In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s it was popular for travellers to keep a travel diary to record the day to day happenings of the places and things they did on their journeys. It does seem to have been more popular with women and many diaries have gone on to be published. This gives us a real insight to the thoughts and observations of ordinary people which the history books may not include.
Catherine Bond and her husband
This new publication is only a small part of the travel diary of Catherine Bond who, with her husband, travelled extensively in Japan and Australia in 1896 and first published in 1898. This section covers her visit to the Western Australia Goldfields when her husband came to visit many of the new gold mines in the area. She has a real gift for describing the people and places she visits with humor and a very English ‘upper class’ view. She writes:- ‘When on long journeys I have always kept a diary but find if it is not printed, it is not read! I have been urged by friends and family to publish this account of my travels.’
This is an excerpt:- ‘Coolgardie,Wed 20th October 1896’ We arrived at Coolgardie at about 6 o’clock in the evening and were taken to the Grand Hotel, where we get two small but clean bedrooms, and, after a wash and some tea, feel quite refreshed. There is a dinner party going on at the other end of the large dining room, but this is special, and we are too late for the hotel dinner. We go upstairs and sit on the balcony, where we are joined by some friends. It is very cold and too dark to see much but lights show where the houses are. The hotel is of galvanised iron which is much used for houses here. Outside is match-boarded and inside painted for about 7 feet from the floor and above finished off with a bold patterned canvas to the ceiling, a double bed, a small wardrobe and a double wash stand and dressing table, but for this we have to pay for two people. So as ‘F’ (her husband) has a similar room we have to pay for four people. However we can’t complain as rooms are scarce and in great demand. Around the upper floor is a balcony of about 16 feet broad around the whole building.’
Coolgardie, 21st Oct 1896: As I sit on the balcony I see a stream of camels go by and now and then a digger with his pick and shovel going off to work. The wind blows and the dust rises all around, everything is covered in this brown dust, the town should have been called ‘Brown-gardie’. The place is flat with low hills round, a few desolute gum trees here and there and a great number of small iron houses. The Government buildings are very ugly and of red brick. The hotel is very advanced, well lit with electric light, bath rooms with hot and cold water at a cost of 4 shilling per bath. The landlord and staff are most obliging and pleasant.
Bayley Street, Coolgardie 1896
Kalgoorlie 23rd Oct 1896, ‘We arrived at the hotel at 5:30 and must have presented a comical appearance literally covered from head to foot with brown dust. We all have long blue gauze veils and glasses as it is not safe to let the dust touch face, neck or eyes. After dinner we sit on the balcony and are greatly amused by the scenes in the street below which is very crowded and noisy. Further up the street there is an open market selling ‘shares’ and nearly the Salvation Army holds a service. The following day being Sunday which is quiet but I am told that the bars are secretly opened by a back door as the law closes the front door.
Camping on the road to Norseman, 30th October 1896. ‘ Such a glorious morning I never knew before with the beauty of a sunrise in the bush, sky clear and like mother o pearl, with such a rosy resplendent light. We have to be up early as there is breakfast to get and then the washing up and packing. The horses have to be groomed. The wheels have to be taken off the buggies and oiled and then replaced’
Catherine recounts her camping trip to Norseman and back to Coolgardie in a time where there were few women on the Goldfields. Her experience would be a great deal removed from the average person and it seems having money will provide all of the comforts of home if you could afford to pay even in these early days. She does however step in and does all the cooking and planning of the trip when she is abandoned by her maid. She speaks of the ever present threat of typhoid fever and of the possibility of being attacked by local natives when camping in the bush with no great worry or concern.
Moya Sharp
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