Sentinel Records are a well known record label in Cornwall. While most of their output was choirs, brass bands, quirky vanity projects and Cornish records ideal for a holiday souvenir they did release a few folky and poppy records, such as Blue and Sounds Like North/West Cornwall.
The man behind the label was Job Morris. Job's parents ran a greengrocers in Street an Nowan, near Newlyn Bridge. In the early 50s they would convert the back room into a coffee shop/ice cream parlour (The Pixie Cabin), which would become a popular teen hang out. Job's parents gave up the grocery business, but Job kept the shop on replacing fruit and veg with audio equipment (Job had been a telegraph engineer).
Job Morris in his Newlyn studio
He would soon start making use of the premises and equipment to record local artists such as Brenda Wootton and John The Fish (who's 'Pasties And Cream' LP would become one of the label's more well known releases.). He also recorded many of the local brass bands, choirs and traditional music of the county as well as some of the local characters.
The Old School House in the village of Paul nearby came up for sale and this was purchases and used as a sound studio for the many of the recordings that would later find themselves released on what would become Sentinel Records. While slightly out of the scope of the Kernow Beat project the label did release a number of folk records (such as Brenda Wooton) as well as Blue and various folk artists crop up on the "Sounds Like" series.
Most of the label's output was brass bands, choirs, etc. (visit any charity shop in Cornwall and you will find at least one Sentinel Records LP!).
Job Morris
sadly passed away in 2017.
 
 
 
with thanks to Sentinel Records blog
The Paul studio in 2012
The Newlyn Studio in 2012, now a pharmacy
Harvey Williams has a blog about the label, including a discography.
The site can be found - here |
