Cornworthy - Ski Harrison's Photos

An Introduction to Ski Harrison's Cornworthy Images

Ski’s collection of Cornworthy images was put together for the Cornworthy Now exhibition held to celebrate the Millenium in the village of Cornworthy in the South Hams area of Devon. She created a photographic portrait of a parish where the widespread diminishment of rural life was not in evidence but rather a community that was vital and innovative. Her photographs showed a village which had found a recipe for survival.

Set on a loop road a few miles from Totnes, and not a picture postcard example of a Devon village, it has been ignored by holiday house owners and the wealthy retired. Consequently, it had avoided becoming a pretty village with a vacant face has become instead a community with a strongly beating heart.

The population at that time was approximately 400 with 90 under the age of 18. Clubs were being started up not closed down as in most villages, a pantomime had been revived as well as a village race and sports day. A parish bus had been financed and a wood planted. There were small and medium-sized companies involved with technology, publishing, artwork creation, food-processing, spring water bottling, upholstery and scrap metal processing. There was also a range of farming practices, many of which were organic, including poultry farming, vegetable growing and cider making.

Ski photographed every new and traditional aspect of parish life has with the community taking centre stage. The exhibition was the result of three years of documenting the lives of the people living in Cornworthy between 1997 and 2000.

In 2023 the exhibition was recreated to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and was staged in the Cornworthy Parish Hall. Three years later Ski agreed to a proposal to digitise her photographs and place them for the enjoyment of all on the West Dart History Group (WDHG) website. She also agreed to the main print set being preserved for future generations in the WDHG archive.

