THE overgrown tomb of Thomas Pope Rosevear in Forrabury Churchyard, Boscastle has recently been restored by a group of volunteers.

Rosevear died in about 1854, aged 72 years, and interest in his tomb was generated by the enthusiasm of local historian Joanna Raymond-Barker when she discovered Rosevear's journal spanning 1825 to 1846 during her research into Methodism in Camelford.

After viewing the restored tomb, about 20 people retired to Boscastle Methodist Church where Glenton Brown introduced Joanna Raymond-Barker who gave an account of Rosevear's life — largely the result of transcribing and studying his journal.

It included an entertaining description of the long standing acrimony between Rosevear and his partner William Sloggatt, and rival merchant Thomas Rickard Avery. Refreshments were provided by the ladies of the church.

Rosevear's family was closely associated with Boscastle where they were prominent merchants engaged in the export of goods including slate and import of coal, wood and lime.

His Methodist affiliation with Boscastle is still in evidence, for his father John built the first chapel in Fore Street and son Thomas rebuilt and opened it in 1825 on the same site in thanksgiving, for the escape that one of his ships made by entering the harbour after being pursued by a French privateer in 1803.

Travelling widely on business, Thomas met his wife Letitia Parminter from Hayle, also interred in Rosevear's tomb at Forrabury.

He owned a slate quarry at Bowithick (then called North Delabole), now the site of the recycling centre, so that slate could be exported from Trebarwith. The cut through the rocks at Trebarwith enabled carts to take slate to the beach.