by Mollie Somerfield
When I was stood in the Poly waiting for the start of Petroc Trelawny’s triumphant homecoming to discuss all things Cornwall, a woman struck up a conversation with me. She gushed over Petroc himself, how much she enjoyed listening to his show on BBC Radio 3 every morning, and how thrilled she was that she’d been able to get a seat at the afternoon’s conversation. Then she went on to tell me about how much she loved radio in general; about how she had sat with her mum trying to tune into the Third Programme – as BBC Radio 3 was once known – encouraging me to “give radio a go” with a wink before taking her seat.
I’d never dismissed radio, though perhaps hadn’t listened to it as much following the rise of streaming and podcasts, but as the auditorium rapidly filled it got me thinking about how radio differs from other forms of media. There is a community and sense of sharing in an experience that comes with listening to live radio that just isn’t present in film or television. That is what had filled the Poly that afternoon, and that is also what spills out of Petroc’s talk and the beautiful book he has published.
Petroc spoke with warmth and celebrated the family life and community that shaped him in St. Martin. He spoke beautifully of his mother, who he lost at such a formative time in his life and he credited for his own love of classical music, and how she gave him the confidence to take his first solo train journey – admittedly a simple ten minute cruise from Falmouth to Penryn, but one that he treasured thereafter. He repeatedly celebrated Cornwall’s significant role in global history, whether that was the international communication networks born out of our Atlantic facing peninsula, or the powerhouse that the “Industrial spine of Cornwall” was during the 19th Century. He spoke with joy about the chapels and school groups, thanks to which he established friendships, experiences and opportunities.
It was hard not to leave the talk and not feel inspired by the amazing land we live in. Trelawny’s Cornwall: A Journey through Western Lands is a must have for any Kernow-phile in your life.
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