Hi All,

I have two questions related to this thread.

First, where would the mine smithies in Cornwall have obtained their raw
material for making tools etc.?  I'm researching the history of an old
(1800s) family mineral collection in Lostwithiel, and there may be a
connection with a family member who (according to census data) was an
ironmonger in that town for several decades.  His name was William
Lacey.  However, I'm not certain whether an "ironmonger" was mainly a
smithie, as opposed to being a general merchant who sold what we in the
U.S. call hardware.

Second, it's tempting to assume that an ironmonger or smithie in
Lostwithiel would have obtained his iron from the Restormel Iron Mine,
which was located right there in the same town. But I don't know if the
Restormel ore was smelted locally, or did it get shipped out to a
distant smelter?

Thanks in advance for any information on the above.

Woody Thompson
Maine, USA

-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Mike Moore
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 9:19 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Mine smithies

Robert as you may be aware Snailbeach has a blacksmiths shop, we have
restored the original bellows recently  and in u its heyday had 3
blacksmiths working, all metal work on site except rails and steam would
have been produced by these guys

Mike

On 9 December 2010 14:22, Robert Waterhouse <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear Bernard,
>
> The subject of mine smithies is an interesting one in its own right.
> I'm not sure how much is known/recorded nationally, but if the quite 
> large variety of metal artefacts we get in the Tamar Valley is 
> anything to go by, they got involved in some remarkable fabrication 
> work.  Locally to us for example, it looks as if wrought iron bar 
> railways were developed through smiths' work as a cheaper alternative 
> to cast iron plate railways, which cost money and time whenever a rail

> broke.  They even went as far as making wrought iron chairs on 
> occasion out of two pieces of bar, rivetted together, to avoid paying 
> for cast chairs.  I've not come across anything quite like this on 
> such a large scale outside South-West England, though of course 
> 'simple' bar rail is found elsewhere.
>
> Even the smallest mining outfits seem to have had smithies, either 
> on-site, or taking over much of the work of local 
> agricultural/domestic ones.  They seem to have made things to order, 
> or produced bulk orders of washers, bolts, stripwork etc.  Though they

> serviced them (as seen last night) they do not seem to have made 
> tools, which were bought in from specialist suppliers such as the 
> Dartmoor edge tool mills.  A lot of the items (miners'
> picks excepted) were common to mining and agriculture.  It always 
> amuses me when museums etc call things 'Miners' barrow'; 'Miners 
> shovel' etc, when they appear regularly in agricultural museums.  
> Those long thin barrows are found in the horticultural industry, for
use in row-cropping.
>
> I seem to have wandered off the subject a bit, but it would be 
> interesting to know whether anyone else knows anything about mine 
> smiths and their work?
>
> Robert
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf 
> Of Bernard Moore
> Sent: 09 December 2010 12:21
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Mining History
>
> Dear All,
>
> The recent Morwellham programme made good basic demonstration of what 
> 'old mining' was about, and viewed in this light I think it was good. 
> No-one I'm  sure expected in depth full detail, it was only supposed 
> to be a  brief overview. (The makers are lucky to have some very good 
> local and traditional agri. advisors). You know, with 'mining pasties'

> and pasties in  general, I have yet to get a clear and concise history

> of them... even from  a long established bakery in Cornwall - and 
> other people and books along the  way.
> The
> latter is not a List subject, so if someone has some info. maybe they 
> might advise off-List please.
>
> Indeed the smithy work on mining pick and drill was highly  skilled 
> and always fascinating to see and watch. Sadly in this part of  the 
> world, a 'major' highly skilled blacksmith/farrier recently died quite

> suddenly from
>
> cancer at 57 yrs. old. He came up in the old tradition, and  will be 
> greatly
>
> missed. The forge business is sadly now closed and the  three forge 
> staff dispersed, however his son carries on the farrier work I am  
> pleased to say.
>
> I have missed a couple of the Morwellham progs., but I did see the 
> lime burning presentation and thought this a good practical 
> demonstration - not without it's difficulties of course, but who
expected it to be easy!
>
> Compliments of the Season to All, Regards, Bernard
>
>
> (Dear Roy, you mentioned lamps. Will contact off-List for advice if I
may.
> Bernard).
>