This photograph, which is one of many Goldfields photographs belonging to the ‘Mincham Family Photos’ collection and shows Eliza Mincham seated outside her home (left) with a friend and their children (and dog). Eliza was to have four children, all born at Bonnievale before she and her husband, Charles Stephen Mincham, left in 1907 and moved to Kalgoorlie. The move was prompted because of the ill health of Mr Mincham, which came about when assisting in the rescue of Modesto Varischetti at Bonnivale in 1907.
Varischetti was entombed for several days in a mine at Bonnievale when water flooded the mine. Mr Mincham was the leader in getting the other men to the surface, almost being washed from the ladderway himself. This experience was to undermine his health, and he passed away at his home in Collins Street, Kalgoorlie, on the 13th Oct 1918 at the young age of 46 years. At the time of his death, he had nine children, with one son, Alfred Mincham, fighting in the AIF abroad. An obituary from the Kalgoorlie Miner from the 15th Oct 1918 can be read here. Supplied by Ruth Ireland with kind permission.
Eliza Mincham at home in Bonnivale
Charles Stephen MINCHAM married Elizabeth CLARKE at St Andrews Church in Coolgardie on the 5th January 1897. Charles was aged 26 years and was born in Echunga, South Australia. Elizabeth was aged 25 years and was born in Brighton, England. They had four children, all born at Bonnievale, who were: Alfred Louis MINCHAM born 1898, Sylvia Adelaide MINCHAM born 1900, John William Charles MINCHAM born 1902, and Charles Frederick MINCHAM born 1903.
Bonnivale, Western Australia – Image SLWA
Bonnivale:– Latitude 30° 51′ Longitude 121° 10′ A goldfields townsite near Coolgardie, Bonnievale was gazetted in 1897. It was apparently named after Bonnie, a prospector who picked up a 7oz. nugget there in May/June 1894.
Entombed Miner by Tom Austen
This picture of Sarah Mincham (mother of Charles) and family was after the death of her first husband, John Wesley Mincham, on 9 December 1888 and before the death of her son Peter Lewis Mincham, who died of typhoid in Broken Hill, NSW on 21 April 1889. Sarah Ann Mincham, nee Lewis, with Sarah Adelaide Mincham, 5 years, Peter Lewis Mincham, 20 years, Charles Stephen Mincham, 17 years, William Mincham 22 years, Edwin Robert Mincham, 9 years. Sarah is buried in the same grave in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery as her son Charles.
Sarah Mincham and family
Kalgoorlie Cemetery – Grave of Sarah and Charles – Image Find a Grave
Moya Sharp
Latest posts by Moya Sharp (see all)
- Blood on the Mulga Plains: The Last Day of John Sutherland - 28/02/2026
- A Brother’s Return in Mourning: Tragedy on the Coolgardie Goldfields - 28/02/2026
- The Contract at Old Warden Shaft - 28/02/2026
A cotrection
They moved to Coolgardie and had a lolly shop. My mother in law is a grand daughter. They moved to Kalgoorlie and charles died their in 1915
Edwin Robert married Ethel Beatrice May Gillett in Boulder in 1901.
She died in 1909 after the birth of a baby Elsie Thelma May Mincham in Dec 1908. The Baby died in march 1909 and both are buried in the Kalgoorlie cemetery.
Do you have any other photos of Edwin and perhaps Ethel (known as May)? Sue
mumsue@hotmail.com
My grandfather John William Charles Mincham always told us he and his older siblings were among the first kids to attend Eastern Goldfields High School by train from Coolgardie, at the tine EGGS was first established. He also said his mother sold the first ice cream on the goldfields from her Lolly shop in Coolgardie.
Cheryl Eiffler (Cox) cherylcox49@icloud.com