Huelva-Seville Train Station opened 15 March, 1880 
The Deadwood Coach involved in the robbery of the Rio Tinto payroll 
British ladies (most likely Scottish) in front of the Presbyterian church at Rio Tinto 
A social gathering in Punta Umbria 
Mr Hugh Mackay Matheson. First chairman of the Rio Tinto Company 
La Zarza open-pit mine (1887) run by the Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Company from Glasgow. 
Sir Charles Tennant. First Chairman of the Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Company from Glasgow 
Workers at the Huelva Pyrite Mines 
First houses in Punta Umbria for leisure and convalescence of the British mining staff 
Cafe Cantante El Burrero Seville. Silverio Franconetti opened a Cafe Cantante in Huelva in the 1880s 
Rio Tinto Village 
Rio Tinto Company train station in Huelva with the Seville station (1880) in the background 
Village and Mines of Rio Tinto 1875 
View of the Rio Tinto Railway 1875 
An illustration of Huelva in 1875 with the newly build Rio Tinto Company pier. 
The Buitron and Huelva Railway and Mineral Company Limited. Diego Bull, the director, seated in the middle 
Ernest Deligny, considered one of the pioneers in the internationalisation of the Huelva pyrite mines 
Huelva Seamen’s Institute. Built Feb. 1890 on the initiative of Mr. Hugh Matheson as oasis of moral Presbyterian values. 
Hotel Colon North Pavilion 
Dr. William Alexander Mackay 
Interior of the Rio Tinto Company pavillion at the Madrid Mining Exhibition 1883 
Rio Tinto Pavilion at the Madrid Mining Exhibition 1883 
The Rio Tinto Company English Hospital in Calle San Andrés designed by William Alexander Mackay 
Huelva Gas Company Limited est. 1880. The director was Charles Adam, first president of the Huelva Recreation Club 
The Rio Tinto Company Limited Logo 
Zafra Huelva Railway Station. The line was inaugurated 4 November 1888 by Cánovas del Castillo 
The Bishop of Gibraltar, Rev. Sandford who visited Huelva city and the Rio Tinto mines, in 1882 
Rio Tinto Company Pier 
View of Huelva Port on the Odiel River 
Barges at San Juan del Puerto operating under the Buitron and Huelva Railway and Mining Company 
Hotel Colon Plans early 1880s 
The Hotel Colon 
Lawn Tennis at Hotel Colon 
British residents in Huelva most likely employees from the mining companies 
Bullring at Rio Tinto 
Floating Baths on the Odiel River 
Old town hall in Calle Cánovas, currently Calle Puerto 
North Pavilion of the luxury Columbus Hotel in Huelva (demolished) 
The convent of Franciscan friars, dedicated to Santa Maria de Rabida 
Official 1892 Columbus Celebrations poster 
Minas de Riotinto 1878 
Royal Procession in Merced Square during the IV Centenary celebrations October 1892 
Calle La Fuente 
The Jane Cory whose crew played one of the first football matches organised by Dr. W. A. Mackay with the Rio Tinto staff 
Hotel Colon Interior 
Columbus Hotel advertisement 
Zafra Railway and deposits at Huelva port 
Working the Huelva pyrite open-cast mines 
Working the Huelva pyrite open-cast mines 
Building the Tharsis Warf end of the 1860s 
Working the Huelva pyrite open-cast mines 
Huelva fishing port 
Copper smelting 
San Pedro Church in Huelva Capital 
Huelva fishing port 
Heap roasting of the pyrites 
La Rabida Monastery where Christopher Columbus stayed before his voyage of discovery 
Nursing staff in the Rio Tinto Company Hospital 
Working class dwelling in Huelva 
La Cinta Sanctuary 
Concepcion Church in Concepcion Street. Still exists today 
Calle Palacios 
Interior of La Rabida Monastery where Christopher Columbus stayed before his journey of discovery. Still exists today 
Calle Sagasta, now known as Calle Plus Ultra 
View of the Rio Tinto Company Pier on the Odiel River. Still exits today. 
Oxen bringing blocks of marble from the quarries in Fuenteheritos to build the monument in La Rabida 
Calle Monasterios, Today named after Manuel Vazquez Lopez 
The Gran Hotel Internacional in Calle Sagasta 
Salomon iron bridge and tunnel on the line from Rio Tinto to Huelva. Still exists today. 
English houses and tennis courts Bella Vista in Rio Tinto built for the British mining staff 
Map of Huelva before the arrival of the British mining companies, probably 1860s or earlier 
Tharsis Station belonging to the Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Company. 
Calle Odiel (today Avenida Italia) with the Seville and Rio Tinto train station and workshops.
In the middle of the 19th century, a sleepy agricultural province of Andalusia was thrown onto the world’s stage and into the limelight of international attention. Almost overnight the Huelva Pyrite Mines became a key player in the industrial revolution and world trade. On one level, this is the fascinating story of copper and sulphur, of innovation and breathtaking progress in science, engineering and communications, but on another deeper level, it’s also the human story of a crucible of cultures in Huelva, and how both the Spanish and the British overcame the challenges they faced the best way they knew how.
1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1873 1880 1882 1883 1885 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 Alfonso XII Calañas Charles Tennant Charles Wilson Adam Christopher Columbus Copper Mines Cánovas del Castillo Doctor José García López Guillermo Sundheim Henrich Doetsch Hotel Colon Huelva Port Hugh M. Matheson Isabella II La Rábida Manuel Vázquez López prospectus Queen Victoria Rio Tinto Rio Tinto Mines RTCL Spanish Republic telegraph teleras Tharsis Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Company The Glasgow Herald The Pall Mall Gazette William Alexander Mackay William R. Lawson
