Archives for February 2023

Ante and Petrica – a love story

The following story is an extract with kind permission from – ‘For a Better Life, Yugoslavs on the Goldfields of Western Australia 1890-1970 by Dr Criena Fitzgerald. One of the most tragic love stories was that of Ante Mateljan and Petrica Mikovic (Micovich). Luka Markovich, a friend of Ante Mateljan, brought Petrica’s photograph back to […]

Arthur King or Theo Herchler – grave tales

Arthur KING – real name Theodore HERCHLER Born in Germany in September 1859. As a young man, Arthur was a student of the Conservatoire of Music where he graduated with honours. He then started working with Gilbert and Sullivan, and Doyle Carte in England as a repetiteur or rehearsal pianist. On the 22nd October 1890, […]

The French Chef and his family

This is quite a well-known photograph, but until recently, I had not known who the people were. I have been contacted by Glenda Slan, who was able to tell me about the photograph and some of her family history. Glenda said, “The gentleman is my great great Grandfather Louis Fremery (he was French and a […]

The White Horse Blow – a verse

The White Horse Blow by Alfred E Wallace ‘The Axeman” Lo, hear the hobbles jingle And the old Mokes bells a dingle And from the far-off Dolly Pot, the echo seems to ring O’er the ranger and the ridges Through the mulgas and the gidgeas. Where McGann was ‘Costeen Champion’, and Pearsey Floater King, Kirklands […]

The Shadow of Death Hotel & Tiger Tail Jerry

There was a man by the name of John Hawes who was a parish priest up to the 1930s in the Yalgoo/Murchison district. In a biography on his life he tells of how, after riding all day, he spent the night at a lonely wild spot with a well called the ‘Shadow of Death’. There […]