Mining Memories: Stories from South Crofty and Wheal Jane
In 1998, the last operating tin mine in Cornwall, South Crofty and the Wheal Jane processing mill, were closed. For Cornwall, this marked the end of an era.
This on-line exhibition explores those last days of tin mining in Cornwall, in the words of some of the miners of South Crofty and Wheal Jane.
You can explore their stories by clicking on the tabs below.
Going Underground explores working conditions.
Community contains memories of the social life around the mine.
On a Wing and a Prayer: The Closure of the Mines covers stories of the days leading up to the mine closure.
Contributors introduces you to the people behind the stories, without whom this project would not have been possible.
The images that you see were taken by John Peck, who was a freelance photographer employed by the mine owners, Rio Tinto Zinc and later Carnon Consolidated Ltd. His archive is housed at the Royal Cornwall Museum.
Research
The full audio recordings and transcripts from this project are available on request for research purposes. Please contact [email protected]
