My Great Grandfather
This is a photo of Henry Kitchen, my mother's grandfather, who was also one of Stanhope Forbes' favourite models. He was painted sitting in the rowing boat in Forbes' painting 'The Lighthouse', which now hangs in Manchester Art Gallery, and I have also read an account of a diary which he kept, when taken to London to be presented to Queen Victoria, on designing a new type of trammell net. According to my mother he was also the fiddler in the village band, and I remember being taken to visit a relative in Newlyn and viewing a beautiful portrait of Henry Kitchen holding his fiddle, engraved upon a mirror. I have no idea who the artist was, but would love to see it again.
In the photo he's standing in front of his home and birthplace, Vine Cottage. How wonderful it is to have such links to the past...does it explain why I have never been seasick?
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RE: RE: My Great Grandfather
Henry Kitchen lived in the cottage, 'Vine Cottage', that I've lived in for 37 years and my parents for 49 years, although we are hoping to eventually sell. I have the 'old Newlyn book' of Henry Kitchen outside of our house. My email address, if you'd like to contact me is dawn@dawnsainsbury.orangehome.co.uk
Comment from Dawn Sainsbury on Thursday, 19th February 2009.
RE: RE: My Great Grandfather
I originally sent this to your email address, but it was immediately returned to me, though I did use the address in your message. My email is: kathshann@btopenworld.com
Thanks so much for your comment, it was really brilliant to hear from the person who actually lives in the ancestral home! Strangely I've never actually been sure where the cottage is in Newlyn, so have never been to see it, though a few weeks ago, while in Penzance I visited Penlee House, and bought the Newlyn Trail book, which does explain the location, so I was thinking of going to see it next time I was down. I was born and grew up in Hayle, but haven't lived in West Cornwall since the 1960s, think it's time to go home now though. Everybody seems to return eventually, if they're Cornish - so at the moment I'm looking out for somewhere to rent around Penzance. Some of my family still live there. If you've lived in Newlyn for 37 years it's possible you know my cousin, Anne Spencer, nee Wallen, her mum used to live at Gloucester Place. Were you born in the cottage? It's brilliant to think that I've just got another link to the Newlyn of a hundred years ago. Thank you so much for taking the trouble to write. Best wishes, Kath.
Comment from Kath Shannon on Saturday, 21st February 2009.