John Bain was born in Wick, Scotland on 18 Mar 1866 to John Bain and Margaret Miller. He came to Western Australia in 1894. He married Betsy Calder Miller in Fremantle WA in 1900. John was to go into partnership with Betsy’s brothers, Donald George and Ben Miller, when they founded the Marvellous West GM.
Wedding photograph of John ‘Jack’ BAIN to Betsy Calder MILLER – Fremantle WA 1900 – Photo Ancestry.com
Western Mail 26 May 1938, page 11
McCann’s Rush – 1895 – By Don Miller
The railway had not reached Coolgardie when this rush was reported. I cannot remember the month, as I was on the road at the time carting to Coolgardie from the head of the line. At that time I had a load on for Jack Murray, who had a store in Coolgardie. On reaching Coolgardie, Billy Weston approached me and asked me to take a party of prospectors out, and Jack Murray saw me also, as he intended to start a store at the new find. I loaded up at his store, and enclose a photograph of the team leaving his store for the rush.
Donald ‘Don’ George MILLER – Photo Ancestry.com
My team was the first to return, as we were the first to get word that McCann’s alleged find could not be located. On arriving back to Coolgardie, I was asked to go back with a load of provisions as a relief team, but word came that the men were all coming back. It is quite true that the prospectors were desperate. There were all sorts of rumours, and, if the crowd had got McCann, he would have said a’ long farewell’.
Billy Morley, and his brother Alf got furthest out with their teams. They were carting on the road to Coolgardie at the time. The Afghans got out nearly as far as the Morley brothers. I am sure T. H. Argus will recognise himself in the Bain and Miller photograph (below) leaving Coolgardie for McCann’s Rush, 1895. Jack Bain at the leader’s head, Don Miller at the shafter’s head and Ben Miller on top of waggon.
North Coolgardie Herald and Miners Daily News 28 February 1901, page 2
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
The many friends of Mr John Bain, of Mulline, will regret to hear that he died at Mrs Edmund’s private hospital, Kalgoorlie, on Friday evening last, a victim to consumption. Mr Bain contracted the disease from a severe cold about twelve months ago, but only during the last few months did his condition give his friends any anxiety. As one of the pioneers of Mulline Mr Bain was well known, having thrown in his lot with the prospectors of this district in 1896, when, in conjunction with Mr Donald Miller, he conducted business there as a general storekeeper.
Bain and Miller Produce Store and Union Bank – Photo SLWA
Previously Mr Bain was prospecting in other parts of the Coolgardie fields, his goldfields career extending over about eight years. He was one of the foremost men in Mulline public life, having occupied a seat on the Mulline progress committee since its inception, and representing, as one of the first members of that body, the district on the North Coolgardie Roads Board, of which he proved a most useful member. His remains were interned in the Kalgoorlie cemetery on Saturday last. His death is made the sadder by the fact that he had only been married about eight months.
Grave of John Bain Kalgoorlie Cemetery – Photo Danelle Warnock
Betsy was to re marry the same year as her husband died in 1901 to James HARWOOD of Mulline with whom she had four children.
Moya Sharp
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