Mary Tavy, Wheal Friendship & Wheal Betsy

Minutes books relating to Wheal Betsy and Wheal Friendship mines.

<span class="wrapper"><p>Devon Mines, photocopy at Plymouth Local Studies Library see also A K Hamilton Jenkin Mines of Devon: North &amp; East of Dartmoor</p> <p>J Brooke Brooke Index WCSL, Exeter</p> <p>For some later records see Plymouth and West Devon Record Office Accession 645/65 &amp; 67-68.</p></span>

C F Barclay records the history of this mine, also known as Devon Friendship, as paying good dividends before 1790. John Taylor was appointed manager in 1798. Wheal Betsy was separated in 1837, and thereafter the minutes relate only to Wheal Friendship. Betsy continued separately equipped until 1846. In 1838 the mine employed 453 people and had seven water wheels. John Taylor & Sons worked it until the 1870s, when the limited company which had been established in 1864 was voluntarily wound up. A note to the effect that work was to continue on Bennett's Lode only, points to the future working of the mine. This shaft alone was operated by Devon Arsenic Manufacturing Co., until 1911, though the dumps were worked over later still. Essentially a copper mine, there were sales of silver, lead, tin, and zinc. Later, with the increase in demand for arsenic in the 1860s, the halvans or dumps were worked for mundic (arsenopyrite), in part as a desperate attempt to raise funds for the continuation of the mine proper.