Dan Shea Headstone: Photograph supplied by Derek Graham
Dan Shea was born in County Cork, Ireland, and emigrated in 1868 to prospect on the goldfields of Australia and New Zealand. He teamed up with Paddy Hannan and Tom Flanagan, and the three prospectors worked together to prospect out of Coolgardie. On 15 June 1893, they discovered gold at Kalgoorlie. Paddy Hannan returned to Coolgardie to apply for a reward claim. Flanagan and Shea continued prospecting the site. After the gold rush to the area, the three men did not remain to see the amazing growth of Kalgoorlie. By 1894, the original claim passed into other hands, and the three men went their separate ways. Shea continued to “chase the weight” through the Murchison and Pilbara goldfields. His last years were spent in and around Perth, and he died a pauper in 1908. His gravesite was restored in 1973 after a representation by Mr Tom Evans, the then Member for Kalgoorlie.
Mr O. G. H. Day, of the Perth Marble Works, Wellington Street, has just completed a memorial to the late Dan Shea in Karrakatta Cemetery, consisting of a marble headstone, with inscription in lead letters, also a kerbing and railing. The work has been executed to the order of the Mines Department.
Sunday Times (Perth), 31st January 1909.
Grave located in the Karakatta Cemetery, Western Australia, Roman Catholic Section BC232 – Lat:- 31.968611 Long:- 115.796389
Inscription:
DAN SHEA
A DISCOVERER OF HANNANS (KALGOORLIE) 1893
BORN IN COUNTY CORK, IRELAND
ERECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Moya Sharp
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The story of Dan Shea I believe is not correct. In recent times I have been looking at this Man. My Mothers family have always maintained that he was their relative a story I have been sceptical about. Recent research indicates in all probability he was this Daniel Shea, who along with his wife Johanna entered Fremantle in 1858. He had two children Timothy and Mary. Johanna was most likely pregnant with Tim when they arrived. Tim died with Beadle on the Yilgarn Goldfields. By 1861/2 the marriage had ended. Johanna stayed in Toodyay and Dan went prospecting….
Hi Denis Thanks for getting in touch, the info I included is mainly from the ‘Monuments Australia’ site but I am sure they will want to have the correct details on their site.
Hi Denis, Do you know if Dan had siblings that came eto Australia? Because I have 2 Shea brothers connected to my family, Robert and John, who were pearlers in the shark bay district, both were murdered by Aborigines around 1870’s. I think they came out with their father, who was a Pensioner Guard, and their mother, Elizabeth, in 1853 in the “Dudbrook”
Hi Sue i have other info on this family could you contact me off list if thats ok bunieboyler@hotmail.com
The shea family are very hard to sort but i do believe are all connected
Cheers
Denis Edwards
his grave status at Karrakatta is ‘expired’. i wonder if it will be demolished as part of the ‘renewal’ process – no date yet for Roman Catholic area as far as i know –