Motorschacht in de Cook's Kitchen Mine te Cornwall c. 1893

These two photographs are of the Cook's Kitchen Mine in Cornwall, taken by John Charles Burrow. Burrow's photographs document late 19th-century Cornish tin mining. They offer a glimpse into the lives of the working class in this period. We see men, stripped to the waist, their bodies glistening with sweat, working in dim, dangerous conditions. Mining was a tough existence, fraught with peril, so they're performing masculinity through hard labor and physical endurance. There is a romantic element to these images as the photographer uses light to emphasize the drama of the underground, creating a scene that is both industrial and sublime. Mining was not just a job, but a way of life, a community, and a cultural identity. These photographs capture this complex relationship, reflecting the human cost of industry and the power of the natural world.