>"if I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants" (Isaac
>Newton)
Rod,
Fair criticism does not diminish the pioneering status of mining historians
like Raistrick. He and others increased the profile of the subject
introducing many, like myself, to mining, but we cannot continue to accept
their work without question. How many of us today would accept Clough's
interpretation of smelt mills in the Yorkshire Dales, but we must
acknowledge his contribution in in establishing a unique historical record,
albeit in some cases flawed.
Even the work of the professional, pioneering mining historians is not
beyond criticism. Academics, like Salzman and Nef, carried out important
research on the history of 'pre-industrial' mining in the 1940s and 50s but
they worked with only limited resources. A factor which also influenced
Raistrick's contribution. Nef's work on European precious metal production
still stands as no one has been bold enough to embark on the massive task of
an overview of the industry using the resources now available. Where recent
historians have re-examined areas investigated by Nef, as in the case of
coal and work by Hatcher, it has resulted in significant reinterpretation.
Mike Gill's new work on the Swaledale mines and smeltmills, from the late
16th century onwards, has set the record straight but it does not detract
from the pioneering work carried out by Raistrick and others of his generation.
Peter
______________________________________________
Peter Claughton, Blaenpant Morfil, Rosebush, Clynderwen,
Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
Tel. 01437 532578; Fax. 01437 532921; Mobile 07831 427599
University of Exeter - School of Historical, Political and Sociological Studies
(Centre for South Western Historical Studies)
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Co-owner - mining-history e-mail discussion list.
See http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/mining-history/ for details.
Mining History Pages - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/~pfclaugh/mhinf/
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