Albert Jesse ‘Tommy’ Talbot was born on a farm in Holcombe-Rogus, Hawkworthy in Devonshire in England on March the 9th, 1869. His eldest son and eldest daughter were also born on March the 9th, an unusual coincidence. Talbot came to WA in 1887. In 1891 he was working for a farmer at Northam and from […]
The McCann Hoax – burned in effigy
08/02/2025 By 1 Comment
Daily News 1 July 1895, page 5 COOLGARDIE NEWS: THE ALLEGED FIND AT LAKE COWAN. RETURN OF MR McCANN AS DELEGATE. FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR THE FIND. EXCITED MEETING IN BAYLEY-STREET – CHARGE AGAINST THE PRESS – THE COURIER OFFICE STONED.MR McCANN SMUGGLED AWAY – NOW UNDER POLICE PROTECTION – FURTHER TROUBLE EXPECTED COOLGARDIE, July 1 […]
Billy ‘Cyclone’ Aitken – a man of many parts
01/02/2025 By 1 Comment
William ‘Billy’ Gaskell Aitken was Mayor of Coolgardie in 1906 and a councillor in the town prior to this. After his term of office, he was presented with an elaborate engraved and coloured citation to commemorate his service. It said: […]
John Bedford – a fortune seeker
01/02/2025 By Leave a Comment
Some twenty-four years ago I was contacted by Edward Hellewell regarding his grandfather, John Edward Bedford who came to the WA Goldfield as a young man in 1895 to seek his fortune. His grandfather died some years before Edward was born so he never knew him but has always wanted to know more about him […]
Meat for the Fields – The Rowell Boys
25/01/2025 By 1 Comment
Western Mail 12 February 1953, page 23 WESTRALIANA Meat for the Fields by E. Rowell A Butcher who was a heavyweight athlete and successful prospector too, will be remembered by some who were on the Eastern Goldfields in 1894. My elder brother Bill went to Coolgardie some months after Bayley and Ford found the rich […]
