The people of the Goldfields

The Goldfields of Western Australia was and still is made up of many people, from poets to politicians, from saints and sinners and everything in between. I hope to tell you the stories of some of these people either famous or infamous or just the ordinary folks. Sometime the most ordinary people do the most extraordinry things

The Importance of Being Gordon:

GORDON Latitude 30° 27′ S Longitude 121° 35′ E Gordon is an abandoned eastern goldfields townsite about 35 km north north east of Kalgoorlie. The development of gold mines in the area in 1896 created a need for a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1897. It is not known who the name commemorates, but […]

Pioneer Publican – Richard Fagan

Richard Fagan was born in Kelso, Bathurst NSW in 1866.  he was the son of Matthew FAGAN and Mary Anne ROBINSON, he had seven brothers and five sisters. Following the lure of gold and riches he travelled by ship with many others, arriving in Albany Western Australia on the 4th September 1890, he then proceeded […]

Alexander Pitman – The Man Behind the Legend

I am sure that most people who are interested in the history of the Goldfields of Western Australia will have heard the story of the two gold stealing officers who were cruelly murdered and their bodies dismembered and thrown down a mine shaft just outside of town at Millers Find.  A great deal has been […]

John Thomas – grave tales

Left: John THOMAS was a clarinet player in the Salvation Army Federal Band WA in 1897. Right: Edmond HAM. They operated a small claim together at Goongarrie. John Thomas married Isabella Mary YEARING on the 3rd Aug 1898 at age 32, in Coolgardie at the Salvation Army Barracks. He was the son of William THOMAS […]

The Eyes Behind the Lens –

I think that Photographers are the people who have the least photographs of themselves. Mainly of course, because they are usually on the ‘other’ end of the lens. When I do happen to come across a photographers photo, I always take note.  For example, the photo you will see below of Newman HALL. He was […]