Cornish collection comes to Castlemaine

THE goldfields Cornish community will now have access to a plethora of resources from their past.

Recently, the Cornish Association of Victoria announced the transfer of its library from storage tubs at the Oakleigh Baptist Church in Melbourne to the Castlemaine Historical Society.

CAV president Ken Peak said he was “delighted” with the fitting location change of what the group considers to be the largest collection of Cornish material outside the county.

“Our Committee was of the view that even though we could no longer maintain the library as it was, its resources should remain intact as one collection wherever it was to be housed and curated,” he said.

“I am personally proud that such a collection as ours ‘comes home’, as it were, to a place where so many Cornish immigrants to this country worked on the goldfields in the 19th century and helped forge our nation.

“More than 700,000 Australians identify themselves as having Cornish heritage. Many of these folk, like me, have Cornish ancestors who worked on the Central Victorian Goldfields.

“This is an excellent outcome and we look forward to working successfully with the Castlemaine Historical Society for many years to come.”

The collection, which will now sit as a stand-alone one at its new home, consists of a variety of materials on Cornish people and their genealogical matter and history including mining, maritime, education, church and local history.

It will also be curated and archived by the Castlemaine Historical Society, and free to browse by appointment for CAV members.

Anyone interested in joining the CAV can visit their website cornishvic.org.au.