The Whitworth Collection
The Whitworth Collection was presented to the Museum on the death of Henry Whitworth late in 2007. It represents an amazing and eclectic collection of objects and photographs gathered by five generations of St Agnes family doctors which now enhances our Museum collection and provides a wealth of new information on the history of the village.
After Dr Whitworth's death, five wooden boxes were discovered in his house which contained about 220 glass negatives, 11cm x 8cm in size. 180 of these proved to be photographs of the Whitworth family and St Agnes, taken between 1904 and 1911 by Dr William Whitworth and his family.
They provide us with a wonderful and poignant picture of life in St Agnes in the Edwardian Era, before the ravages of the First World War, showing scenes of the family at work and play, with various views of the harbour, the annual regatta, the beaches and cliffs, street views and some excellent pictures of the mines which were still working, and the men who worked the tin and copper.
Clive Benney, a local historian, has managed to get 80 of these turned into prints, and some of them are now on a new rolling televisual display in the Museum. Very few people can now print from glass negatives and Clive has to take them up to Minehead in Somerset to be printed. He is hoping to print another 100 in the near future.
Many of the objects in the Whitworth Collection can now be seen in our new display cabinet, and include some fascinating curios as well as a wonderful selection of medical equipment and materials used over the years by the doctors in the St Agnes surgery and dispensary.
Look out for the following:
- Tracheotomy kit
- Early example of magno-electric machine for the treatment of nervous diseases
- Pond yacht sailed on a mine pond at Wheal Kitty
- Obstetric delivery forceps
- Gladstone bag
- Nightwatchman's clock
- 6" toenail (which apparently resided on the late Dr Henry's desk!)
(Please click images to enlarge)
Car being moved out of garage
George sailing boats, Wheal Kitty Pool 1910
Regatta, St Agnes Harbour 1909
Large group in boat
Winding Engine, Wheal Kitty 1909