Octavius Allen Ferris
The first public library service in Cornwall was provided when Penzance's Free Public Library was opened in Morrab Road in 1893. It was established with a bequest of £1,947 1s 11d from Octavius Allen Ferris of Highgate, London, who gave similar amounts to Truro, Falmouth, Camborne and Redruth. Thomas Bedford Bolitho and J. Passmore Edwards each presented 1,000 volumes.

Octavius Allen Ferris was the son of William Ferris; born at Truro on 27 August 1805. Ferris married his cousin Charlotte, daughter of John Allen of Hackney, London (author of Sessionsin English Etymology). Ferris died in May 1892. His will gave his residuary estates for equal dvision between the local government Boards of Redruth and Camborne, the Town Councils of Truro, Falmouth and Penzance for the purposes of establishing or aiding to establish a Free Library in each town where such a library did not exist and of assisting the funds of any such existing library.