I was recently contacted by Helena Britt who vary kindly shared with me a copy of a section of her mothes memoirs. Her grandfather, Dr Robert Mitchell, was the first Chief Medical Officer at Coolgardie Hospital and the first Superintendent of Wooroloo Sanitorium, he was in this post until his retirement in 1941. Helena’s mother […]
When there’s a Gold Rush ‘Sell Beer’
29/10/2022 By Leave a Comment
Coolgardie Pioneer 24 December 1898, page 38 THE MAYOR AND HIS ESTABLISHMENT “I don’t want no pioneering life, take me back to Collingwood.” This was the strain sung by an Eastern states poet who visited and was disgusted with these fields in the early days. Fortunately for the country, the majority of the old-timers, although […]
Messs Boylen and Anthill -pioneer profile
15/10/2022 By Leave a Comment
Western Mail 9 December 1899, page 166 MESSRS BOYLEN AND ANTILL Leading Share Brokers. Messrs. Boylen and Antill are the oldest established, and probably the most widely known, Kalgoorlie broking firms. They started operations early in 1896, and emerged from the spirited, but short-lived, boom of that year unscathed and prosperous. Later on, they weathered […]
Goldfields ‘without’ Chrysanthemums – by Catherine Bond
01/10/2022 By Leave a Comment
Goldfields and Chrysanthemums – Notes of travel in Australia and Japan by Catherine Bond I have always loved reading the personal diaries of people who have come to the Goldfields in the early days. It gives you a description of the day-to-day problems that people encounted and their impressions of the place and time. In […]
A Dastardly Deed in Lefroy Street
01/10/2022 By Leave a Comment
Coolgardie Miner 28 December 1897, page 5 SENSATIONAL SHOOTING. Attempted Murder by Four Armed Men A party of shop workers was held up in Forrest Street Coolgardie by two armed and masked men. There is so far no known motive for the dastardly crime and no arrests have been made. The police are baffled. One […]
