Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 7hThe Cornwall rugby squad of 1962, by Ernie Loze. Find out more in 'The Black and the Gold: The Story of Cornish Rugby', coming out in autumn 2027... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Many happy returns to Cornish Wrestling legend Gerry Cawley! the-cornish-historian.com/2025/06/07/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCornish Sporting Heroes, #6: Gerry Cawley, Champion WrestlerAn interview with Cornishman Gerry Cawley, champion Cornish wrestler for over 25 years… 011
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Writing The Black and the Gold: The Story of Cornish Rugby with Nick Serpell I’ve realised how incredibly resilient Corwall’s rugby clubs are. Four different pitches, two pubs, now closed - but Veor are still around. Find them on Facebook. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 25/09/2026This date in 1915 saw the opening of the Battle of Loos on the Western Front. Two members of Camborne School of Mines RFC, Ian Penney and Alexander Johnson, were to die there. the-cornish-historian.com/2025/11/09/r... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comRoll of Honour ~ Camborne School of Mines RFCThe stories of the Camborne mining students who laid down their lives in World War One… 020
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 20/09/2026A terrible Cornish mining disaster on this date in 1893. Months before, J. C. Burrow had photographed what was to become the scene of the tragedy… the-cornish-historian.com/2022/08/28/t... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comThe Man Who Photographed the Miners: J. C. Burrow in Cornwall and WalesWho was the man who photographed the miners? How did he do it? What risks did he take? Didn’t he always operate in Cornwall? Read the story behind the stunning photographs of Cornish mining i… 184
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 15/09/2026On this date in 1934…one of the fastest bowlers of all time cranked it up at Camborne CC… the-cornish-historian.com/2023/04/28/b... #Cornwall/Kernow #Cornwall #Cornish #Kernowthe-cornish-historian.comBodyline at North RoskearOne for all cricket lovers…what do a bandleader, a mine captain, and the world’s fastest bowler have in common? 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Redruth Albany RFC – Cornwall’s oldest surviving junior club. Being robbed to the tune of £28K and having to abandon their clubhouse can’t stop them from getting on the pitch.Their approaching centenary season will be an amazing achievement! #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall #Rugby 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 05/09/2026The NEW history of Cornish rugby, 'The Black and the Gold', by Nick Serpell and myself, tells you all about the greats of the game in Cornwall. Who was profiled in the very first issue of Rugby World, in October 1960? #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 120
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Many happy returns to one of Cornwall’s greatest exports… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/05/17/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCornish Sporting Heroes, #5: Tony Penberthy: Troon, Cornwall and Northants CricketAn interview with Troon-born Cornish cricketer Tony Penberthy, who played professionally for First Class County side Northamptonshire… 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 30/08/2026On this date in 1912: Camborne RFC nearly quit the RFU and become Cornwall’s first rugby league club… the-cornish-historian.com/2024/02/03/t... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comThe Great Cornish Rugby Split?The true story of how two Camborne RFC players joined the Northern Union, nearly causing Camborne to quit the RFU in a bitter fallout… 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 29/08/2026The NEW history of Cornish rugby, The Black and the Gold, by Nick Serpell and myself, seeks to remember the unsung heroes of rugby in Cornwall. Who was the Cornwall team’s ‘magic sponge’ man between 1926 and 1960, missing only one championship match? #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 011
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 29/08/2026The NEW history of Cornish rugby, The Black and the Gold, by Nick Serpell and myself, remembers the unsung heroes of rugby in Cornwall. Who was the Cornwall team’s ‘magic sponge’ man between 1926 and 1960, missing only one championship match? #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 151
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 22/08/2026‘HAIL THE CONQUERING HEROES…’ A NEW history of Cornish rugby, The Black and the Gold, by Nick Serpell and myself, looks at the moments that defined club rugby in Cornwall. Who are the team, whose was the jersey, and why are they so happy? #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall #Rugby 031
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Murder on the streets of the Cornish village of Lostwithiel on this date in 1814… #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall the-cornish-historian.com/2024/03/23/g...the-cornish-historian.comGallows Bell: The Murder of Joseph BurnettThe tragic story of a Lostwithiel Town Sergeant’s death at the hands of a British soldier… 031
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Tragedy in a Cornish town on this date in 1883... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall the-cornish-historian.com/2023/03/12/t...the-cornish-historian.comThe Wheal Agar Disaster of 1883The harrowing true story of one of the worst disasters in Cornish mining history… 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 14/08/2026The forthcoming book ‘The Black and the Gold: The Story of Cornish Rugby’, looks at clubs that formed around local industry. First image shows Holmans playing at Wheal Gerry on Cliff View, Camborne, in the mid-1950s. Second is today, as Rosemellin School. #Kernow #Cornwall #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 011
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 07/08/2026The forthcoming book ‘The Black and the Gold: The Story of Cornish Rugby’ by Nick Serpell and myself isn’t just about the county teams or the biggest clubs. Who remembers playing at St Day RFC? #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 03/08/2026‘The Black and the Gold: The Story of Cornish Rugby’ by Nick Serpell and myself isn’t just about Cornwall’s current clubs. We also write about the many clubs that are sadly no longer around, like Stithians RFC. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 031
