I was recently sent a fascinating story by David Howell about his relatives the ‘Torpey Girls’. He has kindly allowed me to share part of their story with you. It was researched by himself and Bosco Ryan, my cousin and his cousin Ed O’Dea. The story begins with John Torpey from Ballyvouden, Kilteely, Co. Limerick […]
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
Typhoid : digging for ended in digging a grave
06/08/2022 By Leave a Comment
‘Typhoid Fever’ Many lives on the waterless goldfields of Western Australia were lost, not only from thirst but also from Typhoid Fever. In the 1890s, Typhoid was endemic throughout Australia. It struck at Perth, Western Australia’s capital itself, then in established outlying centres such as Northam and at temporary townships on the road to the […]
Struck by Lightning – a lucky man
30/07/2022 By Leave a Comment
Kalgoorlie Western Argus 28 January 1908, page 20 STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. A Singular Experience. There are probably few men who have been struck by lightning and have survived to tell the tale. One of them, if there are any others, is William Smith, from Kalgoorlie who is depicted here as he appeared after his extraordinary […]
Search for the lost Diprotodon
30/07/2022 By Leave a Comment
Western Mail Perth – 25 April 1908, page 14 In Search of the Diprotodon Expedition to Sullivans Creek by Charles P Conigrave Visitors to the Museum will probably be familiar with the fine skeleton of that great extinct marsupial, Diprotodon Australis, discovered some years ago at Lake Callabonna, in Central Australia. It may not be […]
Yunndaga – ghost town
30/07/2022 By Leave a Comment
Yunndaga was originally known as Woolgar: The staff of the Menzies Consolidated Gold Mine 1916- Thomas ELLIS back row far left, Centre back row is Arthur BELDON. A new town has recently been added to the Outback Family History website. Yunndaga, is a small town about 7 km South of Menzies. The above photograph is […]
