Bob
As discussed I strongly suspect that the reason that Gill / Taylor/ Canal Co were grabbing setts left right and centre comes down to the canal itself rather than the hope that Taylor could wave his magic wand.
The canal provided a potential cheap source of power both for dressing and, more significantly pumping. Prior to the canal the only way to go deep was to employ steam - as the Williams did at (if memory serves) Wheal Tamar. Deep exporation was the goal and the canal was the key to unlock the riches which potentially lay at depth. Take the G&C for example - it was developed at depth (54 fms) by water power. - Anyway young Bob you know all this already.
Rick
________________________________
From: Robert Waterhouse <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, 20 February 2012, 12:57
Subject: Re: Obscure Tamar Valley mines
Dear Caroline,
I was aware of this placename, but suspected that it wasn't the one I was
after, as its well outside the main mineralised zone. 'Tuell' may be
derived from Old Cornish, possibly meaning a pit - like Twll in Welsh.
Of course, it could refer to any sort of pit - not specifically mining.
Thanks anyway, and to Chris and especially Alasdair, who seems to have hit
the nail on the head!
These are very interesting mines, being part of a group which were worked by
John Taylor in partnership with local entrepreneurs, notably the Gill
family. To all intents and purposes, these were identical to mines leased
by the Tavistock Canal Company - Gill & Taylor being the principal
signatories to their leases too - and covering the same period, ie:
c.1803-1821.
Many of them don't actually seem to have been worked - or if they were, it
was minimally - it being more a case of grabbing any setts which were going
begging, in the hope that Taylor's management techniques might find/develop
something which previous adventurers had missed.
Robert
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Caroline Vulliamy
Sent: 19 February 2012 13:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Obscure Tamar Valley mines
Tuell is a farm lying just west of the road between Milton Abbot and
Tavistock.
Caroline Vulliamy
> Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:15:53 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Obscure Tamar Valley mines
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Wheal Smith was part of the later DGC, probably the later Wheal Jack
Thomas (details of leases 1798 at Couteney Library William Jenkin letters, &
to Gill & Taylor 1810 in DRO Bedford).
>
>
> Wheal Adam was later Wheal Strode then Little Duke (DRO Bedford & WDRO
Strode papers)
>
> Wheal Tool (also spelt Wheal Tule in Bedford dues accounts) was I think
the later Bedford Consols although I havn't rediscovered the source for
this, probably something in DRO Bedford.
=
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