I'm also new to this site, wanted to add something about Wheal Florence, after which we perhaps unwisely renamed our 1930's bungalow when we saw it nearby on the deeds but I've seen Speedwell Mine nearby on my 1876 OS 6" map. You may know that it is now, at least since about 1910 part of the Prussia Cove Estate, all of the cottages etc are holiday lets. see their web site. I know something of the recent history of the site, the estate is owned by the Tunstall-Behrens family, now run by Peter T-B, previsouly by his late father, Mike. Before we had mains water here (which wasn't long ago) one of the shafts was the water supply for the estate, it had an american style steel windmill as a pump and tanks, all still there but much corroded, windmill fallen over. But the story is and I've had it from various sources, and it sounds like him, that the filter at the bottom used to bung up and Mike (even into his 60's) got a pal with a tractor to lower him down on a rope to unbung it! Mike was a french horn player (brother to Hilary, violinist who started IMS see Wikipedia) and used a horn to signal his pal to lower him or the torch, trouble was his pal always confused the signals, with Mike up to his neck in the water! There are no mine buildings left, even if there were any, this shaft is covered by railway sleepers, the others are open behind new stock fencing cos dogs are regualarly lost down these shafts although on private land. The mine is down Higher Kenneggy off the A394 east of Rosudgeon, the lane south, towards the coast becomes a farm track and ends at the gate to Andiggey, a path continues to the coast path and Kennegy Cove where later mine workings can be seen from the beach at low tide. the track to Andiggy (another remote holiday let) is called Polly's Lane and is private, the mine workings, at least the shafts can be seen as the track drops down to Andiggy. Your ancestors may have only put up a fraction of the mine which they might have made or lost money on, the miners worked usually on a promise which is why they farmed and fished and smuggled (see website) the only ones who often made money were the suppliers like harveys who supplied materials, bought them back for a fraction when the mine went bust and sold them to the next mine!dave43