Bert Biscoe
Bert Biscoe DL (born 1952), also known by the bardic name Viajor Gans Geryow, is a Cornish politician, historian and bard of the Cornish Gorseth. Biscoe represented Cornwall Council's Truro Boscawen District as an independent Cornwall Councillor until 2019, serving as an independent Truro City Council Councillor for the new Boscawen & Redannick Ward. Known for his work as a local historian and for his activism related to the Cornish identity debate.
Bert Biscoe
- Name
- Bert Biscoe
- Born
- 23 December 1952
- Birth Name
- Martin Biscoe
- Occupation
- Cornwall Councillor
- Known for
- Bard of the Cornish Gorseth Mayor of Truro
- Education
- Bangor University · Truro School
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In this article
Biography
Biography
In 2012, his book of poems called "Trurra" won a Waterstones Publishers Award at the Holyer An Gof literary competition. Elected Mayor of Truro for 2019/21, his installation ceremony was streamed online.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Bert Biscoe • Office — Mayor of Truro • Office1 — Councillor on Cornwall Council • Born — 23 December 1952 • Birth Name — Martin Biscoe • Native Name — Viajor Gans Geryow (Kernowek) • Occupation — Cornwall Councillor • Known for — Bard of the Cornish Gorseth Mayor of Truro
Personal life
Personal life
Born in 1952 in Scunthorpe to Dr Charles Biscoe, a kinsman of the Tyndale-Biscoe family, he was raised in Stithians, Cornwall, and attended Truro School before going up to Bangor University. Married to Susan Barker in 1990, the couple live near Truro, Cornwall.
Bardic work
Bardic work
Bert Biscoe is a traditional musician and poet, specialising in Cornish folk music, some in the Cornish language. Some of his audio works have been collected into a compilation titled "An Kynsa". Created a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh in 1995 "for services to Cornwall" with the bardic name Viajor Gans Geryow, Biscoe has been a member of the Council of the Gorsedh since 2009. He is the author of several books of poetry. As a Bard of the Gorsedh he is regularly in attendance at celebrations of Cornish culture and important cultural occasions. His poetry centres on the 'Spirit of Kernow', which he has performed with other bards in Cornwall.
Political career
Political career
Biscoe was also an independent County Councillor on Cornwall Council for Truro Boscawen District until he lost his seat in the May 2021 elections. He remains a City Councillor for Truro City Council, representing the Moresk & Trehaverne Ward. Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for Transport responsible for the county's transport links, in 2017, Biscoe was succeeded by Councillor Geoff Brown. During his time in office, he was involved in many projects including the A30 road improvements at Temple, Cornwall, and one of the failed bus lane projects in Truro.
Work as local historian
Work as local historian
Chairman of the Truro Civic Society, Biscoe also serves as President of the Truro Old Cornwall Society. Honorary Secretary and a Trustee on the board on the Royal Cornwall Museum, he is the author of two books about the history of Cornwall.
Activism
Activism
Relevant in the Cornish Identity debate, with Dr James Whetter he popularised the campaign for increased powers for Cornish local government and the creation of a Cornish Assembly. He also served as chairman of the Cornish Constitutional Convention.
Books
Biscoe is the author of several books, mainly related to Cornwall and poetry: • Maudlin' Pilgrimage, book of verse set in the reign of Henry VIII. • Rebecca (1996). • The dance of the Cornish air (1996). • At a wedding with Yeats in Turin (2003). • Trurra, published by Dew Vardh, winner of the Waterstones Award at Holyer An Gof Publishers' Awards 2012. • Words of Granite. • Mercifully Preserved Fictional account of the life of Sir John Betjeman • On Yer Trolley: Poems Made During Complete Bed Rest! (2008). • White Crusted Eyes: Tales of Par, (2009). • Meditations on Carn Brea, Poems and Pictures from a Cornish Hill (2005). • Accompanied by Larks.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Bert Biscoe, revision 1347693590 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Tregarthen, J.C. John Penrose : a romance of the Land's End. Cornwall Editions. 2004. 9781904880028.
