South Wheal Frances

Buildings around Marriots Shaft, South Wheal Frances © Copyright Tony Atkin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Basset and South Frances Mines worked the Great Flat Lode near Carnkie, to the south of Carn Brea. They produced considerable tonnages of copper until the mid 1870s, but from the 1860s tin kept them working until the end of 1895.

A limited company, floated in February 1896, worked the combined setts from Lyle's Shaft in the east, and Marriott's Shaft, which was to have new pumping and winding engines, in the west. The former was an inverted compound engine, built by Hathorn Davey & Co., of Leeds. Unlike most Cornish pumping engines, it had two cylinders (high and low pressure) and the bob was in a pit underneath them. The house was large enough for a second engine to be added.

In common with other mines, World War I was a disaster for the Basset mines. Many of its miners left to join the forces; there was a shortage of horses, used for haulage; finance was restricted and materials costs were high - especially for coal and timber. Faced with rising losses, the pumps were stopped in December 1919 and materials were withdrawn as the mine flooded.

Further reading:

• Palmer, M. & Neaverson, P. (1987) The Basset Mines: Their History & Industrial Archaeology, British Mining No.32