Cannock Chase, 1863 (photo) · AditNow Community

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Peter Burgess
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

15 years ago

This is the oldest photo in the BGS collection, from 1863. I cannot be sure it is in the right archive record - there are no details for the mine I chose and I have no idea if it was working in the 1860s.

The question is, what are the two colliers doing in this photo?

Photograph:

🔗Cannock-Chase-1-3-7-8-Coal-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45044[linkphoto]Cannock-Chase-1-3-7-8-Coal-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45044[/linkphoto][/link]

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Mr.C
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

Well, as you know, firedamp is lighter than air & so gathers near the roof. The collier on the right is holding a hosepipe in the firedamp, so it will drain away into the bucket. The collier on the left will then take it & empty it safely outside.
Easy!

We inhabit an island made of coal, surrounded by a sea full of fish. How can we go wrong.......

Peter Burgess
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

15 years ago

Could this photo really be that old?

Mr.C
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

Not sure, my first thought was that the FSL was too modern - c1900ish?
Second thoughts, it could be 1860s.
At first I thought it was a bonneted lamp but a more carefull look & it looks like an unbonneted Clanny & these were around in the 1850 I believe.
Does look rather a good pic for 1860s though.

We inhabit an island made of coal, surrounded by a sea full of fish. How can we go wrong.......

Graigfawr
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

The first underground, artificially lit photographs were taken in the Paris Catacombs in December 1861. The first underground, artificially lit photographs taken in the UK appear to have been taken in January 1865 in Blue John Caverns. (ref: C.Howes 'To Photograph Darkness: the history of underground and flash photography' (Gloucester: Alan Sutton, 1989), esp. pp.9-12 and 31-34.

In view of the above, together with the good quality of this image, the date stated for it is questionable.

Peter Burgess
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

15 years ago

Here are two more from 1891:

🔗Cannock-Chase-1-3-7-8-Coal-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45069[linkphoto]Cannock-Chase-1-3-7-8-Coal-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45069[/linkphoto][/link]

🔗Cannock-Chase-1-3-7-8-Coal-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45070[linkphoto]Cannock-Chase-1-3-7-8-Coal-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-45070[/linkphoto][/link]

Different photographer - same caption. I wonder if there was a labelling error?

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

Pumping something from a bucket into a hole, why I know not. 😉