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 03/08/2026The old gunpowder works at Kennall Vale near Stithians. Thanks to iWalkCornwall for another great route #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 181
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 31/07/2026*NEW POST* Rugby was officially cancelled between 1939 and 1945, but that didn’t stop the people of Cornwall from playing the game. Here is the largely untold story of Cornish rugby during the war years… the-cornish-historian.com/2026/07/31/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCornish Rugby During World War TwoAll rugby was officially cancelled for the duration of the war, but that didn’t stop people in Cornwall… 021
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 29/07/2026New post on Friday! Jack Hick was a popular wrestler and rugby player, but what’s the occasion of his being caricatured..? For more Cornish sporting history, see: the-cornish-historian.com/category/spo... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 03/07/2026Spaces still available (in-person or online) to join me and other fantastic speakers at the Institute of Cornish Studies next Wednesday! With the Institute’s very existence under threat, show solidarity! Registration link in the comments. Here's my topic: #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 111
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 27/06/2026*NEW POST* I was privileged to interview the great Penryn, Cornwall, Bristol and England wing, Ken Plummer… the-cornish-historian.com/2026/06/27/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCornish Sporting Heroes, #7: Ken Plummer: Penryn, Cornwall, Bristol and England RugbyMy interview with the Penryn, Cornwall and England rugby legend Ken Plummer… 030
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 26/06/2026New post on Saturday morning! I had the honour of speaking to this young man... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 030
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 20/06/2026On this date in 1863, Cornish wrestler Joseph Menear beats Devonian arch-rival John Slade in London to win the Duke of Cornwall’s Cup… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/08/02/j... #Kernow #Cornish #Cornwall #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comJoseph Menear and Cornish Wrestling in LondonThe story of Cornishman Joseph Menear, London’s champion wrestler of Cornwall and Devon during the 1860s… 011
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 11/06/2026On this date in 1847, 3,000 starving people marched into St Austell. The Riot Act was read, and the militia called in… the-cornish-historian.com/2022/02/06/t... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comTrouble in Clay Country: The Food Riots of 1847, Part FiveThe rioters finally meet their match in St Austell. Bayonets at the ready… 061
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 08/06/2026Many happy returns to Richard Pascoe, Cornwall’s cycling hero… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/04/19/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCornish Sporting Heroes, #3: Richard Pascoe, Saint Piran CyclingI speak with Saint Piran and Bike Chain boss Richard Pascoe on his early career, his business and the future of the Saint Piran Pro Cycling Team… 020
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 06/06/2026Happy 92nd birthday to Graham Paul, a Cornish rugby star for Penzance & Newlyn and top rugby league outfit Hull KR! the-cornish-historian.com/2025/04/12/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCornish Sporting Heroes, #2: Graham Paul, Rugby League StarAn interview with Cornish dual-code rugby legend Graham Paul… 030
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 04/06/2026On this date in 1847, riot and bloodshed in Redruth as the Cornish food riots reach their apogee… the-cornish-historian.com/2022/01/30/h... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comHellfire Corner: Redruth: The Cornish Food Riots, Part FourViolence, looting, and arrests in Redruth as the miners and militia face off…continuing The Cornish Food Riots of 1847… 020
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 01/06/2026On this date in 1871, Cornwall’s most notorious conman died in prison. Read all about how he was finally brought to book below… the-cornish-historian.com/2022/04/17/p... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comPaul Rabey and The Foreign Girls’ Protection Society: They Died With Their Shoes On, Part FiveA sinister and extraordinary post…Victorian Cornwall’s most notorious con-artist and Victorian London’s dark underworld…an unpleasant conclusion to this series… 040
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 27/05/2026On this date in 1847, 5,000 starving Cornish miners and their families entered Penzance in search of food. Things got ugly… the-cornish-historian.com/2022/01/16/r... #Kernow #Cornwall #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comRise of the Miners: The Food Riots of 1847, Part TwoThings are getting worse. The miners get organised. The miners march for food – and the authorities react… 061
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Holmans 1920s steam-pressure drill, Honister Slate Mine, Lake District #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 071
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 19/05/2026On this date in 1868, jockey John Sobey won the Duke of Cornwall’s Cup at the county races. In 2025, the cup was discovered in California… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/08/10/j... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornishthe-cornish-historian.comJohn Hicks Sobey and the Duke of Cornwall’s Cup, 1868How a long-lost piece of Cornish sporting history was discovered in California… 021
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 14/05/2026On this date in 1827, the inmates of Bodmin Jail, Cornwall decided enough was enough… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/02/15/d... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comDeath or Victory: The Bodmin Jail Riot of 1827Penal treadwheels were a terrifying instrument of punishment, and Bodmin Jail’s was especially bad… 163
