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

Menzies – Fred W Dawson Produce Merchant

14/01/2015 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

From the Western Argus ‘Special Mining Number’ 24th April 1901 Mr Fred Dawson:- This is a prosperous business in the wholesale fruit, vegetables and general produce, carried on by Mr F W Dawson, who commands a large proportion of ‘out-back’ trade. He sends farm and dairy produce to all northern centres and has a turnover […]

The Story of a Sign – J Moriarty Hairdresser!

14/01/2015 By Moya Sharp 5 Comments

I was recently contacted by a reader who sent me the following story about his efforts to return a shop sign that came into his possession. So far he had hit a brick wall but thought you may like to read about his search so far and maybe someone will know a ‘Moriarty’ descendant. I […]

Karkurla Gold – A History of the Women of Kalgoorlie-Boulder

12/01/2015 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

I first heard of this project through my friend and author Dr Criena Fitzgerald when she was contracted to work on this program due to her experience and previous work in the field of oral history. The web site was to be based on a similar site that was done for the Broken Hill district […]

Painless Haircuts – Murrin Murrin

11/01/2015 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

T Roberts Hairdressing Saloon (not Salon) Hair Cut Painlessly, terms cash! I just love this photo. Taken at Murrin Murrin (between Leonora and Laverton),Western Australia. Is this a cunning advertising ploy or did some hair stylists really hurt? Perhaps he also sold alcohol (to numb the pain maybe) and just in case ‘terms cash’ so no […]

Not Just a Presidents Wife – Lou Henry Hoover

11/01/2015 By Moya Sharp 4 Comments

Lou Henry Hoover was the wife of Herbert Clark Hoover, the 31st president of the United States of America. There has been a great deal written about her husbands time on the Goldfields of Western Australia but very little has been told about his wifes achievements in her own right. During her time as ‘First […]