It was a blast from the past at the club last Thursday evening when members and guests were treated to a fascinating and humorous presentation by Richard Thomas entitled ‘A turn of the century photographic tour of West Cornwall its places and people’.

Mr Thomas, a member of the Helston Photographic Club, has spent many years amassing a fine collection of photographs and postcards depicting areas of West Cornwall with many dating back to the late 1800s. With a mixture of black and white and early hand painted colour images Mr Thomas explained his own family connections to the area as well as giving an insight into some of the colourful characters who have resided in the locality over the centuries. These included Dolly Pentreath who lived in the parish of Paul near Mousehole and was reputed to have been the last fluent native speaker of the Cornish language.

Members meet every Thursday from September to April at the Athenaeum Club. Visitors and prospective members are welcome to attend meetings, which commence at 7.30pm.