- Ballarat Branch -

This was the 25th Anniversary of the Ballarat Branch and it was wonderful that some former members and the President of the CAV, Robert Gribben, were able to join us for this event.

To mark this auspicious occasion, Vice President Joy Menhennet made and decorated a cake, in the shape of our country Australia and decorated it with Cornish emblems.

 Joy and Nita Bartle lit a candle and cut the cake. President Robert congratulated Ballarat Branch members on this achievement and all present sang ???Happy Anniversary???.

Robert presented a Life Membership certificate to Nita Bartle and framed congratulatory certificates to Foundation Members Ian and Marilyn Jennings, Joy Menhennet and Lenice Stuchbery and in absentia Eleanor Chisholm, Val D???Angri, John Mildren and Brian and Stancie Mullins.

Special thanks were offered to both Marjory Foo and Bill Whitford for their contribution over many years.

Robert shared with us a fascinating story of his wife???s (Susan) ancestors - Walter and Mary Croggon (nee Mullis) - Susan???s great great great grandparents.

He was born in Grampound, and Mary in St Germans. Walter's family were Baptists but he was influenced by the ministry of two well-known Wesleyan Methodist preachers and offered himself for the Methodist Ministry.

He began as a Local Preacher in the Truro circuit and when he was accepted as a candidate, was stationed in Penzance, St Austell and Liskeard. He was then posted to Paris as part of the church's foreign missions from 1822-26,  and then to the Greek Island of Zante (or Zakynthos) in the Ionian Sea.

Walter, was a Wesleyan Methodist missionary to the islands which were then under British control and as well as undertaking church responsibilities, they both did amazing work in teaching Greek boys and girls in small schools they organised. Mary died in 1830 at the age of 31 and was survived by a six year old daughter Marianne (Susan???s ancestor) and her husband.

He returned to England, after his wife's death and was Superintendent of Irish Schools and Missions, based in Dublin, until his retirement.

His wife Mary lies buried in the English cemetery on Zante, but the grave took some finding. When Robert and Susan discovered the grave and cleaned it, the inscription told them that two other of their babies had already been buried there, and that Mary had died after the birth of a third.

MEETING WITH THE GRAND BARD

On an extremely cold Wednesday 15th May, 12 members and nine visitors joined together for a very enjoyable lunch with the Grand Bard, Maureen Fuller, Steren Mor.
It was Maureen???s first visit to Australia and she was fortunate that she had been able to make contact with a family member whilst in Sydney.
Maureen shared some of her family???s story with us and those lucky enough to attend Kernewek Lowender heard some more.
It was a wonderful opportunity to meet Maureen and those who attended felt her warmth and friendship.

At the April Meeting, Joy Menhennet told us about Henry Richards Caselli JP baptised 23rd June 1861 at Falmouth. Henry Richards Caselli served an apprenticeship with a large ship building yard studying naval architecture. He invented an improved gun carriage and platform, visiting Germany and attracting the attention of the British Military authorities.
The Caselli family arrived in Victoria in December 1853 on the Gazelle. Henry was the Lloyd???s Shipping Company Surveyor for Corio Bay Harbour, Geelong, before being attracted by the discovery of gold, to Ballarat, where he witnessed the Eureka riots. Henry Caselli was the architect for many Ballarat buildings.

Arthur and Robyn Coates shared photos and stories of their trip to the UK during 2012.
Cornish segments included The ???Obby ???Oss Festival, Trevithick Day and a trip to Morwenstow with the tales of Robert Stephen Hawker.
A visit to St John the Baptist Church, Lound (in Suffolk) where an ancestor of Robyn???s (Booth Hodgetts Lynes) had personally financed the refurbishment of the small church back to its medieval grandeur, ended the talk.