Joseph Treffry
Encyclopedia
Joseph Austen Treffry was an engineer, mining adventurer, and industrialist who became a significant landowner in Cornwall
, United Kingdom
.
, Devon
as Joseph Thomas Austen, he changed his name by deed poll
after the death of his mother’s brother William Esco Treffry of Fowey
in 1808, when he inherited the family estate at Place House
, Fowey.
, the major industry of Cornwall. As a result he became a partner in the Wheal Regent copper mine at Crinnis near Par
. He then became a partner in Fowey Consols mine
at Tywardreath
and manager of Lanscroft mine. After he amalgamated the two mines in 1822 and took full control, Fowey Consols became the most productive mine in Cornwall and employed 1,680 workers.
, and by 1829 Treffry had built a twelve thousand foot breakwater on Spit Reef, losing three of his own ships. In 1833, the first ship docked at Par Harbour, which could accommodate fifty vessels of two hundred tons. Par Harbour is still working today, having been sold to English China Clays plc
in 1964.
to link with the canal up the valley to Ponts Mill and an inclined plane railway
to the Fowey Consols mine on Penpillick Hill - taking tin ore out to the harbour, and coal in to power the steam engines. To bring water power to the mine he built a leat
from Luxulyan along the west side of the valley. He also acquired the moribund port of Newquay
and land and mines in the area of Goss Moor
, and planned to link them by a railway system.
harbour and mines in the area of Goss Moor
, and planned to link them by a railway system. He began developing a tramway
from Ponts Mill
to Newquay in 1837, constructing tracks to Bugle
, which included building a viaduct at Luxulyan
, to carry both tramway and water to power his mines. Treffry and his steward William Pease built the inclined plane tramway from the canal basin, past the Carmears Rocks, to the level of the top of the valley, then a level run through Luxulyan and on to its terminus at the Bugle Inn near Mollinis
. This required a high-level crossing of the river, for which they built Treffry Viaduct
, which is 650 feet (198 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) high. Built of stone from the Carbeans and Colcerrow quarries, the lines from the quarries to the viaduct were the first parts of the tramway to be operational. The tramway was completed in 1844.
Treffry served as vice-president of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
from 1849 until his death of pneumonia
in 1850. He was also High Sheriff of Cornwall
from 1839–1840.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Biography
Born in PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
as Joseph Thomas Austen, he changed his name by deed poll
Deed poll
A deed poll is a legal document binding only to a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an active intention...
after the death of his mother’s brother William Esco Treffry of Fowey
Fowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
in 1808, when he inherited the family estate at Place House
Place House
Place House is a Grade One listed building located in Fowey, Cornwall, England.Home of the Treffry family since the thirteenth century, the original structure was a fifteenth century tower, which was defended against the French in 1475 by Dame Elizabeth Treffry...
, Fowey.
Mining
Trained in civil engineering, Treffry built a new quay in Fowey to take larger vessels for the export of tinTin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
, the major industry of Cornwall. As a result he became a partner in the Wheal Regent copper mine at Crinnis near Par
Par, Cornwall
Par is a town and fishing port with a harbour on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated in the civil parish of Tywardreath and Par and is approximately east of St Austell. Par has a population of around 1,400.....
. He then became a partner in Fowey Consols mine
Fowey Consols mine
Fowey Consols mine is a group of mines in the St Blazey district of Cornwall. They were owned by wealthy Cornishman, Joseph Treffry. The mines were worked by 6 steam engines and 17 waterwheels. The mines were linked to the port at Par by a canal...
at Tywardreath
Tywardreath
Tywardreath is a small hilltop village in southern Cornwall, United Kingdom. about north west of Fowey. It is located in a sheltered spot overlooking a silted up estuary opposite Par and near the beach of Par Sands...
and manager of Lanscroft mine. After he amalgamated the two mines in 1822 and took full control, Fowey Consols became the most productive mine in Cornwall and employed 1,680 workers.
Par harbour
However, as Cornwall was geographically isolated form the industries of London and the Northwest, and as there were minimal port facilities through the narrow streets of Fowey, Treffry needed to find new means of distributing his tin ore. In 1828 he drew up plans for a new safe harbour at ParPar, Cornwall
Par is a town and fishing port with a harbour on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated in the civil parish of Tywardreath and Par and is approximately east of St Austell. Par has a population of around 1,400.....
, and by 1829 Treffry had built a twelve thousand foot breakwater on Spit Reef, losing three of his own ships. In 1833, the first ship docked at Par Harbour, which could accommodate fifty vessels of two hundred tons. Par Harbour is still working today, having been sold to English China Clays plc
English China Clays plc
English China Clays plc or ECC was a mining company involved in the extraction of china clay, based in St Austell, Cornwall. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but in 1999 was acquired by Imetal.-History:...
in 1964.
