Stuart House Heritage Group
Our Most Recent project
The Heritage Group has combined with the John Harris Society and presented a Birthday Celebration event to highlight the life and work of JOHN HARRIS, a Cornish poet/miner/preacher of the 19th century. (Copy of his portrait)
Born in poverty John Harris began work at Dolcoath mine at the age of 10 and worked underground for 24 years. Despite very little formal education he was writing verse from an early age. He was very conscious of the beauty of the countryside and composed poems of great merit describing the scenes and wild flowers but also wrote in strident tones of the underground world, where he and fellow workers strived for long hours. In 1864 he won the coveted Shakespeare Tercentenary Prize. During his lifetime he had several volumes of poetry published.
Exhibition
An Exhibition took place in Stuart House from 9th to 20th October. Free entry. (donations to Stuart House Trust always welcomed.)
Festival
On Sunday, 14th October, the anniversary of Harris’s birth, there was a festival in Liskeard Public Hall. This included a Folk Opera based on his life and work; Recitations; concluding with a Cornish Cream Tea.
Permanent Heritage Exhibition
The civil war exhibition – This has now been re-arranged in the Trussed Room on the second floor – a larger room enabling the exhibition to be developed. Visitors may find this room locked (for security when not stewarded). If you wish to visit this exhibition please speak to the House Manager to find out whether it is unlocked – before ascending the stairs! (Sorry about the caution – which will soon be unnecessary as we are arranging to have security devices installed.)
Semi-permanent Heritage Exhibitions
A limited number of exhibits from the Henry Rice Trail share the Rowse Room on the second floor with mining landscape photographs.