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Wheal Martyn

Wheal Martyn Trust was established as a charity in 1975 by the producers of china clay in Cornwall to preserve and record the history of the west country china clay industry. The site is situated alongside the St. Austell river in a valley which contained several china clay works, including the Gomm Works and Wheal Martyn Works which today form the museum.

The photographs in this gallery were taken in the early days of the museum between 1982 and 1990.

The Wheal Martyn museum site incorporates two former china clay works – the Gomm Works and Wheal Martyn Works. The Gomm Works were leased by the Martyn Brothers from the Mount Edgcumbe Estate in about 1878 and were worked until the 1920s. The Wheal Martyn china clay works began working much earlier, in the 1820s. They were started by Elias Martyn on the Carthew Estate, and bought by his father Richard in 1790. Elias became one of the major clay producers in Cornwall. In the 1840s he operated 5 pits and by 1869 was producing 2000 tons of clay a year at Wheal Martyn. After Elias’ death in 1872 the family kept the land at Carthew but his son Richard Uriah Martyn closed down or leased the works to other operators. In the 1880s John Lovering took on the lease at Wheal Martyn. Wheal Martyn pit worked until the effects of poor trade forced its closure in 1931. The Dry continued to operate until 1969, working lower grade clay from pits further up the valley. Wheal Martyn Pit reopened in 1971 and is today operated by Imerys Minerals Ltd.
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  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The Pan Kiln and linney which comprises the main building of the museum complex .

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The 35ft waterwheel and balance bob .

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    This is the reconstruction of the bottom of the sky tip incline where waste material was loaded into a wago which was hauled up to one of the conical sky tips which were once a common site in china clay country but which were phased out following the Aberfan Disaster in Wales.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    A selection of monitors which are used in the china clay pits for hydraulic mining of the soft kaolin material.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The 18ft waterwheel with balance bob and flat rod system used to drive the slurry pump.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The 18ft waterwheel with balance bob and flat rod system used to drive the slurry pump.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The 18ft waterwheel with balance bob and flat rod system used to drive the slurry pump.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The slurry pump which is powered by the 18ft waterwheel used to pump the china clay slurry to the settling pits.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The slurry pump which is powered by the 18ft waterwheel used to pump the china clay slurry to the settling pits.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The small waterwheel located in the Bluing House.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    The Sand and Mica drags used to separate the impurities from the china clay.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Bluing House (left) and settling ponds

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Settling ponds with slurry pump in the background right

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Settling ponds, sand and mica drags beyond.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Pan kiln and settling pit

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    interior of the pan kiln showing the traversing bridge used to bring the narrow gauge rail wagons loaded with clay into the kiln.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    A selection of narrow gauge railway clay wagons on display outside of the pan kiln.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Hand crane and Peerless lorry.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Peerless lorry, static hand crane and a horse drawn waggon used at the clay works.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Lee Moor Tramway number 1 - built to the unusual gauge of 4ft 6in - sometimes referred to as the Dartmoor Standard Gauge alongside JUDY the diminutive Bagnall of 1937. Since this photograph was taken JUDY was passed to the care of the Cornish Steam Locomotive Preservation Society at Bodmin General Station where she was restored to working order in 2009. The CSLPS already had her brother ALFRED preserved.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - May 27, 1990

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - May 27, 1990

    Lee Moor Tramway number 1 - built to the unusual gauge of 4ft 6in - sometimes referred to as the Dartmoor Standard Gauge. She had been partially repainted by 1990.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - May 27, 1990

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - May 27, 1990

    JUDY had been given a repainted in plain livery by 1990 with her Port of Par letting removed.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Crib hut where the clay workers would get their refreshments - rather like the cabans to be found at Welsh slate quarries.

  • Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, Carthew, Cornwall - August 22, 1982

    CCE0028

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