Women
and children were probably working at or in the mines in Devon
and Cornwall from the days of antiquity, but the earliest written
records date from the Middle Ages. From this time, at least, it
seems that women and girls did not work below ground, but usually
dressed ore at surface. They were employed in particularly large
numbers from about 1770 until 1860. From then their numbers declined;
the last being laid off in the early 1920’s. They were employed
throughout the mining industry; at tin, copper, lead, manganese,
uranium, antimony, arsenic and zinc mines, as well as at the clay
works and smelters. In Cornwall and West Devon they were often
referred to as ‘Bal
Maidens’ (the word Bal being ancient Cornish for mining
place).
Ore
dressing was by no means the only task that females undertook at
the mines in the South West. On most mines there was also at least
one ‘counthouse woman’ who was responsible for the cleaning,
cooking and laundry at the mine counthouse (office). There were
also some female waggoners, assayers assistants, whim horse attendants
and even one ‘kibble’ (ore bucket) lander. In the mid
19th century a few even became mine or clay works managers. Some
women also took over ‘mens’ jobs’ at the clay
works in World War 1.
Women
and girls were also employed in the gunpowder mills, safety fuse
works and dynamite factories. They often constituted the majority
of the workforce, and were at continual risk, as is evidenced by
the high proportion of females amongst the accident and fatality
statistics.
By
1800, there were 2,000 or more females employed in the Cornish mines,
and at least 6,000 by 1851. Between 1720 and 1920, there were probably
more than 80,000 females working in all of the mine related industries
in Devon and Cornwall, 24,159 of whom are recorded in our searchable
database (Last updated 17th
April 2008).
For
further information please see the following:
Searchable
Database for named Bal Maidens and other women in the
related mining industries in Cornwall and Devon (24,159 entries)
A
Dangerous Place to Work! by
Lynne Mayers - 108 page
paperback. £7.95.
This
book tells the story of the employment of women and children
right across the mining industries of Devon and Cornwall,
up until the second half of the 20th century. It
includes their work at the mines, clay works, slate quarries,
foundries, smelters, and gunpowder and explosives works.ggffhff
Available
now from www.lulu.com
Methods
of Tin and Copper Dressing in Cornwall,
by James Henderson 1858, transcribed by Lynne Mayers 2006. 29
page A4 staple paperback booklet transcribed from the Proceedings
of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1858, with all the original
Henderson drawings computer enhanced. To purchase, please go
the Books and Articles page.
£3.75 inc UK postage.
