Bert Biscoe

Bert Biscoe
Viajor Gans Geryow (Kernowek)
Biscoe in 2015
Mayor of Truro
Councillor on Cornwall Council
Personal details
BornMartin Biscoe
(1952-12-23) 23 December 1952
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 in Scunthorpe[9] to Dr Charles Biscoe, a kinsman of the Tyndale-Biscoe family,[10] he was raised in Stithians, Cornwall, and attended Truro School before going up to Bangor University.[11]

Married to Susan Barker in 1990, the couple live near Truro, Cornwall.[12]

Bardic work

Bert Biscoe is a traditional musician and poet,[13] specialising in Cornish folk music, some in the Cornish language.[14] 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,[15] Biscoe has been a member of the Council of the Gorsedh since 2009.[16] He is the author of several books of poetry.[17] As a Bard of the Gorsedh he is regularly in attendance at celebrations of Cornish culture and important cultural occasions.[18][19][20]

His poetry centres on the 'Spirit of Kernow', which he has performed with other bards in Cornwall.[21]

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.[22][23][24] He remains a City Councillor for Truro City Council, representing the Moresk & Trehaverne Ward.[25]

Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for Transport responsible for the county's transport links, in 2017, Biscoe was succeeded by Councillor Geoff Brown.[26] During his time in office, he was involved in many projects including the A30 road improvements at Temple, Cornwall,[27] and one of the failed bus lane projects in Truro.[28]

Work as local historian

Chairman of the Truro Civic Society,[29] Biscoe also serves as President of the Truro Old Cornwall Society.[30][31] Honorary Secretary and a Trustee on the board on the Royal Cornwall Museum,[32] he is the author of two books about the history of Cornwall.[33]

Activism

Relevant in the Cornish Identity debate,[34] with Dr James Whetter he popularised the campaign for increased powers for Cornish local government and the creation of a Cornish Assembly.[35] [36] 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.[37]
  • Rebecca (1996).[38]
  • The dance of the Cornish air (1996).[39]
  • At a wedding with Yeats in Turin (2003).[40]
  • Trurra, published by Dew Vardh, winner of the Waterstones Award at Holyer An Gof Publishers' Awards 2012.[41]
  • Words of Granite (ISBN 9780946143269).[42][43]
  • Mercifully Preserved Fictional account of the life of Sir John Betjeman[44]
  • On Yer Trolley: Poems Made During Complete Bed Rest! (2008).[45]
  • White Crusted Eyes: Tales of Par, (2009).[46]
  • Meditations on Carn Brea, Poems and Pictures from a Cornish Hill (2005).[47]
  • Accompanied by Larks.[48]

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. ^ "FreeBMD District Info". www.freebmd.org.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  10. ^ www.burkespeerage.com
  11. ^ "Biography". BB. Bert Biscoe Campaign. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Bert Biscoe". Cornwall Gov. Cornwall Council. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Dew Vardh, with Bert Biscoe and Pol Hodge". Penzance Literary Festival. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  14. ^ "A Kynsa". Cornwall 24. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  15. ^ www.lordlieutenantofcornwall.org.uk
  16. ^ "Council Members". Cornish Gorsedh. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  17. ^ "Jennet Campbell MBE: Cornish Gorsedd Honour - The Radford Charitable Trust". www.radfordtrust.org. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Ceremony welcomes bards from all over the world to Lannstevan". Cornish & Devon Post. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  19. ^ "Guardians of a rich cultural heritage". Cornish Guardian. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  20. ^ Council, Cornwall. "September 2013 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  21. ^ "Poets lead Cornish revolt against 'English imperialism'". The Independent. 18 May 1997. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  22. ^ "data.ordnancesurvey". data. ordnance survey. Retrieved 9 September 2017. Boscawen Park is not located in the electoral ward but shares the same name.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ "Big names were booted out at Cornwall Council elections". 10 May 2021.
  25. ^ "Councillors". Truro City Council. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  26. ^ Cornwall Council. "Profiles of Cabinet members - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk.
  27. ^ "A30 improvements finish date moves from spring to summer". ITV. ITV news. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  28. ^ "Scrapping of Truro bus lane costs £60,000". BBC. BBC Cornwall. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  29. ^ "TCS". Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  30. ^ "piran day article". falmouth packet. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  31. ^ "Truro Old Cornwall Society". Truro Old Cornwall Society. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  32. ^ "Trustees". Royal Cornwall Museum. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  33. ^ Truro Library Archives
  34. ^ www.thetimes.co.uk
  35. ^ "Councillor details". Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  36. ^ "About Bert Biscoe". Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  37. ^ Bert, Biscoe. "MAUDLIN' PILGRIMAGE". oldcornwallshop. BB. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  38. ^ "Rebecca". Open Library. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  39. ^ "the dance of the cornish air". Open Library. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  40. ^ "At a wedding with Yeats in Turin". Open library. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  41. ^ "gorsedh kernow awards list". gorsedh kernow. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  42. ^ 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.
  43. ^ Biscoe, Bert (1997). Words of Granite - Selected Poems. Lodenek Press. ASIN 0946143269.
  44. ^ "oldcornwall". oldcornwall.net.
  45. ^ Biscoe, Bert (5 December 2008). On Yer Trolley: Poems Made During Complete Bed Rest!. Creative Edge. ISBN 978-0956021816.
  46. ^ Biscoe, Bert (1 September 2009). White Crusted Eyes: Tales of Par. Creative Edge. ISBN 978-0956021823.
  47. ^ "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.
  48. ^ "Accompanied by Larks - BISCOE, Bert". www.cornishbookworld.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
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