Joseph of Arimathea

 Joseph in the Tin Trade

Joseph's biblical, and legendary, background

 as a merchant

The tin trade between South West Britain  and the Eastern Mediterranean is described here

There are very persistent traditions in Cornwall that Joseph was involved in the trade of tin.

'The existence of a tin trade between Cornwall and Phoenicia is frequently referred to in Classical writers, and is described at considerable length by Diodorus Siculus. That Joseph was engaged in it rests on tradition. There is a persistent tradition in Cornwall that Joseph was engaged in the tin trade. The tradition is also found in Somerset, Gloucester, the west of Ireland.' (Dobson).

The version quoted by S. Baring-Gould in 'Cornwall' is that Joseph of Arimathea 'came in a boat to Cornwall and brought the child Jesus with him, who taught him how to extract tin and purge it of its wolfram'. 

There is a tradition associated with Marazion in west Cornwall that one of the traders with the ancient tin miners of Cornwall was Joseph of Arimathea

Similar traditions are also to be found in other parts of the west of England and the west of Ireland. The same tradition occurs in Gaul.

**** 'If he had been engaged in the tin trade we have an explanation of his selection of Cornwall for his place of retreat when forced to fly from Palestine.' from did our lord.......