GO WEST AND FIND YOUR MATE
By John Drayton in “Smith’s Weekly”

Cattle and sheep run over the site of the old camp of Rolling Stone. In the gold belt between Duketon, WA and the desert. Rolling Stone was the jumping-off place of the pioneers of Eastern discovery. The only water for a stretch of 20 miles was there, and the only bit of good camel feed in a wider area. This was the western point from the New Year’s Gift, one of the small rich leaders shows in a mileage of golden territory in which the mother body was never located.

New Year’s Gift was prospected by Ben See and Jack Holliday, camel men who had covered most of the district between Leonora and Laverton in the rush period, 1896-99, when hundreds of gold hunters left the more settled camps of Coolgardie and Hannans and broke for new country out east. Good prospectors, these two kept going long after they should have turned back on their tracks and replenished. Food was running short, but there was plenty for the camels, and water was available. Gold was everywhere. Not in payable quantity, but every floater showed some, and many of the stones were specimens. No real prospector would leave such a country until forced out.

Compulsion might be twofold. The natives were bad, and provisions were unobtainable. Sufficient to carry on could be obtained from camps 30 to 40 miles away, but the camps were not heavily stocked. The prospectors would see one another through as far as was possible, but, mindful of their own safety, could do no more.

Gold Was There:  That there was good gold somewhere in the vicinity of their camp, the mates were convinced, but where? This was the question to which See and Holliday sought the answer. “We’ll go on until the end of December,” said Ben. “If nothing shows, we’ll pull out on New Year’s Day. There’s never a year as bad as the last.

New Year, New Luck!

One of the boys will stand us a few tins of dog, and we’ll hang out, somehow, for a fortnight. The end of December found the position unchanged. They had not actually found anything, but the country was inviting. Floaters were rich and plentiful. Had there been a battery within a few miles, they could have fed it with a good parcel of 5oz. stone. But the nearest mill was 40 miles away, a rickety old three-head one at that. If they could find the ore body from which the rich floaters had been shed, they would be at the end of their troubles even without a battery on the spot.

On their Last Feed: On New Year’s Eve, they opened their last tin of dog. A few pounds of flour remained, and it was agreed that the camels would be brought in for an early start in the morning. The beasts had wandered, and the men went different ways in quest of them.

A hot day in the bush – Lionel Lindsay.

See was back before dark, the four camels strung out behind him. Jack did not turn up for supper, was not in at bedtime, and had not arrived at dawn. But his mate was not anxious. There were no natives in the vicinity at the moment, and the bush was an open book to them. He might have met with an accident, but this was unlikely. In that case, he would have made a smoke signal, and Ben would have gone out on his tracks.

So he slung the billy, lit his pipe and waited.

At 5 o’clock, Jack came in. “There she is,” he said. There she was, all right. In the three samples he carried, gold showed in bunches. That day their dolly-pots did good service. They pounded out values sufficient for immediate needs, pegged the holding, “ran their lines” following the Mining Act, and with only a few handfuls of flour to sustain them, rode to Laverton, lodged their application with the Warden’s officer and loaded up for the return journey.

They took a fortune out of the show, aptly named ‘The New Year Gift’ and sold for a decent price.
A Dead Man’s Find: In 1901, I travelled with Holliday from Fremantle to Sydney. He was going home with the profits of the New Year’s Gift. “I never told anybody but Ben the full story of that find,” he confided. “Someone had opened the show before I got to it. I saw old tracks and came to signs of a camp near a little gnamma hole. I pottered round a while and came on the outcrop. “It had been napped, and the stone Ï took in was piled alongside a broken handled pick. There were three spears just beyond the outcrop, but no other sign.

“Do you remember a chap named Allambone who was on the Murchison about ten or twelve years ago?” he said. Surprised at the sudden switch in the conversation, I asked:  “Why?” “Well”, said the prospector, I’m going to tell you. You know he was mates with Joe Simms, and they went out from Leonora some time before the prospectors drifted from Laverton? I found a belt buckle with Billy Allambone’s name scratched on it, and a rifle and a revolver alongside the old fire at the outcrop.

The One Lost Second: When Jack Reidy was going in from Kurnalpi, he came on Joe and Billy. They said they intended to start out East, with the idea of prospecting right up to the edge of the desert. That was as far as I know, the last anyone saw of the two in company. They had six good camels, plenty of tucker, and a rifle and revolver each, with, of course, a lot of cartridges. They were strong enough to go anywhere, and Jack agreed they ought to make the journey and might make a decent strike.

No one knows just which way they went, and no one will ever know just what happened on the trip. After we opened ‘The Gift’ and the Rolling Stone crowd came out there, I was having a yarn with Bob Oldfield one night, and he told me he had been in “The Gift” country two years before and got out of it two jumps ahead of a bunch of natives running at the heels of his camel.

“He did not say be found our show. But what he told me linked Simms and Allambone and us pretty closely. He said that a few months before we went out, a chap staggered to his camp, starving and done for want of water; he could not talk, but Bob pulled him round in a day or two and got his story. He and his mate had uncovered an outcrop miles east of where Bob was then and were napping stone on it when a group of natives came.

It wasn’t much of a yarn for any man to have to tell. He was panic-stricken when the natives struck. Scared for his life, he forgot to get his rifle out. Because of 50 painted natives throwing spears, his nerve went; he bolted and left his mate to it. He left everything, rushed for his own camel, climbed aboard, and raced away while natives were dealing with Billy. In the night, his camel went back to its mates, and he had wandered two days without food or water. That was his story.

The boys kept him until he was strong enough to get going, and then gave him the rules of the camp. You know what they would be. He had left his mate to perish. They gave him a bag of water and said he had better start back at once. That was the last anyone ever saw of him. I didn’t tell Bob what we had found at the old camp. What was the good?

Simms had gone to look for his mate – He had ‘Gone West’ for keeps!

John Saul Turner known, as’ Old Jack’, died on the 15th of February 1896 aged between 54 and 57 years, 2 miles southeast of Cement Creek at Mount Margaret. He was found on the 16th of February 1896 and later buried by WP McCormack and Police Constable Lionel Bradley from Menzies.

