Talking of Clough , We have Arthur Raistrick's annotated copy, he
corrects many factual errors by reference to original documents, and
site visits of his own .Ken Tidswell
On Tue, 19 Jun 2001 09:57:18 +0100 Peter Claughton
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >"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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kenneth tidswell
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