Following on from the St Piran’s day celebrations I thought it would be an appropriate post to show some images that I took of the closure of South Crofty mine back in 1998. I was at college and had got myself a NUJ (National Union of Journalists) press pass for a few years which was a fabulous thing and got me into some situations that the man on the street would struggle to get into – sometimes maybe for the best! A quick flash of the pass at the gates of South Crofty and with a large black camera sporting the letters N I K O N and I was in! With a lot of press in the area I was being pushed from side to side by the big boys of Fleet Street. But with some Cornish determination I got a few pictures that day that I was pleased with. Here are a few work prints I have found in my boxes. All shot on Kodak’s lovely Tri -X film!
A proud Cornishman supporting the miners on the last day of the mine being open
The derelict looking landscape surrounding South Crofty in 1998
The tag board showing the few miners underground on the last shift
Local well wishers whom have sent letters and donations to support the miners, even one from over the Tamar!
Two of the last miners to come out of the mine from their final shift
Thankfully South Crofty has reopened and the future is looking bright, well not underground – that’s pretty dark still but the future of South Crofty is bright and its providing jobs for locals again!
…..and finally the PRESS pass
should have gone to SpecSavers! ( I think I did!)
My Saffron Bun 