Episode 42: Cornish Wreckers

Tales of Britain and Ireland

A storytelling and folklore podcast.

Telling some of the famous and not so famous British and Irish myths, legends and folktales, in no particular order.

Coming direct from South Yorkshire it is currently regularish, and will feature all of the above and whatever other miscellaneous snippets take my fancy.

Presented by Graeme. Website at http://www.TalesofBritainandIreland.com

Storms, shipwrecks, salvaging, surprising donkeys and satanic forces all feature in two tales of wrecking on the Cornish Coast.

For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-42-cornish-wreckers/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #cornwall

“Will you hear of Cruel Coppinger?

He came from a foreign Land!”

Storms, shipwrecks, salvaging, surprisingly donkeys and satanic forces all feature in two tales of wrecking on the Cornish Coast.

There’s also an extended discussion section on the reality and the wrongs and rights of wrecking.

There’s no opportunity to check yourself so I guess just jump in and wreck yourself!

Once you’ve listened to the episode scroll down for a couple more links to some of the characters featured in the episode.

“Lord, let us pray for all on the sea;
But if there’s got to be wrecks please send them to We!”
Apocryphal “Cornish prayer

Karin Murray-Bergquist

A big thanks this episode to Karin who pointed me in the direction of a bunch of nautical stories, which didn’t include this one, but which I later found she’d covered herself!

Karin is a multi talented folklorist, artists, podcaster, storyteller and much more. She has created a map of Ghost Stories from Newfoundland you can check our here: Ghost Ships Map and her various other projects can be found here: Kari Murray-Burquist. Her interview on the folklore podcast is also well worth checking out:

Also find her much quicker telling of the story on youtube below, under the wonderfully punny titled channel “Chapeauetry”

Featured Folklorist

You can read more about William Bottrell and his relationship with Robert Hunt here:

William Bottrell

William Bottrell was a Cornish folklorist who specialised in the recording and retelling of Cornish drolls.

Keep reading

Bonus folklorist: Rev. R.S. Hawker

Hawker – the source of the Coppinger story, really was a very colourful character indeed. If you want the full details this article is well worth checking out:
https://thatsmycornwall.com/reverend-hawker-romantic-poet-professional-eccentric-and-compassionate-clergyman/

But just to give you a bullet pointed list of some of the more unusual and fascinating parts of the man’s life:

– Impersonated a Mermaid for a joke
– Wrote “The Song of the Western Men” – unofficial Cornish anthem to this day, which is a personal favourite
– Wore a yellow poncho, red trousers and crimson loves – a fashion icon
– Built his own little hut on the cliff edge using timbers from a wreck and wrote poetry in it (he was a wrecker!)
– Saved lives of ships wrecked at sea and recovered bodies for burial
– Excommunicated one of his cats for working on Sunday (maybe)
– Had a pet pig and a pet stag
– Converted to Roman Catholicism on his death bed, despite being an Anglican Vicar all his life
– Wrote Arthurian themed poetry

Basically – what a dude (though I make no claim on his moral character here!! I do love when these interesting folk crop up.

Selected Sources

Myths and Realities of Cornish Wrecking – a youtube presentation by Dr. Cathryn Pearce
Cornish Wrecking, ca. 1700-1860, and its survival as popular myth – Dr. Cathryn Pearce
Cornish Wrecking, 1700-1860: Reality and Popular Myth – Dr. Cathryn Pearce (link to buy book at Amazon)
Autobiography of James Silk Buckingham – Failed to mention this work in the episode but this is source of the first very short story. p176
Footprints of Former Men in far Cornwall – Hawker’s Coppinger story
“The Pirate Wrecker and the Death Ship” – in Robert Hunt’s “Popular Romances of the West of England”
“The Wrecker and the Death Ship” – in William Bottrell’s “Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Vol. 2”
The Cornish Wreckers – Sabine Baring-Gould: His version of Hawker’s tale, with extra details on Hawker (possibly invented!)