He was a prospector who died from thirst. A cyclist employed by Charles Wright Douglas and Co, who had just returned from Mount Margaret, reported that on the 16th of February he found a dead man 2 miles southeest of Cement Creek and about 7 miles from Mount Margaret. His description was as follows, age between 50 and 60, height about 5 feet 2 inches wearing corduroy pants, a white linen shirt, new shoes, a brown tweed coat, a felt hat and had been dead about 5 or 6 weeks the body had turned black. He had a grey goatee beard.

Image by ChatGPT

A bridal with a leather headstall and rope and reins was in his hand. The cyclist, Nicholson, reported the death to the registrar at Menzies. Turner was found dead in the Bush 22 miles northeast of Pindinnie on the 16th of February 1896, the deceaseds mate, William Partick McCormack, was informed of the death at Eucalyptus he and travelled from there in ordere to bury the body at Camel Creek (Latt 26°50’43”S Long 120°21’53”E).

Ten days earlier, Turner had left his camp at Eucalyptus, 7 miles east of Pindinnie on the 10th of February riding a donkey and bound for Pennyweight Flat, Pindinnie via Pikes Gully. He had work waiting for him there but he took no tucker or water with him. Mistaking the road, he went on the Mount Margaret track and so perished, he must have let the donkey go when in his last extremity as he had the bridle still in his hand.

Turner was popularly known as ‘Old Jack’, he was physically strong but occasionally suffered from rheumatics and gout, it’s believed that he formerly kept a hotel in north Queensland.

John Saul TURNER was born on the 29 Jul 1842 at Bracebridge, Lincolnshire, England to Saul TURNER and Eleanor Woodroffe BAUMBER. It was not know if he was married but it was said he had a son, Edward.

Laverton and Beria Mercury 12 February 1904, page 3

In Memory of John Saul Turner ‘Old Jack’
Who tragically lost his life at Cement Creek on the 15th of February, 1896.
These lines were written by his mate, William Patrick McCormack.

Far in that desert land out back,
Where the mulga stretches wide,
Where many a wand’rer missed the track,
And many a hero died—

Tis night out by Lake Carey’s side;
The sun’s last slanting ray
That gleamed across the desert waste,
Has died in gloom away.

A death-like silence there prevails,
No life there cheers the eye.
Nought breaks the terrible stillness
Save the night bird’s’ mournful cry.

The summer moon appears at last,
And a thousand clouds o’erhead,
Like a phantom army flitting past,
As o’er the flats their shadows sped.

But hark! there comes a footstep—
A voice it murmurs low:
“Two days now since I missed the track,
I can no further go.

I ‘ve searched the bed of yonder creek,
Each waterhole is dry.
No strength I’ve left to further seek—
I’ve wandered here to die.”

He lay down on the dusty ground,
And wiped his fever’d brow.
“I wonder if they’ll track me here;
I feel I’m dying now.”

What were thy thoughts, my old mate Jack,
When away out there you died,
What visions floated through thy brain
As you neared the great divide.

Did a thought fly back on memory’s wings
To a peaceful little home
In milder climes, far o’er the deep,
Across the ocean’s foam

Ths school, the church, the brook, the green —
Boy mates of earlier years—
A loving mothers last embrace—
A sister’s parting tears.

And she who since her childhood’s days
Had kept her plighted vow—
What would she say, my old mate Jack,
Could she behold you now ?

As yonder purpling western sky
Proclaimed the coming day,
With one brief gasp and quivering sigh
Jack’s soul had passed away.

Ah, do we ever think of those
‘Mid this life’s rapid changes
Whose bones be whit’ning on the reefs
In those far-off western ranges?

Brave men, who, perished in their tracks,
In their mad search for gold
While others, speared by hostile blacks—
A story often told,

So let us, in our heart of hearts,
Reserve a meed of praise
For those brave hearts who led the way
In Margaret’s early days.

Sadly, McCormack himself would pass away less than a year later, a victim of Typhoid Fever at Eucalyptus. Upon hearing of his brother’s illness, P. J. McCormack journeyed 185 miles from Coolgardie, but arrived too late to say goodbye. He found instead a touching tribute in progress — friends of his late brother erecting a fence and memorial, a lasting testament to the memory of their beloved comrade.

Grave of William Patrick McCORMACK at Eucalyptus
Photo Jill Heather – GPS Lat/Lon 29º 10 69S – 122º 09 68E

Where is Erlistoun???

Latitude 27″ 59′ 03″ S Longitude 122″ 20′ 25″ East Mt Margaret Goldfields.
Located 71.5 km north of Laverton
at Borodale Creek once known as Mistake Creek.

Erlistoun, usually referred to as ‘The Erlistoun’ was never gazetted as a townsite under the Lands Act, but was surveyed as a Business and Residential Area under the  Mining Act in Oct 1897. The name was taken from the Erlistoun Creek nearby which had been recorded and named by L A Wells during the 1891-1892 Elder Exploring Expedition. The origin of the name is not known.

Erlistoun Business and Residential Area – SLWA

The main mine in the area was the King of Creation discovered by Peter McNee and Bob and Bill Clarke in 1897. In Jan 1898 an inspecting surveyor, Harry King, advised the Surveyor General that no townsite should be declared at that time. He also included a list of mines at the time:

The King of Creation Mine
The Mistake Mine
The Gladys Mine
King of the Erlistoun Mine
Little Doris Mine
Golden Boulder Mine
The Famous Mine
The Mount Maiden
Baneygo Mine

Little Doris GM Erlistoun – Kalgoorlie Western Argus 13 December 1904, page 20

In Dec 1898 Mr. King was again asked if it was time to declare a townsite for which he replied that the place was very quiet and almost deserted.

Erlistoun Station (AKA Erliston) is a pastoral lease that has operated as a cattle station and more recently as a sheep station in Western Australia.  It is situated approximately 72 kilometers (45 miles) to the north of Laverton and 162 kilometers (101 mi) east of Leinster in the Goldfields-Esperance region. Borodale Creek runs through the property from Davis Pool on the northern boundary meandering through waterholes to Namendarra Lake on the southern boundary.

