• Aboriginal History
• Cemeteries
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• Maps of the Goldfields
• Military
  • Boer War Soldiers
  • War Memorials
  • Western Mail Photo Index
  • WW1 Soldiers
• Miners
• Miscellaneous
• People
  • Electoral Roll
  • Employment
  • Lodge Records
  • Marriages
  • Men of the Goldfields (Book)
  • Men of WA (Book)
  • Midwives on the Goldfields of Western Australia
  • Miners
  • Photographers
  • Post Office Directories
  • Schools
• Places on the Goldfields
• Place Index A-Z

Coolgardie Christmas
1892

As 1892 drew to its dry close, despite the considerable difficulties about water, there was some appreciation of the very primitive comforts that the new young settlement of Coolgardie had to offer. Really there was little comfort nor any great variety in the stores but the men on the gold wanted to hang on if possible. The population was about 300, two women had arrived, Mrs Felix MURPHY and her daughter Edith, who was one of the first two white girls to arrived in Southern Cross in 1889. Lord Percy DOUGLAS and the Hon David CARNEGIE had arrived to work on the diggings. Sylvester BROWNE, the brother of “Rolf BOLDREWOOD “the writer of “Robbery Under Arms” fame, was in Coolgardie along with Everard BROWN & Gordon LYON. These men were among those who were the first Christmas hosts to small groups of men. Father TREACY, the first cleric and Two Salvation Army Officers LONNIE and BENSLEY were there to hold the first Christmas Services.

Late in December a team of camels arrived fully laden with much needed supplies & a fortnightly mail had been started from Southern Cross which brought comfort to many and provided news of the outside world & also provided scope for Bill BENSTEAD'S civic activities & good nature as he acted as Butcher in one tent & Postmaster in an other. Fourteen teams were now carting water from Gnarlbine Rocks 20 miles away & it was thought that the water was likely to give out at any moment. It was said that there were hundreds of men at Southern Cross waiting with an eye on every cloud, ready to move to Coolgardie when & if the rain should come.
Water at Coolgardie was failing fast & dry blowing was a dirty dusty dry & uncomfortable job. FINNERTY posted a notice urging as many as possible to move back to Southern Cross in small parties only, as to be a minimum drain on the available water.
The Christmas fare was frugal for all, tinned meat, tinned pudding and plenty of Billy Tea but taken cheerfully
in the spirit of goodwill to all.