The Murchison – on dust storms and barmaids

Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette – 25 September 1897, page 4 The Murchison Author unknown (From the London Financial Times) The Murchison was the earliest explored field in West Australia, not the first goldfield—that was Yilgarn, discovered by my friend Anstey—but the first upon which development work was undertaken. It went with a boom […]

Francis Patrick Joseph Moran – pioneer profile

The following story has been very kindly shared with us by Philip Moran, Grandson of Frank Moran, and with permission from the Moran family: Francis Patrick Joseph Moran a Life in Summary Francis ‘Frank’ Patrick Joseph MORAN was born on 18 December 1879. He was the son of Francis and Bridget Moran (Marron). He married […]

Did she fall or was she pushed??

The British Arms Hotel in Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie was built in 1899 and operated as a hotel until it was delicenced in 1924. It is reputed to be the narrowest two-story hotel in the southern hemisphere measuring only 3.2 meters in width. Although small in size, the hotel did a brisk trade in the early […]

The Brothers Mulcahy – a family story

W.A. Record  Perth  24 December 1898, page 19 MULCAHY BROTHERS Premier Hotel keepers, FREMANTLE, PERTH, AND BOULDER CITY As Licensed Victuallers, the firm of Messrs. Mulcahy Bros is famed throughout Western Australia. They have been associated with the colony almost since the goldfields were discovered. The well-known and popular gentlemen are natives of Tipperary, the […]

An Hotel by any other name

In last week’s’ Ripping Yarns and Tragic Tales,’ you may have read the story of the Hay family. While getting the story ready for the blog, which was sent to me by Nick Allan, I made a mistake in the name of one of the hotels his family ran. I got confused between the Club […]