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Michael Have you read L. T. C. Rolt’s account of Robert Stephenson’s time in /Colombia in George and Robert Stephenson: The Railway Revolution/, Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1978? This gives some idea of the conditions faced by the Cornish miners. It also covers the challenges of the managers working with the Cornish miners so perhaps used similar sources as Robert's letters. There were a large number of mining companies promoted in England to work in Latin America in the 1820s. Virtually all failed due to poor management, a lack of understanding of local conditions and insufficient capital. Cornish know-how and heavy machinery were no match for mountainous terrain, poor access, tropical conditions and so forth. The Colombian Mining Association was the second in a series of mining companies promoted by John Diston Powles between 1824 and 1853, the first being the Anglo-Mexican Mining Association. I have a particular interest in Powles, having written an M A thesis on one of his more successful promotions and subsequently a PhD which/inter alia/ looks at his broader career. Powles met Benjamin Disraeli, then a young solicitor’s clerk, when his firm drafted the prospectus for the Colombian Mining Association. Disraeli subsequently wrote several pamphlets for Powles, “puffing” the benefits of investing in Latin American projects. Disraeli, and a fellow clerk speculated in shares in both companies but they lost heavily in the market crash in late 1825 and Disraeli was obliged to turn to writing novels to help pay off his debts! Regards John Woodland Melbourne, Australia Subject: Cornish miners and robert Stephenson in South America Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2015 11:48:38 +0100 From: J Michael Taylor mailto:[log in to unmask] Reply-To: J Michael Taylor mailto:[log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] The Robert Stephenson Trust based in Newcastle Upon Tyne plans to publish details of the famous engineers time spent with the Columbian Mining Association between 1824 and 1827. During this time the Association employed Cornish miners and we would like to hear from or talk to a mining historian who might be able to give us an idea of the difficulties and conditions facing the workers. We have been attempting without success for some time to secure some mining experts interest and wondered if through this forum we might be able to make contact. Two years ago the Robert Stephenson Trust (RST) purchased copies of 115 letters written by Rbt. to his manager Illingworth between 1824-7 which are held in the Lilly Library of Indiana University so that we could examine the development of his character in this crucial period of his life (born in 1803). Also purchased from the Lilly library were copies of 15 watercolours painted by Charles Empson, who was Roberts companion in Columbia. We feel that the story is too one-sided (Robert is fairly critical of the Cornish miners) without some balancing comment. J. Michael Taylor MBE, CEng, MICE, FCIHT Woodlands, Prestwick Village, Ponteland, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE20 9TX 01661 824017 07777 650871 [log in to unmask] If you need to leave the list, send the following message [log in to unmask] - leave mining-history --------- If you need to leave the list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] - leave mining-history ---------