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

Tom Ryan – King of Meekatharra

Early in 2017, I was contacted by Sue Hartley who is the Great Granddaughter of Thomas Ryan and his wife, Henrietta Ryan nee Kane. Their third child, Mary Daisy Ryan, known as Dais, was her grandmother. Sue said: “Meekatharra Ryan” or “The King of Meekatharra” as Tom was known, did much to build the town […]

Royce Woodhead – a soldier in the making

North Kalgoorlie School Cadets, winners of the best shooting school cadets. Taken in 1909. Back row ? SMITH, Jack BACKHOUSE, Captain Lionel JEFFRIES, E STRANGER, Eric LEAN Front Row:  Royce WOODHEAD, Tom CLEMENTS, B CAPLE,  Sid KINGS. Young Royce Woodhead would have been about 14 yrs old in the above photograph, although he look younger, […]

Samuel Slater Bentley – grave tales

Samuel Slater BENTLEY was the son of Thomas Beverton BENTLEY and Annice SLATER. he was born in Hooley Hill, Lancashire, England in 1876. He married Rosalinda Violet Fox in Boulder on the 5th April 1905 at age 26yrs just a fortnight before his terrible death. Kalgoorlie Miner – 19 April 1905, page 6 PREMATURE EXPLOSION, […]

Bill Bright – he didn’t tell them everything!

By Roger Garwood:  – Bill Bright featured in Off Like Flies, the book published by Roger Garwood and Trish Ainslie thirty years ago. Both Outback Family History and the WA State Library have featured some of the stories and pictures. This is the ‘back story’ to the picture of Bill Bright shaving, written by Roger […]

Violence, Murder, and Dispossession – the human cost of the Australian gold rush

Contributor of the week – Jenni Hodge Violence, Murder, and Dispossession – The Human Cost of the Australian Gold Rush – By Outback Family History reader, Jenni Hodge Rushing for gold makes a few individual fortunes, and breaks the hearts and lives of many more. While it is undoubtedly true that, on a larger level, […]