MURDERS, suicides, fatal mining accidents, fires, explosions, shipwrecks and weather disaster, added to a compelling dose of Civil War, ghost stories superstition and witchcraft — all these make up the fascinating, if sometimes a little gruesome, 'A Grim Almanac of Cornwall.'

Mix in a few more everyday, but intriguing cases, purloined from the records of cases put before the local magistrates — and you have the ingredients for an intriguing publication.

Author John Van der Kiste has put together a series of short tales that reflect the darker side of the Cornish history, which lists dates in a monthly chronology highlighting deeds and events, some macabre, some mundane.

It is well served with a number of engravings, photographs and original documents to enhance many of the subjects.

East Cornwall makes its contribution with a number of tales.

In Calstock, for example, in August 1864 it was reported that the village was 'unhappily being visited by an uncommon degree of mortality.'

That month 25 funerals took place — including many children — after Calstock had already witnessed 16 the previous month. That year there were 150 deaths in the village of a population of 7, 500.

Many deaths had been occasioned by an epidemic exacerbated by the summer heat and a corresponding shortage of water.

There are other East Cornwall related short stories such as the mysterious deaths of two elderly ladies at their home in Gunnislake in January 1960.

It is always of interest to look at what may seem mundane on the surface, but actually reflects a more accurate feel of the period itself by their example.

Fred Keast was charged at Callington Petty Sessions in August 1894 charged with 'moving two pigs without a licence' — an offence which the authorities brought in to curb swine fever.

Fred was fined £20 — a large sum for those days.

A page or two is devoted to 'Hanged at Bodmin' — a grizzly list of those strung up for committing the act of murder.

Those who ended their lives at the end of a rope including an assortment of housebreakers, sheep and ox stealers, forgers and perhaps a very unfortunate William Congdon — who was hung on August 8, 1787, for 'stealing a watch'.

It is, perhaps, easy to say 'A Grim Almanac of Cornwall' makes a grim read — but it is morbidly fascinating, all the same.

'A Grim Almanac of Cornwall (ISBN 9 780750 951319) is available in local bookstores and priced at £14.99.

JOHN HUTCHINS