GLEN ROY MINE

In 1867, work was taking place at a depth of twenty fathoms where the lode was better at a width of two to three feet containing some good stones of lead ore and in 1868 the twenty five fathom level had been driven north - west for a few fathoms producing about one ton of lead and one ton of zinc per fathom. By 1869 the level had been extended for a further thirty fathoms and had produced good ore whilst the forty fathom level was revealing what was described as a "pretty little rib" after a distance of nine fathoms. By 1873, the 55 fathom level had been driven for some distance north producing only a small quantity of ore whilst on the 65 fathom level the vein was only a few inches in width. The mine was abandoned by the company in the same year.

The mine was reopened in 1876 by an independent mining company under the management of J. Polglaze and was known as the Glen Roy Mining Company. The sinking of the shaft continued whilst the upper levels were explored. A small amount of zinc blend was found on a cross cut driven from the forty fathom level. The 65 fathom level was driven for 73 fathoms north and 80 fathoms south and showed little promise of the lode whilst at the bottom of the shaft below  65 fathoms, the lode was only four inches wide at one end while the other showed two strings with four feet of ground between them but not a speck of lead or zinc. The shaft had reached a depth of 122 fathoms by 1881 with levels at 10, 25, 40, 55, 65, 100 and 108 fathoms. The latter had been driven for a distance of 70 fathoms with only a hint of ore. The mine was abandoned in the same year and was considered to be a financial disaster. Between 1876 and 1881 a total of 9 tons of lead and 136 tons of zinc concentrates had been produced. The mine employed 19 men underground and 11 at surface in 1877 which  dropped to 12 and 3 men at the time of closure.