CS01 - Nigel the postman emptying the post box. Cornworthy, 2000
CS02 - Cathy Edmonds delivering bread baked in Morleigh by her husband Maurice. Cornworthy, 1999
CS03 - Last day of the village shop run by Gilly Brock with Joyce Yabsley coming through the door. Cornworthy, 7 November 1998
CS04 - Margaret Harding in the post office section of the shop. Cornworthy, November 1998
CS05 - Brian Worthington serving Roly Richardson in the Saturday shop. Cornworthy, 1999
CS06 - Chris Watson sterilising jars for organic Pesto Sauce at Tideford Foods. Higher Tideford Farm, 1999
CS07 - Jane Geatches labelling bottles of Priory Spring Water with husband David, in the old milking parlour. Court Prior Farm, 2000
CS08 - Crushed cars being loaded onto Nick Way’s lorry. Longlands, 2000
CS09 - Barney Bucke repairing deck of Kerensa Mor a Padstow fishing boat. Whitestone. East Cornworthy, 1999
CS10 - Jilly Sutton, a sculptor. working on a wooden head. Whitestone Farmhouse, East Cornworthy, 1999
CS11 - Mic Chambers with one of his sculptures. Cornworthy village, 1999
CS12 - Aaron Southgate, garden designer and constructor repairing a stone wall. Morleigh, 2000
CS13 - Tom Jaine working in his office. for his Prospect Books publishing house. Allaleigh, 2000
CS14 - Carpenter Oak Workshop. East Cornworthy, 1999
CS15 - Ruth Treneman preparing food for a wedding with a helper. Treneman Foods. Cornworthy, 2000
CS16 - Val Adams measuring curtain fabric. Val started her business in the late 1970s. Park Farmhouse, 2000
CS17 - Chris Adams, who started his business in 1986, repairing a chair. Park Farmhouse, 2000
CS18 - Chris Adams working on a 1969 Alfa Romeo. Park Farmhosue, 2000
CS19 - David Geatches with his sheep. Longlands, East Cornworthy, 1999
CS20 - David Geatches with his lambs and ewes. Court Prior Farm, Cornworthy, 1999
CS21 - Andrew Hartnell with Alison Howell. Cornworthy Court Farm, 2000
CS22 - Sue and Tom Hartnell in their kitchen. Cornworthy Court, 2000
CS23 - Michael Hartnell in the farmyard. Cornworthy Court, 2000
CS24 - Richard Fry. Higher East Cornworthy Farm, 1999
CS25 - Kelvin Gitsham. Maize harvest. East Cornworthy, 1999
CS26 - Maize harvest for sileage for Richard Fry. East Cornworthy, 1999
CS27 - Richard and Steve at lunchbreak. Fry's kitchen. East Cornworthy, 1999
CS28 - Mrs Hetty Lee with Dorothy and Jack Geatches in their kitchen. Court Prior Farm. Cornworthy, 2000
CS29 - Maggie Logan with her British Alpine kids. Berries Farm, Cornworthy, 1999
CS30 - Sue Stevenson collecting eggs for sorting. Higher Broadgates Farm. Cornworthy, 1999
CS31 - Sue Stevenson selling her eggs and Stevenson honey. Christmas Market, Totnes, 1999
CS32 - Sue Stevenson grading eggs. Higher Broadgates Farm, 1999
CS33 - Apple Crushing for Cider with L-R Jelle Koen and Jack Rainbird. Ted Tuppen's Farm, Whitestone, East Cornworthy, 1999
CS34 - South Devon Organic Producers weeding organic parsnips for James Skevington. Rowden (Malcolm Dixon's farm), 2000
CS35 - James and Karen Skevington's Geese. Lower Washbourne Farm, 1999
CS36 - Terry Collings shearing his sheep. Tuckenhay, 2000
CS37 - Jeff Marshall dipping a goose in wax. 300 birds are prepared each Christmas. Lower Washbourne Farm, 1999
CS38 - Tom Jaine feeding his geese and Mabel the pig. Allaleigh, 2000
CS39 - Dave and Rita Folland cleaning their 1896 Gig which was made at Lockerbie. 1999
CS40 - Cut Throat Pam (Marilyn Fry) with R Captain Hook (Peter Tatham) and L Knots (Betsy Porritt), Priory Players in Peter Panto. Cornworthy Village Hall, 1998
CS41 - L-R Peter Panto (Ali Brookes) Tiger Lily (Lucy Marshall) Running Water (Jill Todd) Sleeping Bullocks (Jo Pink), Priory Players. Cornworthy, 1998
CS42 - Charlie Bellingham arriving with the walkers while Beating the Bounds of Cornworthy Parish. Forces Tavern, 1998
CS43 - Roly Richardson with children in fancy dress having handed the key of St Peter's to the Rev Richard King on completion of Beating the Bounds, 1998
CS44 - Caly Carver with Anthony Harrison carrying the key of St Peter's on the water section of the Beating the Bounds. Bow Creek, 1998
CS45 - May Bank Holiday Sports Day Bunny Hop heat being won by George Mariner. Church Meadow, Cornworthy, 1998
CS46 - L-R Anna Pearce and Joanie Appleton cooking beefburgers. Cornworthy Pig Roast, 2000
CS47 - Cornworthy Ladies' Tug-of-War - losing! Cornworthy Pig Roast, 2000
CS48 - Cornworthy Ladies' Tug-of-War - winning! Cornworthy Pig Roast, 2000
CS49 - Priory Gatehouse with the cooks, Cornworthy Pig Roast, 1999
CS50 - Life Drawing Class at Tom Appleton's house. L-R Anthony Harrison, Jeremy Scrine, Susie David and model Ambuka. Longlands East Cornworthy, 2000
CS51 - Qi Gong class led by Greg Cutler. L-R Rosemary Greg, Ian, and Jan. Rowden, 2000
CS52 - Cornworthy Millenium Picnic. L-R Robert Henderson, Elijah Eccles, Poppy Gitsham, Natalie Conway and Aldo the clown. Hunter's Lodge garden, 2000
CS53 - Jilly Sutton face painting. Cornworthy Pig Roast, 1999
CS54 - Greasy Pole. Cornworthy Pig Roast, 2000
CS55 - Youth Club Barbecue with Charlie Wattleworth and friends. Ware Meadow, Hartnell's Farm, Bow Creek, 2000
CS56 - Youth Club Barbecue. Leaders of the club, Rose and Jim O'Brien, cooking. 2000
CS57 - Hounds of the Dart Vale and South Pool Harriers at the meet Hunter's Lodge, Cornworthy,1999
CS58 - Kim Sayer and Bob Scattings at Tom Hartnell’s shoot. Cornworthy, 1997
CS59 - Freda Pyne waiting for the community bus, the Harbourne Shuttle. 1999
CS60 - David Geatches cutting the paths in the newly planted Charleycombe Wood. 2000
CS61 - Gary Howes (gun), his wife Marilyn (beater) and David Waddling (beater) at Tom Hartnell’s shoot. Cornworthy, 1997
CS62 - Wl Meeting. L-R Jenny Bradley, Veronica Bridges and Joyce Barker. Bloom of the Month competition in the background. Cornworthy Village Hall, 2000
CS63 - Rainbow Group breaktime. L-R Hannah Travers (possible), Betsy Crocker, Joanne Gaunter, Evie Skevington and Darcie Rhoden. Cornworthy Village Hall, 1999
CS64 - Methodist Church Bazaar. Freda Pyne running the children's stall. Cornworthy Village Hall,1997
CS65 - KEVICS students waiting for the school bus. L-R Michelle Williams, Alison Howell, Simon Hall and Jack Kirby. Cornworthy, 2000
CS66 - Harbertonford School children waiting for their bus. L-R Sam Sharland, Poppy Gitsham and Emily Kirby and others. Cornworthy, 2000
CS67 - Charlie Relland with Jane Coles' horse, Florence. Cornworthy, 1997
CS68 - Beers Barn from Cornworthy Church tower. 2000
CS69 - Jane Coles walking Buttons and Cindy, Cornworthy. 1997
CS70 - Stone inscription, east wall of the Village Hall which was first a Poor House and then became the school which closed in 1962. Cornworthy, 2000
CS71 - Cornworthy Village from the Church Tower. 2000
CS72 - Mrs Barbara Dangar aged 92 years outside her house, The Old Rectory. Cornworthy, 1998
CS73 - 1821 gravestone of Sarah, wife of James Turpin, St Peter's churchyard, 2000
CS74 - The Lady Chapel, St Peter's Church with carved wing by sculptor Jilly Sutton, 1997
CS75 - Rood Screen. St Peter's Church, 2000
CS76 - Jack Geatches in his late 70s in his kitchen at Court Prior Farm. He came to this farm in 1943 from Park Farm, Cornworthy. 2000
CS77 - The Porch of Mic Chambers' house Cornworthy, 1999
CS78 - Philip White in his 60s with his wind generator behind. Philip had a pig farm and afterwards chickens and a goat. Allaleigh, 1999
CS79 - Joseph (Ross Williams) and Mary (Sally Hunt) on Brian with Charlie Bellingham. Nativity Service. Cornworthy, 1997
CS80 - Angel (Chloe Conway) with Brian. Nativity Service, 1997.
CS81 - Two Kings. L-R Tom Porritt and Robert Henderson. Cornworthy Church 1997
CS82 - Roly Richardson polishing the lectern. Cornworthy Church, 1998
CS83 - Palm Sunday Procession. Ross Williams on Brian led by Katrina Henderson. 1998
CS84 - Cornworthy Church Fete. Jane Porritt with children's exhibits of Gardens on a Plate. 1999
CS85 - Bellringing at the Harvest Festival Service. St Peter's Church, 1997
CS86 - L Tony Bryant (Captain of the Tower) and Malcolm Dixon at a Tuesday evening bellringing practice. St Peter's Church, 2000
CS87 - Rev Richard King and some of the congregation at The Eucharist Service to say goodbye to the Kings, 1999
CS88 - Rev Richard King preaching his last sermon. St Peter's Church, 1999
CS89 - Funeral of Miss Margaret Crocker. Cornworthy Methodist Church, 1998
CS90 - Baptism of Joshua Taylor by the Rev Anthony Cardale. St Peter's Church, 2000
CS91 - Decorating for Harvest Festival. St Peter's Church, 1997
CS92 - L-R John Smith and Chris Cadle with the Cornworthy Parish Garden Cup won by Tony Harrison, Cornworthy Pig Roast, 2000
CS93 - Farm Sale at Berries Farm, Cornworthy, 1986

