Dear All,
Being of a relatively ripe old age, one starts to think about life and what
it all means! - furthermore, one seems to have more time than in the past
to dwell - in a very balanced manner - on what one could have been better
done in times gone by... this is what is called 'experience'!
Forty years ago, I knew many who had vast experience in British Home
commercial non ferrous mining... now, apart from those involved (outside of
Cornwall), there are precious few. I was lucky to know those that I knew. Those
left of any note are only a few years older than I, and, when one starts
to think, many even of that age group are no longer with us.
The purpose of my writing, is that should you know anyone whatsoever who
was involved in metal and non metal mining in the past, make all endeavour to
record their knowledge of the past and, more importantly, the people they
knew. The British mineral Ind. is effectively dead, and it will not be to
long before the same Ind. is 'beyond living memory'. You see, twenty years
is all that is has taken for me to see two mining areas die, and 90% of the
people I knew die with them... 1975 seems like yesterday to me, and I have
a great many memories of the mining people of Weardale and Derbs. within
me, but, oh how one forgets things...
May I say this please. If I have one regret, it is that I did not tape
record all those convs. that I had with the 'old men' of my day. So, anyone who
knows anybody anywhere in a dead mining area, take heed (for future
generations of mining historians), go and see them, record what they say,
because, before you know it they will be gone... and much history with them. I
have fallen foul of such apathy as well, yes, I went to see them, I listened
to what they said, but I didn't write it down... it all remains today in my
head... not much use to anybody really... likewise, I have also fallen foul
with 100's of p.graphs taken in the Weardale, Derbs., & Lakes mines in the
1970's, in that I have not named or ID'd them as yet. How irritating it is
to find old p.graphs, only to find that some idiot has not bothered to ID
it... and guess who has done thus far the same thing!!! - until now.
In the 1970's I knew all the 'old time' small fluorspar/lead producers (&
quite a few in Derbs'), and many within the large scale opers.. Those who
are not now sadly dead, are now so widely dispersed that they are nearly
uncontactable. Take great heed, you all, if you know anybody prev. involved in
anyway whatsoever in past Min. Ind. mining, make the most of them, record
them, write it all down... they will not be long with us now you
know........... fifty years is effectively a generation... and fifty years is but a
fleeting moment in life... those past this age will know what I mean... those
under take note... it is not far away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - it will come soon
enough believe me!.....
Regards, Bernard
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