Remembering Angela Mary Broome ( - 2023)
Angela Mary Broome - On 4th November at The Tregolls Manor Care Home after a valiant fight with Cancer aged 76. Angela grew up in Truro, attending school at what is now Tregolls Manor, her life came full circle. Angela worked for nearly 55 years for the Royal Institution of Cornwall, first in the office of what is now the Royal Cornwall Museum and later running the Courtney Library as Librarian and Archivist. She started her career working for a local solicitors, a highlight of the RIC years was a visit from the late Queen in 1994 when Angela's Cornwall focused exhibition was mentioned favourably in palace dispatches!
In 1999 Angela obtained an upper second honours Degree from the Open University, in Humanities and History, Science and Technology, an amazing achievement considering she was still working full time. Angela purchased her cherished cottage over 40 years ago and for 16 of those years shared it with her beloved cat Tara. This was close to The Society of Friends (Quakers) where she was an active member. Angela had many interests, foremost was the Peace Movement, CND and Friends of the Earth. Angela was a knowledgeable plants woman, a lover of the natural world. As a child, Angela damaged her spine after a fall from gymnastic parallel bars, and later spent nearly a year in hospital to correct this, but this was unsuccessful. Angela had a love of adventure and foreign travel, she had an enormous sense of fun, and was feisty, caring, kind and stubborn. We will all miss her so very much.
A massive thank you to Robin and the staff at Tregolls Manor Care Home and the palliative care team who looked after Angela with care and love. Angela's cremation has taken place. A memorial Quaker meeting will be held in due course.
In Memoriam: Angela Broome, Courtney Librarian at the Royal Institution of Cornwall
By Bert Biscoe, Truro Old Cornwall Society - 27/11/2023
Angela Broome was Courtney Librarian at the RIC for over forty years. There will be many amongst your members who will have met or heard of Angela or corresponded with her during their research. I very much doubt if there is a photograph available, as Angela was a devout Quaker and a very modest plain person, but one whose stature as a learned supporter of library users and knowledge seekers was indefatigable.
There are very few books about Cornwall which have prompted research which do not, over the past 40 or so years, acknowledge the support and assistance of Angela. That she held so much knowledge with such self-effacing modesty and was held in such high esteem by so many, but never seemed to notice, are qualities which only strengthen the part she has played in Cornish life for so long.
Angela was a strong supporter of Truro Old Cornwall Society. I don’t think she was a Bard, but I do think that Gorsedh Kernow, FOCS and all others should stand and acknowledge a quietly passionate life which has fostered and inspired many people and, indeed, the nation of Kernow.
I know because I was there that Angela also bore the weight of disdain and dismissal targeted at her by foolish people who really should have been more intelligent – this she did with cheerfulness and fortitude, qualities which she derived from her deeply held principles and beliefs.
Kernow should dip herself to half-mast all over the world, wherever she is known – is a very melancholy moment, this passing of such a great life.