Sunday Times – Perth – 1 July 1910, page 1
New England ‘Mt Vernon”
A Promising Gold Belt
told by Alfred Ives
Prospector Alfred Ives tripped up the office stairs last Wednesday to offer voluminous details about the development of the New England district, a promising gold-belt located about 40 miles S.S.E. of Wiluna, having a total length of about 60 miles, and varying from two or three to seven and eight miles in width.
“The rocks are mostly diorite and ironstone in this country.” Mr. Ives stated, as he squatted on a candle case,” The gold occurs almost entirely in the quartz reefs, some of which are of great width, of considerable length, and strongly mineralised”.
When was the belt first examined? “It was discovered by the Barlow Bros and Jimmy Lennon long before the celebrated pilgrimage of diggers to Lake Darlot, late in 1894. lt was too remote, the difficulties were appalling, and the Barlow’s and Lennon left after napping some of the principal outcrops. The Kirkpatrick’s also ran over it later on and got good prospects in several places. I first crossed the belt 12 years ago. Seven years later Jim Phillips and I, after a long prospecting trip to Victoria, Springs, and Lake Wells, returned to New England and discovered payable gold in several reefs. But we could not do much then. We were driven out by drought.
“I returned there a couple of years ago. There is plenty of room for hustlers in the district, but the feather bed prospector is hereby warned off the grass. Cheaper crushing facilities are also wanted. A centrally located battery would assist the district to develop rapidly, and force it to the front as one of the finest belts outside the Golden Mile.”
Development, expenses – Crushing costs 20 shillings a ton at Howard and Berry’s battery, plus 1 shilling. a mile for cartage. To cart ore to the Wiluna mill means an outlay of from 45 shillings to 50 shillings per ton. The best show is Howard and Berry’s lease. The reef at 100ft is 17ft wide and worth an ounce per ton. But there are plenty of other shows in the district equally as promising. The more I see of the West – and I have been everywhere, the more strongly convinced am I that our best minerals areas have yet to be discovered!”
Daily News – Perth – Monday 23 May 1921, page 4
THE LATE MR. ALFRED IVES
The funeral of the late Mr. Alfred Ives, founder of the Ives’ Reward Gold Mine, near Red Hill (Kambalda) took place on May 20 and was well attended by representatives of the mining industry and friends. Born at Wimbledon, England, the deceased had spent 21 years in South Australia and 31 years in this State. A widow and grown-up family of two daughters and four sons survive him. He met with a tragically sudden death on the evening of the 17th May. About 7.45 o’clock he went into a tobacconist’s shop near the Majestic Theatre, in Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie, and purchased some cigars. He was standing at the counter when he fell to the floor apparently in a fit. Dr. S. Mathews, D.M.O., who was summoned to the scene, pronounced life extinct.
One of the old pioneers who blazed the trail in the early days, Mr. Ives was always an enterprising prospector and found many shows in his time. Following on the Hampton Plains boom of 18 months ago, he went south on the same auriferous belt, and crossing Lake Lefroy, located Ives’ Reward. Among the prospecting fraternity, he was much respected for his kindness of heart and was regarded as a staunch friend of all seekers of gold who came in contact with him. It was while starting from Kalgoorlie for Adelaide to discuss matters with the directors that his sudden death came. The news on being received in the city came as a great shock to his many friends in the business world. His remains were placed on the express at Kalgoorlie (enclosed in a polished casket) and removed to the city.
The cortege moved from his late residence, 33 Grosvenor Road, North Perth, and proceeded by road to the Anglican Cemetery, Karrakatta, where the remains were laid to rest, the rector of St. Alban’s, the Rev. Dr. Parish, officiating. The pall-bearers were Messrs. A. M. Howe (representing Mines Department), L. R. Butt, S. F. Jeffrey, F. C. Hill, J. G. Jeffrey, L. McKenzie. The chief mourners were Mrs. Florence E. Ives (widow), Mrs. H. Thomas, Miss Hope F. Ives (daughters), Aubrey L., Darcy P., Oliver C., Wilberforce L. Ives (sons).
Alfred Ives was the son of Henry IVES and Harriet BROWN and was born in 1864. In 1887 in North Adelaide SA he married Florence Eugene CHURLEY. The couple had 9 children, 4 girls, and 5 boys.
Moya Sharp
Latest posts by Moya Sharp (see all)
- Imprisoned in a Shaft – Homicide or Suicide? - 14/09/2024
- The Gaston’s – a family saga - 14/09/2024
- Ora Banda Cemetery – of dust and dreams - 14/09/2024
Thank you so much for your time in documenting Alfred’s life and story! He’s my 2nd Great Granduncle 🙂
Oh Wow! thats great, do you know any more about his life that you would share?
Thank you for the information. I am just learning about Alfred and his prospecting days. He is my great grandfather.