A unique photographic exhibition of Cornish mining is on display at Geevor Mine near Pendeen.
“Cornish Mine Images” is a collection of photographs by Surrey-based photographer Simon Jones, who has been photographically recording Cornish mining over the past three decades.
Simon's interest in the underground began when he was teenager and his mother who was tired of him hanging around the house sent him on a Youth Hostel Association caving holiday.
He later joined the Surrey based Wealdon Cave and Mine Society where he began to incorporate his passion for photography with subterranean exploration.
He first visited the Cornish mines in the early 1990s, sadly just after Geevor had closed. However, South Crofty Mine in Camborne was still operating and Simon became friends with many of the workforce and was allowed to photograph them in the vast underground workings.
Simon started taking his trusty Olympus OM1 camera into the mines and using black and white film to produce this historic record of Cornish mining. He then spent the next 30 years regularly commuting from his Surrey home to Cornwall to make a photographic record the mines and clay workings of the Duchy.
The photographs in the exhibition have all been processed by hand in Simon's darkroom. He later teamed up with the late Bob Acton, the well known author of Cornish walking and mining books and together they worked on six publications.
Geevor Mine approached Simon five years ago and requested that he put together an exhibition, which has now been made possible with kind sponsorship from South Crofty based Cornish Metals who have provided the frames for the exhibition.
Now a guide at the mine and a former Geevor miner and mines rescue volunteer, Colin McClary said: “About five years ago I stated nagging Simon to get an exhibition together and, after a lot of persuasion, I am very happy to say he has finally done it with this stunning collection of photographs.”
After the gallery opening, information technology engineer and photographer Simon said: “Now that my first exhibition is up and running, the opening night was epic. My thanks go to all those who turned up and to all those at Geevor who helped out.”
Simon has dedicated this exhibition to his late friend Nick Leboutiller, who was the senior geologist at South Crofty Mine and all of the generations of men and women who have worked the Cornish mines.
The exhibition is open to the public in the Hard Rock Gallery at Geevor Mine near Pendeen and will be on show for the next year.
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