Slideshows and displays will include: 125th anniversary of the Victorian extension to Smeaton’s Pier, Mayor Choosing and the 50th anniversary of the UK’s first surfing store (which was situated in The Digey).

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

A

Robert Adams (sculptor, 1917-1984)

Pat Algar (painter, 1939- )

Emily Allnut (painter, 1927-1944)

John Ambrose (painter, 1931- )

Ray Ambrose (painter, printmaker and musician, 1926-1989)

W. Donald Angier (painter)

Jeremy Annear (painter, 1944- )

Stuart Armfield (painter, 1916-1999)

Catharine Armitage (painter, 1944- )

Alixe John Shearer Armstrong (painter, 1894-1983)

Sir John Alfred Arnesby Brown, R.A. (painter, 1890-1940)

Will E. Arnold-Forster (painter, 1886-1951)

Edward Ashton (photographer, c.1842-1928)

Ray Atkins (painter, 1937- )

Richard Ayling (painter)

B

Herbert Ivan Babbage (painter, 1875-1916)

Alfred Charles Bailey (painter)

Marjorie Heudebourck Ballance (illustrator and costume designer, 1898-1969)

Horst Balmford (painter, 1871-c.1950)

Ginnie Bamford (potter, 1938- )

John Barclay (painter and printmaker, 1884-1962)

John Noble Barlow (painter, 1861-1917)

Garlick Barnes (painter, 1891-1987)

Wilhelmina Barns Graham (painter, 1912-2004)

Max Barrett (sculptor, 1937-1997)

Claude Francis Barry (painter, 1883-1970)

Ray Barry (painter, 1931- )

William Henry Bartlett (painter, 1858-1924)

Cecil Baugh (potter, 1908-2005)

Andrew Baynes (sand artist)

Arthur Beaumont (painter, 1877-1956)

John Bedding (potter, 1964- )

David Beer (painter, 1943- )

Romi Behrens (painter)

Trevor Bell (painter, 1930- )

Harriet Bell (sculptor, 1950- )

Anthony Benjamin (sculptor, painter and printmaker, 1931-2002)

Stella Benjamin (painter)

Sven Berlin (painter, sculptor and writer, 1911-1999)

Andrew Besley (photographer)

Ray Bethers (author, illustrator, painter and designer, 1902-1973)

Noel Betowski (painter, 1952- )

Lamorna Birch (painter, 1869-1955)

Clive Blackmore (painter, 1940- )

Gerard Blakely (painter, 1922- )

Robert Blatherwick (potter, 1920-1993)

Sandra Blow, R.A., Hon. F.R.C.A. (painter, 1925-2006)

Valerie Bond (potter, 1923- )

Richard Oliver Bonney (painter, 1902-1984)

Dorothy Bordass (collage artist, painter and printmaker, 1905-1992)

Becky Borman (painter)

Frederick Bottomley (painter, 1883-1960)

Bob Bourne (painter, 1931- )

Edward Bouverie-Hoyton, R.S., F.R.S.A. (painter and printmaker, 1900-1988)

Kelvin Bowers (painter, 1946- )

Sue Bradbury (painter)

Commander George F. Bradshaw, D.S.O. (painter, 1887-1960)

Frank Brangwyn (painter, 1867-1956)

Amanda Brier (potter, 1978- )

Barrie Briscoe (painter, printmaker and artistic architect, 1936- )

Alan Brough (potter, 1924- )

Michael Broido (painter, 1927- )

Reginald Grange Brundrit (painter, 1883-1960)

Charles Bryant (painter)

John Buchanan (potter, 1943- )

James Weatherall Burgess (painter, 1879-1957)

Louie “Luker” Burrell (painter, 1873-1971)

Howard Russell Butler (painter, 1856-1934)

David Butterworth (painter)

Judy Buxton (painter, 1961- )

C

Michael Canney (painter, 1923-1999)

Neil Canning (painter, 1960- )

Michael Cardew (potter, 1901-1983)

Seth Cardew (potter, 1934- )

Emily Carr (poet and painter, 1871-1945)