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 10/05/2026On this date in 1901, the Cornish sports star John Jackett signed papers in Westminster enabling him to fight in the Boer War. Find out what motivated him to leave home below… the-cornish-historian.com/2024/07/06/i... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comIn Search of John Jackett, Part Two: The Artist’s Model & The Coastguard’s DaughterIn 1900, John Jackett’s reputation is rocked by scandal…escape abroad is the only option… 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 03/05/2026On this date in 1881, the Cornish lawyer Richard Holloway died. He had enjoyed a colourful career… the-cornish-historian.com/2022/09/06/m... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comMurder, Debt, Riot: Richard Holloway, Redruth SolicitorThe career of a local solicitor laid bare, with an overview of his cases, financial problems, and harrowing family tragedy… 031
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 28/04/2026On this date in 1814, a raid on two Truro flour mills revealed a massive criminal operation, covering Cornwall and beyond. Read all about it below… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/03/08/t... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comThe Great Cornish Bake OffAt the end of the Napoleonic Wars, a group of Cornishmen exploit demand by establishing a network selling flour cut with china clay… 032
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 26/04/2026On this date in 2025, Ben Priddey’s 45th try of the season for top Cornish outfit Camborne RFC put him top of an illustrious list… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/04/26/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCamborne RFC’s Top Try ScorersThe history of Camborne Rugby Club’s top try scorers over the years, from 1877 to the present day… 001
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 25/04/2026On this date in 1914, former Camborne RFC player Harry Launce played a major role in Salford’s Northern Union Championship win over Huddersfield. Launce wasn’t the only man from Cornwall to switch rugby codes… the-cornish-historian.com/2025/06/21/c... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comCornwall’s Rugby Codebreakers: Part OneFrom the 1890s to World War One, the stories of all Cornwall’s rugby union players who switched codes and joined the northern union… 032
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 18/04/2026GEDDON! Camborne RFC have a chance to make history today…nearly 50 years ago, the club’s Centenary XV had a similar opportunity: to achieve something no Camborne side had managed before…read all about it below… the-cornish-historian.com/2023/02/05/r... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comRugby Special ~ Part TwelveIt’s the day of the CRFU Cup Final…all Camborne have to do to achieve a Cup and Merit Table ‘double’ in their 1977-78 Centenary Season is beat lowly St Austell… 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 15/04/2026On this date in 1978, Camborne RFC’s Centenary XV took on the mighty Cardiff…find out who played, and who won, below… the-cornish-historian.com/2023/01/29/r... #Cornwall #Cornish #Kernow #Kernow/Cornwallthe-cornish-historian.comRugby Special ~ Part ElevenCan Camborne RFC add more fame and prestige to their 1977-78 Centenary Season by beating the likes of Saracens and Cardiff? Find out here… 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 09/04/2026The young Camborne RFC and Cornwall RFU full back John Collins, as he was in 1949. Image from the Cornishman, 20 Jan 1949. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 020
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 05/04/2026Hayle RFC's first full season at their new location of Loggans Moor was in 1949/50. Previously they had played at Bodriggy. Here (in plain jerseys) they take on University Colleges, South West. Image from the Cornishman, 2 Nov 1950. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 04/04/2026Many happy returns to Cornwall's medal-winning international distance runner Emma Stepto! #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall the-cornish-historian.com/2025/04/04/c...the-cornish-historian.comCornish Sporting Heroes, #1: Emma Stepto, International Distance RunnerAn interview with international distance runner Emma Stepto… 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 03/04/2026Cornwall's top team for the 1949/50 season were St Ives RFC. They went an amazing 19 consecutive matches without conceding a try. Any names? Image from the Cornishman, 20 Apr 1950. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 030
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 02/04/2026A crowd of 12,000 fans at Redruth RFC watched Cornwall draw 3-3 with Gloucestershire in October 1949. Cornwall were leading until the final minutes, when a monster drop-goal taken two yards inside the Cornish half spoilt the party. Image from the Cornishman, 13 Oct 1949. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish 000
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 01/04/2026A gathering of 5,000 convened at Gwennap Pit on Whit-Monday, 1949 to sing hymns and hear the preaching of Rev. F Greeves. Image from the Cornishman, 9 Jun 1949. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 052
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 31/03/2026Who remembers the first incarnation of Mount's Bay RFC? They were an old boys' club formed in Cornwall at the end of the war. Image from the Cornishman, 28 Apr 1949. No names, sadly. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 021
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 28/03/2026On this date in 1908, an unfancied Cornish rugby team of miners and fishermen made history at Redruth RFC when they won the County Championship. Follow my link here: the-cornish-historian.com/2025/03/28/1... #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 010
Francis Edwards ~ The Cornish Historian @cornishhistory.bsky.social · 27/03/202616,000 fans crammed into Camborne RFC in September 1947 to watch the touring Australians beat Cornwall and Devon 17-7. The image, of Australia about to score, is from the Cornishman, 18 Sep 1947. #Cornwall #Kernow #Cornish #Kernow/Cornwall 000