Erlistoun Location – Bonzle Maps

Sam Keanes Wayside Inn, Erlistoun – Photo Kalgoorlie Western Argus 13 December 1904, page 19

Erlistoun was known as a district in the area before the station was established. The pastoral lease was first taken up by Butcher and Uhr in 1904, originally on a block extending northward from Laverton for a distance of 55 miles (89 km) with a width of 40 miles (64 km). The company was initially running cattle at Erlistoun, 1,000 head of which they had overlanded down from the Kimberley.

Billy Hills Station, Erlistoun 1936 – Store Ute in Creek – Photo The Smith Family

The Emanuel brothers owned the property in 1911 when it was sold to Kalgoorlie-Boulder Firewood Company. At this time the property occupied an area of 519,000 acres (210,032 ha) and was still running cattle. In 1924 the property was estimated to be carrying 5,500 head of cattle. By 1925 the size of the property was estimated as being

1,000,000 acres stocked with 4,000 head of cattle.

Sheep had been introduced to the property by this time and by 1926 it was stocked with 7,000 cattle and 5,000 sheep. Shearing the same year yielded 31 bales of wool per 1,000 sheep. Another 4,000 sheep were due to arrive at the station in late 1926.

Group of Miners at the Golden Spinifex Mine, Erlistoun – Photo SLWA

Sunday Times 9 February 1930, page 1

On March 3, 1911, the Erlistoun Pastoral Co., Ltd. (then the Kalgoorlie and Boulder Firewood Co., Ltd.), purchased from Messrs. Emanuel Bros. the Erlistoun station, consisting of about 500,000 acres, with all stock. Messrs. Emanuel Bros. had used this property for the purpose of topping up for the market the cattle they brought from their properties further north.

View of the creek, Erlistoun – Western Argus 13 Dec 1904

Shortly afterward this area was increased and now contains about one million acres. Through it runs the Borodale Creek from Davis Pool on the northern boundary, meandering through waterholes down to Namendarra Lake, near the southern boundary, passing in its course the Granite Pools, which hold an immense quantity of water, and are one of the beauty spots of the northern country.

On the sheep station, there are 42 wells equipped with windmills, pipes, troughs, etc., also two 7000-gallon tanks each at each well. The area is subdivided into 33 paddocks. There is a very commodious shearing shed, with six stands, good and roomy sheep yards, men’s quarters, complete, and a compact bungalow which is occupied by Mr. Cuthbert Porter, who supervises the sheep. It is expected that there will be about 14,000 to shear this year.

The Erlistoun Homestead and Garden

On the cattle portion, there is a very comfortable homestead, with men’s quarters, a garage, a blacksmith’s shop, wireless apparatus, and flower and vegetable gardens. Mr. James Hennessy, who controls the whole property, resides there. Altogether on the property, there are 84 wells, equipped with windmills, troughs, etc, concrete and iron tanks with a total capacity of about one million gallons of water, also about 500 miles of sheep and cattle fencing. The average rainfall is about 9¾in.

BROSNAN Daniel Patrick– died 26 Feb 1903 – aged 1 year (Born in Laverton WA in 1902) – Son Jeremiah BROSNAN and Hannah nee WALSH who were married in 1882 in Canterbury NSW.

Erlistoun Cemetery Survey Peg – Photo Andrea Lewis and Jill Heather

Ref: TROVE – West Australian Gold Towns and Settlement Vol 1

Golden Age 24 March 1897, page 2

PERISHED FROM THIRST
A PROSPECTOR’S TERRIBLE FATE

Away in the remote interior of WA, Inspector McKenna received a wire from the police at Niagara, stating that the skeleton of a man had been discovered 200 miles northeast of Niagara. The remains are supposed to be those of Henry Christian Reison, the son of Mr Christian Reison, prospector and discoverer, of Broad Arrow. The bones show evidence of having been chewed by wild dogs, and that it is impossible to tell whether the man was killed by natives or perished from thirst, though the surrounding circumstances point to the latter end.

A number of letters, photographs, and a diary together with other articles comprising of a prospector’s outfit, and camera equipment were found near the remains. A meat tin, perforated with the name ” H. C. Reison, 1/1/97,” was also found close by the skeleton. Inspector McKenna is of the opinion that the unfortunate young fellow — as to whose identity there is no question—died from exhaustion and thirst, and that he perforated his name on the tin so that there would be no mistake as to his identity. It will be noticed that the date on the tin is “1/1/97”, from which fact it may be deduced that on New Year’s Day, while most were making merry, Henry Christian Reison in dire extremity, met a terrible death from thirst in the wilds of the west.

His remains were found in the middle of a watercourse, almost covered over. They had been gnawed and  pulled about by wild dogs, so that it was impossible to tell whether the man had been murdered and buried or had died from thirst and had been covered over by a sand drift. Although Henry’s father eventually registered his death, for some time he could not believe that the remains were his son’s, as he said he was an excellent bushman. He had already lost his other son at the young age of 8 years through illness after he removed him from his mothers care when she conceived an illegitimate child whilst he was away.

Henry Christian REISON died on or about 1 Jan 1897 near Namagee Rocks about 15 miles beyond Erlistoun Creek. he was buried where he was found at Wingarra Mire (Mire means Camp) over towards Mistake Creek in the Laverton District.

He was a Prospector, Teamster, Roo Shooter and excellent bushman despite being crippled. The son of Christian Rasmussen REISON (Danish Miner) and Jane Gertrude GREAGG. He was born in ballarat Victoria and had lived in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia for about 20 years. he had been in Western Australia for about 3 years. He came to WA as a roo shooter with his father. ‘Old Reison’ and his son Henry were the first white men in Broad Arrow. Broad Arrow was named after a gold mine discovered by Reison who, when on his first trip to the area, marked broad arrows on the ground, at intervals, to direct his mates who were following. Hence the name it still bears today.

The Miner – Norseman 27 March 1897, page 2

Many would see ‘Old Reison’ hoisting the boy up onto his riding Brumby, and knew that unless the old man was there to give him assistance, he, the crippled boy, would be useless. This showed the depths of the father’s devotion, patience, and affection. Young Henry Reison grew up to be a small and slightly built man with a crippled leg, one much shorter than the other. However, he was a fine Bushman and one of the best shots with a rifle to be found.

