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NEWS
In October of 2005 the Cornish Mining Heritage Programme was accepted
as a partner of Europamines, the European Mining Heritage Network, at its
first AGM held at Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum. Three
other Cornish organisations were also accepted as members: the Cornish
Mining World Heritage Site Office, Poldark Mine and King Edward Mine. The
new Cornish partners of Europamines are pictured left, receiving their
membership plaques from Lead Partner, Dr John H. Morris, of the Geological
Survey of Ireland (GSI).
Europamines
has held several site visits across Europe, one of which took place at
Zloty Stok in Poland in May 2005, at which Dr Schwartz was invited as an
observer. This group photograph was taken outside the entrance to the Nowa
Ruda Coal Mine in Southern Poland.
Report on a conference in Cartagena, Spain, 30th March – 2nd
April 2006:
Sustainable Tourism and Environmental Remediation in Areas Affected by
Mining
The Conference was organised by the Fundación Sierra Minera, a
not-for-profit voluntary organisation with members drawn from individuals
and organisations interested in mining heritage in the Sierra Minera
to the east of Cartagena. The
conference presented the results of research into environmental issues,
the detailed inventory of mining heritage resources and the pioneering
initiative to restore the Las Matildes mining buildings as an
interpretation centre and establish walking trails in the Sierra linking
historic mining sites and buildings. This was achieved thanks to Proyecto
Jara, which was funded by the EU’s Life Programme, the regional government
of Murcia, the local authority of Cartagena and the Caja Murcia
Foundation. Through involvement with Europamines, Dr Sharron Schwartz was
invited to attend the conference and gave a joint presentation with
Ainsley Cocks of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Office entitled
The Conservation Value of Metalliferous Mine Sites: Cornwall, a Case Study.
This described the nature and extent of mining heritage in Cornwall
itself, its significance world-wide, explained how those involved with
mining heritage in the county sought democratic
engagement with local communities to provide a sense of ownership,
described how they had dealt with environmental challenges and how
they aimed to develop a sustainable approach to development.
Europamines' Exchange Visits
Visit of Professor Marek Lorenc to the Cornish Mining World Heritage
(WHS) sites August 3-10 2006
Professor
Lorenc, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy,
Agricultural University of Wroclaw, was introduced by Europamines members
Sharron, Ainsley Cocks, Kevin Baker, and Richard Williams, to several of
the WHS areas during his week long stay, including St Agnes, Gwennap,
Camborne-Redruth, St Just, Tregonning and Gwinear and Wendron. Several
mining heritage attractions were visited: Blue Hills Tin Streaming works
at St Agnes where site owner, Colin Wills, ably demonstrated the process
of refining tin from the raw mineral to the end product - crafted items of
giftware; Geevor Tin Mine where we were given a 4 hour guided tour by Bill
Lakin, Chair of
Pendeen Community Heritage; Levant Mine with its winding engine operated
by steam; Poldark Mine, site of an C18th tin mine owned and operated by
Europamines' member, Richard Williams; King Edward Mine, which houses a
large collection of tin dressing apparatus ably described by Kevin, and
South Crofty Mine where we were shown around the workings by former miner
and mining historian, Allen Buckley. In addition an underground tour of
Cligga Mine was undertaken, a walk around Ding Dong Mine, Botallack and
Wheal Owles, Wheal Coates, St Day and Gwennap Pit, and a walk along the
Great Flat Lode Mineral Tramway's Trail with Kingsley Rickard of the
Trevithick Society, an authority on Cornish steam engineering.
Visit of Dr Sharron Schwartz to Southern Poland, 5-10th September
Prior
to the Europamines AGM at Wroclaw, Dr Schwartz was the guest of Professor
Marek Lorenc, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and
Geodesy, Agricultural University of Wroclaw, who took her to visit the
salt mines at Bochnia and Wieliczka (the latter a World Heritage Site) and the coal
mining areas of Lower Silesia. Lower Silesia has been decimated by mine
closures over the last decade and unemployment is high. There are plans to
introduce sustainable tourism initiatives to the region and one mine, the
'Julia' coal mine at Wałbrzych, is hoping to develop a mining heritage
attraction. Sharron met the current director of the venue and the former mine manager and gave her thoughts as
to the efficacy of this project.
