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

The Gregson’s of Bonnievale – a family story

04/10/2018 By Moya Sharp 3 Comments

On the 11th Sep 1928 the ‘Rainbow Argus’ in Rainbow Victoria, reported the death of John Watts Gregson. It said he was a highly respected resident of the town. He was born in Chepstone Victoria in 1871 and was the eldest son of Mrs Gregson of Ararat Vic and Charles Gregson of Coolgardie WA. He […]

“Mr Everything”: pioneer profile

30/09/2018 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Mr Vaiben Louis Solomon was a very successful businessman in eary Coolgardie. He was also the first Jewish person to become a Premier of an Australian State. Vaiben Louis Solomon (1853-1908), businessman and premier, was born on 13 May 1853 in Adelaide, son of Judah Moss Solomon and his wife Rachel, née Cohen. He was educated at John […]

Philp & Royal – Pioneer Builders

28/09/2018 By Moya Sharp 1 Comment

The firm of Phil and Royal, Master Builders and Contractors, were located in Sylvester Street, Coolgardie (see map). They also had a factory in Cassidy Street, Kalgoorlie. In 1897, Phil and Royal were the builders for the Kalgoorlie Primary School and additions to the Kalgoorlie Post Office, which included, a mail room, a new despatch clerk’s room,money […]

James Penberthy – A Coolgardie Pioneer

26/09/2018 By Moya Sharp 2 Comments

James Henry Harris Penberthy was the eldest son of James Harris Penberthy and Elizabeth nee MITCHELL, Penberthy. He was born on Christmas Day 25th Dec 1853 at Samford Spiney, a mining village near Tavistock in Devon, England. Earlier generations of the Penberthy family had been involved in mining as far back as 1670, first in […]

Kalpini – ghost town

23/09/2018 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

It’s not often that I come across a Goldfields town that I have not heard of before, but this is a new one for me. Although no traces of a town exist today it appears that mining is still carried out in the area. Situated 26 miles East North East of Kanowna its appears to […]