Henry Reison set out on a tour four months prior, taking with him four camels and a large amount of equipment. He told the people at Mount Margaret that he intended to plant some provisions in the spinifex desert and return for more supplies. His bones were later found in a spinifex desert country north-east of Niagara and it was believed at the time that he had been murdered by natives. A diary found with his possession and read:

the natives are very bad here we will have to be careful of them, the natives are very troublesome again today.

The Kalgoorlie Miner reported on the 3rd of February 1904, that word had reached him that ‘Old Reison’, who held the reward claim for Broad Arrow, had died in Africa recently. The writer recollected the good old days when Reison and his son, a cripple, gathered in large quantities of the precious golden metal which they stowed away in jam tins under the old man’s bunk. On the reward, between them, they got some thousands of pounds worth of gold and eventually sold out to the Standard Exploration Company for £6000. Old Reison went away to put into print some reams of manuscripts he had been manufacturing and writing for years relative to the Bible, which in his opinion was a most misleading and confusing work. He is said to have put all his savings into this venture and at the time of his death was living in obscurity, very broke and penniless.

The Sun 3 July 1910, page 15

The Gaston Family
By Marjory Burton nee York

I was sent some interesting information and photographs on the Gaston family from Marjorie Burton nee York. Her great-grandfather was George Gaston. The Gastons originally came from South Australia and before that from Sussex, England. They were Charles Gaston and his wife Rebecca nee Burfield. Their son George Gaston and his wife Ann Cicely nee Lawson came to WA with most of his 13 children (all born in SA) in about 1899.

There were three brothers Herbert, Walter, and George Gaston. George Gaston was Marjory’s great-grandfather and the father of her Grandmother, Olive Prudence Gaston. The Gaston brothers were all involved in mining, the following is from the Post Office Directories of WA for 1916:

Gaston & King – Nil Desperandum GM Burtville
Gaston Herbert G & King  – Burtville
Gaston Walter – Mine Manager Burtville

George & Ann Lacey (Cecily) Gaston nee Lawson, and Granddaughter Beryl Moore whose mother Lydia died when she was 8 yrs old in 1908. George and Ann brought her up.

Thomas C H Moore and Lydia Moore nee Gaston with daughter Beryl.

From Laverton Cemetery:    MOORE Lydia ― 31yrs, d 28 Oct 1908, at the Laverton Hospital, Cause: Complications relating to surgery for a lingering illness, Father: George GASTON (Miner), Mother: Annie Cecily LAWSON, Born: 6 Oct 1877, Williamstown, SA, Married to Thomas Clement Henry MOORE, 17 Apr 1899, Lyndoch Valley SA, Children: Beryl Olive 8yrs, Buried: 29 Oct 1908, Registered by Herbert GASTON (Brother), Reg 54/1908 Mt Margaret, METH, Buried Laverton Cemetery

Grave of George GASTON – Kalgoorlie Cemetery – Died 1920 – Photo Danelle Warnock

Herbert George Gaston & Dan McGinty (not sure if this is the horse or the dog) Photo Marjorie Burton.

George and Cicely’s son, Herbert George Gaston, was the Mayor of Southern Cross on two occasions. He married Elenora PERRY-HENDON in Southern Cross WA in 1896. They had the following four children:

GASTON Thelma Myrtle ― 8yrs, d 24 Feb 1906, at the Laverton Hospital, Cause: Meningitis, Father: Herbert George GASTON (Attorney & Justice of the Peace), Mother: Eleanor PERRY-HENDON, Born: 31 Aug 1897, Southern Cross, WA, Buried: 25 Feb 1906, Reg 21/1906 Mt Margaret, WES, Buried Laverton Cemetery.

Thelma Myrtle GASTON died aged 8yrs _ Photo Ancestry.com

GASTON Adelaide Victoria — Born: 29 Dec 1904 at Southern Cross WA died 1986 in WA.

Adelaide Victoria GASTON – Photo Ancestry.com

GASTON Melbourne Perth Pery ― 6mths, d 24 Nov 1908, Cause: Illness, Father: Herbert George GASTON (Attorney & Justice of the Piece), Mother: Eleanor PERRY-HENDON, Born: May 1908, Yilgarn (Southern Cross), Buried: 24 Nov 1908, Reg 62/1908 Mt Margaret, Buried Laverton Cemetery.

GASTON Reginald James ‘Reggie’ — b.1915 Southern Cross – died 17 Jul 1922, Reginald is the son of Herbert Gaston and Eleanor Perry-Hendon. He lost both of his parents at the age of two and was adopted by Herbert’s brother, Arthur Constant Gaston and his wife Rose Perry-Hendon (who is Eleanor’s sister).Buried East Perth Cemetery.

Photo when Herbert Gaston was Mayor of Southern Cross – Photo Yilgarn Museum

They owned a mine called Nil Desperandum. They had another by the same name in Southern Cross as well as Burtville.  Two of Marjory’s grandmothers brothers were Malcolm Bruce Gaston who was the mine accountant, he returned to Australia after WW1. The other was David James Lacey Gaston who was killed in action in France in 1917. David was a sleeper cutter in the Kalgoorlie district and could have also been at Burtville as that is where her Grandmother married Henry William Hanson on the 3 August 1909.

The Gaston Home in Burtville – Photo SLWA

Arthur Constant Gaston, a brother of Olive Gaston was the proprietor of the Railway Hotel, Southern Cross in 1902.

Southern Cross Times 5 February 1902, page 3

Railway Hotel Southern Cross – Photo SLWA

Malcolm Bruce GASTON – Photo Ancestry.com

Malcolm Bruce Gaston was the Accountant for the mine ‘Nil Desperandum’ Mine,  Burtville. He was in the 11^th Bat. Came back as Lieutenant of the 10^th Bat. Malcolm served in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France. Embarked per “Kenilworth Castle” from England for return to Australia. 12 Mar 1918

David James Lacey Gaston – Photo Ancestry.com

David James Lacey Gaston was a sleeper cutter in Kalgoorlie, Memorial details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France War Grave Register notes: GASTON, Lce. Cpl. David James Lacey, 1709. 28th Bn. 3rd May 1917. Age 33. Son of George and Ann Lacey Gaston, of 146, Bourke St., Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Born in Barossa, South Australia. Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

Frances Ann Gaston married Walter Marvel – Boulder WA 1907. – Photo Ancestry.com

Marjorie Burton’s Grandmother Olive Prudence Gaston married Henry W Hanson in Burtville 1909. – Photo Ancestry.com

I’m sure you will agree that Marjorie is most fortunate to have such wonderful family photographs.