Ski Harrison - Through the Lens

Ski first had an interest in black & white photography at the age of 12 and her father taught her to print in their own darkroom. She studied photography, for 3 years, at the Regent Street Polytechnic where her thesis documented older people, mainly in care homes, but also in a specially built village for the elderly.

After graduating Ski joined VSO as a photographer working in the Publicity section of the Ministry of Agriculture in Tanzania and travelling the country recording forestry work, fisheries and wildlife.

After a short time back in London Ski met Anthony living subsequently in Tunisia, Uganda and Nigeria. In 1975 Ski and Anthony settled in Tuckenhay and she has lived here ever since. Here Ski continued her interest in photographing the lives of older people at work in their rural environment.

Her first exhibition, “Celebration of Age”, supported by a Gulbenkian award, was held at Dartington and this travelled to other venues. In 2004 she had a major solo exhibition “Journey of a Photographer” at Exeter’s Royal Albert Museum, showing 40 years of her work.

In the last 15 years she travelled extensively in India photographing for Help the Aged, VSO and the charity Future Hope which looks after homeless children in Kolkata. She has exhibited in Mumbai and has work in India’s National Archive.

With Anthony and others Ski founded the History Group and has served on the committee for many years. She was involved in a major History Group project to purchase Crownley Wood, which was given to the National Trust.