Tail-piping or pralling dogs in the neighbourhood of Penzance ranked as an amusement, next to bull baiting, with the lower orders of society....

The Nile was a four year old, iron-hulled, sail assisted steamer, a cargo ship with passenger accommodation. She hit the Stones at night in bad weather with the loss of all hands......

William Borlase was born at Pendeen House on 2 February 1696. Pendeen House still stands, one field away from the Atlantic near Pendeen Head.

Richard Oxnam, one of the original partners in Penzance's first bank, leading merchant and investor in mines looks as if he's made it.

Like the Levant Packet which was launched at St Ives on 4th January 1828, Brunel's Great Eastern was also a difficult ship to launch and needed several attempts to get her afloat. On 31st January 1858 Great Eastern finally floated...

Penzance seemed to be full of marching men in late January 1915 and inevitably there was a certain amount of competition.

Cyril Noall describes the collapse as "perhaps, the largest ever known in the neighbourhood. At surface, the effects resembled a minor earthquake."

Walking over from Sheffield to Kerris for his day’s work in the fields, young Willie Wallis hears something unusual. “I thought it was funny sound”, he will explain later. It’s coming from a distance, from way over by the old Snell’s quarry.

Penzance is alarmed. Hoteliers, be on your guard – your “difficulties” will be “increased”. Farmers – be ready. You must prepare for longer journeys on the difficult January roads. Housewives beware – there will henceforth be less “odds and ends".........

Urgent military training requirements in 1915 saw men travelling all over the country to attend training camps....