Bert Biscoe

Bert Biscoe
Picture of a Caucasian bearded man with gray hair and glasses standing against a blue background.
Biscoe in 2015
Born
Martin Biscoe

23 December 1952
NationalityBritish
Other namesViajor Gans Geryow (Kernowek)
OccupationCornwall Councillor
Known forBard of the Cornish Gorseth
Mayor of Truro

Bert Biscoe DL (born 1952), also known by the bardic name Viajor Gans Geryow,[1][2] is a Cornish politician, historian and bard of the Cornish Gorseth.[3] Biscoe represented Cornwall Council's Truro Boscawen District as an independent Cornwall Councillor until 2019, serving as an independent Truro City Council Councillor for the new Boscawen & Redannick Ward.[4]

Bert Biscoe is known for his work as a local historian[5] and for his activism related to the Cornish identity debate.[6] In 2012, his book of poems called "Trurra" won a Waterstones Publishers Award at the Holyer An Gof literary competition.[7] Elected Mayor of Truro for 2019/21, his installation ceremony was streamed online.[8]

Personal life

Born in 1952 to Dr Charles Biscoe, a kinsman of the Tyndale-Biscoe family,[9] he was raised at Stithians, Cornwall, and attended Truro School before going up to Bangor University.[10]

Married to Susan Barker in 1990, the couple live near Truro, Cornwall.[11]

Bardic work

Bert Biscoe is a traditional musician and poet,[12] specialising in Cornish folk music, some in the Cornish language.[13] Some of his audio works have been collected into a compilation titled "An Kynsa".

Created a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh in 1995 "for services to Cornwall" with the bardic name Viajor Gans Geryow,[14] Biscoe has been a member of the Council of the Gorsedh since 2009.[15] He is the author of several books of poetry.[16] As a Bard of the Gorsedh he is regularly in attendance at celebrations of Cornish culture and important cultural occasions.[17][18][19]

His poetry centres on the 'Spirit of Kernow', which he has performed with other bards in Cornwall.[20]

Political career

Biscoe was also an independent County Councillor on Cornwall Council for Truro Boscawen District until he lost his seat in the May 2021 elections.[21][22][23] He remains a City Councillor for Truro City Council, representing the Moresk & Trehaverne Ward.[24]

Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for Transport responsible for the county's transport links, in 2017, Biscoe was succeeded by Councillor Geoff Brown.[25] During his time in office, he was involved in many projects including the A30 road improvements at Temple, Cornwall,[26] and one of the failed bus lane projects in Truro.[27]

Work as local historian

Chairman of the Truro Civic Society,[28] Biscoe also serves as President of the Truro Old Cornwall Society.[29][30] Honorary Secretary and a Trustee on the board on the Royal Cornwall Museum,[31] he is the author of two books about the history of Cornwall.[32]

Activism

Relevant in the Cornish Identity debate,[33] with Dr James Whetter he popularised the campaign for increased powers for Cornish local government and the creation of a Cornish Assembly.[34] [35] He also served as chairman of the Cornish Constitutional Convention.[6]

Books

Biscoe is the author of several books, mainly related to Cornwall and poetry:

  • Maudlin' Pilgrimage, book of verse set in the reign of Henry VIII.[36]
  • Rebecca (1996).[37]
  • The dance of the Cornish air (1996).[38]
  • At a wedding with Yeats in Turin (2003).[39]
  • Trurra, published by Dew Vardh, winner of the Waterstones Award at Holyer An Gof Publishers' Awards 2012.[40]
  • Words of Granite (ISBN 9780946143269).[41][42]
  • Mercifully Preserved Fictional account of the life of Sir John Betjeman[43]
  • On Yer Trolley: Poems Made During Complete Bed Rest! (2008).[44]
  • White Crusted Eyes: Tales of Par, (2009).[45]
  • Meditations on Carn Brea, Poems and Pictures from a Cornish Hill (2005).[46]
  • Accompanied by Larks.[47]

