Cornish diaspora
The Cornish diaspora (Cornish: keskar kernewek)[1] consists of Cornish people and their descendants who emigrated from Cornwall, United Kingdom. The diaspora is found within the United Kingdom, and in countries such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Samoas.
Background
Cornish emigration was caused by a number of factors, mainly economic, notably a lack of work in the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period many Cornish people or "Cousin Jacks", as they were known, migrated to other parts of the world in search of a better life.[2] Many skilled miners sought the opportunity to find work abroad, as a consequence of the decline of the tin and copper mining industries in Cornwall. It is estimated that 250,000 Cornish migrated abroad between 1861 and 1901.[citation needed]
The Cornish economy profited from the work abroad. Some men sent back "home pay", with which they tried to help keep their families out of the workhouse. As well as their mining skills, the Cornish emigrants carried their
Rugby union was played overseas by the Cornish miners, this helped develop the game in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Teams from these nations have returned the compliment, and have played in Cornwall (New Zealand 1905, 1924, Australia 1908, South Africa 1906, 1912 and the Māori in 1926).[citation needed]
Specific locations
Today, in many native
Australia
Today the most famous area of Cornish culture, called 'Australia's Little Cornwall', is the area in
The South Australian town of Burra also has Cornish connections. Burra began with the discovery of copper in 1845, by shepherds Thomas Pickett and William Streair. A number of townships soon developed - the South Australian Mining Association town of Kooringa, plus Redruth (Cornish) Aberdeen (Scottish) Llywchwr (Welsh) and Hampton (English).[5] This former copper mining town is listed on the National Estate Register and also declared a State Heritage Area. The great Burra Jinker holds pride of place in Market Square. It was once pulled by some 40 bullocks, four abreast. Straining to the vivid exhortations of six bullock drivers under the leadership of William Woollacott, they hauled the massive jinker for three months, on a 100-mile journey from Adelaide. In April 2001 the Jinker was included in the BankSA Heritage Icons List.
An example of the extent of the Cornish diaspora are the miners who worked at the Geraldine mine in Western Australia and had an influence on the nearby town of
Two of Australia's prime ministers are known to have Cornish ancestry.
Brazil
Cornish miners played a major role in gold mining in imperial Brazil. The Gongo Soco gold mine, operated by the Imperial Brazilian Mining Association of Cornwall using skilled Cornish miners, produced over 12,000 kilograms (26,000 lb) of gold between 1826 and 1856.[7][8] Of particular note was Cornish miner Thomas Bawden (Scorrier, 1814-Mariana, Brazil, 1886), who had migrated to Brazil as a young man to make his fortune, and who on June 1, 1859 bought, for a very modest price, the gold ore exploring rights of "Mina da Passagem" (in
Canada
The oldest and largest area of settlement from the West Country in Canada is that of the northern shore of Newfoundland, also known as the French Shore, due to competing fishing rights. The Cornish made up a significant part of this population, which is noticeable in the local dialect to this day. There are also significant populations of Cornish descent in other areas of Atlantic Canada, in particular, Prince Edward Island. In the first half of the 19th century Padstow was a significant port of embarcation for Cornish emigrants bound for Canada.[9] During the mid-19th century, ships carrying timber from Canada (particularly Quebec City) arrived at Padstow and offered cheap travel to passengers wishing to emigrate. Among the ships that sailed were the barques Clio, Belle[10] and Voluna; and the brig Dalusia. In Ontario, Oshawa and the surrounding Ontario County were the settling grounds of a large number of 19th century Cornish immigrants during the Cornish emigration which considerably reduced Cornwall's population, although these were largely agricultural workers, rather than miners. There were also major Cornish settlements in the Prairie provinces, and on Vancouver Island.
Cornish ethnicity is recognised on the Canadian census, and in 2006 1,550 Canadians listed their ethnic origin as Cornish.[11]
The name of Cornwall, Ontario however does not indicate settlement by Cornish people since it was named after one of the Dukes of Cornwall (its flag and coat of arms are therefore based on elements from the Duchy of Cornwall).
Mexico
In the State of
New Zealand
During the 1870s and 1880s, New Zealand had an immigrant drive spearheaded by Sir Julius Vogel of the New Zealand Government. At that time Vogel recognised that the young colony needed labourers, farmers and domestic servants to "bring the country in". Vogel initiated the Vogel Immigration Scheme (1871–1888) in which any New Zealand resident could nominate any British resident to immigrate to New Zealand for free if they qualified under the criteria. The criteria were for fit, healthy, young people with primarily labouring, farming or domestic servant skills. The recruiters were told to focus on Cornish and Scots who were known for their hard work ethic and were therefore deemed particularly ideal for colonial life. As the timing coincided with the downturn of the Cornish tin market, a large number of Cornish took up the offer. Many Cornish went to Auckland, Wellington, or Lyttelton (Christchurch), New Zealand. Many Scots went to Dunedin, New Zealand.[17] Peak immigration under the scheme occurred between 1872 and 1874. Records of those who emigrated under the scheme still exist and can be searched at most large New Zealand public libraries.
