RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
Dear friends,

I’m studying a master degree in Archaeological Patrimony at University of Huelva (Spain) and I’m doing "the final master degree Project” about the roman mines of Sotiel Coronada (Huelva, Spain).

I write you because I´m looking for any information about a “bronze plaque” that was found in the mines of Sotiel Coronada in 1920 by the United Alkali Company. This bronze had informatión about the rules of the mine and was taken to England. Currently, this plaque is lost.

I would be grateful, if you could help me with this problem with any photo, drawn, information... or if you could tell me whom I can contact.

Thanks so much for your time and sorry for my horrible English.

Best regards.

Rubén.
Graigfawr
12 years ago
Such a find would have either remained with the company and its successors (United Alkali Co merged into Imperial Chemical Industries in 1926) until donated to a museum, or may have remained with a senior company employee and may still be in private hands.

The patterns of company donations to museums can be haphazard and diffiult to predict. As the United Alkali Company had works in Liverpool, St.Helen's, Warrington, Glasgow, Widnes, Runcorn and Newcastle upon Tyne, the plaque might possibly have been donated to any of the municipal museums in these towns. After the merger into ICI the possibilites become more complex for whilst some objects such as this find might have been sent to the London headquarters and hence have been later donated to a London-based musuem, it might equally well have remained in one of the provinical offices listed above and been donated to a museum from there.

When works close, it often happens that interesting objects are appriopriated by employees. Objects such as this plaque might be retained by a manager or some other senior employee. If that person ultimately donated the object to a museum it might be at a location he retired to - which could be almost anywhere in the UK.

Vol.1 of W.J.Reader's "History of I.C.I" provides the fullest history of the United Alkali Co and hence might be a useful starting point to identify locations of works and hence possible museums the plaque migth have been donated to.
staffordshirechina
12 years ago
Hi Ruben,

Back in 1981 a group of us from the UK were involved in underground exploration of Roman mines at Rio Tinto.
This work was a joint effort between the British Museum and (I think) the University of Tel Aviv, Israel.
The British Museum contact was Paul Craddock. He has extensive knowledge of early mining in various parts of Spain and would be an obvious reference point to start with.

Les
AR
  • AR
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
12 years ago
This does sound familiar to me and I've got a vague recollection of the plaque and its rules being mentioned in an article in either the PDMHS Bulletin or an old NMRS journal. I'll see if I can find that and see what it says about the plaque.
Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!
Roy Morton
12 years ago
I would try Liverpool museum first of all, it being the largest in the region close to St Helens, Warrington, Widnes and Runcorn. These towns are all satellites to the city of Liverpool, and with an office in Liverpool too it seems a good starting point.
I wish you all the best in your studies, and if you should strike lucky in your search, please could you upload a picture for the forum and database. :flowers:
"You Chinese think of everything!"
"But I''m not Chinese!"
"Then you must have forgotten something!"
RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
Thank so much for the information. I asked at the Liverpool museum but they have a romam pump of water of these mines and they don't know this plaque.

christwigg
12 years ago
I tried a search of the British Newspaper Archive for you, but there was only one hit from the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser - Saturday 23 March 1907

Doesn't mention the plaque sadly, but may be of interest to you.

[photo]Personal-Album-859-Image-90009[/photo]
AR
  • AR
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
12 years ago
RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
Thank so much for the article christwigg, it's very insteresting. Unfortunately the plaque are of Aljustrel (Portugal), but thanks you for your time.

I'm waiting for reply about this plaque of British Museum, Glasgow Museum & University and Newcastle Museum & University.

This is a difficult job for me 😞
davetidza
12 years ago
Paul Craddock is indeed the man to search out. I know that he has retired from the British Museum, so you may well have to do some searching to find him.
AR
  • AR
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
12 years ago
One other thing I'd suggest is see what this book (http://books.google.ca/books/about/Roman_mines_in_Europe.html?id=J8wke1x9vG8C) says about Sotiel Coronada and in particular what other books and journal articles are referenced as his sources of material. One of these might give you more detail of the plaque, information on where it went to, or further references for you to try. I know it's not likely to be easy, but persistence may locate what you are looking for - good luck!
Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!
RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
Thank so much again for all the information. Today I know that this plaque isn't in Liverpool and London
RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
I just wrote one email to Paul Craddock, thank so much for the information Graigfawr.
christwigg
12 years ago
Its not in Teesside either (where we had a large ICI presence at Wilton between about 1955 and 1995)

I asked the curator of the local museum and he had never heard anything about it being here.
RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
Thank you christwigg
RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
The british man at the mines of Sotiel Coronada were:

* John Brock
* E.K. Muspratt
* Eustace Carey
* J.H. Creswell

Is it possible to contact a heir?

RTCompany
  • RTCompany
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
12 years ago
Dear friends,

I just read that some roman pieces of Sotiel Coroada was deposited in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford :thumbsup:

Disclaimer: Mine exploring can be quite dangerous, but then again it can be alright, it all depends on the weather. Please read the proper disclaimer.
© 2005 to 2023 AditNow.co.uk

Dedicated to the memory of Freda Lowe, who believed this was worth saving...