Funding from the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies and Councillor Nick Craker’s Community Chest enabled Liskeard Old Cornwall Society (OCS) to host a free evening in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of the ‘Great Cornish Philanthropist’, John Passmore Edwards.

The doors opened to Liskeard Public Hall on Friday, March 17, at 6.30pm and the 80 visitors were welcomed with complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits. The first hour was spent studying Passmore Edwards biographer Dean Evans’ information boards, which detailed the life and good works of the great man.

This professional display covered his humble beginnings in the Cornish village of Blackwater, through many setbacks, including bankruptcy, until his eventual wealth enabled 70 public buildings to be donated to towns and villages across the country, including 20 in Cornwall.

At 7.30pm Brian Oldham, president of Liskeard OCS, presented an illustrated talk entitled ‘What Passmore Edwards did for Liskeard’, which followed the history of Liskeard’s two Passmore Edwards buildings, the Cottage Hospital and the Free Library, from the laying of the foundations stones to their present day usage.

At 8.30pm James Moon, of Melodi Liskerret, entertained the audience with a selection of classic Cornish songs, each one having a chorus that the majority joined in with.

The visitors were mainly members of a wide variety of local groups and clubs, but some not so local, such as Bodmin History Group and Torpoint OCS.

There was great feedback from many attendees on what was a very successful evening, which ended with a rousing rendition of Cornwall’s unofficial national anthem, Trelawny.