Pilchard Books - our shop sign is almost ready!

“Pilchards! Whose bodies yield the fragrant oil and make the London lamps at midnight smile!” 

Peter Pindar 1783 via National Maritime Museum of Cornwall 

We have commissioned Paul Wilmott, a fabulous artist from the Lake District, and a wonderful friend, to paint the sign for our bookshop. This is what he has created.

The background to our sign stems from the fact that in 1895, Mevagissey had a power station built, which was powered by pilchard oil and provided electricity to the lighthouse and street lamps in the village. It is rumoured to have been the first town to have electric street lighting powered from pilchard oil.
Source: Cornwall Calling

Pilchard oil was also used to fuel the street lamps of London.
Source: National Maritime Museum of Cornwall