Clara Saunders – First wedding in Coolgardie

In Celebration of International Woman’s Day 8th March 2016 On 4th July 1894 Clara SAUNDERS & Arthur WILLIAMS were married by the Rev. Thomas TRESTRAIL at John DE BAUN’S Great Western Hotel in Bayley Street Coolgardie. (now the site of the Coolgardie Motel on the corner of Bayley & Hunt Streets) Clara was seventeen & […]

Only a Flesh Wound – Coolgardie 1894

In Coolgardie in 1894 there was an influx of British nobility and for a time there were more Lords, Dukes, Baronets and others in Coolgardie than had or ever has been, in any one Australian town at the same time. These Britishers packed more guns than any Yankee film hero and regular revolver practice was […]

A Haunting Tale – The Residency

Jack and Francis Tree had lived in Coolgardie since 1970 and fifteen of those years had been in Warden Finnerty’s House in McKenzie Street, Coolgardie.  The six bedroom mansion was built by the Bunning Brothers soon after they arrived from Scotland in 1895 and before they established their hardware business which we all know of […]

The One Armed Cameleer – Murderer or Madman ?

From the Sunday Times 11th May 1941:- A Tragedy Recalled Elderly, venerable, Said Mahomet Yar first spread his praying mat and commenced his morning with Allah then rolled and strapped his blankets and dismantled his self made wind sheet. Before continuing his journey he carefully counted the contents of two leather pouches which swung at […]

Almost Killed with Kindness!!

From the Western Argus Newspaper 24th January 1905 Coolgardie Jan 17th 1905 Sydney CONDER who was admitted to the Coolgardie Hospital last Thursday suffering from snakebite is in a serious condition.  Condor saw a rabbit enter a burrow and thrust his arm in and was bitten on the hand. His ‘mates’ scarified the bite to […]