Sometimes friends of our's produce good books which we can heartily recommend. Although these books are not available from us we do try to help publicise them.

Painting a Mine with Light, by John Peck

This is a unique book about mining, and Wheal Jane. Over a 20-year period the author has photographed the mine. The book contains photographs, which provide insights into shaft sinking, raise boring and many other aspects of mining. Some of these photographs have rarely been photographed before. The photographs show the hostile environment in which both miner and photographer were often working.

ISBN 0 9552557 0 8, 64 pages, 86 illustrations, 27 in colour, paperback £6.95 plus £1.00 p&p.
See the website www.johnpeckhandson.co.uk for ordering details.

JOHN PENN and SONS of GREENWICH by Richard Hartree

This book tells the story of a three-generation family firm of the Victorian era within its historical context. Founded in 1799 by John Penn I, a millwright from Somerset, it quickly became one of the major engineering firms in the London area. Under John Penn II it became a leading supplier of marine steam engines for both paddle and screw ships, the major supplier of engines to the Royal Navy (including the revolutionary ironclad HMS Warrior) and made important contributions to the development of steam navigation. John Penn II became a Fellow of the Royal Society and was twice President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. John Penn III became MP for Lewisham.