History of the Camborne School of Mines

19th Century

1829.

• Cornwall is the leading metalliferous mining area in the world.
• John Taylor publishes his Prospectus for a School of Mines in Cornwall, suggesting that Redruth would be the natural location for such a school.

1838.

• Sir Charles Lemon, President of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, personally offers to "establish and maintain for a period of two years, a school in which those branches of education most essential to this portion of our population (the miners) may be acquired".
• The Royal Institution of Cornwall warmly welcomes Sir Charles Lemon’s offer and pledge themselves to give "every facility and accommodation (...) for the promotion of so important an objective".

1839.

• Classes start in Truro for subjects such as Algebra, Geometry, Land and Mine Surveying, Mechanical Drawing, Mathematics and Mechanics.
• The project fails, in part due to local mine owners and adventurers who would not provide the necessary funding for the school.

1858.

• Robert Hunt FRS, with the help of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, forms the Miners Association of Cornwall & Devon.
• The Miners Association of Cornwall & Devon starts the formation of classes in different mining areas of Cornwall.

1863.

• Some 200 students attend classes in eleven centres in Cornwall.
• The Association adopt national schemes so students could obtain nationally recognised certificates.
• Large-scale emigration of Cornish miners to new mining fields overseas begins

1876.

• George Basset, the great land-owner and mine entrepreneur of Tehidy makes a bequest to build a laboratory in Camborne, for the use of the pupils of the Miners Association.
• J.J. Beringer - the father of CSM - joins the staff at Basset’s laboratory teaching practical chemistry and assaying.

1887.

• J.J. Beringer delivers a lecture to the Miners Association, now called the Mining Institute, in which he outlines new proposals for the establishment of a Mining School.
• The Mining Institute grants the sum of £20 towards the success of a new mining school.
• Josiah Thomas becomes an influential member of a committee set up to help Beringer set up a permanent mining school.

1888.

• The Cambone Mining School is born.
• Although it had established an identity separate from the ordinary Science and Art classes, it still bore the words ‘School of Science and Art’ over its doors.

1897.

• South Condurrow Mine (re-named King Edward Mine) is leased from the Pendarves family to complement the facilities available to students for practical exercises.
• Control and responsibility for providing the education of students moves from the Miners Association to Cornwall County Council.
• Following a long gestation period the Camborne School of Mines is born thanks to J.J. Beringer (its first Principal) and Josiah Thomas (its first Chairman of Governers).

20th Century

1902.

• The first Bottle Match is played between the Camborne School of Mines and the Royal School of Mines.

1924.

• King Edward Mine is abandoned due to flooding.
• Great Condurrow Mine is leased.

1934.

• A world-wide appeal to the mining industry and local supporters is launched to raise funds to expand the facilities and purchase up-to-date equipment. By the time the appeal closes in 1937 it raised £20,000 instead of the initial target of £10,000.

1935.

• The building adjacent to the Basset Memorial Building is purchased, re-furbished and equipped, and named the Josiah Thomas Memorial Building.
• Existing laboratories are re-equipped.
• Students’ Club is re-furbished and re-fitted.

1936.

• The Associateship of Camborne School of Mines (ACSM) is introduced.

1945+.

• The post-war years see a dramatic expansion of the international minerals industry.
• The widespread reputation of the CSM and its graduates becomes for firmly established and prospers.

1969.

• Attempts to merge CSM with the University of Plymouth are aborted amid successful vigorous protest both internally and externally

1970.

• Peter Hackett becomes Principal.

1973.

• The Higher National Diploma (HND) is introduced.

1974.

• The ACSM is accredited by the Council for National Academic Awards for the award of BSc (Honours).
• Roger Parker joins CSM as Vice Principal on the retirement of Mr Frank Bice Michell.

1975.

• CSM moves to the campus at Poole. Associated with a massive re-equipment grant.

1976.

• BSc Minerals Processing course is introduced.

1977.

• Mr Chester Beatty, Chairman of Selection Trust Ltd. officially opens the new CSM building.
• The School’s Geothermal ‘Hot Dry Rock’ project, a final year student project becomes a flagship element of the Government’s renewable energy strategy.

1978.