Sydney Carr (painter)

Penn Carwardine (painter)

Jill Chandler (painter, 1942- )

John Charles Clark (painter, 1941- )

Joseph Clarke (painter)

Norman Stuart Clarke (glassblower)

Margrit Clegg (painter and printmaker, 1941- )

Rachel Cockerill-Sharpe (painter)

Roy Conn (painter, 1931- )

Barrie Cook (painter, 1929- )

Jessica Cooper (painter, 1967- )

Trevor Corser (potter, 1938- )

Eileen Cross (painter, 1907-1991)

Tom Cross (painter, 1931- )

Bob Crossley (painter, 1912- )

Jenny Croxford (printmaker)

Robert Culwick (printmaker)

D

Dexter Dalwood (painter, 1960- )

Hubert Dalwood (sculptor, 1924-1976)

George Dannat (painter, 1915-2009)

Matthew Darwin (painter)

Alan Davie (painter and jazz musician, 1920- )

JAD Davies (portrait cartoonist)

Robin Davis (painter, 1915-1999)

Kathleen Day (painter, 1867-1953)

William Day (painter, 1862-1924)

Bob Devereux (librettist, performance poet and painter, 1951- )

Jenny Devereux (printmaker)

Pauline Devereux (painter)

Alexandra Dickens (painter)

Florrette Dijkstra (painter)

John Christian Douglas (painter and photographer, 1860-1938)

Stephen Dove (painter, 1949- )

Sue Dove (painter and textile artist)

Thomas Millie Dow (painter, 1848-1919)

Bernard Down

George Downing (owner of Downing’s Bookshop, which also housed art exhibitions, d.1962)

Agnes Drey (painter, 1890-1957)

Jeanne Du Maurier (painter, 1911-1997)

Terry Duffy (painter, 1948- )

Lowell Dyer (painter, 1856-1939)

Julian Dyson (painter, 1936- )

E

William Eadie (painter, b. 1846)

Tom Early (painter, 1914-1967)

Alfred East (painter, 1844-1913)

Mary Eastlake (painter, 1864-1951)

Charles Eastlake (painter, 1889-1927)

Catrin Edwards-Jones (textile artist and sculptor)

John Emanuel (painter, 1930- )

Bernard Evans (painter, 1929- )

Merlyn Evans (painter and printmaker, 1910-1973)

Frances Ewan (illustrator, painter and printmaker, c.1892-1929)

F

Annie Fearon (painter, c.1888-1975)

Hilda Fearon (painter, 1878-1917)

Yankel Feather (painter, 1920- )

Helen Feiler (jeweller, printmaker, photographer and painter, 1952- )

Paul Feiler (painter, 1918- )

Michael Finn (painter, 1921-2002)

Pat Finn (installation and photographic artist, 1959-1999)

H. G. Fitzherbert (cartoonist and painter, 1875-1943)

Mary Fletcher (painter, illustrator and potter)

Robert Floyd (painter)

Elizabeth A. Forbes (painter, 1859-1912)

Stanhope Forbes (painter, 1857-1947)

Harriet Mary Ford (painter, 1859-1938)

Michael Foreman (illustrator, 1938- )

John Forrester (painter, 1922-2002)

William Banks Fortescue (painter, 1855-1924)

George H. Fortt

Emanuel Phillips Fox (painter, 1865-1915)

Nan Frankel (painter, 1921-2000)

Naomi Frears (painter and printmaker, 1963- )

Colin Freebury (painter)

Ralph Freeman (painter and jazz musician, 1945- )

Anthony Froshaug (typographer, 1920-1984)

Anthony Frost (painter, 1951- )

Sir Terry Frost, R.A. (painter, 1915-2003)

Edmund Fuller (painter, c.1860-1940)

Leonard Fuller (painter, 1891-1973)

G

Naum Gabo (sculptor and painter, 1890-1977)

Elena Gaputyte (painter, 1927- )

Grace Gardner (painter)

Norman Garstin (painter, 1847-1926)

Alethea Garstin (painter, 1894-1978)

Frank Gascoigne-Heath (painter, 1873-1936)

