Historic cork life jacket wins Cornish award

A life jacket designed in the 1800s after a tragedy at sea has won a prize as the best object at a Cornish awards ceremony.

This year's Cornwall Heritage Awards were held in Liskeard on Monday, with museums, galleries and historic organisations vying for prizes across several categories.

Cornwall Council said more than 1,600 people voted in the Object of the Year category and the winner was a cork life jacket created by Henry Trengrouse from the Museum of Cornish Life in Helston.

It beat off other entries including a bus, an ornament crafted from Cornish tin and a reel which helped prevent people from drowning across Devon and Cornwall.

Mr Trengrouse designed the cork life jacket after he witnessed the wrecking of HMS Anson and loss of more than 100 lives at Loe Bar, near Porthleven and Helston, in 1807.

He used his skills as a cabinet maker to design the equipment which would help to save lives in the future.

Other winners on the night included the Penlee House Gallery, which won the larger venues' Exhibition of the Year prize for Flora: 150 Years of Environmental Change.

Liskeard and District Museum won the smaller venues' category of the same award with its Threads: Captivating Memories Woven in Fabric.

The same museum also won the smaller venues' Environmental Commendation.

Mark Trevethan, principal lead for culture and creative industries at Cornwall Council, said: "Many of our museums, galleries and historic sites rely on volunteers to share the stories of our past.

"I'd like to thank all the individuals who give their time to ensure exhibitions and artefacts can remain on show for everyone to enjoy which helps preserve and protect our heritage for future generations."

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