 also
manufacturer of the "Cornish Range" (Victorian cooking and
heating appliance) |
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History of The Cornish Range |
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The
‘Cornish Range’ (sometimes known as ‘The Apparatus’)
was more commonly referred to as a ‘Slab’.
Compared with different designs from other counties, the Cornish Range was by far the most efficient and decorative of all Victorian kitchen ranges. The Cornish Range was given its name because of the variety of ways in which it could be put to use. It not only served as an ‘in-house’ heating appliance but was also used as an oven, with the hotplate providing sufficient heat to boil kettles and warm irons. What little research has been done indicates that the general arrangement arrived around the 1830’s in Redruth. They remained in production until just before the Second World War, the last being made by St. Just Foundry in Penwith. |
During
the mid to late Victorian Age, just about every Cornish house would
have had a Cornish Range, from the most common 30 inch wide hotplate
in the working class cottage to the huge Manor House ranges with slabs
up to 6 feet in length.
Apart from the big foundries like Harvey's, Copperhouse, Holman's and Piran, most Cornish towns had one or more small foundries, especially if they were situated in one of the mining districts. All of these foundries, apart from selling complete ranges themselves, would also sell castings to the towns and village blacksmiths to complete in their own style and sell under their own name. |
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 Exhibited in the former Works Museum |
Using
Camborne as an example, there was the huge John Holman foundry and engineering
works situated in the north-east of the town; a smaller foundry known
as E T Sara at the foot of Trevu Hill and a blacksmith by the name of
John Jenkin who ran his business from 118 Trelowarren Street.
The demise of the Cornish Range was brought about by several things, ie. The disappearance of the numerous towns and village foundries which had relied so heavily on the 19th century copper and tin mines, coupled with the arrival of more modern cooking appliances like the Aga and Rayburn etc. One decorative relief common to most ranges is the Royal Coat of Arms - which is normally featured once, if not twice. Whereas the majority of the decorative designs are flowers, fruit and neo-classical scrolls etc. One unusual feature, which occurs quite often but as yet to be explained, is a bird with an eagles beak and a crest on its head. |
The
foundries have certain key designs which are generally incorporated
and these can be used to identify the castings, for example, Holman's
of Camborne normally have a large rose, thistle and shamrock in a cluster
below both lower corners of the oven. |
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Shown
below is an example of a pre-1870 John Holman front casting |
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