I have been in contact with Ken Jones who used to own the large sectional
model coal mine at Gweek Seal Sanctuary some years ago. He has offered to
lend me a video of it working and has several postcards too. There is also a
booklet about the model which I hope to borrow (if Ken can find it).
Apparently the model was made in 1896 in Treherbert (South Wales) by a
person called Phelps. Ken believes that King George V was shown it.
Originally it was powered by a person turning a handle, but later this was
replaced by an electric motor. Unfortunately Ken sold all his Victorian
collection at a private collector's sale at Wadebridge in Cornwall eleven
years ago; he believes (although he can not be sure) that it ended up going
to Japan.
The lady who put me in contact with Ken said, "Ken Jones was a miner in Tony
Pandy in Wales, but sadly he caught the lung disease, (apologies, I can't
remember the correct name) and had to give up mining, and that is when he
and Mary moved to the beach cafe in St Agnes Cornwall and started the
Sanctuary in 1957". (The seal sanctuary later moved from there to Gweek,
where it is still very much in business. I made contact via their website:
http://www.sealsanctuary.co.uk/corn1.html
If the stuff I am being allowed to borrow arrives before the NAMHO
Conference, then I will take it there with me for anyone else interested to
look at.
Robert Waterhouse (below) believes that the model was made for an
International Exhibition in Birmingham in about 1935, but it seems that Ken
believes it is much earlier. I will wait to see the date of the booklet.
All the best, Roger
---- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Gosling" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 03 August 2001 19:19
Subject: Fantastic sectional working model of a coal mine
> After I saw the model at Gweek, many many years ago, it had been moved to
an
> exhibition in the old school at Mullion. But that was also quite a few
years
> ago. Perhaps its still there. This was before I was really interested in
> mining, but I agree its a fantastic model - is it possible its the same
one
> now in Sunderland??
>
> Incidentally at the SS in Gweek many many years ago, with the model were a
> lot of Nife NC113 cells complete with headsets. Despite offering a very
good
> price for them they were not at that time interested in selling them. They
> were still with the model in Mullion years later still in the charging
rack!
>
> I believe the whole collection belonged to Ken Jones, the man who set up
the
> Seal Sanctuary. Was he perhaps an ex miner (I believe he's Cornish) ? ? ?
>
> Roger
>
> http://www.the-mansion.co.uk/
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "rwaterhouse2" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: 02 August 2001 20:38
> Subject: Re: Sunderland Museum.
>
>
> > With reference to models, I saw a fantastic sectional working model of a
> coal mine several years ago at the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek, Helston,
> Cornwall. (By 'working', I mean that everything moved, even the model
> miners hacking away at the coalfaces). It isn't there any more, and I
would
> be interested to know where it is now. Apparently it was made for an
> International
> > Exhibition in Birmingham in about 1935, where my mother saw it as a
child.
> >
> > Anyone know?
> >
> > Robert Waterhouse
> >
> > Alan Vickers wrote:
> >
> > > Hi -
> > >
> > > The Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens opened to the public
yesterday,
> Saturday 21st July 2001. The museum, after complete re-furbishment and
> enlargement, now contains eight new galleries, one ofwhich is the Coal
> Gallery.
> > >
> > > The brochure says that two of the most imposing exhibits are a model
of
> a mine, first shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London and a
massive
> piece of coal which was first shown at the North Eaat Coast Exhibition in
> 1929.
> > >
> > > One of the sections demonstrates how self-help and self-improvement
were
> driving forces in the community.
> > >
> > > There is a re-construction of a co-operative shop and a clinic in
Seaham
> where miners could go for treatment for injuries and work-related
diseases.
> The way housing was used as a weapon by the coal-owners is demonstrated in
> the section on the notorious Silksworth evictions, when miners and their
> families were put out on the streets and protesters suffered a police
> charge.
> > >
> > > There is a photomontage telling the final chapter of local mining
> history, from the 1984-85 strike to the closure of Wearmouth Colliery in
> 1994.
> > >
> > > Alan.
> >
>
|