Cornish people are making an impact on the world. Below are examples of the remarkable contributions to the knowledge and technology of the world. If you’re not Cornish, you will perhaps see this ancient Celtic land and its inventive people in a completely new light – and be surprised by the final item of all!
THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLANET NEPTUNE: John Couch Adams, Laneast
ADVANCEMENT OF EYE SURGERY: William Adams, Morwenstow
NATIONWIDE POSTAL SERVICE: Ralph Allen, St Blazey
BEAUTY CARE & COSMETICS: Elizabeth Arden (Florence Nightingale Graham), Hayle
ACCURATE NAVIGATIONAL CHRONOMETERS: John Arnold, Bodmin
SAFETY FUSE FOR EXPLOSIVES: William Bickford, Tuckingmill
THE CONCEPT OF THE SUEZ CANAL: James Silk Buckingham, Flushing
THE VOLTAIC ARC: Humphry Davy, Penzance
DISCOVERY OF THE POTASSIUM, SODIUM & CHLORINE ELEMENTS: Humphry Davy, Penzance
MINERS’ SAFETY LAMP: Humphry Davy, Penzance
THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY: Humphry Davy, Penzance
DIPPING NEEDLE COMPASS: Robert Were Fox, Falmouth
STEAM JET: Goldsworthy Gurney, Padstow
FLASHING CODE FOR LIGHTHOUSES: Goldsworthy Gurney, Padstow
CONCRETE RAFT FOUNDATIONS: Goldsworthy Gurney, Padstow
DOUBLE-BEAT STEAM VALVE: Jonathan Carter Hornblower, Chacewater
FIRST EXPLORATION OF THE NIGER: John and Richard Lander, Truro
BLOOD TRANSFUSION: Richard Lower, St Tudy
FIRST SUCCESSFUL POWERED FLIGHT: Richard Pearse, St Columb (8 months before the Wright brothers)
HYDRAULIC JACK: Richard Tangye, Illogan
LIFE-SAVING ROCKET APPARATUS: Henry Trengrouse, Helston
CORK LIFE-JACKET: Henry Trengrouse, Helston
SELF-RIGHTING LIFEBOAT: Henry Trengrouse, Helston
HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINE: Richard Trevithick, Illogan
STEAM LOCOMOTIVE: Richard Trevithick, Illogan
ROAD CAR: Richard Trevithick, Illogan
SCREW PROPELLER: Richard Trevithick, Illogan
COMPOUND STEAM ENGINE: Arthur Woolf, Camborne
THE SAVING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FROM EXTINCTION: John Trevisa, Richard Pencrych, John of Cornwall.
He’s loved by thousands of people locally, and those visiting the Cornish coast. With his long brown locks and cute face, there’s probably not a girl in the world he couldn’t make smile. So, dictaphone at the ready, I eagerly go to meet Bilbo. That’s Bilbo, the famous Life-saving dog, of course.
Bilbo, who turned seven last month, is Cornwall’s first beach rescue dog. After being directly involved in rescuing three endangered swimmers and indirectly involved in preventing many other accidents, the fourteen stone Newfoundland has earned himself the title of Surf lifeguard alongside his RNLI lifeguard colleagues at Sennen Cove since 2005.
Despite his hard work, there was outcry when in 2008 the RNLI, backed by Penwith council, banned Bilbo from his work in line with the rule disallowing dogs on Cornish beaches during the summer months. To his owner, Steve Jamieson, and the rest of the life guarding team’s delight, members of the adoring public rallied together to get Bilbo his job back. Various petitions were set up and around 20,000 signatures were signed. The council, local beach owners and the RNLI worked to come up with a compromise to allow Steve to take Bilbo on the beach twice a week to help promote beach safety as part of the charity's education program.
With several public appearances, local radio coverage, a DVD and a book to boast about, Bilbo is now a household name. Steve, who has recently left the RNLI, and Bilbo, continue to spread the message of beach safety to adults and children across the country.
I’ve come to chat with Steve, known as Jmo, to find out more about Bilbo, our local hero.
How did you come to be Bilbo’s owner?
Having a Newfoundland is a huge commitment. I first met him when he was a puppy, then went back to see him when he was two and took him with me for a few days while I worked along the coastal paths. After taking him home I got a phone call from his owners saying he hadn’t stopped howling since I left and wouldn’t eat his food, and asking how I would feel about having him. So I said “yeah of course,” straight away, but on the condition that I could take him to work with me and he would never be left again. Now he’s become my best friend and I just wouldn’t be without him at all.
How did Bilbo start his career as a lifeguard?
He came to the lifeguard service when he was about 14 weeks old and would stay around the depot with us while we trained him. When he was between six months and one year old we started taking him swimming with us when we trained on Porthmeor beach. He just loved the water and we saw the potential there.
What makes Newfoundlands adept for rescue work?