• Donald Andrews, the long-serving Registrar retires after nearly 50 years service.

1979.

• Beringer House, the first hall of residence opens following a major appeal to industry for funding.

1980.

• The ‘new’ club in place of the old club in Gustavus Road opens.

1981.

• First Graduation Ceremony held at CSM.

1987.

• MSc Mining Engineering established.
• First ‘full academic dress’ graduation ceremony is held at CSM.
• CSM Associates Ltd. is born. This is the commercial ‘arm’ of CSM, allowing staff to undertake consultancy work under a formal commercial umbrella.

1988.

• MacWilliam House, the second hall of residence opens following a supplementary appeal to industry and past students.

1989.

• Under the new Education Act, CSM transfers from the control of Cornwall County Council to that of the new Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC).

1990.

• An appeal to industry raises a considerable sum to support CSM’s plans for building re-structuring to accommodate the changing methods of teaching.
• BEng Industrial Geology established.
• The Alumni Association (CSM Association) is created.

1991.

• Merger with University of Exeter received approval from the Secretary of State.

1992.

• BEng Mineral Surveying & Environmental Management established.
• HND Environmental Waste Management established.
• Professoriate introduced at CSM, with chairs in Industrial Minerals, Applied Geology, Geomechanics and Mining Engineering.

1993.

• Merger with University of Exeter complete.
• CSM forms one of 26 schools of the university, within the Faculty of Engineering.
• CSM Trust established to administer the capital assets of CSM.

1994.

• RTZ and the Royal Academy of Engineering sponsor a Chair in Minerals Engineering and Richard Williams is appointed.
• Peter Hackett retires as Principal after 24 years.

1995.

• Modularisation & Semesterisation introduced.

1996.

• MSc Mining & Industrial Heritage established.
• BEng Mine & Quarry Engineering established.
• BEng Mineral Surveying & Resource Management with European Study established.
• BSc Environmental Science & Technology established.
• BSc Surveying & Earth Resources established.
• BSc Surveying & Environmental Management established.

1999.

• Last HND Diplomates graduate.
• HND course replaced by Foundation Year.
• BSc Applied Geology introduced.
• MSc Applied Geotechnics introduced.
• MSc Industrial Rocks & Minerals introduced.
• MSc Surveying & Land/Environmental Management introduced.
• Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme launched by Victor Phillips
• CSM Associates Ltd. sold to ABB Offshore Systems Ltd.
• CSMA Minerals Ltd. sold to Wardell Armstrong.
• The Trevithick Trust negotiated a sub-lease of part of KEM to set up a public mining museum.
• University of Exeter, Falmouth College of Arts & University of Plymouth create the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) to be based at the Tremough Campus, Penryn.

21st century

2001.

• Government matches funding for the Combined Universities in Cornwall.
• Work starts on the Tremough Campus. Target completion date: September 2004.

2002.

• Decision is made to merge CSM with the School of Geography and Archaeology, to form the School of Geography, Archeology and Earth Resources (SOGAER).
• Keith Atkinson retires as Head of School, and takes the post of Provost of the University of Exeter in Cornwall.
• Bob Pine takes the Headship of CSM.
• Centenary anniversary of the first Bottle Match between Camborne School of Mines and Royal School of Mines.

2003.

• SOGAER is formed on 1st October.
• BSc Costal Zone Environmental Management established.
• BSc Environmental Geoscience established.
• BSc Renewable Energy established.
• Sarah Gittoes becomes the first female Student President.

2004.

• CSM says goodbye to the Pool Campus and Camborne By holding ‘The Last Blast’ Summer ball.
• CSM moves to the Tremough Campus in Penryn.
• Dan Parker become the first President of University of Exeter in Cornwall Students’ Union, leading an all CSM Student Executive alongside Falmouth College of Arts Students’ Union.

2005.

• The Camborne School of Mines Student Society launches a new website.

2008.

• Bob Pine retires as Head of CSM, with Frances Wall taking up the position.
• CSM Student Society is renamed Student Association, and the new website is launched.
• BEng Mining Engineering sees a record number of applications, 50-odd freshers.

2009.

• The Camborne School of Mines Student Society launches its third official website.