Pioneer Publican – Richard Fagan

Richard Fagan was born in Kelso, Bathurst NSW in 1866.  he was the son of Matthew FAGAN and Mary Anne ROBINSON, he had seven brothers and five sisters. Following the lure of gold and riches he travelled by ship with many others, arriving in Albany Western Australia on the 4th September 1890, he then proceeded […]

John Fitzpatrick – Plumber and Tinsmith.

John Fitzpatrick – Written by Susie de Monchaux John “Fitz” Fitzpatrick ran a plumbing and ironwork business on the corner of Ford and Sylvester Street, Coolgardie from 1896 to 1900. Family legend tells that John Fitzpatrick was born in South Australia in 1861, however, it was in Western Australia where he made his life. He […]

Diver Hughes – The Hero of Coolgardie

Cecil Albert Francis Herbert ‘Frank’ HUGHES was born on 11th Nov 1861 in Wrexham, North Wales, and educated at Ruabon Grammar School, he was the eldest son of Thomas Edward HUGHES and Mary THOMAS. Frank showed early on that he was of a roving and adventurous disposition. To satisfy his strong desire to go to […]

Robbery Under Arms – by John Marshall

 Robbery Under Arms on the Coolgardie Road In the early days of the Goldfields the escort used to leave Coolgardie every week with parcels of gold varying from £5000 to £50,000 in value. It was a common remark to hear passed by the diggers, who usually gathered to watch the gold being taken out of […]

The Ghosts of Bayley Street – a verse

Almost a 1000 men under the age of 26 lie buried in the Coolgardie Cemetery. The Ghosts of Bayley Street Last night the occult was in power And as the clocks struck midnight hour With saddened eyes and soundless feet, A thousand ghosts walked Bayley Street Ghosts of men who, joys denying Paved the way, […]