George Eustice MP has always said that Cornwall has a unique heritage and culture that everyone in Cornwall should be proud of.
Recently George visited the botanical gardens at Heartlands to view a series of murals that had been created to represent the different countries and continents to which Cornish miners emigrated in search of new opportunities. After the decline in the fortunes of tin mining in the late nineteenth century, there was a huge exodus to the new world with Cornish tin miners founding the industry in Australia, California, South Africa, South America and Mexico. As a result, today there are some six to eight million people making up a worldwide Cornish diaspora and the vast majority of them can trace their family roots back to Redruth.
Those involved in the creation of the murals chose to represent South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, North America and South America and these were created in a series of workshops, held in conjunction with Pool Academy Secondary School.
George said, "The murals were a great way of portraying Cornwall's unique history and heritage. I enjoyed looking at how each of them linked to the different areas in which the many Cornish men and women emigrated to in the past. There really were some great pieces of art."
"Across Cornwall we are lucky to have a number of reminders that point us back towards our heritage. From our mining heritage commemorated at the new Redruth Town Archives to our pasties and international connections. In such a fast moving world it is often refreshing to be able to pause for a moment and remember all that has gone before us."