Western Mail 29 October 1910, page 30

The raiders, who were gathered from the surrounding districts of Kalgoorlie, Kookynie. and the spinifex country towards Lake Darlot, made their first attack on the Laverton camp at dawn, the favourite hour for native attacks. This is generally the time when all are asleep most soundly, and consequently, the attacking party were able to get some of their spears home before the camp became thoroughly roused. In this instance, success attended the raiders, who killed four women and one man. The remainder of the Laverton camp fled in all directions.

Kitty Laverton aged 10yrs who was forced to guide the murderers to the Lancefield camp.

Kitty Laverton, a half caste girl, was with three Laverton men were threatened with a rifle and made to precede and guide the raiders to the Lancefield camp, a distance of some five miles, in order to point out the position of the camp. On arrival at the Lancefield camp, the murderers compelled Kitty and the others to turn their backs upon the camp in order that they should not be unable to identify the actual murderers of the Lancefield natives. A rifle held by one of the attacking party still covered the four guides, as the work of butchery commenced. Although the Lancefield natives were awake and up, they were so taken by surprise that, several of their number, the majority being women, were killed before they could grasp spear or club in defence.

Glady Sunday Lancefield whose mother was killed in the massacre.

Maudie, thc mother of baby Sunday Laverton, was one of the first to meet her death, receiving a spear in the back while running away with her baby. No sooner had Maudie fallen than Emmie, either a friend or a sister of the murdered woman, stopped in her flight, and rushing over to Maudie’s side, picked up the baby and endeavoured to run with it towards some white people’s houses in the vicinity. She had not gone far, how ever, when a spear also struck her in the back and she fell. Her last conscious moment’s were spent in covering the body of the little baby, whose life she had lost her own in saving.

If she had fled at once without waiting to pick up the infant she, would probably have reached a place of safety. When her body was found she was lying face downwards with the little girl tucked under her left arm and entirely unhurt. “Sunday” as the baby was christened, is now thriving at the Salvation Army home at Kalgoorlie, where also is Kitty, whose life for some years will be in danger from the vengeance of the relatives of those whom her evidence may help to convict.

Sadly baby Gladys Sunday Lancefield was to die in Kalgoorlie aged only 9 months of age, she is buried in the Kalgoorlie cemetery.

Another page from the ‘Book of the Bush’

Truth Perth -13 November 1915, page 4

James Thomas WHYTE

The result of a par in our last week’s mining budget has been the cause of considerable inquiry as to the fate of a prospector named James Thomas Whyte, who left Laverton on November 21, 1914. and has not been seen or heard of since. It appears that the missing man’s mother, who resides at 306 Newcastle Street, Perth, has had the police on the trail for several months past, but there has been no result to their inquiries. When our par appeared last week, Mr. A. M. McIntyre. of Southern Cross, identified the missing man Whyte by an inquiry instituted by his mother.

Mrs. Whyte had written Mr. McIntyre on the matter, and this is how the Southern Cross “Times” sizes up the situation — “Shortly after the McIntyre Prospecting Party left here, a Mrs Whyte wrote to Mr McIntyre asking if her son, Jim Whyte was with the party. McIntyre wrote saying that there was no one of that name and she inserted a notice in the ‘missing friends’ column of October 23. Little notice was paid to the inquiry until yesterday when Mr. McIntyre noticed the following par whilst reading ‘Truth’ –

That the way of the prospector is hard is thus recounted by the Laverton Mercury.

Sometime in November last year, a young man named James Whyte left Laverton with the alleged intention of searching for gold. He travelled via boot and took two days feed with him. He has never returned to Laverton and as far as is known he has never been reported from any other place. A married sister with whom, it is said, he communicated regularly, has long since been making inquiries concerning his whereabouts. Several months ago it was reported that tracks, evidently those of the missing one, had been seen in the spinifex about 100 miles east of Laverton. Recently an aboriginal man reported that he had discovered a human skeleton in the direction indicated, and there is little doubt that it represents all that remains of the unfortunate and indiscreet Jimmy White, who was fairly well-known in the district.

Truth Perth 8 January 1916, page 5

He has a brother, Mr. Win White, who is pursuing agriculture at Brookton in this State. The latter at one time was a resident of Laverton and a member of the syndicate which purchased the Augusta G.M., when it passed out of the hands of the original company some few years ago. The Laverton police are going out to make investigations as soon as camels, which are necessary for a trip of that kind, are available. It now looks as though the unfortunate young fellow has met his death in searching for that which would have comforted his old mother. Mrs. Whyte wrote from 306 Newcastle Street, Perth, so we make a special plea to anyone who may know the whereabouts of Jim to write or wire to his anxious mother.

Mrs. Whyte handed to our representative a number of letters written by residents about Laverton detailing the results of their inquiries on her behalf. Still, unfortunately, none of them could throw any further light on the disappearance of the prospector. All they could say was that he left Laverton on the date given above, and had never been heard of since. Mrs. Whyte supplied us with a photo, of her son, which is reproduced above. It would appear as though the economy has actuated the Police Department in its inertia in this matter, Mrs. Whyte having been told that it would cost £100 to hire the camels necessary and otherwise pursue the search for this lost prospector in ‘No Man’s Land’. Like all good mothers, Mrs. Whyte will not believe that the skeleton found 100 miles east of Laverton among the sand and spinifex is all that remains of her son on this earth but prefers to think he is alive somewhere and will eventually turn up. May her pious wish be gratified, though the odds may be a million to one against.

Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate 18 January 1916, page 3

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MYSTERY SOLVED
A TALE OF THE BUSH.

