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Image Licensing : Dolcoath Mine, Camborne, Cornwall. Probably 1890s
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Dolcoath Mine, Camborne, Cornwall. Probably 1890s
The photograph shows a group of men waiting to go underground. The man on the right with the white coat is probably the lander or banksman. The man to his left, wearing the jacket and waistcoat, might be a mine Captain. Behind him is a man with a long beard, who has the look of a miner. The other three men wearing miners hats with candles attached look like visitors as there are few candles being carried and no tools. One man is wearing Cuban heeled boots. The man sitting with a chin beard and moustache looks similar to other photographs of Oliver Wethered, vice chairman of the Dolcoath Company. The other two young men to the left of picture are dressed in normal clothing. The earliest records of this mine show that it was being worked for copper in 1740, and probably earlier. It was nearly 300ft deep in 1746 and an extensive mine in 1778, when a section of its eastern part was published in Pryces Mineralogis Cornubiensis. It closed ten years later, to reopen in 1799. In the next 120 years it became the largest and deepest mine in Cornwall, with its bottom level 3, 000ft below the surface. Its output of copper and tin ores to 1788 is thought to have been no less than 1, 2500, 000, pounds, of which copper alone realised some 450, 000 between 1740 and 1777. Between 1799 and 1920 its output amounted to over 9 million pounds, including income from sales of arsenic, silver and other minerals. The mine was in the dividend list for most of its working life, and shares, nicknamed Dollies, were the blue chip of the industry. Photographer: John Charles Burrow. Royal Cornwall Museum is the UK's Greatest Museum For Cornish Life & Culture. © From the collection of the RIC
TRURI : MIdol.62
Media ID 15389305
Filename: TRURI-MIdol-62.tiff
Size: 6067 x 8390 (9.7MB)
Date: 7th September 2018
Source: Royal Cornwall Museum
County: Cornwall
Location Name: 50.21277, -5.294775
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print from the Royal Cornwall Museum takes us back to the Dolcoath Mine in Camborne, Cornwall, during the 1890s. A group of men are captured in this moment, eagerly waiting to descend into the depths of the mine. The man on the right, distinguished by his white coat, is believed to be the lander or banksman overseeing operations. Standing beside him is a figure dressed in a jacket and waistcoat, possibly a mine Captain responsible for managing daily activities. Behind them stands a rugged miner with a long beard, embodying the essence of hard work and dedication. In contrast, three other men wearing miners hats with candles attached appear to be visitors rather than workers; their lack of tools and few carried candles give it away. Notably, one man stands out with his Cuban heeled boots. Seated among them is an individual sporting a distinctive chin beard and mustache resembling Oliver Wethered - vice chairman of the Dolcoath Company - as seen in other photographs. Two young men dressed casually complete this intriguing composition. The Dolcoath Mine holds significant historical importance as records indicate its existence since at least 1740 when it was primarily worked for copper. Over time, it grew into Cornwall's largest and deepest mine reaching an astonishing depth of 3,000ft below ground level. Its remarkable output included copper and tin ores worth millions of pounds throughout its operation until closure in 1920. Photographed by John Charles Burrow (not affiliated with the company), this image offers us a glimpse into Cornwall's rich mining heritage preserved within Royal Cornwall Museum's collection.
