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Cornish tin smelting works EPW009899a
Cornish Tin Company Smelting Works. Believed to be Seleggan Works or East Wheal Basset Smelting Works, Redruth, Cornwall. This was the largest tin smelter that Cornwall possessed, serving the tin mining industry of the area, including nearby South Crofty mine. Photographed here in 1924, this was the last smelting works in Cornwall and closed in 1931. Aerofilms Collection (see Links). Historic England is the public body that champions and protects England's historic places. © Historic England
Media ID 1477279
Filename: afl03_aerofilms_9899a.jpg
Size: 4970 x 3802 (11.9MB)
Date: 6th April 2009
Source: Historic England
Credit: Historic England Archive Aerofilms C
Source: English Heritage Images
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> Historic Images > Aerofilms Collection (1919-2006)
> Historic Images > Historic Images 1920s to 1940s > Photos of the 1920s
> Historic Images > Historic Images 1920s to 1940s
> Industry > Metalworks
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Auburn hues of smoke billow from the towering chimneys of the Cornish Tin Company Smelting Works, a testament to the rich industrial heritage of Redruth, Cornwall. This aerial photograph, taken in 1924 by Aerofilms, captures the grandeur and complexity of the tin smelting process in its final years. The sprawling industrial complex, believed to be either Seleggan Works or East Wheal Basset Smelting Works, was the largest of its kind in Cornwall. Its primary role was to serve the extensive tin mining industry of the region, including the nearby South Crofty mine. The smelting works played a crucial part in the extraction and refinement of tin ore, a valuable commodity that fueled the economic growth of the area. The intricate network of buildings and structures in the photograph reveal the intricacies of the smelting process. The large, rectangular furnaces, arranged in rows, were used to heat the tin ore, which was then melted and purified. The molten tin was then transported to cooling pans, where it solidified into ingots. The slag, a byproduct of the smelting process, was discarded. Despite its industrial might, the Cornish Tin Company Smelting Works was the last of its kind in Cornwall. It closed its doors in 1931, marking the end of an era in the region's industrial history. Today, the site stands as a reminder of the area's rich mining heritage and the people who labored to extract and refine the valuable mineral that put Cornwall on the map. The photograph offers a unique perspective of the smelting works, revealing its vast scale and complexity from an aerial view. The contrasting hues of the smoke and the surrounding greenery create a striking image, a poignant reminder of the industrial past that shaped the landscape of Redruth and Cornwall.
