The McCann Hoax – burned in effigy

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 […]

Red Flannel Joe –

Western Mail – Perth – 28 February 1935, page 9 He is known as ‘Red Flannel Joe‘ throughout the district. He is old and somewhat pompous and lives in a tin hut in what was once the main street of this little nor-west town of Peak Hill. It’s almost deserted now, and Joe’s structure is […]

Billy ‘Cyclone’ Aitken – a man of many parts

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:                               […]

Mount Jackson Cemetery – grave tales

MOUNT JACKSON CEMETERY 1896-1914 = 9 burials Coordinates: -30.20141, 119.11102 110 km from Southern Cross Mount Jackson was named by the explorer Gregory in 1846. A settlement developed in the Mt Jackson area after gold was found there in 1894. There were two hotels are the height of the gold rush period. Mt Jackson Station and homestead […]

John Bedford – a fortune seeker

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 […]