THE SPORTING history of St Breward was brought back to life during a two-day event when villagers came in droves with old photographs and other items which will soon be available online.

So overwhelmed were the St Breward History Group with the response from residents that members did not have the time to document all the photos and information that was provided, and more work will be undertaken in the coming weeks and months.

St Breward School, Bodmin Group winners, 1929 to 1930.
St Breward primary schoolchildren took an interest in the photographs, from left, Dylan, Connor, Caitlin, Ashleigh, Anna, Beth Martin of the Cornwall Community Foundation, St Breward FC's Joe and Doreen Kay and archivist Brian Hill.
St Breward History Group members, from left, Jon Arnold, Hazel Burrows, Valerie Hill, Pam Bousfield (original village archivist), David Eno and Geoff Burrows.

Old pictures of St Breward footballers going back to the 1930s, including a school football team, and snooker players of yesteryear were some of the photographs which will be displayed on the history group's website.

The group's Brian Hill said everyone was astonished at the response to the two-day exhibition held in the Methodist Chapel.

"We were simply overwhelmed with the number of people coming in with old photographs and telling us the history behind them,'' he said.

'Documenting'

"It became impossible to scan them all over the two days because so many people came and wanted to tell us about their experiences, but we will get around to documenting everything eventually.

"We were told at one time there were three football pitches in St Breward, which is hard to believe today, and the village also has a thriving cricket club, but we've not had any photos of the cricket teams as yet.''

Mr Hill said people also brought in non-sporting photographs dating from 1910, including those of old clay pits.

Children from the village primary school also visited the chapel to see the old photos, and took a keen interest.

Mr Hill added: "We are now thinking of expanding the project by holding afternoon sessions so more people can come along with their photos for us to upload them on the website, as it was impossible to deal with everything that was supplied over the two days."