The Trevithick Society

Welcome to the new look, temporary website for the Trevithick Society.

The Trevithick Society traces its beginning from 1935 when a small group of individuals formed the Cornish Engines Preservation Committee to acquire the Levant winding engine. The last of these mammoth relics of Cornwall's engineering achievements in the Victorian age were, at the time, finally being replaced and scrapped. In other parts of the country the preservation of such monuments had, generally, to wait another quarter-century or so. The far-sighted efforts of this group must now be seen as a pioneering landmark in Industrial Archaeology. In 1947 the Committee became a registered charity and changed its name to the Cornish Engines Preservation Society. In the ensuing years the CEPS acquired Taylor's 90-inch and Robinson's 80-inch pumping engines and Michell's 30-inch winding engine.

In 1971 the Society combined with the Cornish Waterwheel Preservation Society (formed in 1970) and the name TREVITHICK SOCIETY was chosen in honour of Cornwall's greatest engineer, Richard Trevithick, a key figure in the development of high pressure steam and its application in engines for mining and transport use.

As an educational charity the Society aims to encourage an interest in Industrial Archaeology through lectures, outings and other meetings and by publishing the results of individual research through its Journal and other publications. It encourages the preservation of engine houses and other industrial buildings of worth as a significant part of Cornwall's heritage. The Society encourages the sympathetic re-use of redundant industrial buildings along with the statutory protection and preservation of prime examples of all types. It sees recording as an important part of its work where the preservation of a monument is not possible.

The Society maintains close links with numerous public and private bodies having common interests, both at a local and national level, and is affiliated to the Association for Industrial Archaeology and the National Association of Mining History Organisations. Our contact with the National Trust has been particularly close since they took over from the Society in 1967 the care of five Cornish engines and Trevithick's cottage.



Important
important

Recent events allowing malicious files to access our previous website framework have forced us to re-assess utilising one with those security holes. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this and recommend that any recent visitors check their computers for viruses.

Work will be continuing on the website; both this temporary one and the final one, so keep on visiting or in get in touch with us, we will be happy to talk to you!

News from the East Cornwall Branch:



This year the programme of meetings is as follows:


All at King Edward Mine at 7.30 pm on the 2nd Friday of every month.

  • 13 January – Cornish Miners at the Silver-Lead Mines of Pontgibaud, France. – Mike Kiernan
  • 10 February – Big Apple Engineering. – Phil Hosken
  • 9 March – Industrial Heritage at risk. – Simon Thorpe
  • 13 April – “Fitty scoven, or a brave flink” Cornish Dialect. – Noel Michell
  • 11-13 May – AGM Weekend – details to be notified elsewhere.
  • 8 June – Cornish Copperwork. – Jonathan Holmes
  • 13 July – The work of Falmouth’s Quay Punts during the Great Age of sail.- Roger Stephens
  • 14 September – Bingham Canyon Mine. – Phil Hosken
  • 12 October – Cornishmen on the Gold Coast Colony - John Woodward
  • 9 November – Twentieth Century mining in Devon – Owen Baker

Field trips will be arranged and announced later. One in March and one in September are anticipated.

About Us
Join Us
Help Us
about

The Trevithick Society is one of the oldest industrial preservation societies in the UK. As an educational charity the Society aims to encourage an interest in Industrial Archaeology.

The Trevithick Society, a registered educational charity (no. 246586)...

join

Membership of the Society is open to anyone anywhere in the World.

Members receive many benefits including copies of our publications and free entry into certain places...

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help

The Trevithick Society is always short of manpower for its various projects.

You don't need to be a member of the Society to be a volunteer.

There are many ways to volunteer your help...

   
Chitenay
Department de Loir et Cher

Denis Papin, 300th anniversaire – un week-end exceptionnel!

From the 19th to the 21st July 2013 the Comité Denis Papin will celebrate the life of Denis Papin close to his birthplace at Chitenay in the Loir et Cher Department of France.

The Committee has kindly invited the Trevithick Society’s conceptual replica of Trevithick’s 1801 Camborne steam carriage and the society has been delighted to accept.

Plans are now being made to organise the transport and shipping to France by Brittany Ferries.

Read more...

   
The Oblivion of Trevithick

The Oblivion of Trevithick

Down through the ages many brave men tried to tame the strange power released from boiling water. Long ago they were seen as alchemists who practised the dark arts of their dangerous pastimes. It was not until the early C19th that Richard Trevithick demonstrated his successful cylindrical boiler and tamed the Devil within.

Now published!

Read More...

   
Membership
Contact Details

Membership of the Society is open to anyone anywhere; we particularly welcome membership applications from young people and those living abroad. Members receive the annual Journal and the quarterly Newsletter (Student members receive the Newsletter only). All members are entitled to attend the outings and lectures, and the Annual General Meeting (in May).

Members also have free admission to Cornish Engines (at Pool) as well as to Geevor Tin Mine.

If you have any enquiries regarding membership please contact the Membership Secretary. An online membership form is available on this website but please note this needs to be printed off and sent to the Membership Secretary with your remittance. If you cannot print the form we will gladly send you one.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:

  • Student members (under 21) - £5.00
  • individual members - £20.00
  • Family/joint members - £25.00
  • Overseas members - £25.00
  • Corporate members - £25.00

All postal enquiries:

The Trevithick Society
PO BOX No. 62
CAMBORNE
Cornwall
TR14 7ZN

Email addresses:

Publication sales:
Willow Books
Unit 2a, United Downs, ST DAY TR16 5HY
Tel: 01209 822011
Fax: 01209 822321
Email: enquiries@willowbooks.co.uk

For any enquiries regarding the website, please contact Webmaster

 
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The legal stuff:
The contents of this site are copyright of the Trevithick Society unless otherwise stated. Reproduction of all or any part of this site for commercial purposes is expressly forbidden without prior written permission from the copyright holders. Use of the site for educational purposes is explicitly granted.

The Trevithick Society