William Gear (painter, 1915-1999)

Henry Gilbert (architect)

Theresa Gilder (sculptor, 1935- )

Tony Giles (painter, 1925-1994)

Antony Gormley (sculptor, 1950- )

Hugh Gresty (painter, 1899-1958)

Louis Grier (painter, 1864-1920)

Anne Griffin

Peter Griffin (painter)

W. H. Gunn (painter, b. 1877)

H

Fred Hall (painter, 1860-1948)

Hamada Tomoo (potter, 1967- )

Shoji Hamada (potter, 1894-1978)

William Lee Hankey (painter, 1869-1952)

Nic Harrison (potter)

Alfred Hartley (painter and printmaker, 1855-1933)

David Haughton (painter, 1924-1991)

Patrick Haughton (painter, 1924- )

Peter Hayes (sculptor, 1946- )

Malcolm Haylett (portrait painter, designer and graphic artist, 1923-2000)

Patrick Hayman (painter, 1915-1988)

Arthur Hayward (painter, 1889-1971)

Hugh Percy Heard (painter, 1866-1940)

Charles Napier Hemy (painter, 1841-1917)

Dame Barbara Hepworth (sculptor, 1903-1975)

Adrian Heath (painter, 1920-1992)

Isobel Heath (painter, 1907-1989)

Tom Heath-Robinson (illustrator, 1870-1954)

Patrick Heron (painter, 1920-1999)

Christa Maria Herrmann (potter, 1945- )

Francis Hewlett (painter and potter, 1930- )

John Higgins (painter)

Nichola Higgins (painter)

Roger Hilton (painter, 1911-1975)

Rose Hilton (painter)

Lubaina Himid (painter, 1954- )

Charles Lewis Hind (painter and writer)

Marion Grace Hocken (painter, printmaker and botanist, 1922-1987)

Frances Hodgkins (painter, 1870-1947)

David Holmes (painter, 1939- )

Mary Holmes (painter, 1874-1910)

James Clark Hook (painter, 1819-1907)

Charles Howard (painter, 1922- )

Tony Hudson (painter, 1937-1989)

Andy Hughes (photographer)

Patrick Hughes (painter, 1939- )

David Humphrys (painter)

Robert Langley Hutton (painter)

I

Brian Illsley (painter and jeweller, 1937- )

Leslie Illsley (potter, sculptor and painter, 1936-1989)

Simon “Sax” Impey (painter, 1969- )

Bryan Ingham (sculptor and printmaker, 1936-1997)

Harry Greville Irwin (painter, 1893-1947)

Izumi (painter)

J

Kurt Jackson (painter, 1961- )

Frank Jameson (painter, 1898-1968)

Middleton Jameson (painter, d. 1919)

Brian Jay (painter)

Emma Jeffryes (painter)

Derek Jenkins (painter)

Jennifer Jenkins (painter)

Mary Jewels (painter, 1886-1977)

Hilda K. Jillard (painter, 1899-1975)

Judy Joel (painter)

Colin T. Johnson (painter)

Robert Jones (painter, 1943- )

K

Eddie Kalma (painter)

Barbara Karn (painter, 1949- )

Ann Kelley (photographer, 1941- )

David Kemp (sculptor, 1945- )

Horas Kennedy (painter)

Brenda King (painter)

Jeremy King (painter, 1933- )

Lily Kirkpatrick (painter, c.1862-1902)

Claude Kitto (painter)

Dame Laura Knight (painter, 1877-1970)

Stuart Knowles (painter, 1948- )

L

George Lambourn (painter, 1900-1977)

Kathie Lancaster (painter)

Faust Lang (woodcarver, 1887-1973)

Wharton Lang (woodcarver, 1925- )

Walter Langley (painter, 1852-1922)

Andrew Lanyon (painter, writer, illustrator, photographer and filmmaker, 1947- )

Martin Lanyon (painter)

Peter Lanyon (painter, 1918-1964)

William Herbert Lanyon (photographer, 1863-1936)

Tony Lattimer (ceramics, 1945- )

