Archives for May 2017

Two Lonely Graves – grave tales

CALDER William Leslie:- died 12.10.1896 aged 3 yrs 3 mths at Speakman Find (now Callion Mine) in the Menzies district. Buried at Speakman Find. He died from convilsions. Born: Dunnolly, VIC. He was the child of Alexander and Annie (nee Speakman) CALDER, he had only been in WA for 3 months. The following information was […]

He Had So Much Work To Do – a verse by Henry Lawson

Another favourite verse from the pen of Henry Lawson Tell a simple little story of a settler in the West, Where the soldier birds and farmers, and selectors never rest While the sun shines—and they often work in rainy weather, too: But it’s all about a young man who had so much work to do. […]

Agents of Empire – book review

How E.L. Mitchell’s photographs shaped Australia By Joanna Sassoon For nearly 100 years, E.L. Mitchell’s emblematic photographs have shaped ideas about Australia. But who was Mitchell and why did he succeed above his competitors? With unprecedented access to private collections and showcasing his extraordinary photographs, Agents of Empire charts Mitchell’s rise from his struggles as […]

Marriage Superstitions:-

What month did you marry?  The Outlook is a bit grim for me !!! (: Married in January’s hoar and rime, widowed you’ll be before your prime. Married in February’s sleety weather, life you’ll tread in tune together. Married in March winds shrill and roar, your home will lie on a foreign shore. Married ‘neath […]

The Legend of ‘Hellfire Jack’

From: The Countryman, 1st Sept 1950 – There was the time that the brokers who were negotiating to purchase the Merton’s Reward Goldmine in 1902 arrived at Menzies by horse drawn buggy at 8pm, after the train for Kalgoorlie had left. It was essential for them to reach Kalgoorlie before midnight when the option on […]