TORBAY CTC - Riding to Powder Mills

TORBAY RIDE TO POWDER MILLS - 8th October 2006

Torbay group setting out past the Pitt House at Kingskerswell.

Tony Avery writes.............

After last years successful ride, led by Victor Canning to local sites associated with Sir Arthur Colan Doyle and The Hound of the Baskervilles, it was no surprise that a large gathering of 18 riders met at Kingskerswell to again be enlightened, this time about mining on an industrial tour.
Stopping for a breather at the top of a hill on the outskirts of Ashburton, Victor explained the importance of the town as one of the four Devon Stannary towns (centres of tin production - the others being Plympton, Chagford and Tavistock). It was also the birthplace of one William Bickford who had invented the safety fuse, which was so significant in the 19th century in making mining a little less hazardous. Prior to this gunpowder charges were set off by an open line of powder which was unreliable causing frequent accidents and is the basis for the saying of "Hang fire". Bickford was a rope maker and it was an innovative step to incorporate gunpowder into his product.