In the early Goldfields days, life was harsh and death came often to families. Not just to the old and very young, but often those in the prime of life would be taken suddenly. The main causes of death were diseases such as typhoid and accidents both at work and in the home. The child […]
Herbert Thomas – his constabulary duties
Herbert Henry Herle Thomas was born on the 9th of January 1865 in Plympton St Mary, Devon in England. he arrived in Western Australia in 1892 and soon after his arrival he joined the West Australia Police Force. The following year he married Emma Eliza Goodwyn nee Burchell, (from Norwood South Australia), in Perth on […]
Paddington Cemetery – in the lonely old graves the departed souls sleep
PADDINGTON CEMETERY AKA GUDARRA Coordinates: -30.48531, 121.36204 With lonely old graves where departed souls sleep, Where a merciful god a vigil must keep Till the trumpet is heard on that final last day Let us never disturb them, just leave them that way. BIDWELL Mary Edith Kathleen – d 30 Oct 1899, at Paddington, 5mths, Cause: Diarrhoea […]
First Gold – from an impoverished colony to a wealthy state
The first commercial find of gold in Western Australia was made on 14 July 1885 at Hall’s Creek in the Kimberley District, and the Kimberley Goldfield was proclaimed in the following year, on 19 May 1886. This discovery, and the dramatic rush that followed, marked the beginning of our gold-mining industry, which was to transform […]
Jim Carey – explorer, prospector and drover
Western Mail Perth 24 February 1912, page 5 JAMES CAREY AND NEPHEW by J.T. Of the band of hardy adventurous explorers who accompanied the late Alexander Forrest on his memorable expedition from the De Grey River to Port Darwin, 32 years ago, only three now remain. One is Arthur Hicks, at one time Warden of […]