There's also a nice piccie of this bridge in the Dartmoor Archive.
http://www.dartmoorarchive.org/image/da001752
Phil Newman
Rick Stewart, Morwellham Quay Mine Manager wrote:
> Re the bridge over the Tavy - there was a crude suspension bridge
> between Lady Bertha & Tavy consols - not too sure of date. I believe
> there is a photo in H.Jenkins Mines of Devon.
>
> Rick Stewart
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Hutchins"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 10:32 AM
> Subject: Virtuous Lady Mine.
>
>
> Dear Members,
> I was recently given three "Tavy and Tamar"
> magazines dated 1973. In volume iii there is an article by Vic Gardner
> with a brief history of the mine, and an account of an exploration of
> the mine by himself and Tavistock photographer Jim Thorington, guided
> by the mine owner Mrs Peggy Oxenford. This is an interesting account
> of "Daring Do" with some photos of the mine interior.
>
> Jim Thorington died about 10 years ago, and most
> of his photos are with the Tavistock museum. Vic Gardner lives in Bere
> Alson and was the owner of The Tavistock Gazette.
>
> If anyone wants a copy of the article and photos I
> am happy to send them on.
>
> I was intrigued to find the following passage in
> the article. "Copper was shipped from Morwellham and to get the ore to
> the quays from the Virtuous Lady meant a big haulage job. The ore was
> brought out of the mine in trucks(kibbles), broken by bal maidens and
> sorted by the young girls. It was then loaded onto pack ponies by the
> boys.
>
> The boys, under the age of twelve, led the ponies
> over a wooden bridge above the fast flowing Tavy and up a narrow track
> which wandered up the steep almost mountainous valley side to Copper
> Ore Stocks on the Tavistock to bere Alston road. The cottage which
> belonged to the caretaker still exists although its name has been
> abbreviated to "Orestocks".
>
> The ore was transferred from the pack animals to
> a stock pile which would be moved to the quays at Morwellham when a
> ship was due. From Copper Ore Stocks to Morwellham it was down hill
> all the way and the caretaker would supervise the loading of the ore
> onto horse drawn wagons to complete the journey. At Morwellham the ore
> was loaded into small vessels for conveyance to smelting works in
> South Wales."
>
>
>
> This is the first written account that I have
> found of pack animals being used for the haulage of ores locally,
> although I suspect that it was common practice.
>
> Wednesday this week I went out to find the old
> pack horse track. Although it is much interupted by more modern forest
> tracks the old packhorse track is still visible, and leads down to the
> river upstream from the Mine. There is a ruined house and paddock at
> the end of this track which is marked on the maps but not named. I
> cannot see that this ruin was part of a farm and wonder if it was more
> to do with the mining. Could it have been the place where the pack
> ponies were kept?
>
> I am also puzzled by the mention of a bridge
> over the Tavy. Can any one tell me where this bridge was situated? I
> know about the bridge over the Walkham at Double waters, but have
> never heard of a bridge over the Tavy. An old map shows a ford near to
> the mine the name of which I cannot read. Does anyone know the name of
> this ford?
>
> Are there any more records of pack animals
> being used to haul ore from the old copper mines of the Tavy, and
> where did Vic Gardner get his information from?
>
> Any help with these queries would be welcome.
> Many Thanks and Best Wishes Roger B. Hutchins.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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