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

A History of ‘The Round’ by Darren McAullay

02/10/2021 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

The Round By Darren McAullay It is, without doubt, one of the biggest, most colourful, and successful racing carnivals to be staged anywhere in Australia. It is steeped in history, has been the scene of some of the most incredible events both on and off the track and for many, it has etched memories that […]

Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales – 26th September 2021

25/09/2021 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

I hope that you have had a good week and thank you to everyone who responded with your comments from last week. If I haven’t yet replied to you, I promise that I will do so. You will see this week we have another excerpt from Chris Clark’s research into the ‘Lasseters Lost Gold’ saga. […]

Death by Despair – Leonora Snapshots

25/09/2021 By Moya Sharp 2 Comments

In the last edition of the ‘Leonora Cemetery Snapshots’ we looked at ‘all the little children’. This edition looks at suicide which was a sad but common cause of death in the early days of the Goldfields. Sometimes it was a release from certain and horrific death by thirst or heat. Other times it was […]

Human Gold by N.E. Gledhill

25/09/2021 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

This sad and poignant story from the pen of N E Gledhill is kindly shared by his Great Nephew Allen Gledhill with thanks: STEVE HARDING lived with his wife in a tumble-down shanty on the outskirts of the Golden Mile. They were a queer couple. She, a diminutive, white-haired old woman, with deep-set eyes and […]

James Alfred Cock(s) – grave tales

25/09/2021 By Moya Sharp 1 Comment

James Alfred Cock was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire in Wales on the 17th December 1850. He was the eldest son of Joseph Cock and Ann nee Wherry. In 1870, at aged 19yrs, he embarked from Plymouth Devon England on the ship the Colonial Empire to Victoria, arriving in Melbourne in October of 1870. He gave […]