Middleton Tyas – NZ 236055
George Tissington came to Middleton Tyas, from Derbyshire, in the 1740’s. At first, he worked Richard Shuttleworth’s mines, but in 1750 he leased the Glebe copper mines, which were soon troubled by water. By leasing Kirk Bank Pasture in 1753, however, he was able to build an atmospheric pumping engine to drain the workings.
In April 1753, Tissington built a smelt mill at a cost of £500. Its location is in doubt, however. Hornshaw gives evidence that it was part of the complex in Kirk Bank Pasture, but warns that this area was not leased from Peacock until August that year. Tissington’s mill had a reverberatory furnace. He used this to smelt the ore and make regulus, which he then sold on to be refined into copper.
Further information and references can be found in:
- Gill, M.C. Yorkshire Smelting Mills Part 1, Northern Mine Research Society Memoirs 1992, British Mining No 45, pp 111-150
