Treffry, our Green Hero and his Library
The Industrial Landscape of PL24 is the main resource for learning at our site. We start at the huge artist impression of this area, painted by Louise Harding, to show all the routes and features locally, with dedications to the man who did most, (including legacies up to the end of Queen Victoria’s reign & beyond), to create working opportunities and wealth for the local villages and St Blazey Town. His full name, when he was permitted to go double-barrelled later in life, was Joseph Thomas Austen Treffry. As you see, one of our barns contains a library of his life along with maps and materials about other local engineers, such as William West – the world-famous steam engine designer.
Water Mills and Hydro
Treffry stands out from his contemporary mine owners by making an unusual choice – although extremely skillful with STEAM, he reflected on the high cost of coal and the centuries old knowledge of a different system of free energy – water power (Hydro). This is why he created a World Unique system of hydro, ahead of his time in going more ambitiously GREEN. Pursuing restoration of this system, and all other ancient water wheels both inland and coastal (e.g. Tide Mills), is without doubt what Caroline cares most about.
We have way too many materials about this topic, and Treffry’s wider legacy, to share on a post like this. But a lot is available in films. There are 2 playlists on the Meadow Barns YouTube channel. Multiple examples about hydro are in Meadow Barns original playlist but the most recently made films are labelled ‘Against All Odds’ and features local opinions on numerous aspects of how people want the valley to be looked after in future.
Much more content is available by One Drive link, if you ask to view.
https://www.youtube.com/@meadowbarnscentre2538/playlists
Who Else Cares?
Those with a duty to do so appear to be failing miserably in looking after and restoring hydro. Much of the fault lies with lack of understanding of the Environment Agency, but also – ref the hydro and the viaduct in Luxulyan Valley – over the past 5 years or so there has been a woeful lack of ambition and leadership. An offer was received in 2023 from a suitable company, to restore and run the system for 50 years, but this was neither welcomed nor pursued and the chance has been withdrawn. Overall the infrastructure of hydro has declined markedly in the past decade. That is why, last autumn, we set up a petition, that you can sign. You will see it encompasses Charlestown, but this brings me to St Blazey restoration .. which will be added soon.
https://www.change.org/p/protect-properties-businesses-of-luxulyan-valley-and-charlestown-whs
St Blazey Old Foundry Site
The buildings we see today date from 1848, but William West was recruited by Treffry to take on responsibility as the main engineer for the Fowey Consolidated Mines and quarries in 1831. Initially he set up a foundry very close to the Par Canal, with a bridge that enabled iron to be brought directly in from the opposite bank, where a Hammer Mill had been set up for crushing iron-rich rocks. Unbelievably, the earliest recorded evidence of a Hammer Mill in the world dates back to over 400 years BC, in China .. and it is likely they used the same source of power, since that was Treffry’s master skill e.g. water.
In 1835, after endless improvements, Treffry and West had arrived at an enormous size of engine, which they considered the best possible achievement, and had it installed within the Austen Engine House on Penpillick Hill. There followed a rigorous set of tests, by outside experts over a 24 hours period, ending – to the consternation of many rivals – in a declaration that this was indeed the finest engine in Cornwall.
Once he had moved the business to the larger premises, on the other side of the street, and had the road named ‘Foundry Road’, the bluff and hearty West went from strength to strength, selling engines and wheels all around the world.
He introduced gas to St Blazey, initially for use in the foundry, but in 1860 he responded to a request by the council to install gas lighting for the whole town. The capacity was relatively small, about 2000 feet, continuing in use until 1922/3, when a pipeline connected to newer works at Par.
In 1861 he took ownership of a failing copper mine near Minions, called Phoenix United. He turned the fortunes around quickly, by discovering and mining rich lodes of tin. In this way, William West forms a great link between St Blazey and Caradon district .. which we now seek to honour, by collaborating with partners in both places.
William West died in 1879 and his sons continued the business until 1891, when it was continued for a short period by R Liddicoat and Sons. An explosion in the yard, when a Mr Tregaskes was killed, saw the virtual end of the foundry, closing about 1895. (3)
Caring 4 this Heritage – Route to 2039 Films and Treffry legacy project
Our involvement at St Blazey is very new and we feel hopeful that some good results may come from whatever time and materials we invest there. Please join us as we begin to build the team!