The historian Charlotte MacKenzie’s latest book brings together a collection of mysterious tales from Cornish history. From folklore and the supernatural to early healthcare and unexplained disappearances – this book is filled with meticulously researched stories from Cornwall’s often peculiar past.
‘Cornish Mysteries’ complements her previous work, which includes Cornish Legends, Women Writers & Georgian Cornwall and Merchants & Smugglers in 18th Century Cornwall.
In the first chapter Charlotte sets out to identify the “Knowing men of Cornwall” – the local conjurers, charmers and casters of spells. And we are introduced to a whole host of interesting characters, many of whom I have never met before!
This is followed by the “Skilful Aunts” of Georgian Cornwall, a time when folk practices and witchcraft continued to a certain extent alongside the more ‘modern’ medical practices of the surgeons and apothecaries. The ‘village doctress’ with her herbs and strange incantations was still a part of everyday life.
I found the description of the “Society of Skilful Aunts” who provided healthcare on the Isles of Scilly, in the absence of a doctor, particularly fascinating.
“Led by a president, Sarah Jenkins, the Society’s practitioners assessed the sick to decide the care required, were skilled ‘botanists’, applied resources gleaned from passing ships, based their healthcare practices on traditions and learning derived from centuries of experience, spoke in plain language and only accepted payment on recovery or ‘cure’.
Far from superstitious practices it appears that these women were adept, they provided comfort and care for those in distress and kept “a great many Herbs in their catalogue, as also reduced many of the Compounds of their Dispensatory”.
In this way, alongside the medicines brought to the islands on passing ships, these ‘Aunts’ treated the “hurts and diseases” of the Scilly Isles for around 100 years.
The book also tries to unravel the mysterious disappearance of Billy Borlase, the grandson of the antiquarian William Borlase, in 1786. This detailed account, which includes transcriptions of original letters concerning the young man’s vanishing, also gives the reader an intriguing insight into the day to day life and household of William Borlase, with whom the young Billy lived.
Charlotte also covers some tales of high-jinks on the high seas as she takes a look at the lives and crimes of some ‘Wanted Men’ from Cornwall. Smugglers Henry Carter, George Branwell, and John and James Dunkin feature as well as the unfortunate horse thief, William Argall.
In the final chapter the author digs into the life of one of Cornwall’s best loved heroines, Mary Bryant (Broad) and particularly what might have happened to her when she returned home after her escape from transportation in New South Wales, Australia.
Charlotte has quite clearly dedicated a vast amount of time and energy to this research and, although some questions remain unanswered and perhaps always will, work such as her is hugely important in increasing our understanding of Cornwall’s past.
This book of essays is for those that want to take a closer look into these niche aspects of Cornish history.
‘Cornish Mysteries’ is a 147 page, self-published paperback, available to purchase HERE.
Please Note: I am not paid for my reviews but I did receive a copy of the book.