Artee Productions 'capturing the spirit of Cornwall'

Richard Trevithick, the son of the distinguished mine captain Richard Trevithick Senior, was born in the parish of Illogan on 13 April 1771. At the time of his arrival into the world that he was to change forever his family lived in a house between Pool and Carn Brea. Research by the Trevithick Society has identified the property as being in what is now as Station Road, Pool. Two or three years after the birth of Richard the family moved to a house at Penponds, Camborne. The surviving records of Richard Trevithick's early life show that at early stage he could be 'difficult' but also that he was extremely intelligent. Richard excelled in mathematics and this combined with his restless energy and curiosity was to play a major part in his life and inventions. From his youth to his death his intelligence never let him rest. Each time a project of his was nearing completion he was already investigating fresh ideas and then moving on both physically and mentally to tackle the latest project. This impetuous way of life took him on a financial roller coaster which included bankruptcy. However had Richard Trevithick been content to rest on his laurels history would have taken a different course. Trevithick's inventions really changed the world at the time. Richard's invention of the high pressure steam boiler allowed deeper mining and this had a significant effect on the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. Trevithick's discovery that iron tanks would keep water 'fresh' completely changed seagoing attitudes. No longer was a master of a vessel constantly having to worry about the availability of supplies of drinkable water .These and his ventures into steam dredges, steam derricks and tunneling, to mention a few of his achievements, culminated in his death shortly after his South American venture in 1833 as a penniless man still conceiving great projects.