CORNISH GLOBAL MIGRATION PROGRAMME

THE DIASPORA OF THE PEOPLE OF CORNWALL

ABOUT US

 .... A Collaborative Project,

When the Cornish-American Connection was established in the early 1990’s a paper was produced which set out the need, objectives, research methods and organisation for a Cornish Migration Project. The Project was eventually widened to include a study of Cornish migration world wide. Over the subsequent years there have been great achievements. There has been continual evolution, in recent times the objectives, aims, methodology and  profile of the project has been greatly expanded. In particular the crown jewel of the project - the migrants database - has been extended considerably.The name of our project is now the CORNISH GLOBAL MIGRATION PROGRAMME - CGMP for short.  The CGMP has relied heavily upon the kind acts of the Cornish Diaspora around the world who have and continue to assist us. Migration studies and technology have dramatically developed in recent years. Pride in family and local history is now evident every where. Technology, especially the information now available on the world wide web is enabling our programme to develop. Many disciplines are involved in running the programme - computer database manipulation, publicity, hosting visitors, researching sources, web site design and management, opening the offices at Murdoch House on a regular basis, giving talks, visiting overseas, raising funds.  All this is carried out by volunteers who receive no recompense for their efforts.

.... Our Resources

The heart of our project is the CGMP Migrant Database which holds life details of Cornish migrants. This Complex Database contains a vast array of  information including life stories, copies of documents, portrait pictures and so on. There are related tables such as memorials, military connections, census extracts, military service, embedded images and a subject index table. An Experience database records diverse matters that relate to the Cornish migration experience. The Archives hold printed material including books, periodicals, maps, documents; digitised books and articles; a photographic collection; biographies as well as autobiographies and family histories that reflect the Cornish migration experience. We have a collection of Letters written by or to migrants, some original and others photocopies  We are also accumulating a collection of artefacts that illustrate the migration experience. All this material is being catalogued in our Archives Database.

... Our Home is Your Home

The CGMP is based in the upper floors of Murdoch House, Redruth, Cornwall. It was in this historic house, in 1792, that William Murdoch (1754 - 1839) invented gas lighting. Murdoch House is the first house in the world lit by gas lighting. We are an autonomous initiative of Redruth 2000, a Registered Charity (No. 1014072). The CGMP is run by a band of volunteers under the guidance of a Director.

“The Spiritual Home Of Cornish Migration”