The Pioneer Photographer – Roy Millar

Im sure that you will agree that we owe a great debt to the early photographers that captured life on the Goldfields that no written version of events could possibly portray. Not only the family photographs of the people but a record of important events, public figures, building and even just the landscapes of this […]

Norman Dodd – Death by Despair

The following story was supplied by Gail and Keith Dodd and is produced here with their kind permission. The subject of the story is Norman W G Dodd who is Keith’s Great Uncle. It shows that it is possible to have the unrecognised grave of a victim of war finally honoured. Many more soldiers died […]

A Policemans Lot – The story of Patrick Donovan

I was recently sent a wonderful family story by Brian Kelly who has done an amazing job of researching the life and times of his ancestor Patrick Donovan. He has given me permission, with thanks, to reproduce an extract from the story of Patrick’s time in Western Australia. Patrick ‘Paddy’ Donovan (AKA O’Donovan) was born […]

Ante and Petrica – a love story

The following story is an extract with kind permission from – ‘For a Better Life, Yugoslavs on the Goldfields of Western Australia 1890-1970 by Dr Criena Fitzgerald. One of the most tragic love stories was that of Ante Mateljan and Petrica Mikovic (Micovich). Luka Markovich, a friend of Ante Mateljan, brought Petrica’s photograph back to […]

Winter -v- Spring a Darlot Divorce

We often think that matrimonial matters didn’t go to court in the early days, but this unusual story shows that things could still be as complicated and acrimonious as you might see today. Leonora Miner 6 August 1927, page 3 Old Age and Youth    Wife of 39yrs Sues Husband of 82yrs A woman of […]