Thomas (born 1888) and Annie (born 1887) Bennett were two who made the journey from Cornwall to Aotearoa New Zealand. They settled in Morrinsville in the Waikato region. One of their daughters, Gladys, married Reg Pedley. Gladys and Reg moved to the Manawatu to a life of mostly dairy farming. Their eight offspring continue to celebrate their Cornish roots to this day. Thomas and Annie are interred together in the Piako Cemetery in Morrinsville, Waikato.
Pitcairn Islands and Norfolk Island
One of the nine
South Africa
During the
United Kingdom
Cornish people have also moved to a number of other parts of England and the rest of the United Kingdom. Close to the Cornish county border with Devon is the naval city of
United States
There are estimated to be close to 2 million people of Cornish descent in the US.
See also
- Category:People of Cornish descent
- List of topics related to Cornwall
- Culture of Cornwall
- Culture of Minnesota
- History of Cornwall
- Celtic nations
- Mining in Cornwall
- Camborne School of Mines
References
- ^ Rogerson, Sam (4 November 2020). "Online Translation Request Service". Cornwall Council.
- ISBN 978-0-521-80789-0
- ^ "The Cornish Diaspora". Cornwall Guide. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ "South Australia - Kernewek Lowender 2009". 6 April 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ "Burra". Southaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ McDonald, G. K. The Little Boat Harbour: history of Port Gregory. WA Museum, Fremantle.
- ^ "Gongo Soco, Brazil - The Cornish and an 'English' Village in the Tropics". Cousin Jacks World. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Conjunto de Ruínas do Gongo Soco" [The Ruins of Gongo Soco]. Instituto Estadual do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico de Minas Gerais (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ Beacham, Peter & Pevsner, Nikolaus (2014) Cornwall. (The Buildings of England.) New Haven: Yale University Press; p. 389
- ^ Kohli, Marj. "Immigrants to Canada – Vessels Arriving at Quebec 1843". ist.uwaterloo.ca. Archived from the original on 20 March 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ "Ethnocultural Portrait of Canada - Data table". 2.statcan.ca. 6 October 2010. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ Schwartz, Sharron (20 February 2024). "Two Hundred Years of the Cornish in Mexico : "Mexico's Little Cornwall"". Cousin Jacks World. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Cornish Mexicana : Pachuca : Real del Monte : La plata Mina México". 11 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ "Inside Out - South West - The Cornish in Mexico". BBC. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy". www.cornish-mexico.org. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Cornwall Guide | Accommodation, History, Photos and Cornwall Holiday Information". Cornishworldmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ "Immigration from southern England to New Zealand". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ "Pitcairn Island, the Bounty Mutineers and Their Descendants – McFarland". mcfarlandbooks.com.
- ^ "Matthew Quintal". Archived from the original on 18 May 2008.
- ^ "Why will nobody move to Pitcairn, the Pacific island with free land?". www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Norfolk Island History - Pitcairn to Norfolk".
- ^ Schwartz, Sharron (14 February 2024). "Cornish mineworkers in South Africa". Cousin Jacks World. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ McKie, Robin (15 January 2007). "Britain's moving story". Newstatesman.com. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
- hdl:10036/26432.
- ^ "Michigan State University Press - Cornish in Michigan - Russell M. Magnaghi". 24 February 2012. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ "The Butte Pasty - The Foods of the World Forum". 7 March 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ http://www.thebannerofpiran.50g.com/pageten.html [permanent dead link]
- ^ "Tangier Islanders Retain Unique Dialect". WAMU. 27 June 2011.
External links
- BBC The Cornish Diaspora - I’m alright Jack
- The Cornish Transnational Communities Project
- Kernewek Lowender - The world's largest Cornish festival
- Cornish Miners and the Witwatersrand Gold Mines in S.Africa. 1890-1904
- Overseas Cornish Associations
- UK Cornish Associations
- The Cornish in Latin America
- Cornish American Heritage Society - Cornwall on the Web
- New Zealand emigration
- Cornwall: Emigration & Immigration; Genuki
- Cornish Connection of Lower Michigan
- Cornish mining migration around the World