Alasdair
I asked the same question of the list some years ago, and obtained two very
helpful replies from Peter Bell in Australia, largely referring to the
company's Australian concerns. Among other references he pointed out the Hoover
connection and recommended in particular Volume I of George Nash’s biography
"The Life of Herbert Hoover" (Norton, New York, 1983) which I found most useful.
I can let you have his other references if you wish, but they do
essentially cover the Australian operations.
The recent book on Langley Barony used info from a short publication of mine
which appeared in the newsletter of the North Pennines Heritage Trust
(Linsley, S. M., ‘Thomas John Bewick, 1821-1897, Mining Engineer, Part 1’, North
Pennine Heritage, 30 (Spring, 1997) 4-7; ‘Part 2’, North Pennine Heritage,
31 (Summer, 1997) 3-4.) which you might find useful, but I was unable to find
much primary material, apart from a map of the Langley Barony Mine, now in
the Northumberland County Record Office (closed until late next year due to
relocation), and some largely uninteresting material in the Newcastle Laing Art
Gallery of all places.
I think that there is little doubt that, for a while, Bewick Moreing was one
of the largest, if not the largest, mine management concerns in the world,
but you will never persuade me that it was a Cornish firm, whatever that
means. Get in touch off-line if you think that I might be able to help further.
Stafford
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