A booklet based on Liskeard’s history has won a coveted Holyr an Gof Publishers’ Award.

This year the winner of Class 6, for booklets, was ‘More Peeks into Liskeard’s Past’ by Brian Oldham, published by Liskeard & District Museum. Brian is a volunteer at the museum, president of Liskeard Old Cornwall Society and was created an Honoured Burgess of Liskeard in 2022 for promoting its heritage, giving a variety of talks to many interested organisations across Cornwall.

The annual Gorsedh Kernow Holyer an Gof Awards were instigated in 1996 for books published in 1995 and are so named in memory of Redruth publisher and Cornish Bard Leonard Truran, whose Bardic name was Holyer an Gof – Follower of The Smith. The scheme was established and is organised by Bards of Gorsedh Kernow to promote books about Cornwall, set in Cornwall or in Cornish (Kernewek).

Each year about 60 to 80 books are submitted by publishers from Cornwall and beyond and these are read and evaluated by members of a panel of readers. The winning entries for 2024 were announced at a presentation evening held at Kresen Kernow in Redruth on Saturday, July 6.

The following notes are from the book’s foreword by Nev Meek, president of the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies. He said: “Brian’s last book, ‘A Peek into Liskeard’s Past’ was a tremendous success, providing a fascinating selection of stories of Liskeard’s people and places. The new book, ‘More Peeks into Liskeard’s Past’, builds on the success of the last, providing a veritable potpourri of examples from Liskeard’s history. With meticulous research and an unwavering passion, this book brings to life the tales of Liskeard's people—those whose footsteps have graced its streets, whose stories have become interwoven with the very fabric of its existence. It really does shine a light on the untold stories that lie below the surface. The stories of people range from the great and the good, such as a former Mayor of Liskeard, to the tough lives of those such as a servant woman having to struggle with the challenges in the period before modern birth control. There are some 40 stories to dip into, and read at your leisure. This exploration of Liskeard's history will kindle a deep appreciation for the town's remarkable legacy and undoubtedly inspire a renewed curiosity. Welcome to the captivating history of Liskeard.”

More Peeks into Liskeard’s Past is available in Liskeard at the Bookshop and Stuart House on Barras Street or the Tourist Information Centre and Jack Ryder Books on Pike Street. Online purchases are at www.thebookshopliskeard.com. All proceeds from the price of £9.99 go towards exhibitions and projects at Liskeard & District Museum, Foresters’ Hall, Pike Street, Liskeard, PL14 3JE.