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

Joe the Shifter –

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

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 […]

Liquid Gold – The Elliott Brothers Breweries

Tom and Bill Elliott came to Western Australia in 1893 and moved immediately to the Goldfields where they began a business as cartage contractors. After two years, in 1895, Tom built a cordial factory near the Kalgoorlie rail line and also the Federal Brewery in Kalgoorlie for F W Whitfield. In 1898 he was to […]

Robson and Bullivant – prospectors

Way back in 2005, (gosh! that was 18 yrs ago), I was in correspondence by email with the relatives of John Errington ROBSON,  a lady by the name of Alison Dixon (Grandaughter), Jim Robson (Son), and Steve Potts. John Errington Robson was born on 24th Sep 1865 in Hetton le Hole, Durham, Northumberland England (this […]

Bread Upon The Waters

Western Mail Perth 1 August 1940, page 9 Bread Upon the Waters. DEAR Non-Com: In the early days of the Golden Mile, Davy Jones was working on a mine and according to custom he bought a block of land in preparation for the time when he and Mifanwy could marry. A little house was built, […]