OCCUPATIONS.
From Victoria, History of Cornwall. Vol. I.
Climate, mineral wealth, and geographical position,
are the three elements which have determined in the
past, and still determines the occupation of the
inhabitants of Cornwall. A coast-line of enormous
extent, with estuaries which afford safe shelter
for ships, and fishing craft, mineral reservoirs,
such as no other county in England possesses. To
these Cornwall's chief industries, fishing,
mining and horticulture are to be attributed.
The numerous references in the Patent and Close
rolls to the King's Mines in the Counties of
Cornwall and Devon render it certain that in the
14th and 15th centuries gold and silver were found
in these counties in sufficient quantities to be
worth the working.
In 1578 the Prior of Bodmin, and the Abbot of
Buckfast, have Letters Patent enabling them to
control the profits arising from the gold and
silver mines leased to Henry of Briton, and
requiring them to pay one seventh of the profits to
the King.
INDUSTRIES.
Beside that of the Land there is yet another
harvest in St. Keverne with quite different reapers
- this is - the harvest of the sea. For centuries
the livelihood of many of the inhabitants has
depended on the yield of fish etc. A speciality of
the county being found no where else - save on the
opposite shores of Brittany, and the South Coast of
Ireland, is the Pilchard or Gipsy herring, looked
for from July to Novenber. These fish are believed
to winter in the deep waters of the Scillies. In
the spring they rise to the surface, and form
shoals, which finally unite in one large host which
is kindly driven to our shores by dog-fish and
other enemies.
For centuries the Pilchard Industry was
considerable, the cellars where the fish were
salted still remain, though they are no longer used
for that purpose, but the older inhabitants recall
with pleasure the happy days when, after a good
haul of the little shining creatures every woman
and girl available was summoned to the salting. If
an intruder entered to watch the proceedings he was
supposed to "stand treat" otherwise, amid
much laughter, a few of the fish would be skilfully
aimed at his head.
For several years the Pilchard Industry in the
parish seemed to be on the wane, but of late it has
made a fresh start and the fishermen have been well
rewarded for their trouble,
There are few sights better worth seeing than the
shooting of the pilchard seine at Coverack or
Porthallow. The "huer" as the man is
called who watches for the coming of the fish from
his stand on the cliff or hillside - sees the
colour of the sea changing (at times becoming
almost carmine) and knows that a shoal, or school,
is approaching. He then blows the trumpet and the
cry of "Heva" rings through the air,
The seine boat laden with nets starts to the spot
which he indicates by the waving of a branch of a
tree. Quickly the net is dropped round the pilchard
school enclosing it 60 ft deep. It is usually
weighted by lead and buoyed by corks top and bottom
so as to float perpendicularly.
When the school is encompassed by this barrier of
net it is secured by three ropes to points on the
land. A shout of triumph follows At the letting
down of the net for a draught" which is heard
by men on shore who rush to the water in boats and
beat with their oars the surrounding wavelets so as
to enclose the fish in a narrower space. The Tuck
net is then let down. This has a bag at the bottom
which encloses the fish.
One advantage of Pilchard fishing is that it can be
done in broad daylight.
About two centuries ago a large school of Pilchards
came into the Cove at Porthoustock while the seine
boats were a little distance out. Quickly from one
of the boats a net was extended across the entrance
and this shut in the whole of the fish. However
salt in sufficient quantities could not be procured
for preserving, so some of the fishermen resolved
on the hazardous expedient of sailing to France for
a supply. The weather fortunately was fine, and
1,000 hogsheads of fish were preserved, thanks to
the intrepid adventurers.
From "The Cornish Coast" Page 118.
1847.
Coverack, Pilchards are still caught here with the
old fashioned seine nets, but their numbers are
much decreased. We can realize what the pilchard
has been to Cornwall when we read that in 1847 over
40,000 hogsheads were exported to Genoa, Leghorn,
Naples, Venice, etc. estimated at more than a
hundred million fish.
In 1846 Pilchards were sold at two pounds a
hogshead, but in 1876 they fetched five pounds a
hogshead.
In the years 1786 and 1787 not a single pilchard
appeared on the Cornish Coast.
FISHING
After the Napoleonic Wars the fishermen of Coverack
seem to have suffered from the general poverty in
St. Keverne.
The following is an extract from the Old Church
Account Book of St. Keverne. November 8. 1816.
Resolved that the Fishermen at Coverack who apply
to the overseers for relief shall be employed as
the overseer may point out, and when thus employed
shall receive an equivalent with the farm labourer.
