Hi everyone I am of Cornish descent my family were from Penzance, Madron and Newlyn and the Scilly Isle being the Guy family. My 2nd cousin Arthur Basil Tonkin died in 2002 and until I started reading over the last week your wonderful stories and descriptions I was not aware of how I not only have missed Arthur wonderful letters I received from him in which he would lapse into the Cornish dialect and give me the English meanings. Adding some wonderful descriptions of Cornwall as I came to Oz as a child in 1957. One of his favourite items was due to his trade he was a baker as was his father James and I have a couple of recipe's he sent me here in Oz. The other was he would send me verses from headstones in his local cemetery. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year looking forward to more posts. Merry Christmas Hazel in Blacktown, NSW

Hello Hazel - You'r entirely welcome!! Your Arthur sounds as if he was a lovely person - imagine, sharing the wisdom of the ages, or at least, how people wanted their relatives remembered through memorial inscriptions. One of my favourites is: Here lies Jonathan Pease His soul is not here, only his pod Pease hath shelled out and gone home to God. Don't believe that's Cornish, but 'tis worthy of being so. And another one: Beneath this grassy Mound Now rests One Edgar Oscar Earl, Who to another Hunter, looked Exactly like a squirrel If you have any receipts of Arthur, or James, especially for Saffron Buns, t'would be quite an addition to this year's party! Ed, and his fellow prisoners, have peeled TONS of potatoes - enough to make quite a pile of tasty pasties! (and klub, should an errant Norwegian pass by with some salt pork.) Whilst I may - just may - have exaggerated the dungeons of the gaol, it did have dirt floors until the 1800's; wonder how many prisoners just walked away? There weren't police forces as such until the same time period, either. And people did commit "victimless crimes" such as breaking windows with stones so they could be incarcerated in the gaol for three months or so - just enough to carry them through the bitter winters - because the food was better in the gaols than in the Poor Houses! My latest dancing partner is beckoning - the Band is back, and ready for another session of playing dances. Tah, for now, Julianna and the girls (Kira the Keeshond found a very threatening, mean looking Rat - not one of the skinny ones with Ed - and Shadow the cat teamed up with her. Kira barked & circled, while Shadow pounced. We know this, as Shadow just proudly placed the rat in front of me, and pranced away, after yet another culprit. Have read that the Champion Ratter Dog in Cornwall caught over 200 rats in one barn, in less than one afternoon!!) -------------------------------- -------- > From: hazelmagann@optusnet.com.au > To: cornish@rootsweb.com > Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2012 07:55:58 +1100 > Subject: Re: [CORNISH] Party 2012 > > Hi everyone > I am of Cornish descent my family were from Penzance, Madron and Newlyn and > the Scilly Isle being the Guy family. > > My 2nd cousin Arthur Basil Tonkin died in 2002 and until I started reading > over the last week your wonderful stories and descriptions I was not aware > of how I not only have missed Arthur wonderful letters I received from him > in which he would lapse into the Cornish dialect and give me the English > meanings. Adding some wonderful descriptions of Cornwall as I came to Oz as > a child in 1957. > > One of his favourite items was due to his trade he was a baker as was his > father James and I have a couple of recipe's he sent me here in Oz. The > other was he would send me verses from headstones in his local cemetery. > > I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year looking forward to > more posts. > > Merry Christmas > Hazel in Blacktown, NSW > > ------------------------------- > Subscribe to digest by sending an email to CORNISH-D-request@rootsweb.com with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line and body text. If you want, MIME digests, email CORNISH-admin@rootsweb.com. > > Unsubscribe from either by sending an email to CORNISH-request@rootsweb.com. > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CORNISH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hello Julia I never actually met him we corresponded for quite a number of years and yes Arthur was a character. His business was at Constantine his father's business started out in Penzance and then he went to Wherry Isle. I will check Arthur's recipes I remember one he sent as before leaving for Oz my mum used to give lardy scones and ecles cakes which I love this is one of the recipes he gave me. I have some photos and certificates etc of my grandad and his family if your organisation collect them which I am only to happy to scan and share. Also it took me a long time but with the help of grandad I know who our lady was who moved the lanterns at Lands End to sink the ships for their bounty I am most happy to share anything. When I get home today I will see what I have and send some of Arthurs recipes for you. Please tell all to enjoy their Christmas season and the New Year you will receive more emails later today. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU Hazel in Blacktown, NSW