Albany Bell – The Confectionary King

Many Kalgoorlie locals  will recognise the building in the photograph below as Tippetts Tea Room at 100 Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie (now the House of Babes). However, before being named Tippetts it was called the Albany Bells Tea Rooms. I had thought this name may have come about from someone possibly from Albany but when I […]

Billy Frost – the seeker of shadows

Western Mail Perth – 16 September 1926, page 19 THE SEEKER – THE LATE BILLY FROST Prospector and Explorer By John Meiklejohn. Round the campfires of the various diggings during the 1890s, no name was more prominent than that of the late Billy Frost. He never had the fortune to make any sensational gold discovery, […]

James Shaw – First Mayor of Coolgardie

James Shaw was born in 1846 in Belfast Ireland, his father was Hugh Shaw, an engineer and his mother was Margaret, they married in Victoria. In 1864, at age 18yrs, James Shaw sailed to Auckland New Zealand where he started a contracting business which was most successful. He also won a service medal for fighting […]

With Murderous Intent –

In the early Goldfields days, life was harsh and death came often to families. Not just to the old and very young, but often those in the prime of life would be taken suddenly. The main causes of death were diseases such as typhoid and accidents both at work and in the home. The child […]

Herbert Thomas – his constabulary duties

Herbert Henry Herle Thomas was born on the 9th of January 1865 in Plympton St Mary, Devon in England. he arrived in Western Australia in 1892 and soon after his arrival he joined the West Australia Police Force. The following year he married Emma Eliza Goodwyn nee Burchell, (from Norwood South Australia), in Perth on […]