Coalminers Heritage Wall - Cornwall, Tasmania

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Coalminers’ Heritage Wall

4th February 2006
A long time dream of Cornwalls oldest and most faithful resident,
Mrs Una Camplin, to honour our coalmining forefathers and
preserve their heritage, has come true today in the opening of
this monument thanks to the Cornwall Community and the many
people who shared the vision and contributed. But special thanks
must go to those who had faith in the project and provided funding.

Minerworker Trust
Break O’Day Council

Cornwall Coal Company
Tasmanian Community Fund

Tasmanian Government:
Through David Llewellyn MHA & Michael Polly MHA

An extract from the plaque.
Coal was first discovered at Cornwall in 1843 when a farmhand from nearby “Woodlawn” went Hunting in the hills and found that his dog, digging in a badger hole, has scratched out coal. However it wasn’t until 1886 when the railway was opened between Conara and St Marys that The Cornwall Coal Co. was formed and coal production began at Cornwall, hence the town evolved from what began as a camp with a few huts and a tent or two. The 1890’s saw the opening of Mt Nicholas, 3 kilometres to the west and Jubilee 4 kilometres to the east with a number of other mines at Fingal and Avoca opening in the early part of the 20th century and coal became an important commodity for Tasmania with many industries using coal for energy along with Tasmanian railways for use in their steam trains.

The coal industry in Tasmania has not escaped the trauma of the loss of loved ones and with this plaque we remember the brave men who were accidentally killed in an effort to provide for their families.

Seymour Explosion:
  12 Mar 1921
  SKEGGS Robert Arthur (aged 28)
  12 Mar 1921
  DAVIS John Luther (aged 62)

Cornwall Explosion:
  11 Feb 1943
  MANEY John Adrian (aged 34)
  4 Jun 1943
  MANEY Charles Lawrence Snr (aged 69)

Blackwood Explosion:
30 Oct 2000
HAYES Adrian Brian (aged 32)

Duncan Explosion:
  7 Feb 1977
  SCALES Geoffrey David (aged 34)
  12 Feb 1977
  TARGETT Alfred William Snow (aged 55)
  6 Apr 1977
  VINCENT Desmond Darrel (aged 42)

Duncan Explosion:
1 Mar1979
NICHOLS William George Covey (aged 64)

Abel to Butcher

Butcher to Fenton

Aitken to Dawson

Dell to Llewellyn

Flockhart to Haas

Haas to Lehner

Leishman to Murley

Lovett to Perkins

Murley to Rowlings

Rudd to Targett

Targett to Young

Platford to Wright

Photographed Jun 2011