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Fowey Harbour Heritage Society

Welcome to the Fowey Harbour Heritage Society Website

Fowey harbour, which includes the communities of Fowey, Bodinnick and Polruan, has been a significant international trading port since the medieval period and is still a working port today, exporting china clay. Our aim is to encourage you to explore the area and find out more about the places and people that have contributed to its heritage.

Fowey Harbour Heritage Society

Promoting the heritage of the Fowey harbour area

The Society introduces you to the rich and varied history of Fowey harbour and what you can see today by:

  • Organising talks
  • Publishing an annual journal
  • Presenting our annual heritage awards
  • Providing heritage grants to local organisations
  • Promoting guided walks
  • Working with other societies on heritage projects

Programme of talks 2023/24

The programme of talks for 2023/24 is as follows;
All on Saturdays at 2pm.
9 Sept. The History of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. Malcolm Cross. Polruan Village Hall.
14 Oct. The Passmore Edwards Legacy. Dean Evans. Fowey Town Hall.
11 Nov. Robert Lenkiewicz, Artist and Teacher. Louise Courtnell. Whitecross Village Hall.
9 Dec. Lanhydrock and the Robartes family. Paul Holden. Squires Field Community Centre (Please note change of venue from Fowey Town Hall.)
13 Jan. Harvey's Forgotten Shipyard. Daisy Culmer. Fowey Town Hall.
10 Feb. The Rashleigh family, Charles and the creation of Charles' Town. Andy Trudgian. FTH.
9 March. The RNLI, 200 Years of saving Lives at Sea. Helen Doe. Delivered via Zoom.
13 April. Captain Lars Berg and the Timber Trade between Norway and Cornwall. Julie Tomlinson. Fowey Town Hall.

http

212_2054503003.pdf (pdf)

28/4/2023

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Fowey Harbour Heritage Society

1/5/2021

Captain Lars Berg and The Marthe Andrea; the 19th century Norwegian timber trade with Cornwall

Captain Lars Berg and The Marthe Andrea; the 19th century Norwegian timber trade with Cornwall

Fowey Town Hall

13 April 2024. 2pm

Cost: £5 for FHHS members, £8 for non members.

Contact: via Ticket Tailor https://buytickets.at/foweyharbourheritagesociety or pay at door.

Captain Lars Berg and The Marthe Andrea; A case history about the 19th century Norwegian timber trade with Cornwall. A talk by Dr. Julie Pinkney.

The chance finding of an 1859 newspaper report of the inquest into the suicide of a Norwegian ships captain, Lars Berg, at Restronguet near Mylor, sparked the interest of the speaker. Keen to understand the events that had led to this suicide, she contacted the National Maritime Museum in Oslo to find out more about his brig, the Marthe Andrea. This led to a collaboration with a Norwegian Emeritus Professor of History, who became equally eager to research both the man and his ship. A fascinating maritime tale unfolded that demonstrated the significance of the Norwegian timber and ice trades with Britain during the 19th century. Their research traced the history of the Marthe Andrea, including where she was built, her previous owners and captains, her routes and cargoes, until her final voyage. They discovered the life story of her final Captain, Lars Berg, where he lived, how he became a co-owner of the brig, why he took his own life, and what became of his family afterwards. This talk describes the vital maritime links that Cornwall had with Norway during the height of the shipping industry.



Dr. Julie Tomlinson lives in Cornwall where she works as an NHS Consultant Nurse and an independent historical researcher. She is particularly interested in the history and archaeology of the Viking Age and in Cornish maritime history. Julie has held substantive and honorary academic positions and has published widely. She is currently an Associate Researcher with the Institute of Cornish Studies, University of Exeter, and is an Honorary University Fellow with Plymouth University.

Illustration courtesy the Haugar art museum in Tønsberg, Norway

Do you have memories, information or pictures to share?

We would like to encourage you to contribute any material you may have about the history of Fowey Harbour. We would love to hear from you - to get in touch please click here .

We are pleased to be members of The Cornwall Association of Local Historians (CALH).

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