Gunnislake: grid reference SX453709

East Wheal Russell lies one and a quarter miles southeast of Gunnislake in the West Devon Mining District. The mine worked on three lodes: Main Lode from Homersham's Shaft, Murchison's (Air) Shaft and Hitchins' Shaft, Middle Lode and North Lode. The Mining Almanack and manual for 1851 stated: 'East Wheal Russell, Tavistock, Copper. Secretary, J. H. Murchison. Agent, J. H. Hitchins. Offices, 20, St. Helen's Place. Term of lease, 20 years. Dues, l-15th. Number of shares, 4,000. Amount paid, 5s.'. The Post Office Directory for 1856 gives a little more information: 'East Wheal Russell Mine is in the township, parish, union, and hundred of Tavistock, Devon, within the bounds of the manor and mining district of Tavistock. It is situated 3 miles from the town of Tavistock. The nearest shipping place for ores and machinery is at Morwellham, 1 mile from the mine, and the nearest railway station is at Plymouth, 17 miles from the mine... The mine is held under a lease for 21 years, from 1850, at a royalty of 1-15th, granted by the Duke of Bedford. The country is killas, and the dip of the lode south; the cleavage of the clayslate is south-east; the nearest granite is at Frementor, 2 miles distant. The known lodes on the sett are four discovered; the one being wrought, or Main Lode, runs east and west, and dips south 2 feet in the fathom; it consists of capel, prian, spar, gossan, mundic, and copper ore. The North Lode runs east and west, and dips north 3 feet in the fathom; it consists of spars, capel and gossan. The South Lode runs east and west, and dips south 2 feet in the fathom; it consists of spar and capel. The Middle Lode runs east and west, and is similar to the others. The known crosscourses are two, underlying east, composed of fluccan and spar. There have been 3 shafts sunk; the Engine Shaft is sunk 100 fathoms. There are the following levels in this shaft:— the adit level, driven 300 fathoms; the tunnel, or 45-fathom level, driven 230 fathoms; the 55, 66, 77, each driven a few fathoms; the 88 and 100, no driveage. The Murchison Shaft is sunk 14 fathoms to adit level; the Homersham shaft is sunk to the 55-fathom level. The mine is worked and drained by a steam-engine of 40-inch cylinder; there is one combined cylinder drawing-machine. The minerals found in this sett include copper ore only. This mine is now worked for copper. The produce in 1853 was 60 tons 12 cwt. of ore, value £545 lls. 6d.; in 1851, 36 tons 11 cwt., value £160. The company is on the costbook system, and consists of 4,000 shares. The amount expended to end of October, 1855, is £16,600. The purser is W. E. Commune, of Tavistock; the Captain is William Metherell. The London offices are 117 Bishopsgate Street within; the secretary is J. H. Murchison'.

Other production records state that East Wheal Russell, 1853 to 1869, sold 9149 tons of copper ore for £54387.