Rock’n’roller Shakin’ Stevens has unearthed Cornish family connections working with The Royal Cornwall Museum for the new exhibition Mexico: The Cornish Connection.

Shaky’s 12th studio album, Echoes Of Our Times, was partly inspired by the discovery that some of his family history traced back to Cornish miner roots in the 1800s. As was a common occurrence for miners at the time, many of his ancestors emigrated to Mexico and North America.

Shaky said: ’My recent music releases have been inspired by my newly discovered Cornish and Mexican family links, and has led to a real change in musical style for me. I’m also very grateful to the team at the Royal Cornwall Museum for all their help, I now know more about my family history than ever before.’

As part of the museum’s new Mexico: The Cornish Connection, which includes some detail on Shakin’ Stevens’ own ancestors, the Royal Cornwall has been working with local students from Cornwall College and the University of Hidalgo in Mexico exploring Cornwall’s cultural influence on Mexico; from introducing football and pasties - to Mexico’s reproduction of the recognisable Cornish Engine Houses nestled amongst cacti - to Mexican townspeople with Cornish surnames like ‘Skewes’ and ‘Rule’.

The students have created artworks these will also be shown as part of this new exhibition.

Mexico: The Cornish Connection at Royal Cornwall Museum runs from October 29 to December 30.

Shakin’ Stevens will play Hall For Cornwall, Truro on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.