© Dr Sharron P. Schwartz
Launch of new Mexican Book and Documentary Film, and a bit of Football…
The last six weeks have been particularly frenetic, as I prepared to launch my latest book, The Great Trek of the Transport Party, Mexico (18825-1826): A Tale of Tragedy and Triumph, and to screen the Director’s Cut of the documentary accompanying the book.
I also got caught up in the fervour surrounding the World Cup in Mexico. Read on to find out more about that!
I kicked off this current round of events on the 1st of May, when I gave an illustrated talk to a packed Wesleyan Memorial Hall, Redruth. This was about two centuries of links between Cornwall and Mexico, to raise funds for the Redruth-Real del Monte Twinning Association.
The event was kindly hosted by the Redruth Old Cornwall Society, and my thanks to Vanessa Moyle, Linda Beskeen and Dave Trevena of the organisation for kindly facilitating this very successful joint event.
We raised £225 for our twinning organisation on the night, thorough our share of the take on the door, a raffle, donations, and sale of my book, Mining a Shared Heritage: Mexico’s ‘Little Cornwall’ (2011).
The date of this talk was highly significant, for on the 1st of May 1826, the first consignment of machinery, including three steam engines, rumbled into Real del Monte after a gruelling and tragic journey inland from the Gulf of Mexico.
That incredible story is told in full for the first time in my latest book, The Great Trek, to mark the bicentennial of the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in Real del Monte.
Cornish Mining WHS Research and Information Officer, Ainsley Cocks, and I, sat down to an interview with Emma Gill at BBC Radio Cornwall about the forthcoming book launch and bicentennial.
For by an incredible quirk of fate, this coincides with the 20th anniversary of the inscription onto the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List, of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. This was such an important and significant milestone in Cornwall’s recent history, and Emma gave Ainsley and I ample opportunity to talk about our passion for Cornish mining history and our Diaspora.
Listen to the full interview here
The launch of the book was held at the incredible Kresen Kernow, the Cornish archive centre in Redruth, on the evening of the 28th of May. I wish to thank Deborah Tritton and her staff for the use, yet again, of this magnificent venue.
The chosen evening was quite fitting, as 201 years ago on that very date, the frigate Melpomene, laden with steam engines and other equipment, arrived off the coast near Veracruz.
The Cornish Mining WHS Partnership kindly covered the printing costs of the book, as part of their 20th Anniversary celebratory events. It was a great honour to be afforded this generous gesture, as printing short run copies of niche history books is notoriously tricky.
My deepest thanks to the WHS Partnership Board for their gracious help and support, and to the Partnership Lead, Caroline Mott, for masterfully compering the launch.
The event was graced with a number of VIP guests from across Cornwall and West Devon, including the Lord Lieutenant, Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho; the High Sheriff of Cornwall, Mrs Harriet Hills; Grand Bard of Gorsedh Kernow, Jenefer Lowe; Mayor of Redruth, Alison Biscoe, and Mayor of Tavistock, Anne Johnson; and the CEO of Cornwall Council, Kate Kennally.
To see so many people at the launch with whom I have collaborated over the years, and others who have steadfastly supported me as a Cornish historian, was wonderful. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who attended.
I was especially delighted that my Mexican friends, Franz, Laura, Esau, Carmen, Lydia and César, could be a part of the celebration, by pre-recording their messages of support. Gracias por todo, mis amigos.
Watch the video messages here.
I also showed a special three-minute-long film depicting Mexico’s ‘Little Cornwall’, for those who have yet to have the pleasure of visiting the State of Hidalgo. This was created by Ethereal Light Photography, our small film company.
Watch the film, This is Mexico’s ‘Little Cornwall’ here.
“I was honoured to be part of that gathering to celebrate both the 20th anniversary of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site and the launch of Dr Sharron Schwartz’s new book, The Great Trek… it was wonderful to hear Dr Schwartz speak about her research for her book in such passionate and inspiring words”. Mrs Harriet Hills, High Sheriff of Cornwall.
To those who said a few words on the night: Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho; Caroline Mott, Dr Martin Critchley of the Cornubian Press; Grand Bard, Jenefer Lowe; Mayor Biscoe; Councillor Deborah Reeve of the Redruth-Real del Monte Twinning Association; Professor Joannie Willetts, Co-Director of the Institute of Cornish Studies; and WHS Officer, Ainsley Cocks, I offer my unreserved thanks.
Click here to view video footage of the guest speakers
Click here to view Dr Schwartz’s address
I would like to extend my special thanks to Ainsley Cocks, who moved heaven and earth to make the event an incredible success. He paid for professional photographer, Bex Chamberlain, to record the event, and organised and covered the cost of the brilliant musical entertainment, The Four Fifths.
To the World Heritage Site Partnership, I extend my thanks for covering the costs of the delicious pasties from Marion Symon’s Portreath Bakery. Marion is no stranger to Real del Monte, where she has been dubbed ‘The Mother of the Pasty’.
My mother, Sylvia Kessell, kindly helped the Cornubian Press to cover the cost of the liquid refreshment. My wonderful former neighbours and dearest friends at Lanner, Geoffrey Olds and Nigel Pender, once again ran the refreshment table with total aplomb.
To my partner, Dr Martin Critchley, I offer my deepest thanks for all his help with the research and for driving in Mexico, and for his constant support and hard work in getting the book over the finishing line. I simply could not have done it without him.
The evening was a splendid success and a wonderful reminder of the importance of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site in promoting and supporting research about Cornish mining migration in this, their 20th anniversary year.
The following week (the 3rd of June), the incredible bijou theatre at the Poly at Falmouth, was the venue for the first screening of The Director’s Cut, The Great Trek of the Transport Party: A Tale of Tragedy and Triumph. I offer my unreserved thanks to Edward Cartwright and his team for such a splendid opportunity to showcase my research.
