Cornish Miners and Mines
Stean San Agnes an quelia stean in Kernow
(St Agnes' tin is the best tin in Cornwall)
Who are the Knockers?
The knockers (pronounced knackers) used to be in general belief by the Cornish tinners, and were thought of as small, wizened, dried up little creatures, alleged by some to be the spirits of the Jews who had crucified Christ and who were placed in the mines to work out their doom.
More on the Knockers
Links
Crowns Section Botallack Mines - Written for Tom and Libby Luke's page, by Dr Nigel Hicks
The closure of the South Crofty Mine in Camborne Cornwall on 6 March 1998
The End - A Poem by Mark Kaczmarak
Cornish Miners Heritage - Tom and Libby Luke page
Geevor Tin Mine
Cornubian Mineral Province
The Cornish Miner
Tin-Mines
Kitty to the Cape - Journey Through Cornish Mining History
Mining History Network
Books on Mining
Roland's Cornish Steam Engine Page
Camborne School of Mines
Cornish Association of Bendigo - Australian site
ECC
"The Story of Cornwall"
A. K. Hamilton Jenkinin, 1934 - Cornish china clay industry
"It owes its origin to a Mr. William Cookworthy of Devon, who,
about the year 1755, proved the existence of china clay on
Tregonning Hill, near the Mount's Bay. Previous to this,
porcelain had been manufactured in China for at least two
thousand years. The word 'kaolin', which is still the scientific
name for china clay, is derived from the Chinese kao-ling,
the name of the mountain wherein the white clay is said
originally to have been found."
"Soon after his discovery at Tregonning Hill, Cookworthy came
upon much larger deposits of china clay in the parish of
St. Stephen-in-Brannel. Ever since that time the district
round St. Austell has been the most important centre of the
industry in the world."
"Today this part of Cornwall might well be called a "white country."
For everything here IS white. The dumps are white, the
streams look like milk, there are pools and tanks of white water,
and great stacks of white clay. The men themselves, as you
see them coming home from their work, look as if they
had been rubbing powdered chalk over their faces and hands."
"The whole aim and object of a clay works is first to remove the
decomposed granite from the pit, and afterwards to separate
the clay from the gritty substances with which it is mixed."
"Many of the china clay pits around St. Austell are of enormous size.
Some of them are nearly three hundred feet deep, and almost a
mile round at the top. Looking down into these tremendous quarries,
the men at the bottom appear no bigger than dwarfs."
"Finally, the wet clay is taken into a long building called the "dry"
and spread out over a brick floor. There is a fire under one end
of this floor and very soon the clay begins to steam. In a few
hours the steam is so dense that one can scarcely see across the
building. The men have to pick their way very carefully in order
to avoid slipping into the clay mud which is scalding hot.
Going through St. Austell by train, the traveller can see many of
these drys with their tall chimneys standing beside the line."
Bearing in mind that this was written in 1934, Hamilton Jenkyn says,
"In normal times, Cornwall produces about eight hundred thousand
tons of clay a year. The greater part of this is sent abroad to
America, India, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, and other countries.
Some of it, of course, still goes to the "Five Towns" or Potteries in
Staffordshire. But only about 10 per cent of the clay produced in
Cornwall is now used for making china, as against 75 per cent used
in the manufacture of paper. The rest finds its way into textiles,
linoleum, rubber goods, imitation leather, soap, paint, disinfectants,
dyes, medicines, tooth paste, and even face powder."
The Cornish Clay Strike of 1913
THE CORNISH CLAYSTRIKE
- THE WHITE COUNTRY DISPUTE PROCEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO THE CENTRAL STRIKE FUND 1913
Perhaps its interesting, and I guess that you would like
to hear an account of the CORNISH CLAY STRIKE:
Well, the men at CARNE STENTS first to down to down tools,
And for taking that action were counted as fools.
But as you see their policy proved a blessing in disguise,
and has proved to the world that they really were wise,
VIRGINIA men were next, and they HAD THE NERVE
and around the FAL VALLEY they all did serve.
To KERNICK and TRETHOSA their course then they took
and down in those pits the crowd did look;
But the men were ignorant of the union resolution .
The great problem to them simply had no resolution.
Well then, friend, I think that they passed by GOONVEAN
and held a great meeting at the bottom of NANPEAN.
The organisers went there the strikers to meet
They stood on the hedge and the man on the street.
At FOXHOLE we setteled next morning to meet
The old scheme of wages we had to defeat;
For wages at present only just keep us alive
and now we are determined to reach "TWENTY FIVE".
The course we then took was a place called LANJETH,
And when we got there we were just out of breath,
But whilst waiting there a kind of friend we found,
Who opened his gate and in the field we sat down.
By the leaders, on the ground, some speeches were given,
And by the time they had done, the clock struck eleven
After some consultation as to the course we should take
The men were unanimous for BLACKPOOL to make.
In the China Clay area the motors are near flying,
To starve out the men the employers are trying,
But the Cornish are solid and determined to fight
To get the twenty -five shillings which they think is their right.
The world is now watching with an anxious eye,
T o help these gallant claymen we hope you will try.
There is just one word more and then I have done -
Please give a donation to the Strike Relief Fund.........
It is my pleasure, dear friends, to write part number two
of the China Clay Strike, which we have passed through.
Well after a month's struggle it commenced to rain
So the employers did their utmost to get back their men.
For these heavy showers helped fill in the pits
And just frightened the poor fellows into fits
Then the next move was to import some hundred of police
Who would have us to believe they were sent to keep peace.
So all through the dispute ran the spirit of peace
Until it was broken by the GLAMORGAN police
Who 1 irnagine fell in love too much with the barrel
And then John Barleycorn soon induced then' to quarrel
The Glamorgan police were all watching their tricks,
And demanded the pickets to give up their sticks,
When they caught a small number down in a by-lane,
They acted like demons or men gone insane.
Poor Vincent, our leader, was the first they attacked,
Was trundgeoned and batoned and his poor head they cracked;
I suppose they then left him by the roadside for dead
But they couldn't kill his spirit though they opened his head.
Well, six weeks had passed, and I would just like to note
That we decided to ballot and let the men vote;
The men were out against their will was the constant report,
So we wanted to the public 'twas a false report'.
After taking their vote proved twasn't so;
To go to work two thousand two hundred and fifty eight said "No".
To go back on the old conditions this was the best,
One five hundred and sixty-eight voted yes.
Well, after ten weeks of hard fighting, we decided to retreat,
But some may claim it to be a defeat,
We are not downhearted, Boys, no not yet,
For an advance in wages we hope soon to get.
So boys join the workers union
And win the victory next time,
And if you'll promise to do so, why then I'll end my rhyme,
To see you all in the union is just what we would like,
Then we could settle by arbilration and thus avoid a strike.
BY UNSKILLED LABOURER