Sydney Mortimer Laurence (painter, 1865-1940)

Bob Law (painter and sculptor, 1934-2004)

Denys Law (painter, 1907-1981)

Alicia Lawrenson (painter)

Jeremy Le Grice (painter, 1936- )

Bernard Leach (potter, 1887-1979)

David Leach (potter, 1911-2005)

Janet Leach (potter, 1918-1997)

John Leach (potter, 1939- )

Michael Leach (potter, 1913-1985)

Martin Leman (painter, 1934- )

Keith Leonard (painter, 1921-1993)

Richard Hayley Lever (painter, 1876-1958)

Rachael Levine (painter, 1957- )

Ffiona Lewis (painter, 1964- )

Moffat Lindner (painter, 1852-1949)

Martell Linsdale (painter)

Roy Liu (woodcarver)

Gary Long (painter)

Alan Lowndes (painter, 1921-1978)

Cornel Lucas (photographer)

M

Mary Mabbutt (painter, 1951- )

Hector Mace (painter, 1902-1980)

Jock Macinnes (painter, 1943- )

Alexander Mackenzie (painter, 1923-2002)

Donald Macleod (marine artist)

Margo Maeckleberghe (painter, 1932- )

Padraig Macmiadhachain (painter)

Kris Major (portraitist, painter and illustrator)

William Marshall (potter, 1923-2007)

Eric Mason (painter, 1921- )

Phil Mawdsley (artist in residence for Royal Cornwall Hospitals, 1993)

Louise McClary (painter, 1958- )

Daphne McClure (painter, 1930- )

Peter McClure (painter, 1947- )

Mary McCrossan (painter, 1863-1934)

Carole McDowall (painter)

Kathy McNally (painter, 1950- )

Helen Galloway McNicoll, R.B.A. (painter, 1879-1915)

F. E. McWilliam (sculptor, 1909- )

Arthur Meade (painter, 1862-1942)

Maggie Meadows (painter)

Margaret Mellis (driftwood artist, 1914-2009)

Mortimer Menpes (painter, 1855-1938)

Christine Anne Micklethwaite (painter, 1964- )

June Miles (painter, 1924- )

Seth Miles (painter and jeweller)

John Miller (painter, 1931-2002)

Mary Eve Mills (painter, writer and illustrator, 1908-1975)

John Milne (sculptor, 1931-1978)

Fred Milner (painter, 1855-1939)

Lionel Miskin (painter, potter, printmaker and writer, 1924-2006)

Denis Mitchell (sculptor, 1912-1993)

Frank Endell Edward Mitchell (painter, 1906- )

Alice Moore (artist-embroiderer, 1909-1990)

Frank Moore (etcher, b.1876)

Guido Morris (printer, 1910-1980)

Marjorie Mort (painter, 1906-1989)

Marlow Moss (painter, 1890-1958)

Marjorie Mostyn (painter, 1893-1979)

Tom Mostyn (painter, 1864-1930)

Paul Mount (sculptor, painter, designer and writer, 1922-2009)

Franz Müller-Gossen (marine artist, 1871-1946)

Alice Mumford (painter, 1965- )

N

Robin Nance (woodworker, 1908-1990)

Alice H. Nicholson (painter)

Ben Nicholson (painter, 1894-1982)

Kate Nicholson (painter, 1929- )

Rachel Nicholson (painter, 1934- )

Simon Nicholson (painter, 1934-1990)

William Nicholson (painter)

Winifred Nicholson (painter, 1893-1981)

Anton Nickson (installation artist, 1944- )

Bernard Ninnes (painter, 1899-1971)

Lesley Ninnes (painter)

Darren Norman (painter, 1968- )

Richard Nott (painter)

O

Breon O’Casey (painter and jeweller, 1928- )

Jeff Oestrich (potter, 1947- )

Geoff Ogden (painter, 1929-1967)

Derek Oldbury (woodcarver)

Sheila Oliner (painter and printmaker, 1934- )

Julius Olsson (painter, 1864-1942)

Jane O’Malley (painter, 1944- )

Tony O’Malley (painter, 1913- 2003)

