Early 20th Century Gallery
Available as Prints and Gift Items
Choose from 3 pictures in our Early 20th Century collection for your Wall Art or Photo Gift. All professionally made for Quick Shipping.

South Crofty Mine, Camborne, Cornwall. 28th February 1910
One of John Charles Burrow's last underground photographs taken at the 170 fathoms level in Palmers section. It shows miners using a Stephens 3 1/4 inch drill fitted with a primitive sprayer. The water is obtained from the bucket. The drillers mate holds a hammer ready to strike the drill if it jams in the hole, a common fault with early machines with their inadequate rotating mechanism. Dry drilling by machine proved immensely damaging miners health, but spraying was not introduced into Cornwall, noted for its antiquated practices, until the early 1900s
© From the collection of the RIC