David Wills (photographer) on the left and Derek Tangye (author) standing in Derek's nature reserve near Lamorna. Information below relates to the collection.
Derek Tangye (1912-1996) was a British author who lived in Cornwall for nearly fifty years. He wrote nineteen books which became known as The Minack Chronicles, about his simple life on a clifftop daffodil farm called Dorminack, affectionately referred to as Minack, at St Buryan in the far west of Cornwall with his wife Jeannie, née Jean Everald Nicol. David Wills (1925-2022) donated this collection of photos to Morrab Library. For more details see the following links : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Tangye https://minack.info/
Derek Tangye and wife Jeannie picking daffodils in their lower meadow.
Derek's Tangye's daffodil field facing the Atlantic Ocean, Mount's Bay.
Derek Tangye standing proudly in front of the gate to his nature reserve.
The sign says, "THE DEREK AND JEANNE TANGYE, MINACK CHRONICLES, NATURE RESERVE, A Place for Solitude" The site is known as Oliver Land, an 18 acre nature reserve created by Derek Tangye the author of the Minack Chronicles in memory of his wife Jeannie as a haven for wildlife 'a place of solitude'. Derek Tangye and his wife Jeannie moved to Dorminack a little after WW2 to run a flower farm. Over the next 40 years he and his wife wrote a number of books, of which Derek's became renowned as The Minack Chronicles,featuring over 20 books.They were about their life at Dorminack and reflect our need to be at one with nature, the early 'Good Life' before it became fashionable. Oliver Land was so named after one of their cats Oliver and is a 17acre Nature Reserve, perched on the Cornish cliffs, for the preservation of the wildlife that live there. It is also a place for Solitude, time for you to reflect and contemplate, a place to think of anything other than what you should or ought to be doing! Jeannie believed that Dorminack was a place of natural spirituality. She wrote a poem 'The Spirits of Minack Welcome you, to their world of forever, where life goes on and death is never.' Further information at this link: http://minack.info/
View of the Tater-du Lighthouse looking west from Dorminack land, near Lamorna.
Tater Du Lighthouse - ‘The name Tater Du comes from the Cornish ‘torthel du’ meaning black loaf. The name presumably refers to the dark bulge of greenstone cliffs on which the lighthouse now stands (Cornishbird). The Lighthouse was built in 1965, after the tragic loss of 11 lives on the cargo ship Antonio which ran around in 1963. The Lighthouse is automatic and is part of the Trinity house, Lighthouse authority.
Derek and Jeannie Tangye in their daffodil field near the cliffs.
Both enjoying a sunny day in their daffodil field.
Derek and Jeannie Tangye in their garden.
Christmas 1985 and New Year's card from Jeannie and Derek to David and Joan Wills
Photograph shows Ambrose (the cat) on the bridge. The card greeting says, "Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....with much love from all at Minack, Jeannie & Derek. Xmas 1985"
Derek and Jeannie Tangye with donkey at Minack.
Jeannie holding reins of donkey whilst Derek examines his hoof.
Derek and Jeannie Tangye's donkeys at Minack