(1/- per day).
May 19. 1819.
Resolved that the disabled men of the parish and
men employed on the Fishery be employed by the
way-wardens to work on the highway (and it was
recommended) that a composition of one half of the
Statute duty be paid by the farmers for the purpose
of paying the said man so employed.
Pilchards. Lakes Parochial History.
Camden, born 1551.
Camden, writing on Cornwall, says "Besides a
most rich revenue and commodities, they have by
these little fishes they call Pilchards which
swarming, as one could say, in mighty great skuls
about the shores from July unto November are then
taken garbaged, salted, hanged in smoake, laid up,
pressed and by infinite numbers carried over into
France, Spain and Italie, into which countries they
be very good chaffer and right welcome merchandize
and are called Fermadoes". (Fair maids).
History of St. Keverne.
Acts of Privy Council. 1552 page 125.
After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the
fishing of St. Keverne passed into the hands of
royal favourites.
The following is a copy of an entry made in Edward
the Sixth's reign.
"A letter to the Chancellor of Thaugmentacion
for a lease in revision of XXI yeres, of the tythe
and fyshing of St. Keverne in the Countie of
Cornwall to Thomas Edmondes one of the Footemen
(Grant of tithes and fishing rights).
A mound of stones called the boak in Coverack, has,
for centuries, been the watch spot from which
'huers” have cried Hubba or Heva. The
name 'huer’ is said to be French, from
hue, to cry or shout after.
A shoal of mackeral can be detected by the
smoothness of the water. In the season they are
fairly plentiful.
The basse is a good fish for sport, and very large
ones are sometimes caught. Also Red Mullet,
"the wood-cock of the Sea".
Grey Mullet is frequently caught, but the
characteristic fish of St. Keverne is the Pollack
which is particularly good. An expert hand will
haul in a great number in a few hours.
Flat fish such as turbot, brill, plaice and soles
are obtained by trawling or by spillers.
The rare and tiny Lancelot is plentiful here.
Dear Miss Diggens,
Size of largest pilchard net - 200 fathom long, 11
fathom deep at middle, 8 ditto at ends.
Size of largest school of pilchards - 1300
Hogsheads
" "
" Crab ever caught 12 lbs
" "
" Pollack 19 lbs.
S. Champion.
Crabbing.
Crabbing is an important industry in the parish,
the edible crab, cancer pagurus - is very plentiful
in Coverack, Porthoustock and Porthallow.
It is caught in pots made of withies, but often
gets entangled in the trammel to the disgust of the
fisherman. The largest recorded crab weighed 13 lbs
but crabs of 5, 8 and even 11 Ibs are to be seen
frequently.
1535. 24th Jan, From The Letters Foreign &
Domestic,
Henry 8th. Vol. 8. Page 51.
Sir William Drugo, Vicar of St. Keverne to Lady
Lisle.
"Is glad to hear of her health and desires to
be commended to Lord Lisle upon the token that your
ladyship laughed heartily at dinner for the great
wise answer that I gave unto my Lord.
Thanks for the good cheer when he was last with
them. Sends a kilderkin containing four Cornish
congers".
St. Keverne 24. Jan. 1555.
During the past few years a great decrease has
been noticable in the quantity of fish caught, this
is doubtless owing to the Trawlers, which are now
allowed to come in the Bay, and consequently carry
off many immature fish. The fishermen are making an
agitation against it which it is hoped will be
successful otherwise the Industry must decline.
The Quarries.
The St. Keverne Quarries give employment to a
number of men, and a considerable quantity of stone
is constantly being shipped to various parts.
Cornish granite, generally speaking, is much
coarser in texture than that found in other parts
of the British Isles, and granite having this
peculiar formation has the advantage of being found
in larger and more regular masses or beds than the
fine grained granite of these islands.
Cornwall has not only supplied the granite for
dock, harbour, and other engineering works in
Britain, but has supplied it for similar purposes
to other parts of the world, its hardness and
durability rendering it particularly suitable for
much used thoroughfares.
Manufactures.
The Asbestoes was very rare among the Ancients,
insomuch that it was procurable only by the rich,
for clothing the dead bodies of their friends when
burnt on the funeral pile. But it was found on
various parts of Cornwall particularly in St.
Clere, near Liskeard, in St. Keverne and
Landawdneck Nothing therefore is more probable than
that the Romans (who were acquainted with the
subject) instructed the Cornish into making it into
clothes, or that incombustable linen so highly
prized by those who burned their dead,
The vestiges of Roman pottery are still discernible
in this island.
|