Another one of the many mysteries which the Australian bush holds only too closely has been cleared up —this time in the Laverton country. The ” Mercury,” chronicling it says. The mystery in connection with the disappearance of James Whyte from Laverton early in November twelve months ago was cleared up at the beginning of the week when Constable Hunter, after an absence of 14 days returned with a human skeleton, around which had been found several articles which proved beyond doubt that the remains were those of the unfortunate James Whyte.
The bones were found in a cave at a solitary spot about 125 miles from Laverton. In close proximity to the remains were a miner’s right, which had been issued at Westonia in August in 1914, bearing the name of James Thomas Whyte (deceased’s full name),  a Bible, in the back which was written twice “Mascotte Whyte,” and several other articles including a tin matchbox full of matches in a perfect state of preservation. An inquest was held before Mr. H Johnston, J.P., acting coroner, and Messrs. T. Harris (foreman), J. Roche, and N. Davies, jurymen. From the evidence adduced Whyte left the residence of Mr. W. Mitchell., Laverton, on the 9th or 10th of November 1914, with the expressed intention of proceeding in the direction of Cosmo Newbury 70 miles northeast of Laverton, on foot. He refused to take a horse and cart offered him by Mr. Mitchell and said he would only be away about four days. He carried only a small quantity of food with him.

Whyte must have lived for several days after leaving Laverton and by surrounding indications, it is considered that he must have lived at least two days in the caves where his remains were found. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased came to his death through starvation and exposure and that he was evidently of unsound, mind in acting in the manner in which he had done in going into desert country unequipped.

James’s remains were recovered and his death was registered over a year later as follows:
James Thomas WHYTE – Died about December 1914 – Found at a hill 125 miles east of Laverton – Age unknown – Cause: Starvation and exposure – Verdict of the Acting Coroner, Hamlet Johnson, at an inquest held at Laverton on 5 Jan 1916 – No parent’s details are given – Registered by a friend G Smart – Buried in the Anglican section of Laverton Cemetery – had been in WA about 10yrs. Reg 2/1916 Mt Margaret.

It is strange that his mother was not involved in registering James’ death as no family details were given or even added to the record at a later date. Perhaps she would not believe these were the remains of her son despite the evidence of the possessions found. Or maybe she never was informed.

The Unlucky Digger – SLWA

DUKETON
27° 38′ 30” South , 122° 16′ 49” East

Duketon is named after brothers Jack and Charles Duke who with P. Hayes and J McDonald discovered gold here in 1897. A small town developed from around 1900, but only lasted a few years, as by the outbreak of WW1, much of the mining had ceased. The goldfield can be reached by turning onto the Erilstoun Road at the Lancefield mine, just north of Laverton. The road heads due north for 100 kilometres through the Erilstoun Goldfield.

Duketon Location map – Bonzel

Duketon is an abandoned town in the Goldfields region of Western Australia, located 110 kilometres north of Laverton. The town boomed during the early 1900s as a result of gold being discovered in the area. One of the larger mines in the area The Golden Spinifex built a five-head stamp mill in 1902-1903. A petition for the government to construct a state battery was presented to the minister for mines by the local MLA and signed by 58 leaseholders, prospectors and miners from Duketon. The battery was built in 1904 and operated near the town. By 1905 the town had a hotel, bakery and a bank along with a variety of other stores.

Dry blowing at Duketon WA 1898 – Photo SLWA

1905 Snapshot from the WA Post Office Directory – Of the 128 people listed as well as the names below were 1 cordial maker, 2 accountants. Only one woman is named, however there would have been other women but the Post office Directories only show the head of the house.

Golden Spinifex Hotel – 1905 Alfred J. TAYLOR licensee.
Baker – William HORSBACH
Bank of Australasia – George C. R. FARQUHARSON is listed as the manager
Western Australia Bank – Walter M. HEARN is listed as the manager
Butcher –  Cox & Co
Newsagent – John J. GALLAGHER
Restaurant 1 – Miss Matilda ESCREET is listed as operating a restaurant at the Mulga Queen
Restaurant 2 – Robert GOLDEN is listed as operating what is presumably a second restaurant
Storekeeper 1 – Walter RITCHIE as a storekeeper.
Storekeeper 2 – John FOX of Fox & Field is listed with the store being managed by James CUNNINGHAM.

Duketon Cemetery

Duketon cemetery Sign – Photo Jill Heather.

SCHWAN ‘Rody’ Rhody – d 13 Sept 1904, Occ: Miner, 33 yrs, Cause: Killed by Lightning, Order for burial without enquiry, Father: Johannes ‘John’ Anthony SCHWAN (Labourer), Mother: Mary FLAHERTY, Partner: Sarah Elizabeth HOFFMAN, Children: Elizabeth Rhoda SCHWAN-HOFFMAN born 1891, Clarence Rhody SCHWAN-HOFFMAN, born Moonta SA in 1871, 23 yrs in SA, 10yrs in WA, RC, Reg 1525/1904, Buried Duketon Cemetery.

SCHWAN Brother William Albert and Rhody – Photo Ancestry.com

ROBINSON Martha – d 18 May 1905 at Duketon, Married Woman, 37yrs, Cause:- Supposed natural Causes, Father:- Edwin DAVIES (Carter), born Brunswick VIC, Married twice:- 1st to William WATTS in Hay NSW in 1885,  2nd to James ROBINSON in Melbourne VIC in 1896, One child, Edwin, 16yrs from first marriage, Reg 1494/1905, Buried Duketon Cemetery.

DUKE John – d 28 Apr 1917, at Mulga Queen, Duketon, Occ: Prospector, 55yrs, Cause: Heart Disease, Father: Thomas Atkinson DUKE, Mother: Catherine DIXON, Born Goulburn Valley VIC, In WA 20yrs, Single, Reg Mt Margaret 11/1917, Buried Duketon Cemetery.