- 2.Eseli Konsel Gorsedh Kernow. Gorsedh Kernow.
- 3.www.express.co.uk
- 4.www.itv.com
- 5.Squeeze Guts. cornwall live. 25 May 2017.
- 6.Simon, Parker. Cornwall wants to go it alone. The Guardian. 12 January 2001.
- 7.Holyer an Gof.
- 8.First time in over 200 years new Truro mayor is sworn in online. Cornwall Live. 11 May 2020.
- 9.FreeBMD District Info. www.freebmd.org.uk.
- 10.www.burkespeerage.com
- 11.Bert Biscoe Campaign. Biography. BB.
- 12.Cornwall Council. Bert Biscoe. Cornwall Gov.
- 13.Dew Vardh, with Bert Biscoe and Pol Hodge. Penzance Literary Festival.
- 14.A Kynsa. Cornwall 24.
- 15.www.lordlieutenantofcornwall.org.uk
- 16.Cornish Gorsedh. Council Members.
- 17.Jennet Campbell MBE: Cornish Gorsedd Honour - The Radford Charitable Trust. www.radfordtrust.org.
- 18.Ceremony welcomes bards from all over the world to Lannstevan. Cornish & Devon Post.
- 19.Cornish Guardian. Guardians of a rich cultural heritage. October 2019.
- 20.Council, Cornwall. September 2013 - Cornwall Council. www.cornwall.gov.uk.
- 21.Poets lead Cornish revolt against 'English imperialism'. The Independent. 18 May 1997.
- 22.ordnance survey. data.ordnancesurvey. data.
- 23.ONS Geography Linked Data Truro Boscawen. statistics.data.gov.uk.
- 24.Big names were booted out at Cornwall Council elections. 10 May 2021.
- 25.Councillors. Truro City Council.
- 26.Cornwall Council. Profiles of Cabinet members - Cornwall Council. www.cornwall.gov.uk.
- 27.ITV. A30 improvements finish date moves from spring to summer. 19 January 2017.
- 28.BBC. Scrapping of Truro bus lane costs £60,000. 20 November 2015.
- 29.TCS.
- 30.piran day article. falmouth packet. 4 February 2017.
- 31.Truro Old Cornwall Society.
- 32.Trustees. Royal Cornwall Museum.
- 33.Truro Library Archives
- 34.www.thetimes.co.uk
- 35.Councillor details.
- 36.About Bert Biscoe.
- 37.Bert, Biscoe. MAUDLIN' PILGRIMAGE. oldcornwallshop. BB.
- 38.Rebecca. Open Library.
- 39.the dance of the cornish air. Open Library.
- 40.At a wedding with Yeats in Turin. Open library.
- 41.gorsedh kernow awards list. gorsedh kernow.
- 42.Biscoe, Bert. Words of granite : bearing witness : poems of time & place. Lodenek Press. 53. 1997. 9780946143269.
- 43.Biscoe, Bert. Words of Granite - Selected Poems. Lodenek Press. 1997.
- 44.oldcornwall. oldcornwall.net.
- 45.Biscoe, Bert. On Yer Trolley: Poems Made During Complete Bed Rest!. Creative Edge. 5 December 2008. 978-0956021816.
- 46.Biscoe, Bert. White Crusted Eyes: Tales of Par. Creative Edge. 1 September 2009. 978-0956021823.
- 47.MEDITATIONS ON CARN BREA Poems and Pictures from a Cornish Hill by Biscoe Bert: Biffworks, Cornwall Thin Card, First Edition, Signed by Author(s) - Polsue Books. www.abebooks.co.uk.
- 48.Accompanied by Larks - BISCOE, Bert. www.cornishbookworld.co.uk.
References
Citations
References
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Studied at
1- Bangor UniversityOrganisation
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 06 September 2026.
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