Dear List. I don’t know where to start regarding this on-going discussion,
but I’ll try.
I am a member of the Combe Martin Silver Mine Research Preservation
Society, and know Trevor Dunkerley. My personal feelings are that Trevor
has brought a new light to the North Devon mining area, and his work as an
archaeologist is well respected within the area by a number of people. I
have no archaeological experience, except what I have learnt from people
like Trevor and Phil Newman. As a person who has an interest in metal
mining of Devon I find their work of great interest to me. I enjoy reading
about Trevor’s work through his reports in the CMSMRPS’s Journals, and
also I have seen Trevor at work in Combe Martin and find that he has the
time to explain to people like myself who has an interest, but very little
experience in archaeology. To me personally, that is very encouraging.
Also I have assisted Phil Newman on a few of his surveys, and have been
taught a great deal regarding how to see the landscape through a different
eye. Phil has conducted a large number of surveys of mining sites and
others throughout the West Country and is held in high esteem. Phil’s
reports are always gladly received by a large number of people in the West
Country, and probably other parts of the country as well.
Regarding sifting through Mining Journals etc. Well, I have been for a
number of years now been sifting through the Mining Journals and
extracting all reports that I can find on the mines of Dartmoor and its
border countries. I have probably in excess of 10,000 reports in my data
base. From what I understand from other subscribers to this list, that
going through the MJ’s has already been done, well maybe it has, but where
are all these reports? where are all the write-ups? etc. I have spent many
happy hours in local Record Offices and Libraries in Devon & Cornwall and
have typed all the documents and reports into my data base. These reports
etc have always been made readily available to people like Phil Newman and
others.
It is thanks to people like Owen Baker, Phil Newman and Dr. Tom Greeves
that I have taken a keen interest in the mining of the South West, albeit,
Devon only. I personally feel that more should be done to promote the
mining history to a younger generation, as, without being rude, we are not
getting any younger. With today’s youngsters, trying to get them away from
their game consoles and TV’s is a task in itself. Perhaps a mining seminar
aimed at the younger generation could be a way forward.
I missed Peter Claughton’s seminar at Exeter, because I was concerned that
it would have gone straight over the top of me, as I have no academic
skills in those fields. I have a very meagre education, and struggle to
put my thoughts and work into the correct words, but, I’ll keep plodding
on…………….
Chris Kelland
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