Duketon Post Office Directory  1905-6 = 128 people

ANDERSON Jas C. 1905
BAKER Henry – miner Salt Bush Reward Lease 1905 – 1906
BANK OF AUSTRALASIA – Geo. R. FARQUHARSON Manager 1905
BARNES William – miner 1905 – 1906
BARNETT Jeremiah – miner 1905 – 1906
BENNETT David – miner 1905 – 1906
BLAKE Bernard V. – miner 1905 – 1906
BONOMI Peter – cordial manufacturer 1905
BOOTH Leslie – miner 1905
BROOKE Lyden C. – miner 1905 – 1906
BROOKE Stephen – miner 1905 – 1906
BROWEN Alexander – miner 1905 – 1906
BROWN & PETERS – storekeepers 1905- 1906
BROWN Ernest D. – engine driver 1905
BROWN Frank – Brown & Peters storekeeper 1905 – 1906
CALLANAN Charles J. – restaurant 1905 – 1906
CAMERON Colin C. – miner 1905 – 1906
CAMERON Frank – miner 1905 – 1906
CAMPBELL Charles – miner 1905
CAMPBELL Jno 1905
CAMPBELL Jno. Allister 1905 – 1906
CHICK George – miner 1905 – 1906
COCKS Charles 1905 – 1906
COLLINS Joseph – miner 1906
COUSINS Samuel – carpenter 1905 – 1906
COX & Co – butcher 1905 – 1906
COX James – Cox & Co butcher 1905
CUNNINGHAM James – manager Fox & Field 1905 – 1906

The Western Australian Bank Duketon – Kalgoorlie Western Argus 13 December 1904, page 22.

DAVIS David 1905
DIXON William – miner 1906
DOUGLAS Joseph – storekeeper 1906
DUKE Charles – contractor 1905 – 1906
DUKE John – mine manager 1905 – 1906
DUFFY Daniel – miner 1905 – 1906
DUNCAN Robert 1905
DUNN Mathew 1905 – 1906
DUNSFORD Frank 1905
EIVERS John – Salt Bush Reward 1905 – 1906
EMERSON Daniel – miner 1905
FARQUHARSON George C.R. – local manager Bank of Australasia 1905 – 1906
FIELD William – Fox & Field storekeeper 1905 – 1906
FLOWERS George – miner 1905 – 1906
FOSSER Richard – miner Salt Bush Reward Lease 1905 – 1906
FOX John – Fox & Field storekeeper 1905 – 1906
GALLAGHER Jno J. – Newsagent 1905 – 1906
GALLAVIN Michael – Salt Bush Reward Lease 1905 – 1906
GOLDEN Chris. 1905 – 1906
GOLDEN Robert – restaurant 1905 – 1906
GORMAN Burleigh – miner 1905 – 1906
GRANGE Alfred – miner 1905 – 1906
GREEAWAY Ike 1905 – 1906
HALL Patrick J. – miner 1905 – 1906
HARTLEY J. – engine driver 1906
HEAPHY Richard – miner 1905 – 1906
HEARNE Walter M – local manager WA Bank 1905 – 1906
HEVEY Jno. – engine driver 1906
HOLDEN S. – accountant 1906
HOLLINGSWORTH William 1905
HORSBACH William – baker 1905 – 1906
HYSLOP George – miner 1905 – 1906
IRVINE Niel – engine driver 1906
JOHNS Samuel – engineer & mine manager 1906
JOHNSON Henry – miner 1905 – 1906
JONES Jno – miner 1905
KENAFICK Robert – miner 1905 – 1906
KENNEDY Jas B. – Government Battery 1905
KIRKPATRICK Tom 1905 – 1906

The Lauriston Gold Mine, Duketon – Kalgoorlie Western Argus 13 December 1904, page 22.

LAWLER Edward – miner 1905 – 1906
LAWRENCE Robert – miner 1905 – 1906
LITTLE Robert C. – manager Brown & Peters 1905 – 1906
LOGAN Edward – miner 1906
McDONALD Alexander – miner 1905 – 1906
McDONALD Jas. – miner 1905 – 1906
McGRATH Michael – miner 1905 – 1906
McGREGOR Alexander 1905 – 1906
McINERNEY Jno. – miner 1905 – 1906
McINNES P. 1906
McNIE Jas. – miner 1905 – 1906
McNIE Peter – Cox & Co butcher 1905 – 1906
NcNIE William – miner 1905 – 1906
McPHAIL Alexander – miner 1905 – 1906
MAPP Charles W. – miner 1905
MASON Charles – miner 1905 – 1906
MILLER Jno – miner 1905 – 1906
MONTGOMERY Joseph – miner 1905
OATES Charles – miner 1905
OATES Phillip – miner 1905
OATES Thomas – miner 1905
O’BRIEN Timothy – public battery 1906
O’CONNOR Jno J. – miner 1905 – 1906
PAUL Arthur A. – miner 1905 – 1906
PERRY Sidney – miner 1905
PETERS Thomas – Brown & Peters storekeeper 1905 – 1906
PICKERING Jno – miner 1905 – 1906
PRATT Walter – miner 1905 – 1906
PROVIS H.L. – assayer 1906
RANDALL Edward 1905 – 1906
RAYMOND Charles – Government Battery 1905 – 1906
RAYMOND Henry O. – miner 1905 – 1906
REICHELT Gustav – Cox & Co butchers 1905 – 1906
RENOWDEN J. O. – miner 1905
RITCHIE Walter – storekeeper 1905
ROBINSON Frederick – miner 1905 – 1906
ROOKE Charles B. – miner 1905 – 1906
RYAN Jas 1905 – 1906

The Duketon News Agency – Kalgoorlie Western Argus 13 December 1904, page 22.

SCHWAN Roady – miner 1905
SHEPHERDSON Denis – miner 1905 – 1906
SINCLAIR William – miner 1905 – 1906
STASSEN Charles 1905 – 1906
STASSEN Henry 1905 – 1906
STUART Miss Edith 1905 – 1906
TAYLOR Alfred J. – Golden Spinifex Hotel 1905 – 1906
TRUE Robert – miner 1905 – 1906
VONTHIEN Albert – public battery 1906
VONTHIEN William – public battery 1906
WAUGH Jno. – miner 1906
WAUGH Robert – miner 1905
WHITFORD Thomas F. – miner 1905 – 1906
WILLIS Jas. – miner 1905
WILSHIN Daniel – miner 1905
WILSON Percy – miner 1905 – 1906
WOOLFE Patrick 1905 – 1906
WOULFE Nicholas – miner 1906
YOUNG Douglas – accountant 1905
YOUNG George 1905 – 1906
YOUNG Jno – miner 1905
YOUNG Kenneth 1906
YOUNG Norman D. – Government Battery 1905 – 1906

The Duketon Hotel – Kalgoorlie Western Argus 13 December 1904, page 22.