Colin Orchard (painter, 1935- )

Harry Ousey (painter, 1915-1985)

P

Carole Page Davies (painter and illustrator, 1955- )

John Park (painter, 1880-1962)

William S. Parkyn (painter, 1875-1949)

Victor Passmore (painter, 1908-1998)

Gascoigne Paynter (sign writer)

Alfred Pazolt (painter)

Bryan Pearce (painter, 1929-2007)

Natalie Pearce (painter)

Daphne Pearson (photographer, 1911-2000)

Misome Peile (painter, 1907-1983)

Ernest Peirce (painter and etcher, 1887-1961)

Jack Pender (painter, 1918-1998)

George F. Pennington (architect and painter, 1872-1961)

Stuart Peters (painter, 1946- )

Anke Petersen (painter, etcher and photographer)

Gerry Phillips (painter, 1931- )

Douglas Pinder (painter)

John Piper (painter and stage designer, 1903- )

John Piper (painter, 1946- )

William Piper (painter)

James Lynn Pitt (painter)

Eugene Pitts (stained glass restorer and craftsman)

Julia Platt (painter)

Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie (potter)

Sarah Poland (painter, 1974- )

Ponckle (painter and textile artist, 1934- )

Douglas Portway (painter, 1922-1993)

Michael Praed (painter, 1941- )

Marsden Prophet (painter, 1933-1993)

Q

Michael Quirke (painter, 1946- )

R

Oliver Rae (etcher)

Roy Ray (painter, 1936- )

Jacqueline Real (painter)

William Redgrave (painter)

Bosch Reitz (painter)

Albert Reuss (painter and sculptor, 1889-1976)

Anthea Richards (painter)

William T. Richards (painter, 1833-1905)

James R. Richardson (painter)

John Thomas Richardson (painter)

Yarker Richardson (painter)

Leonard Richmond (painter and editor of ‘The Artist’ magazine, d. 1965)

Hugh E. Ridge (painter)

Lucie Rie (potter, 1902-1995)

Lieke Ritman (painter, 1942- )

Maria Robinson (painter)

Henry Harewood Robinson (painter, d. 1904)

Vernon Parker Rose (painter, sculptor and folk singer)

Mark Rothko (painter, 1903-1970)

Claude Hamilton Rowbotham (painter and printmaker, 1864-1949)

Harry Rountree (painter, cartoonist and illustrator, 1878-1950)

Adrian Ryan (painter, 1920-1998)

S

John Singer Sargent (painter, 1856-1925)

Louis Augustus Sargent (painter, 1881-1965)

Flora Scales (painter, 1887-1985)

Helene Schjerfbeck (painter, 1862-1946)

Walter Elmer Schofield (painter, 1867-1944)

Colin Gale Scott (painter)

Rosie Scott (painter)

William Scott (painter, 1913-1989)

Helen P. Seddon (painter)

Ann Harriet “Fish” Sefton (painter and illustrator, 1890-1964)

Hyman Segal (painter, designer, sculptor and art therapist, 1914-2004)

Jennifer Semmens (painter)

Dorothea Sharp (painter, 1874-1955)

Tony Shiels (painter, writer, musician and magician)

Christopher Short (art historian, 1962- )

Richard Short (painter, 1841-1916)

Walter Richard Sickert (painter, 1860-1942)

John Sim (painter)

Edward E. Simmons (painter, 1852-1931)

Charles Simpson (painter, writer and illustrator, 1885-1971)

Paul Sims (painter and graphic designer, 1952- )

Janet Slack (jeweller, 1920-2004)

Borlase Smart (painter, designer and etcher, 1881-1947)

Mirek Smíšek (potter)

Marcella Smith (painter and fashion designer, 1887-1963)

Michael Snow (painter, 1930- )

Sir Stanley Spencer (painter, 1891-1959)

Francis Algernon Spenlove-Spenlove (painter, 1897-1981)

J. Lewis Stant (painter and etcher)

Minou Steiner (painter)

Adrian Stokes (painter, 1854-1935)

