THIS week’s Yesteryears takes a look at a newspaper article in The Illustrated London News about Northwich’s salt mine industry.

Gina Cottam, leaning and interpretation officer at Weaver Hall Museum, said: “The article reports a visit to the salt mines of Cheshire by one of the newspaper’s correspondents, dated August 24, 1850.

“It was common for those visiting the area to take a trip down one of the mines to view the giant underground chambers lit up with lights and creating what was described as a ‘wonderful spectacle’.

A summary of the article; states: Arriving at Hertford station and taking a pleasant four mile walk into Northwich, our reporter observes the subsidence in the town observing the ‘somewhat rickety’ buildings leaning ‘fearfully to one side, as if from the effect of an earthquake’.

He decides to visit one of the largest mines Marston or Dukes Mine and to prepare himself purchases ‘a few shillings worth’ of blue lights from the local chemist.

Upon arrival he signs the visitors’ book and is lowered into the mine in a wooden tub suspended by a chain. The same process used to lower the workers and raise the rock salt to the surface.

He is led through rows of pillars of salt to an area named Regent Street by the miners, due to the number of lamps giving the appearance of a large city at night.

He then goes on to explain the process of salt making.

The article ends with a recommendation for his readers to take the opportunity to visit the mine if they are ever in Cheshire and to make sure they are well provided with lights.