This week, Mebyon Kernow members and supporters are marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of Mebyon Kernow at the Oates Temperance Hotel in Redruth, which took place on 6th January 1951.

Thirteen people were present at the meeting and a further six sent apologies. The first leader of MK was a woman, Helena Charles, who also became the first MK member to serve as a councillor, when she was elected onto Camborne-Redruth Urban District Council in 1953.

Four of MK’s founder-members, who were also leading lights in the Cornish cultural and language revival, went on to become Grand Bards of Gorsedh Kernow – Ernest George Retallack Hooper (known as Talek), George Pawley White, Richard Garfield Jenkin and Ann Trevenen (later Jenkin) – while another, the respected coppersmith Francis Cargeeg, became a Deputy Grand Bard. Another prominent individual at that first meeting was Charles Thomas, the renowned archaeologist, who became the first director of the Institute of Cornish Studies.

In a statement issued today, Party leader Cllr Dick Cole said:

“Looking back over the last seven-and-a-half decades, I am extremely proud of how MK members have been a persistent force for good. Our activists have been at the forefront of so many initiatives and campaigns – looking to make a positive difference for Cornish society and for Cornwall’s culture, identity, economy and environment.

“As the present leader of MK, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been a member of the Party for Cornwall and has contributed to our efforts from 1951 right through until now.

“MK has sought to place Cornish nationhood at the very heart of Cornish politics, and the key element of our work has been to campaign for a meaningful devolution settlement, similar to what has been achieved in Scotland and Wales.

“We remain proud that we launched the Declaration for a Cornish Assembly in 2000, which was supported by over 50,000 people, and we have often reached outside of the normally partisan nature of politics and attempted to secure cross-party backing for more powers for Cornwall.

“We continue to push for proper devolution, based on our detailed policy document ‘Towards a Parliament for Cornwall.’

“I am particularly proud that MK members, along with others from across the wider Cornish movement, have worked hard to do the ‘groundwork’ that has led to some recent positive developments, such as the recognition of the Cornish as a national minority in 2014 and councillors on the unitary authority coming together in support of ‘fifth nation’ status for Cornwall, plus Ministers recently ruling out the imposition of a Devonwall Mayoral Strategic Authority.

“But there is so much more to do.

“The UK Government is still failing to treat Cornwall as one of the nations of the United Kingdom, so our campaigns for meaningful devolution, fair funding, social justice, housing justice and economic justice, and so much more, will continue.”

Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall will marking MK’s 75th anniversary in a number of ways during 2026. This will include a celebratory event and party for members in June, plus a large Autumn Conference with international guest speakers.

https://mebyonkernow.org/news/mk-is-celebrating-its-75th-anniversary/