Delabole Slate Quarrry · AditNow Community

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carnkie
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

I have added the above to the data base because I was slightly surprised it wasn't there. I have no personal pics. but some can be found at;

http://www.tintagelweb.co.uk/Delabole%20Slate.htm
The Google sat pic is quite good.

Malcolm

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

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simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

17 years ago

Thanks Malcolm, that's a fantastically detailed description you've added there :thumbsup:

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

I've got a booklet somewhere on Delabole's great fall that occurred in the 19th century. I'll add the reference when I find it. There's also a photo of a Hunter saw at Delabole made by deWinton's in Griff's book on Hafodlas.

I think I've got a map as well, I'll have a look.

Graham

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

grahami
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Further to my last email. There is a booklet entitled "Catastrophe at Delabole" by Sylvia J Porter.
53pp Photographic cover. Some old photographs and various line illustrations including maps. ISBN 0 9531095 0 X

Tells the story of the Slate Quarry and centers on the 1869 collapse:

"At around 5pm on the 21st April 1869, George Wallis saw a crack in the ground near the poppet head where he worked and ran to tell Captain Moore. Cracks in the quarry could last for years. Others said so in the investigation following the death of fifteen people who were beneath or on the poppet head as it fell. George Wallis felt a great responsibility and tortured himself remorselessly. AMongst those killed was his 20 year old daughter *****. It would be four years before her remains were found."

Grahami

The map is the territory - especially in chain scale.

Gwyn
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Many moons ago, when buying stone, I chose some blocks of granite which were rather black and white unlike the bulk of the load which was the typical pinks, blues and greys. The yard manager informed me that these were reclaimed but had originated in Delabole. Is there, or was there, a granite quarry at Delabole.. or has my leg been pulled again?!

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

I don't know if this relevent, but I have a sample of granite that is grey/white with black speckles. This is from the Perryvale quarry on Dartmoor (now closed). I know it is from there because I was given it when I visited it while it was still in production.

carnkie
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

As far as I'm aware there never was a granite quarry there but that doesn't mean to say that granite wasn't present so it could be right. There is quite an interesting description written in 1865 by John Turner at:

http://cornovia.org.uk/htexts/turner01.html

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

Gwyn
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Thank you for that. I thought that I may have retained a bit of the rock in question... but no! It had a large crystal size and was decidedly black and white, almost "hound's tooth" to look at. It didn't work/cut at all well but that may have been because it was dry/sear stone. If memory serves, it ended up as packing. I'll put it down as an unidentified biotitic (even pegmatitic) granite of unknown origin and take what T. tells me with an even larger pinch of salt next time! Thanks!
😞

carnkie
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

I think the nearest granite quarry would be De Lank, south of Delabole.

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.