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Wheal Grenville, Troon : some photos The Trevithick Society website can be seen at: www.trevithick-society.org.uk

I am looking for old photographs of the mines and miners of Troon and area. Any information or old documents will be welcome.

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subtitled "Exploration of Cornish mines above and below ground" has just been released by Peter Eggleston of I.A. Recordings. To order: see Message Board.

Many Cornish miners worked in the Berehaven copper mines (1812-1884) in Allihies, West Cork,Ireland. Photos and more information : The Cork and Cornwall Connection >>>>> (see Message Board for latest info)

1A. Three photos of Pendarves Mine taken by John Peck (copyright)

The sinking of Simm's shaft commenced in 1968. It eventually reached a depth of 331 metres. Production commenced in 1971 & ceased in 1989. Pendarves mine is situated near Knave Go Bye. Map: 50° 13'20" N, 5º 17'8" W

The photographs were taken by John Peck, who retains the copyright.

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1B. Two photos taken underground in Pendarves Mine by P. Joseph.

Photos courtesy Peter Joseph

2. Carn Camborne Mine (Beacon Stack) c 1870

(Picture courtesy of J.A. Osborne, publisher, with David Thomas ,of 'Victorian and Edwardian Camborne')

The mine was worked from 1814 to about 1884. The chimney surrounded by the tapered stack was a local landmark for many years. It was demolished on 23rd July 1971.

3. Marshall's Engine House, Troon, late 1800's and 2002

Marshall's pumping engine house and winding (whim) engine house.

(Photo courtesy of J.A. Osborne)

Marshall's Shaft was sunk in 1881. It was part of South Condurrow mine.The whim-engine house was also built in that year. The pumping engine house (on left) was built in 1886. The engine later served Wheal Grenville, but finally ceased in 1923. The engine house is beside the road at the entrance to the village. The shaft was over 1000 feet deep. The engineman in the two decades before closure was St. Just man, Richard (Dick)Richards. He later worked as engineman in South Crofty Mine. His father, Henry Richards, was an engineer in Levant Mine, St. Just.

Today - the restored engine house, with Captain Dick's two great-grandsons.

4. View of shaft, Marshall's engine house.

The shaft is now full of rubbish. However, inside, the two huge bedstones to which the cylinder was bolted can be seen in the photo. A 60 inch engine was used here.

5. View from the base of Marshall's stack ,looking towards whim.

The whim engine house contained a 26 inch engine.

6. Photo taken inside Marshall's pumping-engine house, looking across the road towards Wheal Grenville New Stamps engine house.

After the mine closed, the pumping engine was kept at work by Wheal Grenville until 1923.

7. Wheal Grenville New Stamps.

Built around 1890. The 136 stamps were powered by a 36-inch beam engine.

The long ruined building in front is Frue Vanner House, dated 1901. 'Vanning' is an old mining term for using a shovel to wash tin particles out of waste material. A Frue Vanner is a device (a moving belt) on which tin particles were separated out using water.

8. Close up of plaque on wall of Fortescue's pumping-engine house, Grenville United.

The plaque reads:

WHEAL GRENVILLE

fORTESCUE'S SHAFT

PUMPING ENGINE HOUSE

Built 1892. This building housed a 90-inch cylinder beam engine used to pump water from Fortescue's shaft. The short stack was originally taller, but was damaged in a lightening strike in 1897. Mine closed 1920.

MINERAL TRAMWAYS.

(Grenville New Stamps in distance)

9. Grenville United, Fortescue's Shaft, June 2002.

The engine house on the left contained a large (90inch) pumping engine.

The whim (winding)-engine contained a 28 inch whim engine. Mine closed 1920.

A large bolt visible high up on the wall facing track reads 'Tavistock Iron Works'.

10. Fortescue's whim, looking towards Carn Brea.

The remains of the masonry loading for the crankshaft is visible. This would have contained a deep slot for a single large flywheel. A tramway would have run from Fortescue's shaft to the stamps, up which wagons of ore-bearing rock would have been hauled. More engine houses can be seen in the distance.

11. Great Condurrow mine at Woolf's (or Neame's) shaft, Beacon. June 2002

The engine house was constructed in 1906, and contained a 80 inch pumping engine. Mine closed 1913-14. The photo was taken from the road.

12. Great Condurrow Mine.

As can be seen, Great Condurrow is now on private land.

13. Panoramic view of the Troon engine houses (William Benbow)

Foreground - Smith's engine house (part of West Wheal Francis - this had a 24" engine used for winding and driving stamps). Middle - Grenville United - Fortescue's shaft - whim engine house on left. Skyline left is Grenville New Stamps. Skyline right is Marshall's engine house.

14. View from Frue Vanner house looking towards King Edward Mine

Great Condurrow mine is on the horizon. (Photo T. Matthews 2004)

15. School of Mines students underground, South Condurrow, 1893.

Postcard in collection DAH. It is postmarked Redruth, April 2nd, 1903.

Tony Brooks, KEM, kindly supplied the following information:

The photo was taken by JC Burrow in (it is thought) 1893 on the 90 fathom level at South Condurrow. The old captain (back, left of centre) with a beard and right arm raised is Nicholas Temby. The Camborne School of Mines took over the eastern end of the mine above the 40 fathom level in 1897.

16. Cassiterite sample from Marshall's shaft, Troon