John B Ryan was also known as ‘Old Jack’ died near the end of November 1905, it is thought his age was about 60yrs. He was found on Sturt Meadows Station by a boundary rider some distance from Diorite King in the Leonora District.
A prospector boils the billy
Jack was an old prospector who was reported as missing. When found six months later it was realised he had perished from thirst in the bush. Jack Ryan was a man whose life was crammed with adventure. He lived on the Little Wonder GM for some years. His skeleton was found by a boundary rider about 18 miles from the Sturt Meadows station homestead sitting under a Mulga Bush. The find was reported to police by the station owner Bill Benstead. The skeleton was fully clothed apart from his hat which was found 20yrds away. He had last been seen only 8 miles from where he was found.
He was born in 1845 in Ballarat VIC and claimed to have remembered the Eureka Stockade. He was involved in every rush that took place in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand. He left ‘The Palmer’ in Queensland and landed in the Kimberley’s of WA during the first rushes. He battled through the Nor-West and one occasion unearthed 500oz of gold in less than an hour. From there he travelled to the Eastern Goldfields with his belongings and his dog on a barrow. After trying various fields he pulled up at the Little Wonder GM south of Menzies and there he worked for many years.
Once every week he trundled his barrow to the Diorite Hotel on the Lawlers Road for his weeks’ supply of tucker. He always paid with alluvial gold and managed to have just enough each week to settle his account. Once each year he travelled with his wheelbarrow and his dog into Leonora and as if to avoid observation and the hills, he took the back track. This evidently was to bring about his death. When his dog returned to his camp without him a diligent search only found his barrow. The dog had one of Jack’s ties around its neck where it must have been tied up by when he left his barrow to seek water. There was no money or papers of any kind on the body and no evidence of foul play.
Old Jack would always say to those who asked how he was getting on:
“Oh! a few fly-specks now and then”.
But it was widely believed that the old man had a horde of gold planted somewhere near his camp.
His body was not found until 6 months later. Constable Donovan was dispatched to the scene of the gruesome discovery. An inquest was held before Acting Coroner Stuart and a jury and an open verdict was returned, the jury adding that they believed the deceased has perished in the bush. It was thought that the deceased left a widow who lived in Perth WA. His remains were brought into town and buried in the Leonora Cemetery.
Leonora Cemetery – RYAN John B — 60yrs, d between 21 Nov 1905, and 10 Jun 1906, at Diorite King, near Leonora, Occ: Prospector, Cause: Perished for want of water, Verdict of the Coroner, Reg 42/1906 Mt Margaret, RC, Buried Leonora Cemetery.
Moya Sharp
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