Hello All - This is very long, but I thought it worth transcribing as it contains so many details about various parishes, and parish life. It was also interesting to read the response of a witness, when asked about the possibility of the general closing of mines; he'd worked in them since age 11, and couldn't imagine such a thing occurring! It gives an insight into how the poor-rate system worked, as well. So, hope you enjoy! (and hope this comes through in readable condition!) Julia .............. WEST BRITON AND CORNWALL ADVERTISER 18 JULY 1856 - Part 1 of 4 RATING OF MINES TO THE POOR [testimony before a Committee of Parliament, regarding rating of mines to aid the poor] SIXTH DAY – FRIDAY, JULY 4 THE COMMITTEE again assembled this day at Twelve o'clock, and called: - MR. CARLYON, of St. Austell, who stated that he lived in the centre of a large mining district, and had given much attention to mining matters, with which he was concerned professionally, but more on behalf of the lords than the adventurers. He was chiefly concerned for Major CARLYON, who was lord of Buscundle [Boscundle?], Great Crinnis, Pembroke, and East Crinnis and West Crinnis United Mines, and many other smaller mines. Great Crinnis was the same mine that had been formerly worked, and paid from the returns of ore dues to the amount of GBP 20,000 per year. At that time the royalty was 1/8th. He thought the returns yielded a profit of about GBP 200,000. The rates to the poor were paid out of these royalties; but the present grants were not rated. The rates formerly paid were on 2/5ths of the dues; all mines were so rated at that period. Under the then parochial system property was rated lower than at present. He had referred to the rate so far back as 1826, and he found that the rates were made on 2/5ths of the dues. This was confirmed by the printed report of the "King v. St. Austell," up to which period the mines were rated . In the last five years, they had granted sixteen leases, none of which were other than for money payments. Great Crinnis and Boscundle were in the parish of St. Austell. With the exception of Great Polgooth, which was partly the property of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, and whose dues, he believed, were received in kind, there was not another sett in existence in St. Austell paying dues in kind; its total rateable value was GBP 73 per year. Par Consols, in St. Blazey parish, was rated at one time, but he believed it was not so now, as there had been a new grant. There were no mines of any consequence either in St. Blazey or St. Austell rated to the poor. He did not conceive that mines brought any extra proportion of poor, and there was but a very slight increase in the proportion of deaths. The average of the kingdom was 1 in 17, and in Cornwall 1 in 19. Mining paupers did not exceed the agricultural by more than 2 per cent. The amount of rates in their County were lower than any other in the kingdom. The lives of the miners were shorter than the agriculturists. But there was no proportion of these thrown upon the parish, as the doctor and club funds were sufficient up to the time of their decease to support them. As regards their widows and orphans, the mines would employ a great number of them, so women and children were largely engaged at surface, the children being enabled to go out to work at a very early period of life. In St. Austell there was a great deal of cottage building, especially on the part of the miners, who were very anxious when they had the money to build houses. With respect to the exemption of mines from paying poor-rates, he would say that it was to the interest of the working miner that the mines should not be rated, as any increased burden on them would decrease his profits in a much greater ratio than when mines were relieved from the rates. BY THE CHAIRMAN - There were a number of clay pits in St. Austell rated to the poor. Could not say that the owners of clay and the agriculturists were indirectly contributing to pay the rates for the miners, or that the whole of the burden of the poor was thrown upon the other rateable property, but thought that mines were a great benefit to other property. He did not, however, look on it as a question of rating; but considered mines were of so speculative a character that it would be unfair to rate them. Mining was a great speculation and risk, and a heavy burden to those who carried it on; whilst, on the other hand, it was a source of great profit and gain to those who lived in the parish where it was carried on, and by that means contributed indirectly to the poor. He could not view the lord's property as an underground farm. In mineral property, the lord had a certain amount of capital as it stood; and if he were to purchase any given property, it would be with the knowledge that there were certain minerals beneath, and his purchase would be regulated accordingly; and, therefore, every portion of that which was taken away made his capital so much less. He did not like to give an individual opinion on the question of rating, but, in the abstract, he considered the difficulties were so great, that he would not impose a rate at all, either on the lord or the adventurers. The dues of the lords formerly were greater than at present; and in St. Austell the lords granted at one-half of what they were, which was on account of the large capital required. The dues paid by the present