Archives for October 2015

The Welsh Newspaper Editor and his Australian Goldmine

The following fascinating article was written by a reader, Alwyn Evans, a keen Welsh historian. It was first published in ‘Wales Online’ The full story, as a book, with supporting references and illustrations, will be published in the next six months by Hesperian Press. George William Hall was a pioneer of the fantastically rich Western Australian […]

Sand and Stone Vol 1 and 2 by Kevin Moran

Book Review:- Are you looking for that special gift for family or friends who love reading about Goldfields History. If so, I would like to recommend this wonderful two volume set., it will not disappoint I assure you. This is its second release as the first was so popular. Sand and Stone Pt 1. Colonists and […]

A Child’s Life on the Goldfields

A tough open-air childhood!! As the many hundreds of tents on the goldfields were slowly replaced with huts, those seeking their fortunes began to bring their wives and families. Bringing up a child on the goldfields was often difficult and dangerous. Fires were commonplace and, in 1904, three boys died tragically in one fire called […]

Typhoid Fever: A Raging Epidemic

During the 1890s typhoid fever in the Goldfields reached epidemic proportions. An infectious food and water-borne disease, typhoid was linked to poor sanitation, often combined with overcrowding.   ‘Instant’ crowded tent towns, unsanitary conditions, and a limited fouled water supply combined with basic health amenities, provided ideal conditions for the spread of the disease. Its […]

The Kalgoorlie Dog and Poultry Society

In the late 1890’s and early 1900 there were many social clubs in the Goldfields of Western Australia. Sporting and church groups were popular but there were many others with something to suit everyone. One of the more unusual groups was the ‘Dog and Poultry Society’. This may seem an odd combination with dogs and […]