Author: St Agnes Museum

St Agnes Museum is deeply honoured to have been lent this beautiful miniature of Mary Bunn, first wife of John Opie, “The Cornish Wonder”, painted in 1794, by Truro born Henry Bone RA (1755-1834). Arguably the greatest enamel painter of all time, he became the official royal enamelist to George III, George IV and William IV. It is believed that, for this miniature, he copied a painting of Mary by John Opie which has since been lost. Mary and John later divorced.

The miniature is displayed in the Museum’s Opie cabinet alongside a superb John Opie self-portrait, his palette and paintbox, and four works by his great nephew, Edward Opie.

St Agnes has signs on all its approach roads welcoming cyclists and the Museum has done its bit by fitting three cycle anchors to the north wall of the Museum.

Here, Steward Rota Organiser, John Oaksford, is using an anchor as he arrives for the Stewards’ Training Afternoon.

Bought on eBay for the Museum, after a very tense final few moments, a WWII Defence Medal, awarded to Mrs Philadelphia Snell of Trenethick Cottage, Mount Hawke. It is especially good to have a medal awarded to a woman and also one from Mount Hawke.

The Museum already has a lovely collection of paraphernalia of Gordon Snell, Philadelphia’s husband, which was given to the Museum in 1994. There is a letter between Gordon and Philadelphia before their marriage, several driver passes from Carlyon Haulage of Mount Hawke, issued during WWII, other papers, and a photo of Gordon and Philadelphia in their later years.

The medal comes with its box sent OHMS.

We hope to learn what Philadelphia did during WWII to be awarded her Defence Medal.

The Museum is very pleased to have been given a collection of farm implements and three farm Cost Books, especially as it did not have a large farming collection.

This collection of farm implements, which includes two funnels for filling milk churns, a very small churn, a pitchfork and a selection of sickles and billhooks, came from Tresco Farm at Mingoose. Also from Tresco Farm came plans for a piggery, drawn up by the then owner, Mr R C A Hooper, and two Cost Books. The third Cost Book, spanning part of the period of the Great War, came from
Presingoll Farm.

With this gift also came underground mine plans for Polbreen, West Kitty and Wheal Kitty mines.

The Museum is very grateful for this fascinating donation.

The Museum is delighted to have been given this watercolour of roses by fine watercolourist “Madge” Scattergood (Edith Marjorie 1907-1981) who lived at The Beehive on Beacon Road, St Agnes.

She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and exhibited her delicate flower paintings with the St Agnes Art Group in the 1960s and 70s.

The Museum knows little about her and would be pleased to hear from anyone who can add to our knowledge.