Dear Roger
I would be delighted to acquire a copy of the articles and photos, as the VL
mine has been of great interest to me for a number of years.
Please contact me off-line, or send articles & photos: thank you.
Kindest regards Chris Kelland
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Hutchins" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 10:32 AM
Subject: Virtuous Lady Mine.
Dear Members,
I was recently given three "Tavy and Tamar" magazines
dated 1973. In volume iii there is an article by Vic Gardner with a brief
history of the mine, and an account of an exploration of the mine by himself
and Tavistock photographer Jim Thorington, guided by the mine owner Mrs
Peggy Oxenford. This is an interesting account of "Daring Do" with some
photos of the mine interior.
Jim Thorington died about 10 years ago, and most of his
photos are with the Tavistock museum. Vic Gardner lives in Bere Alson and
was the owner of The Tavistock Gazette.
If anyone wants a copy of the article and photos I am
happy to send them on.
I was intrigued to find the following passage in the
article. "Copper was shipped from Morwellham and to get the ore to the quays
from the Virtuous Lady meant a big haulage job. The ore was brought out of
the mine in trucks(kibbles), broken by bal maidens and sorted by the young
girls. It was then loaded onto pack ponies by the boys.
The boys, under the age of twelve, led the ponies over
a wooden bridge above the fast flowing Tavy and up a narrow track which
wandered up the steep almost mountainous valley side to Copper Ore Stocks on
the Tavistock to bere Alston road. The cottage which belonged to the
caretaker still exists although its name has been abbreviated to
"Orestocks".
The ore was transferred from the pack animals to a
stock pile which would be moved to the quays at Morwellham when a ship was
due. From Copper Ore Stocks to Morwellham it was down hill all the way and
the caretaker would supervise the loading of the ore onto horse drawn wagons
to complete the journey. At Morwellham the ore was loaded into small vessels
for conveyance to smelting works in South Wales."
This is the first written account that I have found
of pack animals being used for the haulage of ores locally, although I
suspect that it was common practice.
Wednesday this week I went out to find the old pack
horse track. Although it is much interupted by more modern forest tracks the
old packhorse track is still visible, and leads down to the river upstream
from the Mine. There is a ruined house and paddock at the end of this track
which is marked on the maps but not named. I cannot see that this ruin was
part of a farm and wonder if it was more to do with the mining. Could it
have been the place where the pack ponies were kept?
I am also puzzled by the mention of a bridge over
the Tavy. Can any one tell me where this bridge was situated? I know about
the bridge over the Walkham at Double waters, but have never heard of a
bridge over the Tavy. An old map shows a ford near to the mine the name of
which I cannot read. Does anyone know the name of this ford?
Are there any more records of pack animals being
used to haul ore from the old copper mines of the Tavy, and where did Vic
Gardner get his information from?
Any help with these queries would be welcome.
Many Thanks and Best Wishes Roger B. Hutchins.
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