The Looe Old Cornwall Society (LOCS) has recently been successful in its application to the Local Heritage Initiative for funding for a project to commemorate Joseph Thomas, a local Civil Engineering genius. The Local Heritage Initiative is in partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund, Nationwide Building Society and the Countryside Agency. The same funding group that supported the highly successful Looe Heritage Trail Project and the film that followed. (A project that was completed in early 2005).

Joseph Thomas was responsible for the road to Hannafore on the west side of the Harbour. Opened in 1895, the road picturesquely is carried by three small arches and the larger arch. These archways essential in supporting the road along the edge of what was once only a steep cliff, together with the ornamental two buttresses at Pennylands made accessible the area we now know so well as Hannafore, with all its beauty overlooking Looe Island together with its expensive properties and ending at the start of the popular coastal walk towards Polperro.

 

Banjo

  

The “Round” on the end of what is now known as the Banjo Pier is also thanks to Thomas’s Civil Engineering Genius. The original groyne caused the Harbour to silt up. No one believed Thomas when he said that a round would stop the silting. Indeed so certain was he of his proposal that he paid out of his pocket for the round to be constructed. When it worked the town of course paid him. So now we have our famous Banjo Pier, courtesy of this genius engineer.

Further out of town, Thomas was responsible for the loop line that leaves Coombe Junction and climbs up into Liskeard via a 270º loop. Without this there had been no rail access to Liskeard. Opened in 1901 it bought additional wealth not only in mining, but also in visitors to our town.

Indeed, Joseph Thomas might be looked upon as our own Isambard Kingdom Brunel, so much did he alter the face of Looe.

The Looe Old Cornwall Society has now brought all this information together by means of a Cornish Granite Information and Viewing Point  erected near the RNLI Station, together with plaques around the town showing where he changed the face of our town (There are four plaques. Can you find them all)?  As well as this, LOCS has also been involved with local primary school children in building models of Joseph Thomas's achievements.  These models are now on display in the Library (what was the Discovery Centre)..