The Cornwall Centre: Aviation Exhibition

The Cornwall Centre, incorporating the Cornish Studies Library, is situated at Alma Place in Redruth, just off Fore Street. The Centre contains the county's largest collection of Cornish printed and published items, and is custodian of an astonishing range of material: books and pamphlets, newspapers, serial publications, maps, censuses, trade directories and images. For any form of research on Cornish matters, it's the tops. The librarians and staff are unfailingly helpful and knowledgeable, while resources include microfilm readers, photocopying, and power for your laptop. Entry is free and no membership is required.

Until the end of November, the Centre is running a special exhibition on aviation in Cornwall, from the very first flight of an aeroplane from Cornish soil in 1910, up to the present-day. Many rare items and images are on show and again, the exhibition is free. So if like me you're local, and keen on big silver cloud-boats, get yourself along!

The image above shows British Midland Airways Viscount 7 G-AWCV at Newquay Airport during July 1968. It was taken by the late Barry Cole, a keen follower of Cornish aviation matters and a generous friend who helped me with several written projects. Barry would have enjoyed the exhibition.