Pachuca and Real del Monte
The Cornish are greatly respected here and the Cornish-Mexican
Society were welcomed "with open arms and open hearts", everywhere they went,
by the wonderful people of the region.
The principal objectives of the 2008 visit were to follow in the footsteps
of the intrepid Cornish miners Great Trek of 1825, and to meet their
descendants. In 1825 they went from the beach in Mocambo, Vera
Cruz, hundreds of miles to Real del Monte. They carried 1,500 tons of
equipment to revive defunct silver mines.
The recent Cornish groups "Great Trek" culminated in Real del Monte
for Miners Day. There was a commemorative service at the Cornish
cemetery and the twinning ceremony between Redruth and Real del Monte.
Schoolchildren performed the play "Tristan and Isolde" and there was a wreath laying
ceremony at the superb miners monument.
The two towns are very proud of their Cornish connections and celebrate their rich mining heritage. Cornish descendants are very conspicuous
today with names such as Skewes, Rule and Hoskins still contributing to the everyday life.
In both towns another great legacy of the Cornish mining families are the highly prized culinary delights. "PASTES" are made in a myriad of
shops and bakeries. Vanessa's particular preference was the spicy re-fried bean pasty, eaten in the hand, corner to corner as tradition still dictates. A
didgan is left for the Mexican equivalent of the knockers.
There are several references to "Cornish Mexican Society" on the www.
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