Dictated by Mr. Elvins to L. H. Graham in 1904.
I was born at a place called Polgooth, a small village close by the Ancient tin mines of Cornwall. Polgooth is near St. Austle ["Austell" in Encyc. Brit.], a market town. The tin mines above noted are supposed to be one of the places whee the Phoenicians extracted their tin two or three thousand years ago, prior to the Christian era. Remains of burnt wood have there been found containing metallic tin of ancient date. I was born on May 4th 1823, thus am now in my 82nd year. ( 86 May 1909. )
Since early in the last century the RASC’s “Royal” Charter has figured large in the consciousness of many members. The fact that we are in the select company of institutions enjoying the privilege of using the adjective Royal has been and continues to be a source of pride. No one, however, can recall ever having seen our "Royal" charter, and to find out why, read below...