The following story is with the kind permission of Kathleen’s family, in particular thanks Kevin Imms (Kathleen’s Grandson) and the late Robyn McLean. THE SMITH/DUDLEY FAMILY AT BARDOC, W.A. Reminiscences of Kathleen Mary Byrth (nee Smith) On August 25 1893 Mary and Lionel Dudley, with their four children and Mary’s brother Timothy Steedman, left Victoria […]
The Legend of ‘Hellfire Jack’
06/05/2017 By 2 Comments
From: The Countryman, 1st Sept 1950 – There was the time that the brokers who were negotiating to purchase the Merton’s Reward Goldmine in 1902 arrived at Menzies by horse drawn buggy at 8pm, after the train for Kalgoorlie had left. It was essential for them to reach Kalgoorlie before midnight when the option on […]
An Eerie Premonition – Michael Madden
10/01/2017 By 7 Comments
I had been researching the accidental death of this miner because of an entry I found in the Annual Report from the Department of Mines for 1897 which stated, that a miner called ‘John Madden’ had been killed in an accident on the Goongarrie GM. As this name was not one I had listed I […]
Coolgardie Childrens Hospital – A First !!!
05/06/2016 By 2 Comments
The Childrens Hospital Coolgardie – the first children’s hospital in Western Australia, functioned for a time in Coolgardie but was eventually abandoned and the patients were placed in a special ward in the Government hospital close by. In 1904 the local authorities took over the building and used it as an infectious disease hospital. Note: […]
Liquid Gold – The Elliott Brothers Breweries
25/09/2015 By Leave a Comment
Tom and Bill Elliott came to Western Australia in 1893 and moved immediately to the Goldfields where they began a business as cartage contractors. After two years, in 1895, Tom built a cordial factory near the Kalgoorlie rail line and also the Federal Brewery in Kalgoorlie for F W Whitfield. In 1898 he was to […]
