The Slime Pit
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 By Margaret Russell
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RICHARD TRATHEN seventh of eight children born to Jacob and Eleanor Trathen began life on 3^rd October 1724 at Redruth at the heart of the Cornish Tin and Copper mining industry.
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It is not known whether that particular industry declined or that the Trathen family had heard that a good living was to be had mining lead in the Northern Pennines, but the result was that Richard, two of his son’s and three of his daughters packed up and set off on the long trek northwards.
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In 1796 after a brief interlude mining Copper in Wales, Richard and his sons and daughters arrived at the growing town of Nenthead just outside Alston in Cumberland. The mineral rights on Alston moor were owned by the Greenwich Hospital, which was run by a Quaker group. The Greenwich Hospital leased these mineral rights to the London Lead Company and from accounts written by Thomas Sopwith and John Taylor well known mining engineers and Westgarth Foster a writer on the area it appears Richard became somewhat of a celebrity!
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Richard arrived in the area, a poor man, looking for work as a washer of ore. It was not long before he suggested an improvement in the method used to wash the lead ores, which meant a quantity of metal could be extracted from the slimes, which would previously have been discarded. This process used slime pits and a Stamp Mill, which was erected by Richard at Nenthead at the expense of the London Lead Company. This of course made the Company more money and as Richard was paid by result he of course benefited substantially from the operation.
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Employers being employers this did not sit well with the financial department and they suggested to Richard that his wages should be reduced. You can imagine the reaction!!! Richard of course refused and as a result was dismissed. As the exact method of using the process was known only to Richard and his family a whole summer passed without this new invention being used, resulting of course in financial loss to the Company. Guess what, Richard was reinstated – Victory!!!
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Richard’s son, also called Richard, married a local girl, Martha Tatters and of course numerous children were born to the couple in Nenthead. Richard senior continued in the employ of the Company until age and infirmity prevented him from doing so any longer. His sons continued to follow the same business for the London Lead Mining Company and supported him until his death. A report prepared from a visitation in 1805 on behalf of the Greenwich Hospital states at the end, "as the poor man is advanced in years, and his labour cannot continue much longer, he is represented as an object deserving some attention from the Hospital and in that light he undoubtedly appears to us"
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If you are a descendent of this astute and successful miner, I would be happy to share the information I have accumulated, therefore feel free to contact me at RUSSGEN@aol.com
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Margaret Russell
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Sources of information:

The Curator, Killhope Mining Museum for “Greenwich Hospital Report” - copy in Northumberland Record Office - ref: NRO404/338

"A Section of the Strata from Cross Fell to Newcastle upon Tyne" by Westgarth Foster, published 1821 - page 351

"An account of the Mining District of Alston Moor, Weardale and Teesdale" by Thomas Sopwith, published 1833 - page 120.

"Notice on Some Improvements in Dressing Ores" (Quarterly mining review) by John Taylor, published 1831

"Lead Miners of the Northern Pennines", by C. J. Hunt  
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