Great Crinnis Company were 1-16th when working at a profit, and 1-24th whilst working at a loss. He thought that mines ought not to be rated, and he had scarcely spoken to a person in the neighbourhood who was not of opinion that it would be unadvisable to rate mines. He concurred in that opinion, as the benefit conferred on the district by the consumption of its produce was great. Until mining was commenced in St. Austell it was a very small parish, but since mines were opened it had gradually increased to its present dimensions, and was still on the increase. About 1847, there was some distress in the district, occasioned by the high price of corn, and the agriculturists were the first to find the difficulty of meeting the increased charges of the labourers, who were very scarce. BY THE COMMITTEE - The mining tenements were formerly let on lease for ninety-nine years, or three lives; but they were now getting into the mode of granting for sixty years. The rateable value of the parish was about GBP 69,000. The miner generally fixed on a waste spot of ground when desirous of building a house, for which he has a lease. In the event of the mine not answering, he could sell if he thought proper. He thought there was no great hardship inflicted on other property by the exclusion of mines. Up to the time that Great Crinnis was abandoned by the former adventurers it paid the poor-rates. There was no practical difficulty in rating the mines then, for whether they were profitable or not the lord received his dues. The proportion of miners on the parish were smaller than that of other labourers. There was a great difference between coal and metallic mines; as in the former, owners were prohibited from employing children, whilst in copper mines they were employed at surface at a very early period in life. According to the Parliamentary returns for 1854, the total number of females employed in copper mines was 3,846, out of whom 2,353 were under twenty years of age; whilst, out of 2,643 females employed in coal mines, 1,290 only were under that age. The fair inference, therefore, was that the miners' families do not become chargeable to the parish, because they could maintain themselves by working in the mines. The benefit derived by the inhabitants of a district was seen in the increased value of the rateable property. A farm would let in a mining district at a higher rate than it would at a distance; added to which, the miners built cottages, the rent of which being under GBP 6, in a great number of instances, the burthen did not fall upon him. The quantity of ground enclosed by this means was very great. Besides which, the starting of a mine in a peculiarly agricultural district would cause a greater demand for labour; and as the miner's wages depended upon the demand for his services, it followed that the greater the demand for labour the higher would be the rates paid. When mines ceased to exist in any district, the miners were compelled to seek employment elsewhere, and did not increase, therefore, the poor. There were a great number of mines now being worked in the county of Cornwall at a loss, and it would be impossible to say what the effect would be if they were stopped. \ In St. Austell and St. Blazey, the rates were low. Rates were higher in some agricultural districts than in mining. Taking a number of parishes, he found that the average rate for the last five years was 2s.8d in the pound. In Mevagissey with 2,022 inhabitants, in 1854, the poor-rate was 4s.6d. in the pound, and the highway rate 10d., making together 5s.6d. They were, in the same parish, in 1855, 6s.6d and 1s., or 6s.6d. Gorran, population 1,188, poor-rate, 1854, 2s.; highway rate, 4d. in the pound. St. Michael Carhayes, population 191, poor-rate 1854, 2s.; highway 7d; 1855, poor-rate, 2s.; highway, 10d. St. Ewe, population 1,544, rate, 1854, 3s.2d; highway, 10d; 1855, rate 2s.3d., and 9d highway. St. Mewan, population 1234, poor-rate, 1854, 1s.6d.; highway, 1s.3d; 1855, poor-rate 2s; highway, 1s.3d. Grampound, population 589, poor-rate, 1854, 4s.6d., and 1855, 5s.8d.; no highway rate. St. Stephens, population, 2,711, poor-rate, 1854, 1s.10d; highway, 1s.10d; 1855, poor-rate 2s.2d.; highway, 1s.10d. St. Dennis, population 888, poor-rate, 1854, 1s.1d.; highway, 6d. in 1854; and in 1855, poor-rate, 2s.5d.; highway, 6d. Roche, population 1,854, poor-rate, 1854, 3s.; highway, 5d.; 1855, poor-rate 2s.10d.; highway, 5d. St. Austell, population 10,750, poor-rate, 1854, 2s.6d; highway, 10d.; 1855, poor-rate 3s.; highway, 10d. St. Blazey, population 3,570, poor-rate 1854, 2s.4d., and in 1855, 1s.8d. Tywardreath, population 3,287, poor-rate, 1854, 2s.8d.; highway. 10d; 1855, poor-rate, 2s.4d; highway, 4d. St. Sampsons, population 355, poor-rate, 1854, 1s.10d.; 1855, 2s. Fowey, with a population of 1,452, poor-rate, 1854, 2s.9d.; highway, 4d.; 1855, poor-rate, 2s.1d.; highway, 4d. >From these figures it will be seen that the rate in Mevagissey, in 1854, was 4s.6d. in the pound, and in Grampound, 5s.6d., which were agricultural, as was also Roche, in all of which the rates were higher than in St. Austell, where it was 3s., in 1854, and 3s.10d. in 1855. Yet there was only one mine in the parish of St. Austell paying dividends. Polgooth was a losing concern, and a large outlay had been expended to re-constitute it; but it was on its last legs for some time, as was also Crinnis. End of Part 1, and his testimony