The mine near Cambourne was 160 fathoms deep by 1778. In 1864 it employed about 1,200 and was equiped with ten steam engines, seven water wheels, and a man-engine. By the time working ceased in 1920, it had reached a depth of 550 fathoms making it one of Cornwall's deepest mines.

Strategic considerations during World War II brought government intervention at East Pool between 1939 and 1945 but, when the subsidy ended with the war, so did mining opertions.

Mining started here in about 1810 when it was known as the North Levant mine.

The post war years saw mines such as South Crofty and Geevor with antiquated machinery and shortage of local skilled labour saw them taking on Italian and Polish miners. A better tin price in the 1960's brought a period of expansion and investment into the tin mining industry.

Geevor closed in the spring of 1986. It reopened for tramming twice in 1986 and 1987. Opening for full production in January 1988, it broke even within months but another drop in tin prices forced its closure again after just more than two years.

The mine re-opened as a heritage centre in August 1993.

The Happy Union Mine in the parish of St Ewe was in its heyday in 1821 but the instability of the industry was marked by the contemporary caveat that ". . . most of the men are sojourners and should the mines stop they must remove as paupers".

Mining started here in about 1810. The mine later became known as Geevor.

Polberro Mine at St Agnes was closed in 1941.

The mine was visited by Queen Victoria in 1846.

The post war years saw mines such as South Crofty and Geevor with antiquated machinery and shortage of local skilled labour saw them taking on Italian and Polish miners. A better tin price in the 1960's brought a period of expansion and investment into the tin mining industry.

After the closure of Taylor's shaft after WWII, its steam engine was brought to South Crofty where it worked until 1954.

A share flotation in 1994 raised over £31-millions, much from local people and the mine was taken over by Canadian Crew Natural Resources. The falling tin price, however, doomed the mine to failure as, despite efficiency, it could not break even, let alone generate a profit. When South Crofty finally closed on March 6th, 1998, it was the last working Cornish tin mine.

The mine was taken over by Baseresult Holdings Ltd in June 2001. The company hoped to restart mining on the "New Cook's Kitchen" side of the mine and opened the Tuckingmill Decline Shaft in September 2001 but the venture was scuppered by the low price of tin.

Taylor's shaft closed after WWII and its steam engine was moved to South Crofty where it worked until 1954.

The Tolgus Tin Mine survived into the latter 20th century. It concentrated the sediment-laden run-off from mines upstream with an ore content of less than one per cent by gently streaming the material.

Even as a working mine it exploited the interest of visitors in the 1970s. Now owned and operated by the Trevithick Trust as a museum, it is subject to ongoing repairs and restoration by the volunteers of the Trust.

The mine closed as the result of the collapse of the tin price in 1985.

The Wheal Jane mine closed in February 1991.

The mine closed as the result of the collapse of the tin price in 1985.

Recommend a Book for this Page

Bibliography Discuss this Page Dolcoath Mine East Pool Geevor Happy Union Mine Legals Links Locally North Levant Mine Polberro Mine South Crofty Taylor's Shaft Time-Line Tolgus Tin Wheal Concord Wheal Friendly Wheal Jane Wheal Pendarves

Hits on this Page

Hits on this page since December 6th

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

current year:

previous year:

Links Locally Bibliography

ALPHABETICAL SITE INDEX Select ;- Aa-Az   Ba-Bz   Ca-Cz   Da-Dz   Ea-Ez   Fa-Fz   Ga-Gz   Ha-Hz   Ia-Iz   Ja-Jz   Ka-Kz   La-Lz   Ma-Mz   Na-Nz   Oa-Oz   Pa-Pz   Qa-Qz   Ra-Rz   Sa-Sz   Ta-Tz   Ua-Uz   Va-Vz   Wa-Wz   Ya-Yz    SW COUNTIES CornwallDevonDorsetHampshireIsle of WightSomersetWiltshire

Only Members of the Site can post messages in this section. Signing in is easy from our Home Page.

Bibliography Discuss this Page Dolcoath Mine East Pool Geevor Happy Union Mine Hits on this Page Links Locally North Levant Mine Polberro Mine South Crofty Taylor's Shaft Time-Line Tolgus Tin Wheal Concord Wheal Friendly Wheal Jane Wheal Pendarves

Legals

DISCLAIMER: Whilst we endeavour to ensure the content of this site is correct, we cannot undertake that information you find here, is, or will remain accurate and complete. We do not warrant that any information contained on this site is fit for any purpose. If you wish to place reliance on any such information you must check its accuracy by some other means before doing so. MEMBERS get aditional features on our pages and will soon be able to interact with the site and add their views and informastion. Sign up, from the Home-Page, is simple and involves typing in your email address and a password of your choice. If you are in any way connected with any location or interested in the subject mentioned on this page and have an hour or two a month to spare, we would welcome you as a local moderator - please email the webmaster by CLICKING HERE. Privacy Policy last updated on Copyright © 2000-2003 swukink.com page ref: BAAAGBAR