Dear Lynne,
I don't suppose any of the sources record who was doing what at the manganese mills, and when?
Robert Waterhouse
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Message Received: May 22 2006, 10:21 AM
From: "Lynne Mayers"
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Dressing Manganese
R. W. Toll gives a brief description of manganese dressing in Manganese in West Devon Mining Magazine July 1958 p. 17-19. He describes how the ore was hand picked from the slate and chertz. The 'fines' and 'dredge' ore was jigged or buddled (as for copper).
The roughly dressed ore was then transported to the manganese mills at Slimeford, Morwhellam and Shillamill for final reduction and packing. Women and children were employed in small numbers to dress this manganese, as well as at the mills. For instance 43 girls under the age of 18 yrs were recorded as employed in the Milton Abbot area in the 1842 Employment Commission. According to the 1841 census two women at Brentor were described as working at the manganese mine, and Mary Lang (15 yrs) of Week was described as working at 'manganese stamps'. 25 females were recorded as 'at manganese mines' in the Coryton and Lifton area in the 1851 census. More details if you need it.
Lynne Mayers
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