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The Peak Hill Tragedy: The Heartbreaking Story of Catherine and Ethel Howard

02/07/2026 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

While recently researching the lives of those buried in the Peak Hill Cemetery, I came across this very sad and tragic story. Catherine Francis ‘Kitty’ and George Howard had married in Warriminnie near Minginew, WA, in 1895 at the home of Catherine’s sister. Both George and Catherine were from Victoria. Up to the time of […]

Filed Under: People, Places & Towns Tagged With: Australian History, Goldfields History, Meekatharra, Peak Hill, Western Australia

No Music Played for the Emperor of the Cornet –

02/07/2026 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Sunday Times 12 December 1943, page 3 The Silence at the Funeral of one of Australia’s Greatest Bandsmen. Although a band was present, no music was played at the funeral at Karrakatta Cemetery yesterday of beloved musician Mr Hugh Gregory McMahon. Scores of friends attended the funeral in the Roman Catholic portion of the cemetery. […]

Filed Under: Grave Tales, People, Places & Towns Tagged With: Australian History, Goldfields History, Western Australia

James “Carbine” Gullan – a Good Fellow all Round

02/07/2026 By Moya Sharp 1 Comment

While many of you have enjoyed several verses from the pen of John Terrell on the Outback Family History Blog, many of you will also be familiar with his books on the sporting history of the Goldfields. He recently sent me the following story, which I’m sure you will find most interesting. You may think, […]

Filed Under: Grave Tales, People, Places & Towns Tagged With: Australian History, Goldfields History, sport, Western Australia

The Gate of Golden Hope –

27/06/2026 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Western Mail Perth 25 December 1928, page 76 Micky O’Driscoll, or “Micky the Priest”, as he was known, humped his bluey disconsolately through the scrubby jam-tree thicket. Behind him, some ten miles lay the town . . . . Hell’s blessings on it! . . . where he had squandered two months’ wages in as […]

Filed Under: Books, People, Places & Towns, Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales Tagged With: Australian History, Goldfields History, Western Australia

Over the Plates: The Unlucky Gamble

27/06/2026 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Dolly Pot – Western Mail, Perth – 21 November 1940, page 8 OVER THE PLATES An Unlucky Gamble Early in the “Roaring Nineties,” Billy Collins, Ned Campion, Barney, and I were camped at a pool ten miles west of Cue. At the south end of the pool, flies were making short work of a horse […]

Filed Under: People, Places & Towns, Ripping Yarns & Tragic Tales Tagged With: Australian History, Cue, Goldfields History, Western Australia

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