Famous sons and daughters of Saltash

Saltash can proudly boast a number of notable residents over the years, including the famous concert pianist Moura Lympany, who was born in the town.

Mary Newman, the first wife of Sir Francis Drake, also came from Saltash, living in a cottage in Culver Road. But perhaps the most colourful character was Ann Glanville.

Born in 1796, this Cornishwoman became a national celebrity for her gig rowing. As if that was not enough, she also had 14 children and supported her family when her husband fell ill.

It was on the water, though, that she showed her true prowess, forming a crew of four female rowers who took part in local regattas. She was known for her large stature and for her crew who dressed in white caps and dresses.

Ann and her team were so successful they went on to compete all over the country and even outstripped the men. Queen Victoria personally congratulated Ann after watching her and her fellow women rowers beat an all-male crew in a race at Fleetwood.

They repeated this feat again in 1833 when they visited Le Havre for a competition and crossed the finishing line 100 yards ahead of the best 10 French male crews. This led to the Press hailing Ann as the best champion female rower in the world.

She continued competitive rowing until she was in her sixties and into her old age she could often be seen circling the warships anchored in the Hamoaze, enjoying banter with the men on board the vessels.

When the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Plymouth in 1879, they invited Ann to join them for lunch on their yacht. She died the following year and was buried in St Stephen’s Churchyard. Admiral Lord Beresford picked up the bill and admirers from all over the country attended her funeral.

Moura Lympany can probably lay claim to being Saltash’s most famous daughter. She made her concert debut at the age of 12 and went on to delight audiences across the world for the next five decades. She was made a CBE in 1979 in recognition of her achievements.

Other well known Saltash residents from days gone by include the eminent entomologist, George Carter Bignell, and Sir Evan Nepean, a British politician and colonial administrator in the 18th century.