Tampa’s Forgotten Cemetery: A Single Soul at Rest

TAMPA BURIALS
29°13.41’S – 121°50.07’E  –  Cemetery Reserve: 4096

Tampa Cemetery – Image Find a Grave

TAMPA – AKA Dingo Creek

Tampa is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 805 km east northeast of Perth and about 55 km south of Leonora. Gold was discovered in the Tampa area in the late 1890s, and by 1896, there was enough demand for land for the government to survey a townsite. Following a survey, the townsite of Tampa was gazetted in 1897. Little is known about the reason why this name was chosen for the townsite, but it may be derived from the city of Tampa in Florida, USA. The nearest townsite to Tampa is Niagara, also an American name. Tampa, USA, is an Indian name recorded by the Spanish from before 1600, and believed to be derived from the Indian word itimpi, meaning “near it”.

“Out on the wastes of the Never Never –
That’s where the dead men lie!
There where the heat-waves dance forever –
That’s where the dead men lie!”

CADDY Roy – d 22 Dec 1895, 2 years, 6 months, north of Niagara, Cause: Dysentery, buried at Tampa between Niagara and Dingo Creek, grave dug by Thomas KIDD and death registered by Joseph CADDY, Born: Rockhampton QLD, Father: Joseph CADDY (Publican at the wayside inn at the Great Western Mine), Mother: Rebecca Ellinor May BENTLEY, In WA 6 months, Reg: 443/1896, Buried at Tampa.

 FORWARD George Russell – d 12 Sept 1900, 50 years, at the Mignonette GM, Tampa, Cause: Killed by a fall of earth, Father: George FORWARD, Mother: Sarah Walter JEFFREY, Married to Jane BRASH at Mt Prospect, Victoria on 1st Oct 1871, Children: Sarah Jefffey born 1872- Edward James born 1874 – George Walter born 1876 – William born 1877 – Charles born 1879 – Harold Lewis Wilmott born 1887, Reg: North Coolgardie, 47/1900, Buried at Tampa. (This is the only burial actually inside the cemetery reserve), Mine Death – www.wavmm.com

George Forward – Tampa Cemetery – Image Aussie Genealogy

HOUGHTON Walter – d 23 Nov 1903, 16 days, Cause: Premature Birth, Father: Arthur Benjamin HOUGHTON (Engine Driver), Mother: Annie Terry BROWN, Buried and registered by father, Witness at burial: Sara S SMITH, Reg: North Coolgardie 64/1903, Buried at Tampa.

MOHAMED Said – d 8 Feb 1899, c 30 years, Cause: Exhaustion by being 56 hours without food or water, buried 2 miles from Tampa, Reg: North Coolgardie 8/1899, Buried 2 miles from Tampa.

Dingo Creek (Tampa) – 1905 – Image TROVE

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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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