The coincidence of the following two events was uncovered by Derek Prosser, an OFH reader and contributor. He noted that on the OFH website, I had James Heffernan buried in the Black Flag Cemetery (30 km north of Kalgoorlie). However, this seems to be incorrect from what is said in the newspaper reports of the day. He thought it was much more likely that he died at ‘British Flag’, which is the earlier name for the town of Laverton.

West Australian 13 February 1897, page 5

VIOLENT THUNDERSTORM NEAR MOUNT MARGARET
MAN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AND KILLED.
SERIOUS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

A shocking occurrence is reported as having taken place at the British Flag (incorrectly reported as Black Flag), 25 miles northeast of Mount Margaret. During a storm on Wednesday a miner, named James Heffernan, a native of Victoria, aged 26, was playing cards within a tent when it was struck by lightning. The same flash struck both men, who were thrown violently to the ground. Heffernan died within 10 minutes, while his mate remained unconscious for some hours.

A medical man, Dr Laver, managing a mine in the vicinity, managed to bring him around after some hours of exertion. It was not considered necessary to hold an inquest on the man killed. Heffernan was buried on Thursday, the following day. The storm was the most terrific that had ever visited the district. Beher’s hotel was completely unroofed, and some smaller buildings were wholly demolished. The rain continued for four hours, filling, all the creeks and waterholes in the district.

Derek was pursuing this further on TROVE, when he came across another pair of miners struck by lightning at Duketon, North of Laverton, when Rody Schwan was killed under near identical circumstances on 13th Sept. He said ‘What I found very hard to believe, is that the partner in each case appears to be the same individual, one Jeremiah Barnett! I have reread this several times, but the writer does specifically mention his injuries from the first incident.’ What came about some seven years later, was this:

Kalgoorlie Western Argus 20 September 1904, page 12

KILLED BY LIGHTNING.
RODY SCHWAN,
PROSPECTOR, LAVERTON.

News has just reached Laverton that a well known prospector, Rody (Roady) Schwan, was killed by lightning yesterday afternoon at the Daisy Belle mine, a prospecting show about 2 miles west of Duketon. The weather during the last couple of days has been rather sultry, and culminated at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon in thunder and lightning. It appears, that preparations were being made for tea, and Schwan was sitting on his bunk in the camp. His mate, J. Barnett, had just gone out to the wood heap to get same wood for the fire, and at this time a vivid flash of lightning occurred and struck Schwan, killing him instantly. A young man, Charles Cocks whose camp almost adjoins that of Schwan’s, also received a shock which threw him off his bunk.

Rody Schwan was well known prospector, having been on the fields for many years.  He was one of the early prospectors on the leads in Kanowna, as well as one of the first at Burtville. He was well known among footballers, and at times acted. as umpire. He did a large amount of pioneering in the back blocks, his last trip being to the Warburton Ranges with Carr-Boyd and party. For same months. Schwan, Barnett, and Stasse had been working a small reef named ‘The Belle’, and, like many others in the district, were waiting with a fair dump of stone for the early erection of the State mill.

Strange to relate, Barnett is the man who was present in the. same camp as that in. which James Heffernan was struck dead by lightning six years ago at the British Flag mine, Laverton. On that occasion Barnett received. injuries from which he suffered for some time. 

Duketon Cemetery – Photo OFH

Derek, pursuing this further on TROVE, found another pair of miners struck by lightning at Duketon, north of Laverton. The report is from the Kalgoorlie Western Argus 20 September 1904, when Rody Schwan was killed under near identical circumstances on 13th Sept. What he found was very hard to believe, that the partner in each case appears to be the same individual, one Jeremiah Barnett! He reread this several times, but the writer does specifically mention his injuries from the first incident.

What are the odds, and then to be the survivor both times? Even if he never found gold, he would have to be literally one of the luckiest men alive. I do wonder though if he had trouble finding more partners, or perhaps decided “enough is enough” and departed for less hazardous surroundings! I doubt there would have been a line up to be his ‘mate’.

Wanting to know more, Derek had a look around for Jeremiah Barnett, and found him. Jeremiah William Barnett born 1878 Inverell, NSW, son of Jeremiah W Barnett and Mary nee Smith. He suspected it was he, as James Heffernan is reported to also be from Inverell.

After these events he seems to have returned to NSW, and later enlisted in 1st AIF (33rd Btn) at Armidale NSW on 10th Jan, 1916, Service No 1291. (see NAA). He gives his occupation as ‘Miner’ on enlistment, and NOK is Mary Barnett. His hair is ‘Black, going Grey’. (I’m surprised it wasn’t white!)  He was aged 38 y, 11 mths, but presumably fully recovered from his earlier misadventures. He was wounded in the hand in France, and later hospitalised in England on 11th June 1917 with appendicitis. He seems to have recovered from that, but then had Chronic Bronchitis, and was returned to Australia 10th March 1918. He was discharged as medically unfit 11th June, and received a pension of three pounds per fortnight.

Usually a case like this would mean he had probably been gassed, and been permanently incapacitated. I can find no marriage record for him, and his correspondence address is his mother in Tingha NSW, his father dying shortly after Jeremiah returned in 1918.

Jeremiah died on 10th Nov, 1935, aged 57 and is buried in NSW, about 30 km East of Inverell.  Even his death was unusual:

Inverell Times 13 November 1935, page 7
OBITUARY. The death occurred on Sunday afternoon last, under sad circumstances, of Mr. Jeremiah Barnett. While driving a bull from the yard at Mr. Frank Ryan’s “Cara”, in whose employ he had been for many years, he was noticed to stop, and then fall from his horse. Mr. Ryan hastened to his aid but found life to be extinct. The deceased was a member of the 33rd Battalion, having served in the Great War. He had for some considerable time been under the care of a doctor, having suffered from the effects of gas. He was tendered a soldiers funeral, which was largely attended, his fellow soldiers acting as pallbearers.

If this is ‘our’ Jeremiah, he was definitely a survivor, although not in great shape in later years. He survived two lightning strikes and a world war.

Jeremiah Barnett, war grave, Delungra cemetery, NSW – Photo Aust Cemetery Index.