Great Rock Mine 
Views From one of  the Last Dartmoor Miners 
TeamManley 
 More Views A Few Facts The new book South Caradon mine
These photographs are from the collection of Sidney Preston an Employee at Great Rock Mine. They have been published them on the  web as a resource for anyone researching this important Dartmoor mine. Since this website was published some of the pictures have been re-produced within a new book written by Tony Brooks. If,after glancing through these WebPages your appetite is wetted for more information then I strongly recommend a visit to the bookstore to track down a copy of the book.
You may republish any of these photographs (on the web or in book form) but please drop us an E mail first. 
The information identifying the photos has been obtained from notes found on the back of the pictures, written by my Mother (Sid's daughter). However, I have received E-mails indicating that at least one may be in error the drying sheds) . I have decided to keep my captions as per the photograph notes, if you are researching the mine then you may have to verify the details.
 Click on Images for enlarged views
A group of miners at Great Rock, Probably the whole work force at that time. Sidney Preston is second from the right (with the flat cap).     
He was born in 18th May 1903 in Hennock Devon. He left school aged 13 to work at Great rock. He remained working at he mine until his retirement aged 65, when the mine it self shut down.  
The title of the last Dartmoor miner probably goes however to Mr Wills who remained on at the mine to shut it down after mining ceased.  
This is a Photograph of Mr Wills using a set of divining rods at Great Rock. It is taken from The Dartmoor Crosses web site which also contains information on Mr Wills and the Great Rock mine.
Click on the Picture to visit the site.
 
The mine office and managers house?   
It was in this house that Sidney first lived when newly wed to Beatrice ( maiden name Dayment). They moved later to the industial housing of Teign Village.
The drying sheds at the mine.?  
Sidney worked most of the time on the surface  on the processing floors and as general handyman.He also worked underground throughout world war two  
His main tasks involved running the compressed air system, maintaining the wooden launder and keeping the "shaking tables" operating.  
He even planted many of the trees around the site.
More photographs Some Facts

If you are interested in mine history then visit our large web site on views of South Caradon Mine .

For information on the local area try the Hennock Village website
For some more information on Great rock visit the Dartmoor Crosses site.
 


A plea!
If anyone knows of any other sites with Great Rock mine content drop us a line