See also

References

  1. ^ Tregarthen, J.C. (2004). John Penrose : a romance of the Land's End ([New ed.]. ed.). Fowey: Cornwall Editions. ISBN 9781904880028. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Eseli Konsel Gorsedh Kernow". Gorsedh Kernow. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  3. ^ www.express.co.uk
  4. ^ www.itv.com
  5. ^ "Squeeze Guts". cornwall live. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  6. ^ a b Simon, Parker (12 January 2001). "Cornwall wants to go it alone". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Holyer an Gof". Archived from the original on 30 August 2017.
  8. ^ Lee Trewhela (11 May 2020). "First time in over 200 years new Truro mayor is sworn in online". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  9. ^ www.burkespeerage.com
  10. ^ "Biography". BB. Bert Biscoe Campaign. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Bert Biscoe". Cornwall Gov. Cornwall Council. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Dew Vardh, with Bert Biscoe and Pol Hodge". Penzance Literary Festival. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  13. ^ "A Kynsa". Cornwall 24. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  14. ^ www.lordlieutenantofcornwall.org.uk
  15. ^ "Council Members". Cornish Gorsedh. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Jennet Campbell MBE: Cornish Gorsedd Honour - The Radford Charitable Trust". www.radfordtrust.org. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  17. ^ "Ceremony welcomes bards from all over the world to Lannstevan". Cornish & Devon Post. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Guardians of a rich cultural heritage". Cornish Guardian. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  19. ^ Council, Cornwall. "September 2013 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  20. ^ "Poets lead Cornish revolt against 'English imperialism'". The Independent. 18 May 1997. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  21. ^ "data.ordnancesurvey". data. ordnance survey. Retrieved 9 September 2017. Boscawen Park is not located in the electoral ward but shares the same name.
  22. ^ Boscawen or Truro Boscawen is an electoral division and area of central Truro. "ONS Geography Linked Data | Truro Boscawen". statistics.data.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  23. ^ "Big names were booted out at Cornwall Council elections". 10 May 2021.
  24. ^ "Councillors". Truro City Council. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  25. ^ Cornwall Council. "Profiles of Cabinet members - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk.
  26. ^ "A30 improvements finish date moves from spring to summer". ITV. ITV news. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  27. ^ "Scrapping of Truro bus lane costs £60,000". BBC. BBC Cornwall. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  28. ^ "TCS". Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  29. ^ "piran day article". falmouth packet. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  30. ^ "Truro Old Cornwall Society". Truro Old Cornwall Society. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  31. ^ "Trustees". Royal Cornwall Museum. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  32. ^ Truro Library Archives
  33. ^ www.thetimes.co.uk
  34. ^ "Councillor details". Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  35. ^ "About Bert Biscoe". Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  36. ^ Bert, Biscoe. "MAUDLIN' PILGRIMAGE". oldcornwallshop. BB. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  37. ^ "Rebecca". Open Library. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  38. ^ "the dance of the cornish air". Open Library. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  39. ^ "At a wedding with Yeats in Turin". Open library. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  40. ^ "gorsedh kernow awards list". gorsedh kernow. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  41. ^ Biscoe, Bert (1997). Words of granite : bearing witness : poems of time & place (1 ed.). Wadebridge: Lodenek Press. p. 53. ISBN 9780946143269. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  42. ^ Biscoe, Bert (1997). Words of Granite - Selected Poems. Lodenek Press. ASIN 0946143269.
  43. ^ "oldcornwall". oldcornwall.net.
  44. ^ Biscoe, Bert (5 December 2008). On Yer Trolley: Poems Made During Complete Bed Rest!. Creative Edge. ISBN 978-0956021816.
  45. ^ Biscoe, Bert (1 September 2009). White Crusted Eyes: Tales of Par. Creative Edge. ISBN 978-0956021823.
  46. ^ "MEDITATIONS ON CARN BREA Poems and Pictures from a Cornish Hill by Biscoe Bert: Biffworks, Cornwall Thin Card, First Edition, Signed by Author(s) - Polsue Books". www.abebooks.co.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  47. ^ "Accompanied by Larks - BISCOE, Bert". www.cornishbookworld.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.