The Colliery photographs of John Cornwell
John Cornwell was a freelance photographer who took many photographs of collieries, mostly in south Wales and the English Midlands, both underground and on the surface, during the 1970s and early 1980s. He perfected a method of underground photography using the standard colliery lighting and was able to photograph coal faces, roadways, shafts and equipment with amazing clarity. In addition to photographing working mines he also recorded abandoned mine workings, above and below ground.
John Cornwell was also well respected in the broader field of industrial archaeology. He published a number of books on Welsh and English collieries.
The copyright of his south Wales images is now owned by National Museum Wales.
Comments - (69)
Dear Lewis Powell
I’m afraid that we only collect images of Welsh collieries, it might be worth contacting the National Coal Mining Museum for England, Caphouse Colliery, Wakefield to see what they have in their collections.
Best wishes
Ceri Thompson, Curator, Big Pit: National Coal Museum
Dear Mr Wray
I don’t think that the compensation was for the same accident.
Another John Lewis was killed on 16th January 1903 under a fall of coal at Castle Pit which was owned by the Plymouth Company. The compensation probably refers to this incident.
If I can be of any further help, please let me know.
Best wishes
Ceri
There was an inquest during which it was stated that he was working at the Clynmill Coal Level belonging to the Plymouth Company.
On 3 April 1903 an Ann Lewis (John's widow was named, Ann) and her children received a compensation award of £300 from Messrs Crawshay Brothers Cynfarthfa Ltd following the death of her husband.
I'd be grateful for your observations, please, about 1) whether this payment was for John's accident (I can't tie Clynmill to the Crawshays) and 2) in exactly which colliery did the accident occur. An OS map dated shows the Clyn mil Pits levels 1 and 2 being disused.
I started at Bargoed Pit and moved on from there to Anderson Mavor (Anderson Boyes eventually Anderson Strathclyde)
Ystrad Mynach College gave me the education I needed for my career.
Now retired with 45 years in coal mines.