I’d also like to thank Ainsley Cocks for speaking about the importance of the bicentenary and of how this links to the Cornish Mining WHS’s 20th anniversary.
The film is a new and extended version of that which made its debut at Kresen Kernow last May, and was then taken to Mexico, where it had its first screening at the Real del Monte Paste Festival.
The documentary has been created by Ethereal Light Photography in conjunction with Cousin Jack’s World, my online Cornish migration research platform.
This new version includes enhanced AI of the main characters, and material captured last October in Mexico, including spectacular drone footage of the Gulf of Mexico coastline and the route right up to the mines.
It was altogether appropriate that the Director’s Cut was first screened in Falmouth, which is historically one of Britain’s most important and premier ports. It was from there that the four wooden ships, the Courier, Melpomene, General Phipps and Harriett, set sail for Mexico in the spring of 1825.
We welcomed a large and engaged audience who asked numerous questions at the end of the screening, and I thank those of you who supported my research by buying a book on the night.
It was wonderful to see so many people with links to Mexico, as well as an old schoolfriend with deep links to Latin America, and my former boss, Nick Johnson, late County Archaeologist, who did so much to drive forward the bid for the Cornish mining landscape to become a WHS.
The film was then scheduled for its first screening in London, at King’s College on the 10th of June, at the behest of the British Mexican Society, to whom I gave an online illustrated lecture earlier this year.
It was entirely fitting that the film be shown in London, which was where the Real del Monte Mining Company was headquartered, where the Stock Market was situated, and where some of the engines were manufactured.
To my surprise, I was contacted by someone from the BBC who had read the article written by brilliant young Cornish sport journalist, Henry Cowling. He had interviewed me about the Cornish links with football in Mexico a few weeks before and his article had gone viral!
The BBC correspondent wondered whether I was available to be interviewed, preferably at Broadcasting House in London, for The World Tonight programme on the eve of the start of the World Cup in Mexico City.
By a remarkable quirk of fate, I was due to be in London on the very day suggested, to show my film to the British Mexican Society. And with that, I was on my way to Broadcasting House!
Meanwhile, I was also interviewed by Venkata Krishna, a journalist with The Indian Express, whose interest had been piqued by Henry Cowling’s article. He duly contacted me about the Cornish role in spreading football in Mexico.
Imagine his surprise when I told him all about the links between the Taylor Company’s Real del Monte Mines in Mexico, and the Company’s later ventures in Kolar Gold Field, in the former Indian State of Mysore.
Both regions attracted significant Cornish labour, and incredibly, both fielded football teams in the late nineteenth century. There are still properties in the Redruth district named Kolar, Mysore and Balaghat, after the Mysore gold mines. He was absolutely amazed! The article was published in The Indian Express on Tuesday the 16th of June.
I left Redruth Railway Station bound for Waterloo, barely able to believe all that was happening. I managed to get in some research at the National Archives, Kew (yes, more Mexican stuff!), before making my way to the BBC Headquarters in Portland Place.
Standing outside the iconic glass façade of Broadcasting House felt surreal after seeing that scene so often on TV. After clearing security and being met by an assistant from The World Tonight team, I was ushered into the heart of the building to meet the journalist who would interview me.
I must confess to being completely overawed when I walked from the lift to see the vast glass and steel interior of Broadcasting House. Multiple floors harboured numerous studios, and far below, on the ground floor, were countess workstations and a sea of glowing screens updating live feeds from around the world. I could feel the weight of years of world events being broadcast from the very same location.
Before I knew it, I was shaking the hand of a man who introduced himself as James Coomarasamy. Crickey! The veteran journalist immediately put me at ease and ushered me into a studio for the interview. After some sound checks, we were green to go. The instant silence and laser-sharp focus required for live broadcasts gave me a sudden rush of adrenaline.
The interview about the Cornish role in the spread of the beautiful game in Mexico, went swimmingly, and Mr Coomarasamy was very easy to talk to. I really enjoyed the experience and I hope it will not be the last! The interview featured in that evening’s The World Tonight programme and was also broadcast on the BBC ‘s World Service.
Listen to the interview with James Coomarasamy here.
From there, it was a race across the Thames by Uber to get to King’s College for 5.00pm when the event with the British Mexican Society was due to begin.
Being at King’s College felt almost providential, for it was here around 30 years ago when, as a young undergraduate, I first fell in love with Latin American history. I was fortune to study under Rhodes scholar, the late Professor Peter J. Marshall, and one of the courses he taught was European Empires Overseas.
I never imagined I would one day complete a PhD on the Cornish in Latin America. So, being back at King’s felt somehow like closing a circle in life.
The film went down a storm among the members of the British Mexican Society. I was delighted that some members of John Hitchcock Buchan’s family were present. Buchan is one of the central characters in the film and book.
“Very many thanks to you and Martin for allowing us to see your wonderful film. I know everyone present was not only fascinated but also in awe of the huge amount of research you have put in over so many years”. Richard Maudslay, President, the British Mexican Society.
After some further research at Kew for my next book projects, it was time to depart for Gatwick Airport to catch our flight to Dublin. But not before seeing Mexico convincingly win the opening match of the World Cup 2026 against South Africa in the Azteca Stadium.
I shall be following the fortunes of the Mexico national side closely over the coming weeks. Every time I see the Mexican Wave ripple through a stadium, I remember the Cornish mineworkers who first kicked a football across the mine yards and makeshift pitches of Mexico’s Little Cornwall, and who gave the beautiful game to this football mad nation.
Launch of new Mexican Book and Documentary Film and a bit of Football…
Dr. Sharron Schwartz
Specialist in Cornish mining migration and transnational communities