It was a six hour working day excluding breaks. Simon Hughes usually worked a six day week. When the company needed an extra man, Simon worked on the ore crusher. On top of this he helped to maintain the pumps, pipes and associated equipment. He had to ensure all the shoring and propping of loose ground, make and fix ladders and lay rails for the tramways. His job was to repair and keep in good order all timber in the mine. He was a skilled worker and a master of several trades. He lived with Ellen, his wife, and their nine surviving children in New Brighton. Deed of Settlement – Minera Mining Company. Money was made at Minera, but much was lost. The smelter opened in 1888, but never made any money and closed within five years. They recommended opening a smelter at Minera, just up the hill from the Meadow Shaft. Minera Mining Company, Annual Report, 1887Ĭonsultants were brought in from Germany. This they have done with such success as to have reduced it to a figure below, in the case of our ores, the actual cost of production.” The Smelting Companies are, by arrangement amongst themselves, able to dictate the price of blende (zinc). “It has become indispensably necessary to consider what steps should be taken to restore the prosperity of the mine. Zinc had been a good source of profits when sales of lead were down. The South Minera Mining Company had even less success ten years of investment and only a few tons of ore to show for it. Their reports on future prospects in the mine betray an air of desperation. In 1872 the Minera Union Mining Company, which had mines to the north-east of the Meadow Shaft complex, had to ask its shareholders to bail the firm out. A fall in the price of lead or zinc could be disastrous. The 1860s were boom times, yet fortunes could change very quickly. The mines had always had their ups and downs. Sir Theodore was not the first optimist to put money into Minera. I have seen the mine’s inception, I have witnessed its days of great prosperity and I have watched its days of partial decline, but I have never lost my confidence in the good old mine.” “This mine has been a mine of great wealth, not only to those who have embarked their capital in it, but also to the working man who found employment there. Sir Theodore Martin, chairman of the Minera Mining Company, spoke to a packed election meeting: In 1885 the price of lead was at rock bottom. Ups and Downs The Good Times & the Bad Times at Minera Lead Mines The Taylors had started off with £30,000 to invest in their mining venture the profits for 1864 alone were over £60,000. The miners discovered new reserves of lead deeper underground. In 1852 lead ore was, once again, being mined at Minera. They consolidated the mining leases, put in a new drainage level from Nant Mill to get water out of the mines and invested in new engines and a new railway line. They knew Minera’s lead mines had potential. In 1845 John Taylor & Sons, mining agents from Flintshire, formed the Minera Mining Company. When problems with the pumps and disputes over paying for the engines led to the pumping stopping, the mines once again closed. They found out and Wilkinson had to pay up. Unfortunately, Wilkinson did not tell Boulton & Watt about his pirated copies of their steam engines. Wilkinson’s steam engines were the best yet at keeping the mines free of water. The man with the solution in the late 18th century was John Wilkinson, entrepreneur and the brains behind Bersham Ironworks. John Wilkinson, entrepreneur and inventor. Look out for brown signs marked Pyllau Plwm Lead Mines. At Coedpoeth, opposite the Five Crosses Pub take B5426 (Minera Hall Road) signposted Minera and follow this road for just over one mile until you reach the site entrance and car park on the right. Leave A483 taking A525 signposted Ruthin. Riders & cyclists can use the path along the old railway line. The dramatic Minera Mountain adjoins the park to add even further interest for dedicated walkers.Ī picnic site with scenic views over the valley makes for a great afternoon at Minera Lead Mines and Country Park. From the top of the Beam Engine House there are fine views of the site and surrounding countryside.Ĭovering 53 acres of grassland, wooded areas and archaeological sites Minera boasts a great variety of wildlife and endless opportunities to explore in peace and tranquillity. Visitors to the museum can explore the remains of the lead processing areas from the 18th and 19th centuries and the restored beam engine house, winding engine and boiler houses. Enjoy a picnic or take a walk along the old railway line and explore Minera Lead Mines Country Park. Situated at the head of the valley, Minera is a great starting point for the Clywedog Trail or for accessing the beautiful countryside of Minera Mountain. Visit Minera Lead Mines and Country Park for a fascinating glimpse into the industrial past of the beautiful Clywedog Valley.
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