Adrian Durham Stokes (writer, art historian and painter, 1902-1972)

Marianne Stokes (painter, 1855-1927)

Hugh Stoneman (printmaker, 1947-2005)

Dooze Storey (painter)

Mary Stork (painter, 1938-2007)

Michael Strang (painter)

Mary Strong (painter)

Helen Stuart Weir (sculptor and painter, d.1969)

Maurice Sumray (painter, 1920-2004)

Mark Surridge (painter)

Ken Symonds (painter, 1927- )

Judy Symons (painter and sculptor, 1946- )

T

Lt. Col. William Edward Anthony Taafe

Algernon Mayow Talmage (painter and etcher, 1871-1939)

Gertrude Talmage (painter)

Bruce Taylor (sculptor, 1921- )

Marion Taylor (painter, 1948- )

Byron Temple (potter)

Morwenna Thistlewaite (painter, 1912-2000)

J. Tiddick (painter)

Frank Tinsley (painter and printmaker)

William Holt Yates Titcomb (painter, 1858-1930)

Mark Tobey (painter, 1890-1976)

William Trevorrow (photographer, b.1847)

Nigel Trezise (photographer and painter)

Barbara Tribe (sculptor, 1913-2000)

Herbert Truman (painter, 1883-1957)

Henry Scott Tuke (painter, 1858-1929)

John Tunnard (painter, 1900-1971)

George “Goosey” Turland (etcher, painter and architect, 1877-1947)

Herbert William John Turner (painter)

Ken Turner (performance artist and painter)

U

V

Bob Vigg (painter, d.2001)

Sarah Vivian (painter and textile artist)

W

Gerard Wagner (painter, 1906-1999)

Roy Walker (painter, 1936-2001)

Brian Wall (sculptor, 1931- )

Alfred Wallis (painter, 1855-1942)

Lucy Edith Walsh (painter, d.1964)

Sonya Walters (painter and printmaker, 1943- )

Eric Ward (painter, 1945- )

Peter Ward (sculptor, 1932-2003)

Jason Wason (potter, 1946- )

Gill Watkiss (painter, 1938- )

Billie Waters (painter, 1896-1979)

John Miller Watt (cartoonist and painter, 1895-1975)

John Webster (painter)

Florence Welch (weaver)

Robin Welch (potter, 1936- )

John Wells (painter, 1907-2000)

William Wendt (painter)

Karl Weschke (painter, 1925-2005)

Seb West (painter, 1968- )

James McNeill Whistler (painter, 1834-1903)

Arthur White (painter, 1865-1953)

Arthur T. White (painter, 1872-1961)

Clare White (painter, 1903-1997)

Frances Charlotte Whitehouse (painter, 1863-1957)

Louisa Caroline Whitehouse (painter, 1856-1932)

Mary Jane Whitehouse (painter, 1855-1933)

Sarah Elizabeth Whitehouse (painter, 1854-1933)

James P. Whitlock (painter and printmaker)

David Whittaker (painter, 1964- )

Terry Whybrow (painter, 1932- )

Laura Wild (painter)

Alison Wilding (sculptor)

Henry Williams (pen and ink artist, 1914-1985)

Paul Williams (painter)

Nick Williams (painter)

Keir Williamson (painter)

Barbara Wills (painter, 1923- )

Vincent Wilson (collage artist and painter, 1933- )

Christopher Wood (painter, 1901-1930)

Guy Worsdell (painter, printmaker and illustrator)

Bryan Wynter (painter, 1915-1975)

X

Y

Fred Yates (painter, 1922-2008)

Russ Youll (painter)

Z

Partou Zia (painter and writer, 1958-2008)

Rosemary Ziar (painter)

Heimo Zobernig (interdisciplinary artist, 1958- )

Anders Zorn (painter, 1860-1920)

The mining industry certainly gave Halsetown such an increase in population that by 1840 a little private school was opened there together with a house for the master, all provided by James Halse. Also around this time Wesleyan and Bible Christian Chapels were built. As the little village developed so did entertainments. Halsetown Fair was first held on 11th September 1832, when there was ‘a good sale of horses and cattle’. In later years this annual fair became a pleasure fair.