They are natural swimming dogs. The water in Newfoundland is very cold and they have adapted to deal with that. They have a double coat; his top coat is completely waterproof, so when Bilbo did his Newlyn to Penzance open water swim last year (which took 28 minutes) if you lifted up his top coat, his bottom coat was completely dry. They’ve also got extra large lungs for long distance swimming and massive webbed feet. In the past when people went whale hunting there would be two or three Newfoundlands on board to rescue anyone who fell in to the sea. You find that if people have these dogs as pets and have kids, the dog will always try and get between the children and the sea to protect them.
What was Bilbo trained to do if he sensed someone in the water was in danger?
Bilbo has been trained to recognise the international signal for help; waving one arm in the air and shouting. When he sees someone with that attitude in the sea, he can swim through head high surf out to them. He normally wears a harness which we attach a Peterson tube to, which is a standard piece of life guarding kit. Unlike some other dogs, Bilbo does it properly and swims around the casualty so the float is close to them and so they don’t try and grab hold of him. When he feels a weight on the float, he swims them back to the beach.
How did you feel when Bilbo was banned from the beach?
We couldn’t believe it when he was banned and it left us quite demoralized. We knew having him on the beach worked; our rescues fell. In fact, in his last season we only had one major rescue, which is unheard of on Sennen. Using Bilbo we were able to reach the public on a daily basis and talk about beach safety, so he was a real asset. I wasn’t really surprised by the publicity that surrounded this because I knew there was a huge weight behind Bilbo, and he had people coming from all over the world to see him.
How did Bilbo become involved in safety education in schools?
Part of the job myself and Mark, an ex-senior lifeguard at Sennen, did, was to go into schools and deliver beach safety talks; and of course bringing Bilbo along made the talks so much more effective. Children would focus on him and they would be listening to us through him. We deliver the message to them, Bilbo brings the friendship aspect that children need, and then the kids get the clarity of the message.
How is Bilbo rewarded for a hard day at work?
He gets rewarded with treats because that was how I trained him. Of course, every now and again when he’s done a lot of good work he’ll get a whole chicken with rice and peas; he loves that.
I live in Canterbury, a leafy suburb of Melbourne about five miles east of the city centre. My home is opposite a park with a children’s playground, cycle and walking tracks and a railway station.
I am the second oldest of six children of Frank and Amy Woolhouse (nee Curnow). I was born in Sheffield Tasmania. I started school in Tasmania, and then attended schools in Victoria.
My father was a Methodist Minister so we moved often. I completed a business course and worked in offices in the city including the Law Courts for many years. After long service leave, which included a visit to Cornwall, I returned to work in Methodist Aged Care, and Child Care. I retired from ‘paid work’ some years ago.
I am active in my local Uniting church where I am an Elder, a member of the pastoral care committee, and cater for our ecumenical quarterly church breakfasts.
I am a life member of the Cornish Association of Victoria. During my time as president I arranged a Cornish Festival weekend at Castlemaine, Victoria. I am responsible for our Curnow family gatherings in Victoria. My roots with Cornwall are through the Curnow, Peak and White families, hence my Bardic name Col Gwynn a Gernow (White Peak of Cornwall). I was made a Bard at St Columb in 2001.
My great grandfather James Curnow was born at Crankan Farm, Heamoor, Penzance. He came to Victoria in the 1850s gold rush and bought land still farmed by our Curnow family. James married Mary White at Castlemaine. She was born at St Just in Penwith, her grandfather being Squire White of Trewellard Manor, St Just.
My father's mother was Harriet Peak. Her father Thomas Peak was born at Bone Farm, Penzance. He came out during the gold rush. John Peak, a Bard of the Gorseth, is descended from a brother who stayed in Penzance. I have written books about these three families and donated copies to the Morrab Library in Penzance – Rosevenue, Trewellard and Peaks of Penzance.
I enjoy the Penwith district of Cornwall, and was delighted to stay in the old Curnow farm home at Madron. Howard Curnow during his worldwide Curnow gatherings arranged my outings in the area. John Peak showed me places of interest near Penzance. Pawley White drove me on many scenic trips from Camborne. I enjoy all Cornwall; its history and scenic areas.
My last visit to Cornwall was to attend the Bardic gathering at Launceston in 2003. Cornwall is my heritage and I am glad to be able to study the Cornish language. I have passed level three and continue to learn more from our language bards at the Yeth an Werrin gatherings which are held in my home. I have always been aware of my Cornish heritage; there was always a picture of Lands End hung over our dining room fireplace. It was very exciting one foggy morning in 1968 to catch a bus with my mother from Penzance and ‘walk into the picture’. Fortunately the fog lifted and we could enjoy the view.
I am arranging our family reunion to be held at Bendigo for the descendants of James Curnow. These have been held every two years since 1964 with a church service and a get-together afterwards. I collate and print out the update of the family news for distribution. James and Mary had ten children so there is a lot of work to do.
I enjoy reading Cornish World for the news of Cornish activities everywhere and the articles of people and places in Cornwall. I especially read any language contributions. I first heard about the proposed magazine Cornish World at Celtic Conference held in Melbourne in 1994. I became a subscriber and have every issue. It is good to be able to refer back to them from time to time. Keep up the good work of linking the world wide Cornish and extending the knowledge of Cornwall through your excellent magazine.
