Truro Carnival Week

Trurorians enjoy street carnival celebrations

Truro Carnival Week would have traditionally been a fair for trading goods and a celebration would follow. Fairs were originally granted by Royal Charter and Cornwall is one of two royal duchies, the other being Lancaster. Truro holds its traditional fair at harvest time. From the late nineteenth century to this time before the Second World War carnivals are big affairs with many travelling circus acts and freak shows adding to the entertainment.

Bedheugh Benytha Kernewek or Remain forever Cornish writes Major Arthur W Gill of Truro, amateur film maker and local draper taking up the Cornish Revivalist’s banner. This film is part of the Royal Cornwall Museum collection. Major Gill gave amateur film shows and talks and accompanied his films with records played out from a gramophone. Major Gill’s old records dating from this time are also stored at the museum.