INDUSTRIES 



The foundry was a very small one, never 

 employing more than ten persons. It was closed 

 in 1904. It was worked for a short time by 

 Redruth Foundry Company. 



Several foundries have been established at 

 Redruth, all on a comparatively small scale, the 

 most important being that originated by the late 

 Mr. G. H. Prout about the year 1875. It was 

 carried on for some years in a small way as a 

 private concern. By enterprise and ability Mr. 

 Prout developed the concern to such an extent 

 that after about a dozen years it became neces- 

 sary to introduce additional capital. Friends 

 joined the founder and formed a limited com- 

 pany, further development of the business 

 resulting. Owing, however, to shortage of 

 money and depression in mining the company 

 became insolvent, and was wound up in the year 

 1899. 



The present company the Redruth Foundry 

 Company, Limited, of which Captain Joseph 

 Pryor, M.I.M.E., C.E., is the managing direc- 

 tor, purchased the works as a going concern. 

 With ample capital and the infusion of good 

 business ability and energy, the company have 

 been very successful, and now employ nearly I oo 

 persons. 



The machinery is driven by electricity. All 

 kinds of mining machinery are made ; a speciality 

 is the patent Automatic Feed Amalgamator or 

 Pulverizer for crushing gold, tin, etc. The 

 company also do a good business with their 

 well-known Cornish Cooking Ranges ; they also 

 build carriages. 



For a short period the company worked the 

 St. Agnes Foundry as a branch. 



Messrs. R. Stephens and Son's Works at Carn 

 Brea are almost exclusively devoted to the manu- 

 facture of rock drills. Their ' Climax ' drill has 

 achieved a high reputation in the mining world. 

 The works were originated in the year 1880 by 

 the late Mr. Richard Stephens, the father of the 

 present proprietor, Mr. W. C. Stephens. They 

 were laid down on a somewhat small scale for 

 the manufacture of rock drills, which has been 

 steadily followed to the present time. The 

 development of the works has been gradual, 

 necessitating from time to time the acquisition 

 and laying-down of additional and up-to-date 

 plant. The number of employes has increased 

 from less than a dozen in the early stages of the 

 works to nearly 200. 



Having concentrated their thoughts and ener- 

 gies on the design and production of rock drills, 

 the firm may claim to be specialists for these 

 machines. Enormous numbers of their drills 

 have been supplied to the South African, Indian, 

 Australian, and other markets, where they are as 

 familiar as in the Cornish mines, and where the 

 firm claim to have attained record boring results. 

 Latest improvements in their drills are the 

 patent Climax Dust Allayer and the patent 

 Simplex Tool-holder. The firm attach the 



utmost importance to the Dust Allayer as a 

 preventive of miners' phthisis. 



About the year 1854 Mr. John Jewell and 

 a Mr. Hosken erected a small foundry at Basset 

 Wharf, Tarrandean, in the parish of Perranar- 

 worthal. Employment was afforded for about 

 ten or a dozen persons who were engaged on 

 general mine repairs. With the closing of the 

 local mines this work fell off. It was then con- 

 verted into a bone-crushing mill, but was closed 

 without actually being set to work as such. 

 Mr. Jewell died about the year 1887-1888. 



In November, 1893, Mr. Walter Visick of 

 the same parish, an enterprising mechanic and 

 engineer, acquired the property from Mr. Basset 

 of Tehidy, and began operations under the name 

 of W. Visick and Sons. Beginning in a very 

 small way, a good business has been developed, 

 and employment is now given to about thirty 

 persons. The usual work is hand and steam 

 derrick and other cranes, steam winches for 

 ships, steam blondins or aerial railways, motor 

 work, railway and other contractors' plant, loco- 

 motive and traction repairs. 



A small foundry was established at Saltash in 

 the year 1877 by Messrs. Loam and Son for 

 making rock drills, and was worked for thirteen 

 years, being closed in 1890 in consequence of 

 the expiration of the patent and the unremunera- 

 tive nature of the business. 



In the Parochial History of the County of 

 Cornwall, vol. iv, published by William Lake, 

 Truro, in 1872, reference is made under the 

 heading of Stithians to 'Bryant's Foundry,' and 

 to the village of ' Foundry ' in the parish. The 

 term is a misnomer, and is a mere localism. 

 About a century ago a small hammer mill was 

 built by a John Bryant, and afterwards worked 

 by one John Bache. In the year 1891, a 

 Mr. Randle acquired the property, the mill 

 having been idle for several years ; it was closed 

 between the years 1875-1885. The only articles 

 that were made, it appears, were shovels ; never 

 more than three persons were employed. 



The foundry of Messrs. Sara and Burgess 

 was originated in the year 1857 by the late 

 Mr. Nicholas Sara, at one time a foreman at 

 Perran Foundry. On his retirement in 1887 

 his son, Mr. E. B. Sara, was joined by Mr. John 

 Burgess, formerly of Perran Foundry, and the 

 business of marine and mining engineering, 

 boiler-making, etc., was carried on in the name 

 of Sara and Burgess. On the death of the latter 

 in 1889, Mr. Sara was joined by his son. 

 General mining machinery has been made for 

 South Africa and Spain. For home industries 

 and local concerns a good business has been 

 done. The works formerly employed from 140 

 to 150 persons, but owing to depression, com- 

 petition, and other causes the number is now 

 only about fifty. Mr. Nicholas Sara, the founder 

 of the business, died at Falmouth in 1895, aged 

 eighty-three. 



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