Mine to Die

There are many powerful stories in Mine to Die. They include the contrast between the lives of the rich mine owners and their families and the poor mining communities; the Camborne riot of 1873; the Cornish miners digging under enemy trenches in the First World War; the end-time for Cornish tin mining in the 20th century; and the mining disasters.

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There are many powerful stories in Mine to Die. They include the contrast between the lives of the rich mine owners and their families and the poor mining communities; the Camborne riot of 1873; the Cornish miners digging under enemy trenches in the First World War; the end-time for Cornish tin mining in the 20th century; and the mining disasters, not least the Levant mine disaster in 1919.


Using material from a 1969 BBC documentary, Rob shows that this Levant tragedy was caused by neglect and indifference – and that truth was then covered up.


Rob Donovan’s tale is faithful to the historical record and his research into local newspapers has brought to life new material. He has written so readers can be present in that past.


Mine to Die is a work of historical scholarship with a difference. It raises the ethical question that is so pressing today: Is the unregulated pursuit of profit at the expense of life and health ever justified?