The people of the Goldfields

The Goldfields of Western Australia was and still is made up of many people, from poets to politicians, from saints and sinners and everything in between. I hope to tell you the stories of some of these people either famous or infamous or just the ordinary folks. Sometime the most ordinary people do the most extraordinry things

Winter -v- Spring a Darlot Divorce

18/02/2023 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

We often think that matrimonial matters didn’t go to court in the early days, but this unusual story shows that things could still be as complicated and acrimonious as you might see today. Leonora Miner 6 August 1927, page 3 Old Age and Youth Wife of 39yrs Sues Husband of 82yrs A woman of […]

The Strange Case of Frederick Smith

11/02/2023 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

A telegraph was received at Cue from Burnakurra, stating that a trucker who was employed at the Wha GM at Errolls was killed. It also stated that the body was buried at Errolls and that no inquest was opened. The newspaper three days later reported – “In the circumstances, it will be necessary, in order […]

Brothers Pay The Ultimate Price

11/02/2023 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

The Hallahan Brothers – Walter Rewi Hallahan was one of four Kalgoorlie brothers who served with the Australian army in World War I. Two of them, Alf and Wendell, were killed in France in 1916. Walter was killed in September 1918, one month before the armistice was declared while serving with the 11th Battalion. The […]

Joe the Shifter –

11/02/2023 By Moya Sharp 2 Comments

Mirror – Perth – 20 October 1934, page 8 ‘JOE THE SHIFTER’ Carted Goods To The Fields And Carted Them Away Again Now He’s Carting Them Back Joe the Shifter’ is the name given to one of the Goldfields’ best-known identities, Mr. Joseph Wilson, carrying contractor of Kalgoorlie, but one time of Coolgardie. He sets […]

A History of Leonora United Lodge No. 64 WAC

04/02/2023 By Moya Sharp 6 Comments

Following on from our previous stories on the history of Freemasonary in the Goldfields, we are fortunate to have another chapter from Doug Daws on the history of Freemasons in Leonora, Gwalia and Malcolm. This story is not only of interest to those who are Freemasons but to all who are interested in the founding […]