Author Topic: Moorish miners??  (Read 2369 times)

Offline Mowsehowse

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Moorish miners??
« on: Monday 16 January 17 18:17 GMT (UK) »
Can anyone supply evidence to support the suggestion that mines in Cornwall were ever worked by Moorish people..... that is, Moors from North Africa, or perhaps Southern Spain, not people living on the Cornish moors.
BORCHARDT in Poland/Germany, BOSKOWITZ in Czechoslovakia, Hungary + Austria, BUSS in Baden, Germany + Switzerland, FEKETE in Hungary + Austria, GOTTHILF in Hammerstein + Berlin, GUBLER, GYSI, LABHARDT & RYCHNER in Switzerland, KONIG & KRONER in Germany, PLACZEK, WUNSCH & SILBERBERG in Poland.

Also: ROWSE in Brixham, Tenby, Hull & Ramsgate. Strongman, in Falmouth. Champion. Coke. Eame/s. Gibbons. Passmore. Pulsever. Sparkes in Brixham & Ramsgate. Toms in Cornwall. Waymoth. Wyatt.

Offline Highplains2001

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #1 on: Friday 14 June 19 22:32 BST (UK) »
Just anecdotal evidence. In Rossendale, Lancashire there is a traditional’group of Morris dancers known as the Britannia Coconutters who blacken their faces and put on traditional costumes. They claim that their tradition was brought to Lancashire by Cornish miners who moved north to work in the coal mines and quarries and that their dance has its roots in the traditions of North African miners who worked the Cornish mines.

Offline Mowsehowse

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 15 June 19 07:49 BST (UK) »
Gosh.....  Sometimes I think I need my head looking into.....

I am a member of a Morris troupe, and I have danced alongside the Coconutters at the Sidmouth Festival.  I did wonder why ever they would be so "esoteric", but then we are a bit "out there" too, so it never occured to me they might have a quasi serious reason.

Their claims may very well be true....

Food for thought, thank you.
BORCHARDT in Poland/Germany, BOSKOWITZ in Czechoslovakia, Hungary + Austria, BUSS in Baden, Germany + Switzerland, FEKETE in Hungary + Austria, GOTTHILF in Hammerstein + Berlin, GUBLER, GYSI, LABHARDT & RYCHNER in Switzerland, KONIG & KRONER in Germany, PLACZEK, WUNSCH & SILBERBERG in Poland.

Also: ROWSE in Brixham, Tenby, Hull & Ramsgate. Strongman, in Falmouth. Champion. Coke. Eame/s. Gibbons. Passmore. Pulsever. Sparkes in Brixham & Ramsgate. Toms in Cornwall. Waymoth. Wyatt.

Offline PaulineJ

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 15 June 19 11:58 BST (UK) »
Plenty of shipwreck survivors (of many nationalities) who would choose to settle and marry Cornish women/widows .

Since coconuts are not native to North Africa (Are they not Pacific?)
I think maybe that particular element is a later adoption.

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Offline Creasegirl

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 15 June 19 12:07 BST (UK) »
I watched something recently that said there were Africans in the UK during the medieval and tudor period and that they came over as merchants and from trading ships so it is possible.
Ferguson (st fillans, comrie)
Garnock (lothian, fife)
Valet (london, switzerland)
Butcher (ramsgate, glasgow)
Blackbird (durham,  newcastle)
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Offline barryd

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 15 June 19 13:03 BST (UK) »
I searched the Internet and could not find any evidence there of Moors in Cornwall.

Offline Mowsehowse

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 15 June 19 13:25 BST (UK) »
Plenty of shipwreck survivors (of many nationalities) who would choose to settle and marry Cornish women/widows .

Since coconuts are not native to North Africa (Are they not Pacific?)
I think maybe that particular element is a later adoption.

In the interests of accuracy Pauline, I quote:
"Are there coconuts in Africa? If so, where can they be found? - Quora.
Yes, coconuts are found in African continent along the shores of the oceans. In Kenya, the Coastal region is well known for coconuts trees, plenty for that matter. 24 Aug 2016

Or..."Coconuts can be found all over Africa especially in the African coastal countries like Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tunisia, Ghana, Gabon, Morocco, Algeria, Namibia, Angola and many other countries even in the central regions." 
https://www.quora.com/Are-there-coconuts-in-Africa-If-so-where-can-they-be-found


BORCHARDT in Poland/Germany, BOSKOWITZ in Czechoslovakia, Hungary + Austria, BUSS in Baden, Germany + Switzerland, FEKETE in Hungary + Austria, GOTTHILF in Hammerstein + Berlin, GUBLER, GYSI, LABHARDT & RYCHNER in Switzerland, KONIG & KRONER in Germany, PLACZEK, WUNSCH & SILBERBERG in Poland.

Also: ROWSE in Brixham, Tenby, Hull & Ramsgate. Strongman, in Falmouth. Champion. Coke. Eame/s. Gibbons. Passmore. Pulsever. Sparkes in Brixham & Ramsgate. Toms in Cornwall. Waymoth. Wyatt.

Offline Mowsehowse

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 15 June 19 13:32 BST (UK) »
I searched the Internet and could not find any evidence there of Moors in Cornwall.

Barry, most definitely  they were in Cornwall and other coastal counties frequently. Even Pepys wrote about it.

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Barbary-Pirates-English-Slaves/

Though I wonder how many made it their homes.  Apparently some made a base on Lundy.
BORCHARDT in Poland/Germany, BOSKOWITZ in Czechoslovakia, Hungary + Austria, BUSS in Baden, Germany + Switzerland, FEKETE in Hungary + Austria, GOTTHILF in Hammerstein + Berlin, GUBLER, GYSI, LABHARDT & RYCHNER in Switzerland, KONIG & KRONER in Germany, PLACZEK, WUNSCH & SILBERBERG in Poland.

Also: ROWSE in Brixham, Tenby, Hull & Ramsgate. Strongman, in Falmouth. Champion. Coke. Eame/s. Gibbons. Passmore. Pulsever. Sparkes in Brixham & Ramsgate. Toms in Cornwall. Waymoth. Wyatt.

Offline Chilternbirder

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Re: Moorish miners??
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 15 June 19 14:51 BST (UK) »
Gosh.....  Sometimes I think I need my head looking into.....

I am a member of a Morris troupe, and I have danced alongside the Coconutters at the Sidmouth Festival.  I did wonder why ever they would be so "esoteric", but then we are a bit "out there" too, so it never occured to me they might have a quasi serious reason.

Their claims may very well be true....

Food for thought, thank you.
I have also heard that the tradition goes all the way back to the nineteenth century minstrel shows. Certainly I have never seen earlier evidence of the dances. There again it doesn't take much for an event to become "traditional".
Crabb from Laurencekirk / Fordoun and Scurry from mid Essex