Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society

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The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society is an educational, cultural and scientific organisation, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is known locally as "The Poly" and "The Arts Centre".

Contents

[edit] History

In 1832 the Fox family [1] a prominent Quaker business [2] family of Falmouth, founded the Cornwall Polytechnic Society[3], to promote the ideas and inventions of the workers in their Perran Foundry. This was the first use of the word ‘Polytechnic’ (meaning “of many arts and techniques”) in Britain [4]

In 1835 King William IV bestowed Royal Patronage on the Society, at the request of Davies Gilbert and it changed its name from the Cornwall Polytechnic Society to the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. [5] [6].

In the same year the Polytechnic Hall was built , at 24 Church Street, Falmouth, being originally used for “objects connected with the sciences, arts and literature”, but not for theatrical purposes. This restriction was removed in 1889 to permit “dramatic plays”. The building was designed by George Wightwick. [7]

The Society played a prominent role in industrial development in the 19th century, being instrumental in the development of the “Man engine” in mines also improved drilling machinery, mine ventilation, the health and welfare of fishermen and miners – and explosives. In 1865 the Hall was damaged by a demonstration of Nobel’s gun cotton and nitro-glycerine. In 1858 the Society founded the The Miners Association to better aid the mining industry.

In 1840, a Secretary was appointed, Robert Hunt, who both organised the programme of Exhibitions and Lectures and gave fascinating lectures himself. [8] The Society benefitted from the availability of "star" scientific and technical speakers in its Lecture Programmes, thanks to the network of friends of Robert Were Fox, F.R.S. and his brother Charles Fox. The presentation of the cutting edge of scientific knowledge resulted in large and enthusiastic audiences.

The Society has had many notable Presidents including the novelist Howard Spring who lived in Falmouth from 1947 to 1965 and served for eight years.

[edit] 21st Century developments

In 2000 the Society merged with Falmouth Arts. The Society, following this merger, decided to adopt the trading name of Falmouth Arts Centre and this has now become the name of the Polytechnic Hall. Today the building regularly shows the work of art students as well as the screening of films in its cinema.

At its AGM on 3 October 2006, the Society decided to both value the past but to live in the future. It adopted the Board's plan to shift he "brand" from "Famouth Arts Centre" to "The Poly" members agreed to divide the organisation's operations into two with a charitable body and a trading wing, both providing high quality services. The meeting accepted the new Memorandum of Association, approved by the Charity Commission.

The ""Poly" is the most southerly venue in the UK of the Cafe Scientifique movement.

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Caroline Fox is said to have suggested the name “Polytechnic”. Her older sister, Anna Maria Fox was the initial moving spirit, wishing the engineering models made by the workers at the Perran Foundry (managed by her Uncle Charles) could be displayed. Barclay Fox, the only son and middle child of Robert Were Fox F.R.S. and Maria Fox was on the Polytechnic Committee from the age of 17 (1835) until the age of 26 (1843), when he became more heavily involved in the family businesses. Barclay played a major part in the development of the Polytechnic and in running the Annual Exhibitions, which also included a programme of public lectures. See Wikipedia articles on Barclay and Caroline for sources.
  2. ^ The Fox family business was originally ship broking. They were also involved in the foundry at Perranarworthal, various Cornish mines and the transmission of metal ore and coal between North Cornwall and South Wales, where they part owned the coal mine at Neath Abbey. "Uncle Alfred" was involved in pilchard fishery, processing, packaging and export.
  3. ^ current website of the Poly
  4. ^ Barclay Fox’s Journal (page 46) records on 23 April 1833 that “prizes and subscriptions for the forthcoming Polytechnic Society” were settled. His entry 8 October 1839 states, in his jocular manner “Miss Poly’s seventh birthday” so some launch event must have occurred on 8 October 1832 (page 164).
  5. ^ Davies Gilbert was a former President of the Royal Society and M.P., who chaired the Polytechnic Society at the time. (Barclay Fox Journal:75 see also ODNB)
  6. ^ In 1883, the Society published an account of its Jubilee year (1882) with an historical synopsis. A copy is held at the British Library: see Bibliography for catalogue entry.
  7. ^ Designed by George Wightwick according to the editor’s note in Barclay Fox Journal:105). George Wightwick, a Plymouth architect and writer was a good friend of the Fox family and the Polytechnic. He gave a lecture during the Annual Exhibition in October 1838 and judged the competition in October 1839 (Barclay Fox Journal:134,164). In their journals, Caroline and Barclay Fox note their informal meetings with George Wightwick,and his flow of anecdote and wit. see also ODNB:
  8. ^ Robert Hunt, Chemist and scientific populariser. He published the first book about photography in the UK. See ODNB

[edit] Bibliography

  • The journals of Caroline Fox, 1835–1871: a selection, ed. Wendy Monk; London, Paul Elek, (1972) ISBN 0-236-15447-8
  • Historical Synopsis of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society ... presented ... to the Society on its year of Jubilee, 1882. (List of essays, treatises and scientific papers published in the Reports.) by Wilson Lloyd Fox; 76 pages. 1882. In : Falmouth.-Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, Report, etc. (Fiftieth and Jubilee Report, 1882.) [1833, etc.] 8º. British Library System number 001282900
  • J.A. Buckley The Cornish Mining Industry: a brief history; Redruth, Tor Mark, 2nd Edn. 2002 ISBN 0-85025-397-7 For “Man Engine” see pages 26 to 29.


[edit] Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entries, relating to the Poly

  • Rosamund Reid, ‘Wightwick, George (1802–1872)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 19 June 2006
  • Alan Pearson, ‘Hunt, Robert (1807–1887)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 21 June 2006
  • David Philip Miller, ‘Gilbert [Giddy], Davies (1767–1839)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 21 June 2006
  • G. C. Boase, ‘Fox, Charles (1797–1878)’, rev. Justin Brooke, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 13 June 2006
  • Denise Crook, ‘Fox, Robert Were (1789–1877)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 13 June 2006

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