Western Mail 14 January 1937, page 13
A Goldfields Burial.
Amongst the present-day barrow pushers, there is not one who could put up a decent show against the old-timers. These men, representatives from all climes, pushed heavily loaded barrows over heavy bush tracks, and in many cases, no tracks at all, and put up with hardships enough to break the stoutest hearts – all for a bit of metal. The fact that they found the present goldfields centres is tribute enough. Those with planes, cars, good roads, and water cannot do. anything like it at the present time.
Looking back over the years, only one Jewish pusher comes to mind. He was a good lump of a man with a heavy, dark red beard. He chased the weight for many years from field to field with varying luck, but no one ever heard him complain. He got enough to fill the “nosebag” and was never down in the dumps. He was an excellent worker and never let up while there was daylight. He read quite a lot but kept a good deal to himself. When circumstances permitted, he would indulge in an occasional pot, but such joyful periods were few and far between.
The Barrow Man – Image TROVE
In 1909, he pushed his barrow to Sandstone, where he looked round for a payable patch. He didn’t find one. He found sickness instead. Those about him, knowing the position, did what they could for him, but one morning they found him dead. If he had any relatives living, none were known. His visible assets were next to nil, but that was of small moment in those days when no one on the fields was allowed to leave this sinful world without a decent send-off. A few pounds were collected and a coffin procured. Then trouble arose as to where he was to be buried and by whom. There was no Rabbi within hundreds of miles, and no part of the cemetery set aside for the burial of Jews.”
Barney, a lame man who was an auctioneer in the town, had to shoulder the responsibility and see that everything was in order. He got over the difficulty at the cemetery by having the grave dug in the “nonconformist” portion. There was nothing to prohibit the burial of anybody there, no matter what his sect or creed. A goodly number attended the graveside. Barney took the service, or what little he knew of it. Whether he was right or wrong, no one present was in a position to say, and he seemed so serious. He did not keep strictly to the rules but said what he thought proper for the occasion. He made reference to the good qualities of the deceased, and ended up by saying;
“It is almost an unheard of thing for a man of the Jewish persuasion to follow in the life of a gold-digger as this man did.”
He pushed his way from place to place for many years seeking aid from neither his own nor any other sect. He lived an honourable life and came to this town to make money, but unfortunately, he died. It is a pity. Yes, a very great pity. Would that he had not.”
“You know,” he continued, “our departed friend is the first Jewish person to die in Sandstone! Yes! the very first – and I hope to God he will be the last, for I am the only other Jewish man here! Now we can go and get a drink!
by SUTER ABIS, Perth.
Moya Sharp
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Hi Moya. As usual I read your always interesting email of the story of the Lone Jewish Prospector. Is this a true story? As you may remember my wife and I are the Graves Historians of the Jewish Historical and Genealogical Society of WA. We know of two Jewish Graves in Sandstone. There is a Jewish Section in the Sandstone Cemetery. The two graves are those of Maurice Solomon died 1908 and Stillborn Samson 1910. A number of years ago we marked out these graves and erected a plaque in their memory. If your story is true then maybe there is another one we don’t know about as Maurice Solomon was not a prospector but manager of a sheep station.
Many thanks always enjoy your emails.
Warren Austin
Hi Warren I do indeed remember you and your wife. I’m not sure if this is a true story. The writer Suter Abis was a big contrinuter to the papers of the time. There could indeed be another Jewish grave as is often the case there is no mention of their relegion in the death certificates. Just because someone is say buried by a Catholic priest doent mean they were catholic, just that this was the only minister available. Have you seen this fellow? https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/237842209?searchTerm=%22Benny%20the%20Jew%22 He is buried in an unmarked grave in the Kanowna Cemetery.