These rare photographs show the hard labour of Victorian miners digging for tin deep below the earth in extremely dangerous conditions. The images, taken in the darkness of four separate mines in Cornwall, were captured with the help of very early flash technology, which allowed photographer J.C. Burrow to bring the underground world to life. Published in 1893, Mr Burrow's photographs show the miners clambering through the warren of tunnels, held up by precarious wooden beams, as they dug out tin and copper and to fuel industrial Britain. Toil: A bare-chested miner can be seen pushed a cart through Cook's Kitchen Mine in Cornwall, as fellow miners operate the machinery
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Photographs taken by J.C. Burrow use early flash techniques to capture life underground
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Mr Burrow was commissioned by mine owners to capture the once-thriving industry
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But the frank photographs show the precarious constructions of the mines - which were prone to collapse
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The collection of photographs will go on sale at auction this weekend and could fetch £2,000
'Evidently our late @placeholder counterparts did not share our modern day obsession with health and safety.'