Comments on: Ghost Town – TUCKANARRA

By: ash

ash — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 13:44:52 +0000

In reply to Brad Colley. Oh my goodness I am coming up against the same thing - just wondering how you went in furthering your research?

By: Julie Street

Julie Street — Mon, 20 May 2019 13:07:05 +0000

In reply to Frank Moloney.

Hi Frank.
My Mother is Claire Russell and she has spoken about your family in the past. Your name is familiar to me. How very nice to hear from you. I will mention you to her when I visit on Thursday. Margaret (probably Peg) was the eldest of the children and is still with us turning 90 this year. Auntie Irene, Uncle Trevor, Auntie Dorothy and Auntie Fay have all passed away. Georgina and Mum are the only Tuckanarra family members still remaining although there were two other girls born after they went south at the outbreak of WW2. My Grandfather Arthur Russell was killed in a cave-in at his workplace in Mandurah in 1946 which is ironic as he had plenty of experience down a mine shaft. Nana passed away in 1992. They had a very hard life in Tuckanarra but Mum has always said that in spite of the hardships they were amongst the best times of her life.
I gave her a book to record her memories and she has written about her life in Tuckanarra. She tells a story about one of the indigenous women in a fur coat Nana gave her, about walking across the tops of the shafts, the grocery train, my Grandfathers chickens and horses, the water tank at the station they kept themselves cool in and about a ghost. I believe that someone was found hanging in a tree long before they got there, I thing this is the ghost/spirit story.
I have photos of the house they lived in and a school photo as well. I think ther may be some others as well.
I’ve never been to Tuckanarra but as I’m now approaching the grey nomad age and retired it may be on the cards.
Once again, thank you for contacting me, it would be nice to compare memories.
Kind regards Julie

By: Frank Moloney

Frank Moloney — Sat, 18 May 2019 08:53:07 +0000

In reply to julie street. Hi Julie. I was born in Meekatharra in 1934 but spent my first 8 or 9 years in Tuckanarra as my father Francis William Moloney ran the battery there. I can recall that a family of Russells lived just up the road from us and I used to go to school with some of them .Dad ran the battery there and used to crush the ore for the prospectors and in those days you had to sell the gold to the mint. I go prospecting up that way and I was in Tuckanarra only a couple of weeks ago. I live in Como now but have done a lot of prospecting since 1980 . I think the Russells had a large family and some of the girls names may have been Clair,Irene and Peg but it was along time ago Cheers Frank

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 06:59:31 +0000

It is not quite a ghost town, the homestead is still occupied, and until September 2012 when my father Peter Henrickson died the property behind it was occupied for many years. My Dad built more onto the property but when he bought it there was only the two room shack with a tin roof. We own lot 69 of the townsite.

By: julie street

julie street — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 07:43:28 +0000

My Grandfather Arthur Russell took his family to Tuckanarra in the early 1930’s. He was a miner/prospector. They lived in a two room dwelling with hessian walls, a dirt floor and tin roof. They were evacuated south during WW2. My mum often talks about her carefree life there as a child.

By: Bob Searle

Bob Searle — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 12:54:12 +0000

Hello Moya. I am trying to find in formation on Richard Edward Searle who lived in Tuckanarra from about 1903 to about 1920. He was a grocer there, his wife was Elizabeth and their children were Lillian Maude and Herbert Edward. I photo of the township would be great if one exists.

bob.searle56@bigpond.com

By: Brad Colley

Brad Colley — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 12:41:02 +0000

In reply to Didi French.

Hi Didi. I am also trying to trace Ernest Edward De Lacy family for a friend of mine . I have also hit a mighty big brick wall on his parents ! Some ancestry.com trees have wrongly stated Thomas Corbet De Lacy senior died in Dunedin NZ. -a different TC De Lacy coincidently with same names.
I may bleed to apply for some death cert’s to find if any parentage or birth details supplied on cert but I am hoping you may be able to assist me. I am Rey happy to share my research with you anytime. Regards, Brad Colley of Kewdale.
Bradjc8@bigpond.com

By: Didi French

Didi French — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 18:27:25 +0000

I’m looking for any information on my great Uncle, Thomas Corbett de Lacy who died in Tuckanarra on the 6th Sept, 1902.
Apparently he was the saloon keeper in town, and died at only 37. I’m interested in any information you may be able to provide me with please Moya.
I have hit a brick wall when it comes to his parents, but apparently he was born in Victoria and had a twin brother named Ernest Edward who lived in Maylands. (My grandfather.)

By: Moya Sharp

Moya Sharp — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 12:41:34 +0000

In reply to William Bermi9ngham. Could be !!!

By: William Bermi9ngham

William Bermi9ngham — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 02:36:07 +0000

Moya, do you think maybe that is the origin of tucker for food?