TWO primary school children have planted two trees as part as part of the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Passmore Edwards, the Cornish Philanthropist.
On Friday morning the head boy and girl, Dylan and Lily-May, of the Falmouth Primary Academy, planted the first of two trees donated by Cornwall Council.
The tree, a Rowan, or Mountain Ash, marks the gift of the Falmouth Free Library to the people of Falmouth in 1893. The tree was planted in Kimberley Park, ably assisted by Park gardener, Julian Kay.
The trees are supplied by Cornwall Council as part of the Forest for Cornwall initiative. Trees have been supplied to each of the local councils that have one of the 20 public buildings Passmore Edwards funded in Cornwall.
John Passmore Edwards was a Cornish Journalist and philanthropist who provided money for 70 public buildings across Cornwall and London, all for free use by members of the public.
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During the Victorian period, the working classes, which included thousands of Cornish miners, farm workers, fishermen and other labourers, often struggled to afford good education and healthcare.
Passmore Edwards campaigned for better facilities for poorer people and when he realised that other politicians were not very interested, he used his own money to provide these facilities.
One of those buildings was the Passmore Edwards Library on The Moor
Events are taking place from March to November, in Cornwall and across the south of the country, to mark the bicentenary of Passmore Edwards.
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