Under the lottery funding rules as we have see them, if the project fails someone might have to replay the funds which came from the lottery ......

Perhaps it was a case of the right money invested in the wrong mine ;D

How much would it have cost to keep Crofty on C&M post 1998 closure?

I'll do some calcs ... :smartass:

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quite agree with drillbilly when he says that even the locals are not interested in theie history. You will be surprised, or maybe not, how many locals who live in Pool do not know that East Pool Mine exists. The number of times I have heard "did not know you were here" said. One local lady even saying that "she did not understand why they built a mine alongside a supermarket! Classic statement. (For those who do not bknow the area Morrrisons supermarket car park is also used by East Pool Mine for visitors. 😮 😮 😮

What is utterly incredible is a plan showing how little building actually existed in the heyday of East Pool Mine. My first question was "Where did the staff live?"

There is a fair degree of ignorance, however, there is also a glimmer of hope. I was doing some supply science teaching at Tavistock Secondary School and had to do the "Rocks" module. (I think they were about 14). They picked the right bloke to do it. Rocks is regarded by staff as being a ball-ache and boring and I struck gold. I had a load of photos of Crowndale underground and some of my stuff, I bought my safety lamp in and showed the kids how it worked. What happened the following lesson as amazing. I had students bringing in old share certificates, mineral samples, old plans, photos and all sorts of stuff. They were all really interested. I had a few of them back for lunchtime later in my stint and ran through some of JH Collins Mineralogy and pointed them in the right direction to look for samples and to find out more.

There aren't many times you get that sort of a rapport. Sadly, many of the staff in Cornwall's schools are not from around here, haven't got a bloody clue and if they do "rocks are boring, mines cause pollution" let alone have a working knowledge of the subject matter and the scope of what field work could inform.

I did supply in about 30 schools all over Cornwall and S Devon and it really did leave me despairing over the quality and capability of some of the staff. As long as they tick box and everyone gets lots of A*-Cs, I'm sure no-one will notice.

If you teach, you have a responsibility to fit your material into the local context and specifically with anything to do with mining, geology or mineralogy and some chemistry, Cornwall is one of the world's best field locations. To fail to get that across is one thing, to be ignorant of it, another.

What is utterly incredible is a plan showing how little building actually existed in the heyday of East Pool Mine. My first question was "Where did the staff live?"

There is a fair degree of ignorance, however, there is also a glimmer of hope. I was doing some supply science teaching at Tavistock Secondary School and had to do the "Rocks" module. (I think they were about 14). They picked the right bloke to do it. Rocks is regarded by staff as being a ball-ache and boring and I struck gold. I had a load of photos of Crowndale underground and some of my stuff, I bought my safety lamp in and showed the kids how it worked. What happened the following lesson as amazing. I had students bringing in old share certificates, mineral samples, old plans, photos and all sorts of stuff. They were all really interested. I had a few of them back for lunchtime later in my stint and ran through some of JH Collins Mineralogy and pointed them in the right direction to look for samples and to find out more.

There aren't many times you get that sort of a rapport. Sadly, many of the staff in Cornwall's schools are not from around here, haven't got a bloody clue and if they do "rocks are boring, mines cause pollution" let alone have a working knowledge of the subject matter and the scope of what field work could inform.

I did supply in about 30 schools all over Cornwall and S Devon and it really did leave me despairing over the quality and capability of some of the staff. As long as they tick box and everyone gets lots of A*-Cs, I'm sure no-one will notice.

If you teach, you have a responsibility to fit your material into the local context and specifically with anything to do with mining, geology or mineralogy and some chemistry, Cornwall is one of the world's best field locations. To fail to get that across is one thing, to be ignorant of it, another.

In my day job I deal with a lot of schools from across Devon & Cornwall. I am amazed how little understanding of mining there is. If the kids have been taught anything about mining they have been taught about coal.

Following on the ignorance subject. I was at my grandchildrens primary/junior school, putting some details together for a talk, including photographs, and they were enlarging the photos for me when one teacher asked who the photograph of two women were and what was the funny looking bonnets they were wearing. When I told her, she asked what a "Bal Maiden" was. No she was not an out of county teacher but born and bred in Hayle! So Cornish through and through. Does make you wonder! :curse:

The staff haven't got a clue. Geologists are very thin on the ground. On my travels, I have not met a single one, apart from a chap I trained with and he was an extrusive igneous rocks man.

It's all well and good studying WWII but really, I think that grasping the concepts involved and the bigger picture is better suited to A' Level. Local history should figure as a cornerstone "making sense of the stuff in my back yard" in education. I gather it is touched on in primary school, but the students are too young to grasp the concepts involved.

Ideally, if the staff had a good appreciation of their area in the context of their subject, they would be able to call on it as a resource in many ways, including field trips and a way in to other concepts.

