Newlyn's stunning weather vane is once again serving the purpose it was designed for following weeks of painstaking restoration work.The beautiful copper galleon has been a fixture atop the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen (RNMDSF) for almost a hundred years. 

But for the last three weeks it has been receiving some much needed TLC from a team of local craftsmen to ensure it will once again sparkle.

Mike Johnson of Newlyn firm Copperworks was commissioned by the RNMDSF to take on the project.

The vane was made around 1910 by Tom Batten and Francis Clemens and installed on the mission in 1911. It is made of pure copper and is covered in 23 carat gold leaf.

Mike explained: "It's one of the most important pieces of architectural Newlyn copper still in existence.

"There are three of four panels in the Newlyn Art Gallery but not a lot apart from that.

"It is such an honour to work on such an impressive piece and I can't believe there's a vane like it anywhere else in the country."

The galleon was also worked on by apprentice coppersmith Peter Wilson, Dick Johns, who serviced the moving parts, and the Framing Company at Stable Hobba which replaced the gold leaf. This week the craftsmen returned the vane to its home high above Newlyn but Mike says a future out of the harsh elements should be considered for it.

Mike added: "The detail is staggering and I think it would be lovely to see it on display in the mission at some stage, and then put a copy on the roof in its place."

article copyright THE CORNISHMAN 

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