Mining Gallery

Driving an end at East Pool Mine, Illogan, Cornwall. 1893

Driving an end with a box drill mounted in a stretcher. Copy photographer: Charles Woolf

© From the collection of the RIC

Candles, Compressed Airline, Felt Hats, Hammer, Joyce Greenham, Miners

St Stephen in Brannel

© From the collection of the RIC

Block And Tackle, Boiler, Buildings, Cornish, Cornwall, Flag, Outside, Stack, Surface

Surface buildings, possibly one of the Basset Mines, Illogan, Cornwall. Around 1906

Reginald Colwell James (1890-1974) of St Columb Major, with mine buildings in the background (thought to perhaps be one of the Basset Mines). Reginald was a student of Henderson's Mining School, Truro, and later became an associate member of the Institute of Mining Engineers. In 1919 and 1925 he is recorded as living at Hillside, Tregurrian, St Columb Minor. By 1936 he had moved to Kearsley Road, Reading, Berkshire. Reginald has written on the back of the photograph: This is a snapshot - I was pulling up my collar at the time. Reading from right to left - Graves, Webb, myself. Webb has adorned his hat with an old hoop from a pail. The little house marked with a cross is an "undressing place"; to the right of it and projecting is the survey office or Capt. Jenkin's Office. The big building is the smithy and in the extreme background is a nearer view of the pumping engine and tackle. Notice the miner's candles which Graves carries'. It is possible that Reginald is referencing Captain Thomas Jenkin, who held the position of Chief Underground Surveyor at Henderson's School of Mines. Captain Jenkin died in South Frances Mine, together with Captain William James Junior and Cecil Thomas, on 10th September 1906, following a fall of earth from the roof. Photographer: Unknown

© From the collection of the RIC