The Top 100 Cornish People, Part 1

... from a 2002 survey, found in the Western Morning News:

1   Richard Trevithick
A ''Cornish Giant' both intellectually and physically, pioneered the use of high pressure steam, revolutionising mining practices, invented the first road locomotive - fore-runner of the modern motor car; fought with Simon Bolivar's army of liberation; drained the silver mines of the Peruvian Andes, designed everything from pumps to iron ships, floating docks to ovens, gun carriages to portable room heaters, water-jet propelled ships to mechanical refrigerators.  Denied proper recognition in life and died in poverty in 1833.  See: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/on-line/energyhall/page92.asp

2   Humphry Davy
Penzance chemist and poet who invented the miners' safety lamp and was the first to use nitrous oxide as an anaesthetic.  He claimed his greatest 'discovery' to have been Michael Faraday. See: ttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/davy_humphrey.shtml

3  Michael Joseph An Gof
St Keverne blacksmith who became leadeer of the Cornish rebellion of 1497 against the raising of taxes for a war in Scotland.  Before his execution, he said he would have 'a name perpetual and a fame permanent and immortal'.  See: http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/people/michael_joseph.htm


4  A L Rowse
Tregonissey historian, scholar, poet and author whose more than 100 works include A Cornish Childhood.  The Elizabethian Renaissance, Tudor Cornwall and Shakespeare's Self-Portrait.
Obit see: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-a-l-rowse-1234367.html, Picture from: http://fag.looksystems.net/Collection/1998.1


5 David Penhaligon
Much-loved ambassador for Cornwall and Liberal MP for Truro from 1974 until his tragic death in 1986.  See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/53732334



6 Henry Trengrouse

Helston furniture maker who, after witnessing the loss of the Anson off Loe Bar, invented the rocket apparatus, Bosun's Chair and the Breeches Buoy, saving countless lives.


See: http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~helstonhistory/henrytrengrousepage.htm

7 Charles Causley
Launceston poet, teacher and seaman.  Companion of Literature at the Royal Society of Literature, awarded the CBE, Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry and many other awards, see: http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=122


8  John Passmore Edwards
Blackwater publisher and philanthropist who built more than 60 free libraries, hospitals, schools and care homes.  See: http://www.passmoreedwards.org.uk/





9  Goldsworthy Gurney
Padstow-born doctor who built Bude Castle on sand, invented incandescent light, lit the Houses of Parliament, and developed the first practical steam carriage, which he drove from Bath to London and back at 15mph in 1829.  See: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249695/Sir-Goldsworthy-Gurney


10  Sir John Opie

Known as the 'Cornish Wonder', portrait painter from St Agnes who became a star of the Royal Academy in the 1780s after being discovered working as a carpenter and sponsored by Truro doctor and satirist John Solcot.  Believed to have painted around 750 major works in his lifetime.  see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/artists/john-opie


11 Brenda Wootton

Folk singer with an incredible vocal range who toured the world with her ballads and Cornish songs, like Pasties and Cream.
See: http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/people/brenda_wooton.htm



12  Sir Arthur Quiller Couch

Fowey novelist and poet, known simply as 'Q' was Professor of English at Cambridge University and wrote such classics as the Splendid Spur, and the The Astonishing History of Troy Town. See: http://www.online-literature.com/quiller-couch/


13  John Couch Adams

Farmer from Laneast who became president of the Royal Astonomical Society and proved the position of Neptune using mathematical calculations. See: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Biographies/Adams.html

14  Bishop Jonathan Trelawny
Born Pelynt and became Bishop of Bristol, Exeter and Winchester. One of seven bishops committed to the Tower of London in 1688 for contempt of the House of Commons and inspired Robert Stephen Hawker to write The Song of the the Western Men.  See: http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/people/john_trelawny.htm

15  Thomas Flamank
Lawyer from Bodmin who, with Michael Joseph An Gof, led the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 and was hanged at Tyburn.

16  Henry Jenner

Born in 1848 at St Columb Major, regarded as the father of modern Cornish language revival.  The first Cornish Grand Bard (with Robert Norton Nance), his Handbook of the Cornish Language was published in 1904, paving the way for the revival.  See: http://www.gorsethkernow.org.uk/english/gallery/grandbards/egwasmyg.htm


17 Billy Bray
Miner and evangelist preacher who called himself 'The King's Son', joined the Bible Christians, built three chapels - Bethel, Three Eyes and Great Deliverance - and was known to preach to 3,000- strong congregations at open-air revivalist meetings.  See: http://www.billybray.com/

18 St Piran
Patron Saint of tinners, who is said to have sailed from Ireland to the shores of Cornwall on a millstone, landing at Perranzabuloe, where he founded an oratory.  The white cross on the black background of the St Piran's flat - the indisputable symbol of Cornwall - denotes the molten metal flowing from black ore.  See: http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/pirandm.html

20 King Arthur
Legendary warrior born at Tintagel who defeated the Saxons in 12 battles.  See: http://www.king-arthur.co.uk/

 next 20 to follow soon....
and also what about:

Isaac Foot
singer Josh
writer of Rebecca
bishop benson
seth lakeman