Pijlers in een mijn te Cornwall c. 1893

John Charles Burrow's photograph, "Pijlers in een mijn te Cornwall," captures the interior of two Cornish tin mines. While the exact date is unknown, the image invites us to consider the social conditions of labour at the time. Looking at the photograph, we see wooden pillars holding up the mine's ceiling. Figures are visible in each mine. The image creates meaning through visual codes of light and darkness. The mines appear as dark, claustrophobic spaces. The labourers blend into the darkness, emphasizing their lack of visibility. The image speaks to the dangerous conditions faced by working-class miners and the social and economic structures of the time. Historians can understand more through archival research into mining company records, census data, and labour union documents. By understanding these social and institutional contexts, we appreciate how Burrow's photograph gives a glimpse into the hidden world of Cornish miners.