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

Boer War Memorial Day – 31st May

31/05/2015 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Today is ‘Boer War Memorial Day’ and there are ceremonies all over Australia. To see what is happrning near you go to:- http://bit.ly/1Fij8ub This is the photograph of George Hodgkins Nethercott, formerly acting Mayor of Kalgoorlie. He is believed to be the first Australian killed in the Boer War. Nethercott Street in Kalgoorlie is named after […]

A Dearly Beloved Wife – Edith Rosman

28/05/2015 By Moya Sharp 3 Comments

I’m sure that I’m not the only one who sees beauty in some memorials in cemeteries. I have spent a great deal of my life wandering around cemeteries, especially our Kalgoorlie Cemetery. The view from the road is often as much as is seen, but if you venture through the gates, you will discover so […]

The Fatal Errand of Young Wallace Cocking

28/05/2015 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

From the Kalgoorlie Miner, 27th Jan 1921 News was received today from Menzies of a sad fatality which occurred at Mulline between Friday and Saturday. Wallace David Cocking, 11 years of age and son of Mr Joseph Sylvester Cocking, sandalwood contractor, was sent at 5am on Friday with an urgent message to his father. Mr […]

My Dearest Annie – Missingham Letter 2

27/05/2015 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Friday 13 November 1896 My Dearest wife Since my last letter on Sunday, I ran down to Kiama (NSW) by the 8.30 train and arrived at Albion Park at 12 noon, saw Jamie & his wife and youngsters, the mater (Mother) was in Sydney in the suburbs, but I could not find her. I took […]

Water Rations for Gold Miners

27/05/2015 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

This is typical of the scenes at many mines in WA’s eastern goldfields. At the time this photograph was taken – water rations were connected with employment conditions at many mines. Workers on some goldfields were entitled to condensed water as part of their wages, receiving 2 or 4 gallons (9 or 18 L) per […]