Cornwall Occupations

The major determining influence on the occupation of the inhabitants comes from the geography and geology of Cornwall. It is a long and narrow peninsula, which even at its center is no more than 20 miles (30km) from the coast. With a land area of only 1376 square miles, the coastline is 258 miles, so the proximity to the sea has historically meant that a large part of the economy and occupations are connected to the sea. Every coastal village had a fishing fleet, and until recent decades the fish were not only harvested for the local populace, but exported to other parts of England and beyond.

The magnificent natural harbor at Falmouth made it an important port for trade and shipping, as well as some passenger traffic. There has also been a navy presence there with all the associated occupations. Although Plymouth/Devenport is in Devon, it is directly across the Tamar River from Cornwall, and the naval base and large seaport there have always drawn many of the Cornish of that area to employment there.

Many of the people who were not themselves mariners or fishermen, were employed in related occupations, such as boatbuilding, dockworkers, sailmakers, fishmongers, shipping clerks, lighthouse keepers, and other such jobs. In recent years, the fishing industry has not propered, and the occupations associated with the sea are more likely to be connected to tourism and recreation.

An occupation that stands out in the lore of Cornwall is piracy, although only a small part of the population was involved in this. The reality is far different from the popular perception that one would get from moving pictures. The major part of the practice of "piracy" was actually smuggling, where goods would be brought ashore and then transported inland to avoid import taxes. This was especially attractive in the case of high-duty luxury items such as perfumes, rum, and other goods with higher profits that may not be available locally. The long stretches of rugged coastline, devoid of population but rich with isolated and hidden coves contributed to the success of the smuggling trade which peaked around the decades close to 1800. The proximity to France across the English Channel was important, and many goods werre brought up past the French coast from Spain.

The other occupation that is also often included under the appelation of "piracy" was wrecking.