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East Pool Mine, Illogan, Cornwall. 1893. Group of Cornish miners at rest at the 310 level

Cornish miners at Croust time, at the 310 level. Miners enjoying their croust, having performed the first part of the days labour. Some of the holes bored are often blasted before croust, so that the smoke may clear away while the well earned crib and pipe are being enjoyed. The photographers son, Sidney Burrow, who sometimes acted as his father's assistant, is seated front row, third from left. The group include seven miners holding or smoking pipes. Six men are clearly holding half eaten pasties in string tied cotton or linen bags and others holding the empty bags. One man drinks from a water barrel and another barrel lies on the ground in front of the men on the right of the picture. Some miners have discarded their felt miners hats revealing the cloth scull cap worn beneath their hats. Candles clearly seen being held or secured to hats by lumps of clay, spare ones tied to jackets and some burning on the level wall in the back ground. Large amounts of hob nails can be seen on the soles of the miners boots. Photographer: John Charles Burrow

© From the collection of the RIC

The Falcon Inn and view up hill with a postman walking towards the camera. St Mawgan in Pydar, Cornwall. Around 1925

Mawgan is identified with the Arundell family, known as the great Arundells on account of their vast riches. Glass lantern slide from a lecture, entitled Some Historic Cornish Beauty Spots, given by Cornishman and amateur photographer, Major Arthur William Gill, in around 1925. He was well known in Cornwall and elsewhere during the 1920s and 1930s for his presentations of stills and cine film to many groups including The Royal Institution of Cornwall, Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society and the London Cornish Society. The quarter plate slides which he took prolifically with his ordinary camera are, in many cases, colour. These were painted by his own hand to great effect

© From the collection of the RIC

Maria Asumpta, Charlestown, Cornwall. August 1991

The tall ship Maria Asumpta enters Charlestown harbour. The oldest sailing ship in the world still sailing at that time, was invited to the port by the Charlestown Heritage and Trading Company. She spent two days in the port and acted as the venue for a sea shanty festival. The ship was launched at Badalona, Spain, in 1858 and was used to ship textiles between Argentina and Spain. Renamed Pepita in the 1930s, Cuidad de Inca in 1953, she was given back her original name in 1988. In 1995 the Maria Asumpta was on her first voyage after a refit in Gloucester when she hit bad weather and on the afternoon of 30th May prepared to enter Padstow harbour. The captain, Mark Litchfield, decided to sail between The Mouls and Pentire Point, not a route recommended by the Admiralty, she hit rocks and the crew abandoned ship with three men losing their lives. Mr Litchfield was charged with manslaughter due to gross negligence, was found guilty and jailed for 18 months. Photographer: Jonathan Barker

© RIC, photographer Jonathan Barker