The winners of the first Push Ball competition in Coolgardie on 12 July 1905. Back Row: W Sowerby – P Kiely – E Millane – D M Strickland – F P Strickland – M Noonan – C H Field Middle Row: C C Monaghan – H C Pearson – C P Bloom (Capt) – J […]
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
St Mary’s Primary School, Kalgoorlie
This is a very early photograph of St Mary’s Primary school in Dugan Street, Kalgoorlie from the Western Argus newspaper in 1903. The building on the right is still there and is behind the admin office, I think that it may now be the school library. It was then called St Mary’s Convent School and […]
My Dear Annie – Missingham Letters 5
The following letter is the first one sent to Annie by David from Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields. His account of day to day life is interesting. He comments of the number of fires and the all pervading dust. David does seem to have a somewhat condescending tone to his wife who’s opinions I would love […]
First Female Police Officer – Helen Dugdale
There are many ‘Firsts’ that have occurred in the Goldfields and one of them is that the first female police officer, Helen Blanche Dugdale, was appointed from Kalgoorlie. The Police Historical Society have recognised the contribution of Helen Dugdale and in 2006 the Goldfields Family History Society had a plaque placed on her grave in […]
A Story from the Old Camp – The Murder of Mercy Gregory
The Sunday Times 5th November 1911 The Murder of Mercy Gregory Recently in the Old Coolgardie Cemetery, a kindly hand repainted the lettering on a rough wooden slab erected to the memory of Arthur Court the son of the late Dr Court, the once well-known philanthropist of Melbourne. The young fellow had been drinking heavily […]