Events > 2009

The 2009 Wainwright Memorial Lecture
Saturday 10th October 2009, 6.00pm at Rheged

The Society's 7th Annual Memorial Lecture was given by Ian Tyler, a mining historian and author, curator of the Keswick Mining Museum, and a leading authority on the subject.

As John Burland said in his vote of thanks at the end of the Lecture 'whoever would think rocks could be so interesting. I am sure that if I had been taught geology by Ian I would had been awarded an A grade in my A Level Geography rather than a B'

Ian's lecture was both fascinating and humourous from start to finish. We learned about the influx of miners from Germany into the Newlands Valley in the 17th and 18th centuries and how guards had to stand with shotguns at the entrance to the mines to protect the precious 'black gold' of graphite as well as lead.

Ian has written twelve books about the mines of Lakeland and also acts as a guide on mine heritage walks. His magnificent collection of mining memorabilia can be seen at the Mining Museum in Keswick and also at the Threlkeld Mining Museum. Ian was interviewed and featured alongside Julia Bradbury in the Catbells programme in the second series of Wainwright Walks.