Visit of Professor Marek Lorenc and Andrzej Winnicki to mining
heritage venues in Cornwall, Wales and England, 1-7 February 2007
Professor
Lorenc returned to Britain with Andrzej Winnicki, the last Director of the
Julia Colliery in Wałbrzych, Lower Silesia, on a fact finding mission to
see how we conserve, interpret, present and valorise our mining heritage
as they seek support to develop the Julia Colliery in Lower Silesia, into
a top tourist attraction.
The itinerary included Geevor Tin Mine,
and Botallack engine houses, Cornwall; Big Pit, Blaenavon, the National
Coal Mining Museum for Wales and UNESCO World Heritage Site; Caphouse
Colliery, Yorkshire, the National Coal Mining Museum for England; Snibston
Discovery Park, Leicestershire; Radstock Mining Museum, Somerset;
Robinson's engine at the former South Crofty Mine and King Edward Mine in
Cornwall. We were hosted way beyond anything we could have imagined and
had the opportunity to talk with the Directors and Managers at each
site. Andrzej has learnt much from his visit and will use the knowledge
he has gained to present a strong case for a major mining heritage
venue at the former Julia Colliery to the Wałbrzych
City Council in May.
LECTURES/EVENTS
16 May 2006: Powerpoint presentation to the Carn Brea Mining Society
by Dr Sharron P. Schwartz entitled: 'Cornish Mining Migration: A
Socio-Cultural Heritage.' 7.00pm Opie Building, Cornwall College, Redruth.
9th-11th June 2006:
NAMHO 2006 Conference, Llangollen, North Wales. Joint Powerpoint
presentation with the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site entitled: 'Landscapes of Industry: Cornish
Mining Heritage, a Transnational Perspective'.
10-14th September 2006: Europamines'
AGM, Wroclaw, Poland. Sharron reported on the successful bid to the
British Academy to undertake a comparative project with Bath Spa
University to examine the migration networks of Cornish and Irish miners
in the C19th Atlantic world. Sharron thanked Europamines' Cornish and
Irish members for their help in building the project which was undoubtedly
strengthened by demonstrating a mutually beneficial link between academia
and the heritage tourism industry. At the AGM Sharron was voted a Director
of Europamines Ltd., joint Webmaster and Promotions Manager.
12 October 2006: Lecture entitled, 'The Social Implications of
Mining's Boom and Bust' at the one day conference hosted by Cornwall
College: 'Yesterday's Legacy - Tomorrow's Opportunity: How to benefit from
Cornwall's World Heritage Inscription'.
31 October 2006: PowerPoint
presentation to the 3Diapora meeting at Cornwall College hosted by the
World Heritage Site Office and Kerrier District Council about the
importance of Cornish mining migration and the need to have a migration
centre at Heartlands, South Crofty.
11th-12th November 2006: the Southern
Sons of Cornwall Cornish Festival, Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia.
Sharron opened this festival as the guest
speaker and ran two lectures/workshops about Cornish mining
and migration.
16th November 2006: Illustrated lecture
on the Cornish Mining Diaspora at
Christ Church, Perth, Western Australia, as
part of the 3Diaspora Project.
3 March 2007: PowerPoint lecture about
the social implications of mining's boom and bust, to the Mining Study Day
hosted by the U3A at Callington, Cornwall.
7 March 2007: Lecture to the Irish
Studies Group at Bath Spa University entitled: 'The Migration Networks of
Cornish and Irish Hard Rock Miners in the Nineteenth Century'.
26 March 2007: Lecture to the Welsh
Institute for Social and Cultural Affairs, Bangor University, Wales,
entitled: 'Cornish Mineworkers in Latin America: Migration and
Transnational Identity'.
27-28 March 2007: Europamines'
representative at the UK Partners' meeting of the European Routes of
Industrial Heritage (ERIH) at Saltaire World Heritage Site, Yorkshire. A
PowerPoint presentation about Europamines was given by Sharron to ERIH
members.
18-20th April 2007: Europamines'
representative at the Transnational Partners' meeting of the European
Routes of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) at Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage
Site. A PowerPoint presentation about Europamines was given by Sharron to
ERIH members. |