Transport
When the harbour opened, Treffry opened Par Consuls on the mount behind Par and build a double incline tramway to link it to Par harbour. This became his first venture into land transport, constructing inclines and Treffry TramwaysTreffry Tramways
The Treffry Tramways were a disjoint network of horse worked mineral tramways in Cornwall in the United Kingdom. They were named after the man principally responsible for their construction, Joseph Treffry , a local land owner and entrepreneur. At their maximum extent, the Treffry Tramways...
to link with the canal up the valley to Ponts Mill and an inclined plane railway
Cable railway
A cable railway is a steeply graded railway that uses a cable or rope to haul trains.-Introduction:...
to the Fowey Consols mine on Penpillick Hill - taking tin ore out to the harbour, and coal in to power the steam engines. To bring water power to the mine he built a leat
Leat
A leat is the name, common in the south and west of England and in Wales, for an artificial watercourse or aqueduct dug into the ground, especially one supplying water to a watermill or its mill pond...
from Luxulyan along the west side of the valley. He also acquired the moribund port of Newquay
Newquay
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
and land and mines in the area of Goss Moor
Goss Moor NNR
Goss Moor is a National Nature Reserve in Cornwall, located in the parishes of St. Dennis, St. Columb Major, Roche and St. Enoder. It is the largest continuous mire complex in South-West Britain and consists of mainly Peatland and Lowland Heath...
, and planned to link them by a railway system.
Treffry viaduct
Treffry bought NewquayNewquay
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
harbour and mines in the area of Goss Moor
Goss Moor NNR
Goss Moor is a National Nature Reserve in Cornwall, located in the parishes of St. Dennis, St. Columb Major, Roche and St. Enoder. It is the largest continuous mire complex in South-West Britain and consists of mainly Peatland and Lowland Heath...
, and planned to link them by a railway system. He began developing a tramway
Treffry Tramways
The Treffry Tramways were a disjoint network of horse worked mineral tramways in Cornwall in the United Kingdom. They were named after the man principally responsible for their construction, Joseph Treffry , a local land owner and entrepreneur. At their maximum extent, the Treffry Tramways...
from Ponts Mill
Ponts Mill
Ponts Mill is a hamlet in Cornwall, England, UK. It is a mile north of St Blazey....
to Newquay in 1837, constructing tracks to Bugle
Bugle, Cornwall
Bugle is a village in central Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is in the parish of Treverbyn and is situated about five miles north of St Austell on the A391 road....
, which included building a viaduct at Luxulyan
Luxulyan
Luxulyan , also spelled Luxullian or Luxulian, is a village and civil parish in central Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village lies four miles northeast of St Austell and six miles south of Bodmin...
, to carry both tramway and water to power his mines. Treffry and his steward William Pease built the inclined plane tramway from the canal basin, past the Carmears Rocks, to the level of the top of the valley, then a level run through Luxulyan and on to its terminus at the Bugle Inn near Mollinis
Bugle, Cornwall
Bugle is a village in central Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is in the parish of Treverbyn and is situated about five miles north of St Austell on the A391 road....
. This required a high-level crossing of the river, for which they built Treffry Viaduct
Treffry Viaduct
The Treffry Viaduct is a historic dual-purpose railway viaduct and aqueduct, located close to the village of Luxulyan, Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom...
, which is 650 feet (198 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) high. Built of stone from the Carbeans and Colcerrow quarries, the lines from the quarries to the viaduct were the first parts of the tramway to be operational. The tramway was completed in 1844.
Treffry served as vice-president of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society is an educational, cultural and scientific charity, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The Society exists to promote innovation in the arts and sciences...
from 1849 until his death of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 1850. He was also High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list:Note: The right to choose High Sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall, rather than the Privy Council, chaired by the Sovereign, which chooses the Sheriffs of all other English counties, other than those in the Duchy of...
from 1839–1840.
See also
- Fowey Consols mineFowey Consols mineFowey Consols mine is a group of mines in the St Blazey district of Cornwall. They were owned by wealthy Cornishman, Joseph Treffry. The mines were worked by 6 steam engines and 17 waterwheels. The mines were linked to the port at Par by a canal...
– a successful mine near St BlazeySt BlazeySt Blazey is a small town in Cornwall, United Kingdom.St Blaise is the civil parish in which St Blazey is situated; the name St Blaise is also used by the town council.St Blazey is situated east of St Austell... - Par harbour – built to export the production of Fowey Consols
- NewquayNewquayNewquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
– the harbour was bought and developed to provide a facility on the north coast of Cornwall - East Wheal RoseEast Wheal RoseEast Wheal Rose was a metalliferous mine about a kilometre south east of the village of St Newlyn East, which is about 5 km inland from Newquay on the north Cornwall coast, United Kingdom...
– a lead mine near Newquay - Treffry TramwaysTreffry TramwaysThe Treffry Tramways were a disjoint network of horse worked mineral tramways in Cornwall in the United Kingdom. They were named after the man principally responsible for their construction, Joseph Treffry , a local land owner and entrepreneur. At their maximum extent, the Treffry Tramways...
- Treffry ViaductTreffry ViaductThe Treffry Viaduct is a historic dual-purpose railway viaduct and aqueduct, located close to the village of Luxulyan, Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom...
– combined viaduct and aqueduct for the Par Tramway - Cornwall RailwayCornwall RailwayThe Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway from Plymouth in Devon to Falmouth in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The section from Plymouth to Truro opened in 1859, the extension to Falmouth in 1863...
– he was the first Chairman