Back in time, "Morwellham Quay" part 1.

 Today's blog is all about the Famous "Morwellham Quay" The Quay is a famous Port, Mine and Heritage centre The George and Charlotte Copper mine is the last "Open" Copper mine in Britain that is open and accessible to the public, this is reachable via a small gauge Railway which follows the banks of Devon's river Tamar, then disappears deep into the mine itself.
The Copper Ore was sent from the mine by a small gauge railway, it meandered through the valley, then up on a piece of elevated track, eventually ending at the Quay, where it was loaded on ships and sent all over Europe.
Below, Traditional costume, which is worn by all staff.
Please click on any picture to enlarge it.

 

 This is the large Steel and Wooden water wheel which supplied both power for the mine, also the Oxygen too.

The Village, as it was then, was virtually self supporting, with Shop, Inn, Carpenter, Barrel Maker, Undertaker etc, it had to be that way as it lays in a deep valley several miles from the next Town. Below the "Blacksmith's" shed.

Miners had an extremely hard life working underground up for to 14 hours a day. Child labour was also extensively used, again with children working up to 12 hours a day, mainly deep in the mines where there small lithe bodies could squeeze through small holes etc.
If a miner's wife lost her husband, in order to keep the house going and feed her (sometimes large) family she would take in lodgers, usually workmen from the mines, she fed and washed there clothes too.
Below, the family room, notice the Guzzunder under the right hand bed.

Another one.

The tiny wood burning fireplace/Cooker was all they had to keep warm and cook on.

Below, Anyone  recognise the "Duny", just a hole in a plank with a bucket underneath, someone had to empty this at least once a day, usually in a hole dug in the garden.

This is the Lounge in the mine managers house, a bit more luxurious isn't it?

The big house "Master bedroom". Just imagine how much wood and work involved in keeping a fire going in every room.

This would have been the Masters study, notice the Piano/Organ on the far wall.

This is the Assayer's office. This would have been the place that lumps of rock would be brought to examine them to see if it contained enough Copper to continue mining that area.

No joke of the day today.