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 In 1934 the Borough of Penzance had the task of implementing the recently introduced Housing Acts. They decided to replace cottages clustered around the harbour with a new housing estate.
This decision did not meet with universal approval and it was decided to
send a deputation to London to present a petition to the Minister of Housing.This was to be no ordinary deputation, for the petition was to be taken by a crew of Newlyn fishermen, in a Newlyn boat, up the Thames to Westminster Pier.
MThe boat selected was the pilchard driver Rosebud.She left Newlyn at dawn on October 20th,
1937 for the 450 mile voyage to the Thames.Her journey attracted considerable public
attention and media coverage, even The Times devoted a leading
article to her quest.
Meanwhile in Surbiton, Surrey an amateur photgrapher, Charles Hoyland,
decided to go up to London to photograph the boat. At the time he was experimenting with colour
photography. Over 70 years later his
son, Richard Hoyland, watched the recent Restoration Village
programme which featured Trinity Chapel here in Newlyn. He recalled the photograph his father had
taken and contacted the Newlyn website.
The photograph is now safely ‘back home’
much to the pleasure of ourselves and Richard Hoyland. In a letter he
made the observation that there must be thousands of photos mouldering away in
boxes and drawers that could give such pleasure to others if their significance
were only recognised.
Taken in Dufaycolor on 120 size film, using a folding
bellows type camera, typical for that period, the image shows that Mr Hoyland
was a photographer of considerable merit.
It is reproduced here and will shortly become available to all, now and
in the future, from the photographic archive of Penlee House Gallery and
Museum.
Margaret Perry
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