Elizabeth Carne
Remembering our friend and a past President of Newquay Old Cornwall Society
Newquay Old Cornwall Society remembers with great affection and respect for our former President Elizabeth Carne. Liz was a member of the society for many decades and President for ten years until stepping down through ill health in 2026. She strongly supported the work carried out by the society and within the society’s community archive and museum. Liz supported may other activities and events carried out by the museum such as bi-lingual guided walks carried out in Kernewek and English.
Liz has been involved with many Newquay organisations including Newquay Town Band. Since its inception she supported Newquay St Piran’s Festival Group. During the pandemic Liz contributed several videos for the Newquay St Piran online festival, sharing some Cornish language stories for children. These have been regularly listened to ever since. The Newquay Cornish Language Class started by Liz has encouraged many people in Cornwall and since the pandemic worldwide via Zoom to learn Cornish. Together with her son Richard and mother Agnes Liz has been a great supporter of Newquay RNLI helping out in the shop for many years.
Cornwall has seen Liz very involved in its cultural heritage sector. This included as being part of the team at Cornwall Heritage Trust. Liz a fluent Cornish speaker was initiated as a bard of Gorsedh Kernow in 1978 taking the bardic name Melennek meaning Green Finch in Kernewek. Later she became Deputy Grand Bard and finally Grand Bard perhaps the highest recognition achievable for a Cornish person. A number of videos were made which Liz featured in relating to gardening and in the Cornish language.
This page includes many images and videos from over a number of years, which we hope will help others join us in celebrating the life of Liz Carne. We will be adding more images, videos and information about the life of Liz Carne and her contribution to community life and Cornish culture.
Liz featured in a great many videos produced by Matthi ab Dewi for Pellwolok an Gernewegva. These were created in Kernewek and illustrated Liz's fluency in Kernewek. We will add further links to videos featuring Liz.
During the pandemic in 2021 Liz contributed to the Newquay St Piran's Festival online celebration with a series of videos featuring children's stories with a Cornish language element. As Grand Bard of Gorsedh Kernow Liz also provided a short St Piran's message.
Liz Carne began the Newquay Cornish Language Class many years ago. Since then many students have gone on to be able to speak Kernewek to a high standard, passing examinations. Many of those who were unable to continue classes have carried on using the Cornish language to a limited degree or have encouraged other to do so.
The pandemic saw the end to physical classes but as one door closes another opens. The growth and availability of Zoom allowed Liz to take her classes online and this made worldwide attendance possible. From Australia, to the USA and Spain people joined the Newquay Cornish Language Class to learn Kernewek.
This is a wonderful legacy for Liz as her work has helped spread the Cornish language and make it better known and spoken around the world as well as in Cornwall.
Here is a contribution from a small number of students to a video for the 2021 Newquay St Piran's online festival.
Newquay RNLI
The Clemens and Carne family have contributed to Newquay's Lifeboat for four generations. Liz's grandfather was on the James Stevens No'5 when it was sunk in 1917.
Elizabeth joined the Ladies Lifeboat guild in 2007 alongside her mother Agnes. She has been a loyal and well respected member of the team. Her commitment to the organisation was evident in her work at events and in the shop.
Pictured are Elizabeth with her son Richard and mother Agnes at the signing of the scroll to celebrate RNLI 200 year anniversary