REDRUTH STORY GROUP EXHIBITION

SATURDAY JUNE 14^th 2008 10a.m-4p.m.

MURDOCH HOUSE

CROSS STREET

REDRUTH

This exhibition “The Mines of Redruth” features some of the 100 or so mines within the parish boundary of Redruth..

There is evidence that, since the early Bronze Age 2100- 1500 BE.C , ores have been extracted from the land. Pytheus in the 4^th century trading from the Mediterranean found the tinners to be friendly and showed great skill in extracting tin from the rock.

Late in the 12^th century there is local evidence of tin streamers trespassing upon the boundaries of glebe lands in Redruth. Through the centuries the extraction of tin continued and increased. In 1568 Sir Walter Raleigh is known to have championed the miners rights

In the mid 17^th century the development of tin mining in the Parish of Redruth increased, attracting many speculators or Adventurers as they were called and by the time Boulton & Watt sent their representative, William Murdoch to Redruth, to install & maintain their machinery new mines were opening up and unprofitable ones were closing down. By the mid- 19^th century other more profitable loads were being discovered and worked beyond the Parish of Redruth and this coupled with a drop in the price of tin and copper caused the demise of many mines in the town. Many of them however continued to work reasonably profitably

With the mines came ancillary industries ,brick making crucible- making stamps, the extraction of arsenic, fuse and explosive making and the manufacture of mining machinery and tin-streaming..

The World Heritage Site has surveyed, mapped and documented over 100 mines in the Parish and have provided us with maps and statistics . A member of the World Heritage.Site will be present at the exhibition .

The exhibition has focused on a few of the mines such as Wheal Sparnon, Tolgus, Wheal Peevor, Wheal Bassett, Wheal Uny and Pednandrea. Tolgus Tin Streaming works and the Brunton’s Calciner are still to be seen in the Portreath valley.

Original drawings by Sidney Furze, a local draughtsman, will be on display and show how intensely Redruth was exploited for the extraction of tin and copper.

Extracts from mining accounts books and a record of the trials of daily life. The pricing or ticketing process which took place in various venues will be on show.

Some specially made working models will be available for people, especially children to use

A powerful original drawing by local artist Roy Bellingham, depicts the immersion of a miner Malachi Hancock as part of his induction into the Baptist Church, in a tin stream near Blowinghouse,Redruth

There is almost nowhere in the Parish of Redruth that does not bear some association with the mining industry ,whether by name or or association, the tracks of the old railway lines,or the present one, the streams which run through or under the town,  the 63 names of roads and houses .