profound historic events resonated right here in our own area and communities.

The talk begins at 7:30pm, with doors opening at 7:00pm. As always, the evening will include a raffle and plenty of time to catch up for tea and chat after the talk.

Admission is free for members and £2.00 for non-members, with 2026 membership remaining at only £5.00 for the year.

We look forward to welcoming one and all to what promises to be a fascinating and informative evening.

16/03/2026

10/03/2026

Could Helston become the UK's Town of Culture 2028?

Flora Day, Helstonbury, Spring Thing, CAST, The Museum of Cornish Life and Trevow and so much more. This town has been quietly doing something remarkable for centuries, and now there's a competition built for exactly that kind of place.

Helston Town Council has launched a bid for the UK Town of Culture 2028, and they need to hear from as many of us as possible so they can put together a bid that truly reflects the story of our town.

Filling in the survey only takes a few minutes, and your voice genuinely matters. The more people who take part, the stronger the bid. Click the link to have your say 👇

https://www.helstonculture.co.uk/

07/03/2026

Our next talk is on Wednesday 1st April at 7pm.