In 1846 Halsetown became a separate parish and was added to the Parishes of Lelant, Towednack and St Ives; these forming the United Borough. In 1847 a temporary chapel was built in the upper village. The new parish of St John’s-in-the-Fields was built on a site in Hellesvean about one mile from the village in 1860.

A famous resident of Halsetown was Johnny Broadribb (Brodribb), who became the famous actor-manager Sir Henry Irving.

Today Halsetown still lies within the St Ives Conservation area so that the little village remains very much as originally built. Obviously the granite cottages have been modernized inside, but external appearances remain very much the same as when the village was built nearly 175 years ago. In 1876 the population of Halsetown is recorded as 1,810 persons, whilst today a mere 154 names appear on the electoral register.

It was not until 7 July 1873 that an Act for the purpose of building a railway line to St Ives was finally passed. Construction of the railway was somewhat reluctantly undertaken by a consortium of the Great Western, Bristol & Exeter and West Cornwall Railways who saw in the failed mines and uncertain fisheries of the town little prospect of success, but were finally persuaded to come in after considering its potential as a holiday resort.

The route chosen ran from St Ives Road (re-named St Erth) station on the West Cornwall Railway, along the western side of Hayle Estuary to Lelant, and thence across the sand dunes and around the cliffs to Carbis Valley and on to St Ives – a short but wonderfully varied and beautiful line.

The contract for building the railway was obtained by Thomas Lang of Liskeard and by September 1874 250 navvies were at work. On 24 February 1877 the first steam engine passed over the entire length of the line and it was officially opened on 24 March 1877. That morning, the director’s train, consisting of a saloon and six composite carriages, drawn by the locomotive Elephant, left Penzance station to make the inaugural journey to St Ives.

The St Ives branch was the last railway ever built to Brunel’s celebrated broad gauge of 7 feet 0-1/4 inches, though a third rail, permitting mixed gauge working, ran from St Erth to Lelant Quays. The line was converted to standard gauge working (4 feet 8-1/2 inches), together with the entire system between Paddington and Penzance, in May 1892.

Prior to the great decline of the fishing industry between the wars, a heavy fish traffic was carried while the number of passengers carried during the summer weekends rose to such levels during the middle years of the 20th century as to tax its limited capacity to the utmost.

Then came the phenomenal increase in motor traffic in the ’50s and ’60s and the dark days of the Beeching era, when an attempred closure was successfully resisted by well-organised local opinion, but the old St Ives station was completely demolished in 1971 to make a car park.

Then, following the centenary celebrations in 1977 came a change in fortune with the inauguration in 1978 of the ‘Park and Ride’ scheme, with a brand new station and extensive parking facilities at Lelant Saltings.

The above is taken from Cyril Noall’s book Yesterday’s Town: St Ives, published by Barracuda Books Limited, Buckingham, 1979.

The Arts Club was founded in 1890; Bernard Leach started his pottery on the outskirts of the town in 1920, the St. Ives Society of Artists was formed in 1927, and the mariner Alfred Wallis began to paint in the 1930s.

The arrival of a new younger generation of artists at the beginning of the war, in particular Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Naum Gabo, who lived and worked among the avant garde European artists, brought a new vitality to the town. They were later joined by many others – both new residents and regular visitors – whose shared aim was to pursue abstraction through depicting the unique West Penwith landscape. In 1949 the Penwith Society of Artists was formed and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden opened to the public in 1976. Following the opening of Tate St. Ives in June 1993; above Porthmeor Beach, the town has become world famous, and artists, sculptors and craftspeople continue to be drawn to the town.

Alphabetical List of Artists

One of our volunteers Greta Williams compiled this information to make this fabulous display but she feels sure that there are many more women out there that should be portrayed, please go along and if you spot yourself or know of someone who is missing, contact us.

Ted Lever’s ‘Veterans Remember’ book is now on sale, this can be purchased from the Archive for £10 plus postage and packing. It is a valuable record of local men and women who lived through the dark and often dangerous days of the Second World War.