It is a responsibility (not in the contract, hence not done) for people to be able to relate their subject in the best manner they can in the context of their local area....particularly history and science. Half the fun of it is being able to apply what you have learned elsewhere whilst you're out.

It's probably about time this went back to Heartlands.

Back to that, looking at the various displays and chatting to the various people, I think they have made a half good attempt. As my good chum noted, the projectors need to be recalibrated.

Shoot me for using "concepts and context" too much. I automatically slip back into bull$hit bingo staffroom style.

In my day job I deal with a lot of schools from across Devon & Cornwall. I am amazed how little understanding of mining there is. If the kids have been taught anything about mining they have been taught about coal.

I suspect that Cornwall is far from alone there. I was at school in Cleveland in the 1980s and you can probably guess how much we were told about mining in the area. I'd doubt that much has changed despite the opening of museums, popular DVDs etc...

I suspect that Cornwall is far from alone there. I was at school in Cleveland in the 1980s and you can probably guess how much we were told about mining in the area. I'd doubt that much has changed despite the opening of museums, popular DVDs etc...

Local ironstone mining - zip.
Medieval crop rotation - naturally :lol:

There wasn't much wrong with the subjects taught (crop rotation actually interesting & massively vital) rather it was the things that were missing that was the problem.

Even if all us mining enthusiasts had had our way and had a fully restored Robinson's engine house pumping under coal fire steam boilers, the place would have still been deserted in the winter months.
The playground attracts people and to some extent the café, but little craft shops only have a limited appeal. They seem to want people to go there and spend money - a nice place to sit around and walk around isn't going to pay the bills. Bring in Free or lower cost parking and more specialist shops(Caving supplies 😉 ?), doctor and dentists and maybe a pub. Set up a more permanent venue for local music? Put in a proper path to Pool market and Tesco's.
..and when Robinsons has been pumped out arrange visits underground (with permission from mineral rights owners)??

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If it's any consolation to the detractors, I was there at the beginning of the summer holidays, having visited the Neolitic Tor enclosure, at Carn Brea, we came came down to see the pit head gear up close, there was no one there. If museums were to be developed rather than heritage centers, they might pull more people in. Cafés , artists studio spaces. It isnt what I would want to see. It didn't inform about our industrial history or archaeology. They could get the beam engine working. Like the science museum used to do. But no! disappointing.

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The BIG BIG problem is that museums have to be staffed, this costs money. If you want the facility open seven days a week then it is a lot of money!
Buildings and equipment cost lots as well.

Since councils now don't have any money, museums are very low on the list.

Some try to run things with volunteers but that is also hard work these days.

That's the problem isn't it. Museums are about services for ordinary people, to educate, to conserve and curate the past. . Heritage is corporate nonsense about making our past make it's own money. Which Heartlands obviously won't. Everyone was at the beach! We need a change to reverse the insidious process.

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Heartlands was merely the lefties getting in the way of a massive development. They couldn't just do it without ticking the "community box". It's probably something to do with the EU funding.

When heartlands fails....if it fails, it will be turned into something profitable....

I'd say MIDAS were doing quite well out of the whole EU gravy train RDA whatever they are buying-people-with-their-own-money gravytrain.

It is obscene. My other half runs a firm and has done very well out of it. There is free money if you are prepared to tick box and talk the talk. It's where you get a couple of hundred grand, if you've got a couple of hundred grand.

I went into a "Mining museum" recently which I found dissapointing.
It had recently been "improved"
They had spent half their budget on a disabled lift to access the upper floor. When you got there the cinema was showing a clip from a BBC program, nothing new or specially made.
The displays were based on electronic terminals which I could not be bothered with. (Obviously visitors now can not walk round and read a card in a display, they need an actor on computer reading the words.)
Already some of the terminals were not working fully.

Just my opinion and I know I am an old grumpy git! :smartass:

Every time I drive past Wastelands, sorry...Heartlands, the place looks deserted. We have had a really good run of decent weather just recently and I think that will probably be adding to the lack of victims, sorry...visitors to the site; Portreath beach was packed as I drove through the village on Monday.
Free admission and a vital organ to pay for parking. :guns:

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Trying to be positive there have been some good events at Heartlands recently and in the past, many of which are free. It is a good venue for medium size music gigs and perhaps they can capitalise on that. I was impressed by the WW2 day + spitfire and also plan to see the model railway exhibition coming up this weekend (all free).

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Whilst we're here. We know that NCK headgear is looking spiffing it it's new coating, we also know that the mine is going to be worked by the decline. ( :lol: )

When's the Linden/Midas development going to start and what's it going to be?

Another Hallenbeagle/Wheal Harmony Ind Est?

More breeding boxes?

Community feature, perhaps a polish food shop?