The Mines of Redruth - East Wheal Tolgus

OS Explorer Map 104: Grid reference SW694426

View Larger Map

East Wheal Tolgus is a large sett situated about half a mile to the north of Redruth. Otherwise known as Redruth Consols and Wheal Alice, the mine was bounded by Wheal Louise to the east and Wheals Montague and Harmony (Treleigh Wood) to the north, South Wheal Tolgus and Great South Tolgus Mine to the west, Wheal Union to the southwest and Pednandrea Mine sett to the southeast. East of the stream, its southern boundary followed the road at Plain-an-Gwarry.

The mine is thought to have commenced working in about 1847 extracting ore from Main Lode via Engine Shaft and Caunter Lode. Other shafts on the sett included Williams' Adit Shaft and Boundary Shaft. The mine was managed by Joseph Jewell between 1859 and 1865 with Chief Agents Anthony Bray (1861-63), John Taylor & Sons (1864) and Anthony Bray once more in 1865, Secretary (Purser) during this time was J. P. Bennets 1859-61 and 1864-65. Production figures for East Wheal Tolgus are as follows: 1857-1863 17,140 tons of 7.25% copper ore, 57 tons of black tin, 11 tons of zinc ore and 47 tons of pyrite.

Thomas Spargo writes in his report of 1865 entitled 'Statistics and Observations on the Mines of Cornwall and Devon' that East Wheal Tolgus '... in Redruth, in 256 shares. Pursers, Messrs. John Taylor and Sons, represented by Mr. J. P. Bennetts, Falmouth. Manager, Captain Joseph Jewell, Redruth. Landowners, Messrs. Chadwick, Garden, and Michell. Dues, 1-16th. Depth of adit, 22 fathoms ; depth below adit, 82 fathoms, but present workings not under 34-fathom level. Rocks, clay-slate and 2 elvan-courses. 21 men, 1 female, and 5 boys employed. Pumping-engine, 30-inch. Stamping and winding-engine, 22-inch. Mineral sold in 1864, nil.
Sixteen years' trial has been given to this mine without success, and from the very limited scale of the present operations, it is very doubtful if any success will follow. The district is good'.

For more information on production dates and so on please see Roger Burt's excellent book Cornish Mines: Metalliferous and Associated Minerals, 1845-1913 (Mineral Statistics of the United Kingdom, 1845-1913).

For those of you with possibly a little more time to explore, once you've done 'the tourist bit', why not explore Cornwall's industrial heritage through its Tin and Copper Mines or learn more from my Cornish Bookstore