Looe Old Cornwall Society was formed on 26th February 1927 in the Guildhall, East Looe. The original members were

Mr H.W.Stripp, Miss Ethel Hicks, Miss C.M.V. Gyles, Miss Cope, Mr P.C.Chettle, Miss Little, Mr C.K.Croft-Andrew, Miss Elizabeth Steed-Shapcott and Miss Allen.

Mr Croft-Andrew became Chairman and Recorder. The society was affiliated to the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies.

The objectives of the society were set out, the main one being the collection of details of the past life of Cornwall, including the correct pronunciation of Cornish personal and place names. They took as their motto “ Gather ye the fragments that are left, that nothing be lost”

Meetings were held monthly and speakers gave a variety of talks on Cornish topics, one of the first being “Superstitions and Witchcraft.”

It was obvious that the new society would abound with stories, traditions and facts about Looe and, as details from the Record and Minute books indicate, members shared such information, putting forward burning questions such as whether there had ever been a castle in Looe, and discussing the restoration of the tradition of “Beating the Bounds”

At one meeting, members discussed a trench on West Looe Downs which someone thought had been part of a Roman camp, another maintained it was called “ The Withey Trench” and that fishermen grew their witheys for lobster and crab pots there.

A banner was created at some time prior to 1933, no details found, but there is a record of the gift of a wooden case and jointed rod for the banner. The donor was Mr Bowden.

Details of local discoveries were reported, at a meeting in 1933, Dr J.H.Blight gave a description of decorations found in the bedroom of Mrs Toms’ house in Lower Chapel Street, during renovations. One panel bore the date 1659, another bore a figure of a recumbent lion and a third had a fleur de lys and vine leaves. Some of the decoration was indistinct but one may have been the Virgin Mary.

Excursions and visits, were made to local sites and, later, to places of interest further afield. The first excursion, known as a pilgrimage, was to Duloe.

A later one, to Talland church, gave members the opportunity to examine Parish Registers, including details of burials in woollen, in the 17th century, ordered by Act of Parliament. From the same trip, come details of Killigarth Manor before it became a holiday park.

One of the early decisions was to collect details of old deeds and documents and to make copies of the contents. The first collection being loaned by Mr Nicholas Richards of West Looe, and a later selection by Mr C.B.Willcocks. These documents date back to the 16th century and details are in the LOCS archives. They provide a snapshot of ownership and the ways in which transactions were done in days gone by. Plus, of course, they provide a valuable resource for the history of buildings in the town.

Later, in 1933, Mr Peel brought for inspection, the original grant, made in the 13th century, for the fishery on Looe river, the document, well preserved, had a seal of green wax ornamented with both French and English armorial decoration.

Tales of Pirates in Looe

Summer visitors to Looe will be accustomed to seeing a company of people dressed as pirates and their wenches, mainly characters from Caribbean tales. However, Looe has suffered, over the centuries from pirates from Europe and North Africa.

One document, copied from 17th century State Papers, which were loaned to the Old Cornwall Society in the 1930s, gave fascinating details of the danger posed to coastal areas by pirates from North Africa, known as Sallee pirates. The pirates travelled in fleets of about 25 ships and preyed upon fishermen at sea as well as coastal ports. Complaints made in Plymouth in 1625 report the seizure of over 1,000 mariners, Looe lost 80 people from West Looe in that year.

Further details of the terrible trade in slavery, came, at first hand, from a certain Looe man, William Harris, who, with other Englishmen, revolted, overpowered their captors and brought the ship into St Ives. Later, in 1636, five more fishing vessels from Looe were captured in the Irish Sea and three ships with 27 men taken later that year. Representations were made to the King. Mr V.P Smith, having studied the documents, estimated a total loss of about 150 men from a population of 350 in Looe.

Reports of fishing boats and crews being captured either by Sallee pirates or Dutch ships continue up to 1670 when records cease.

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch was an early honorary member.

Miss Elizabeth Steed Shapcott contributed a number of articles and other information, her first lecture was on local smugglers and ghost stories, one of them from her own family history.

In 1928, Mr A.E.Hurford gave an important talk on Ecclesiastical records of local parishes, including estimates of the goods

Lamanna was mentioned, in correspondence in 1929, as an area which members would like to see excavated. Notes from 1930 indicate that members were still determined to excavate the site.

C.K.Croft-Andrew, with the support of members, excavated the site in 1935/6 and left detailed plans and records of his work. This information was used in the two books on the history of Lamanna by Dr & Mrs Leggat in 1992 and 1998.

Currently, interest is being renewed by further research by an affiliated member in Rugby.

The Society continues today with regular meetings during the autumn to spring period and visits during the summer. Members enjoy attending the annual Gorsedd with several members of the membership having been created Bards, including Fred Leese, Carol Vivien and the late Jack Sweet, a former President. Another important tradition is “Crying the neck” at the end of harvest.

LOCS has obtained funds from Heritage Lottery for equipment to continue recording, reporting and adding to the archive of information, documents and photographs. The latest projects include repairing and maintaining the local wells and, for 2006/2007, commemorating the life and work of Joseph Thomas M.I.C.E and introducing local schools to the subject.

Over the years, LOCS members continue to “Gather Fragments” whether by documents or technology, to uphold the original purpose of the movement for posterity.