January 30th John Hobson Matthews (Death)  
 

John Hobson Matthews (1858-1914) was a historian, archivist and lawyer whose father hailed from St. Ives.   He worked firstly in Malta and then in Cardiff becoming fluent in both Welsh and Maltese. 
He was a prolific writer and editor on many subjects, translating Welsh works as well as editing the Cardiff historical records and the Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists Society.  In recognition of his work he was made a Bard of the Welsh Gorsedd.
A devout Roman Catholic he wrote a very successful volume ‘The Mass and Its Folklore’ (1903).

Matthews wrote a very popular book about St. Ives, ‘A History of the parishes of St. Ives, Lelant, Towednack, and Zennor’ (1892) and edited ‘Martin Cock’s Guide to St. Ives’ (1906).

                                                       

                                        A map of the area described in ‘A History of the parishes of St. Ives, Lelant, Towednack, and Zennor

 
         
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