Harry Pearce : sportsman and miner

Harry Pearce, a former instructor with the Victorian Police Force, opened a gymnasium in portion of Leiper & Lamb’s store in 1893, where he taught boxing and promoted bouts for prizes donated at his insistence by lucky miners and where, according to one writer ‘the exponents of biff by sleight of hand extracted gold from the pockets of the miners and placed it in their own’.

W H (Harry) Pearce

When Frank O’Donnell bought the store as a site for a new hotel, Harry Pearce shifted the gymnasium to another site further up Bayley Street, between the Courier office and the Denver City Hotel. By day fighting men foregathered, and where on Saturday nights there was a ‘regular feast of glove-knuckled bashes. ‘Smiler’ Hales put up one of his numerous fights and lost a finger in an argument with a German who had attracted ‘Smiler’s’ partner for a dance in Pearce’s Salon de Luxe. Father Ryan, collecting for the new Roman Catholic Church, wrestled with the big Dane ‘Nungerson’ for a tenner and threw him so hard he broke the Dane’s shoulder. Occasionally, little George Powell delighted the fans with superb displays of hand, head and footwork in exhibitions with men twice his size who were never able to lay a glove on him.’

After functioning as a gymnasium since 1893 Harry Pearce decided to turn his premises into a private club ‘to encourage athletic exercises among businessmen’ who paid one guinea entrance fee and an annual subscription of two guineas.

Harry Pearce wasnt only a business man but also a mine owner. The Star of Fremantle at Kunanalling was a very profitable mine and the family lived on the lease for many years. The family were to own and run the mine for over 20yrs.

Mr and Mrs W H Pearce had four children:-  William, Ruby, Lylie and Clara

Mrs W H Pearce with her children, Lylie, William Ruby and Clara

Clara E Pearce married to Archie G Hill in Kalgoorlie 1916. A pretty wedding was celebrated in the Wesley Church, Kalgoorlie, on Wednesday, May 17. between Mr. Archibald Gilchrist Hill, second son of Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Hill, ‘Lauriston Grange,’ Bittern, Victoria, and Miss Clara Pearce, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Pearce, Kunanalling.

Archibald (Archie) Gilchrist Hill

The Coolgardie Band 1909 , Archibald G Hill far right.

Ruby – A pretty wedding was celebrated in the St. John’s Church. Kalgoorlie, on Wednesday, July 15, 1914 , between Mr. John Henry Cramp, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Cramp, of “Conewarre,” Claremont, Tasmania,and Miss Ruby Pearce, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Pearce, Kunanalling.

Mrs W H Pearce at the Star of Fremantle Lease, Kunanalling

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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