Hello again I don't know if I'm helping anyone out there but while I'm on the subject of "the Einasleigh", I have reasonable copy of a Kidston Reunion newsprint dated 23rd September 1984 that I can look up for you and advise further information on a family. The copy may not scan too well but I'll play it by ear depending on the number of inquiries received. Again, you can contact me off-list. Sorry that most of these are not listed alphabetically. Kidston came into being in 1907 when gold was first "officially" discovered on the Oaks Gold Field, ie on The Oaks Station on the Copperfield River near the Gregory Range. I will mention as many names as possible. * Letters of apology for non-attendance at the Kidston Reunion were from - Ron McKAUGE of Trinity Beach .. mentions that his late wife was taken to Kidston in a packsaddle when only 3 weeks old when her parents went to Kidston in 1911, when her father Sam FAVELL took over the Kidston State School. Richard Morton (Mort) MACHAN married Christina SUHLE, dau of William SUHLE who had a crushing mill at Durham. ... Talks about a family tragedy when 5 yr old Alice Christina MACHAN was accidentally killed when thrown from the buggy when the horses bolted. Soon after the family moved away to Mareeba. This was written by Mrs Noeline MACHAN of Yeppoon. Bertha WYATT nee MICHELMORE of Charters Towers wrote that although she lived at Gilberton, she stayed at YEOS place in Kidston in 1923 when she attended the school there. She was taught by Mr WHITBY. May PAINE nee BAGNALL wrote about her happy schooldays memories in Kidston when her family lived in a tent on the Copperfield River. Some names she remembers from the school were - JENNINGS, RYAN, JAGO, TOWLER, LESTER, HOLECROFT, LIMKIN & PRICE. Fred FREUDENBERG of Cairns wrote a lengthy letter - his family came from Charters Towers to Kidston abt 1910. His father was an assayer and cyanider and he joined Tom GOUGH and they opened a cyanide works near the Copperfield River. ... mentions Sam FAVELL, Tom HULL and Harold STEGMAN, teachers; describes the batteries crushing and when the State Battery was erected "I was assistant to the engineer, George GILMORE; Carl JACOBSON was the manager. Mrs George RYAN operated a hotel while her husband had a cattle property named "Wellfern". Charlie McDOWALL ran another hotel; JENNINGS was the baker, Arthur WILSON and later Charlie BROWN were butchers; Bert SUTHERLAND and later Tom TAIT were the Police Officers and Albert BOYNES the postmaster; Fred BROWNING & Bill MURPHY wee ambulance bearers. Alf JAGO and H O SMITH ran stores as did Abdul HOOSAIN whose was opposite the hotel; John YEO was the blacksmith; Ted RICHARDS drove the coach to Einasleigh and the Chinese gardeners unnamed (as usual). Other residents were Alf LESTER and his siblings Hazel, Mary, Tom and Jim. Jack ORR was a teamster - he was related to the KELSO's - May KELSO married a BURNS ... * Herbert Henry BAGNALL was the first baby born in Kidston on 29 Jul 1909 "near Oaks Rush" and copy of extract is included. * Jean MATTHEWS mar to Tom was a dau of John & Kate ORR. John with his wagons was a well known carrier of Kidston during the early days. * Kidston News random extracts. Dates back to 1907 when two prospectors named Charlie MACK and William BARRY reported finding gold on the Copperfield R about 7 miles above the Oaks Station & 30 miles from Einasleigh, and those men with Charlie HAWKINS, are generally regarded as the first men to produce gold on the field known as The Oaks Rush. On Christmas Day there were over 60 men on the field and by mid Jan 1908 the number was about 200. On 28 Sep 1908 the mysterious murder of Nellie DUFFY was reported; on 26 Jan 1909 Walter Edward KIERNAN arrived by coach to commence teaching at the newly established school; a malaria outbreak with typhoid symptoms on 17 March 1910 with Dr TYRIE arriving from Cairns to take control, commandeered the school dance hall as a temp hospital - 120 people were ill and 25 died, meanwhile the children were taught in a hall at JANSEN's Hotel. On 3 Aug 1910 the school building was sold by public auction for 37 pounds and by 26 Sep 1910 school had been suspended as there was nowhere suitable to hold classes; 24th Nov the Education Department approved the erection of a new State School at a cost of 263 pounds, however the lowest tender received was 416 pounds ... a lot of discussion ... 50-60 children were receiving no education and 24 Feb 1911 the Department accepted a tender of 404 pounds for the erection of the new school which was opened on 25 Sep 1911. Good crushings were reported with new equipment being brought in and one mentioned the last crushing from THOMPSON's claim was at a depth of 160 feet, produced 75 ozs of gold from only 3½ tons of stone. And so on 1912 up to 1922 when on the 10 Aug at Mt Hogan the BAGNALL's house water supply had stopped and upon investigation it was discovered that Toby the children's horse had slipped down the well and met with a sad fate (described). Population of 300 in 1922 when Tom DIXON was the Aerated Water Manufacturer, John YEO the blacksmith & Wheelwright, McMILLEN Bros butchers, A H BRUCE and E V LEMKEN (sic) should have been LIMKIN, W WILKINSON & W J YEO were Carrying Contractors; Hotel Shamrock ran by Annie JENNINGS & JAGO & SMITH still had stores. The Warden's report for 1929 stated that the Kidston State Battery crushed 8,029 tons of ore ... 22 mines supplying the mill ... Mountain King, Kidston Claim & Tunnel Extended; W J HARVEY-HALL erecting a 5 stamp battery at Percyville. However, the 1940 Warden's Report stated the Kidston Battery crushed 7,388 tons of ore for a return of only 624 ozs. * There is a school photo supplied by Fred FREUDENBERG around 1912-1914 before WW1 when the head teacher was Fred FAVELL assisted by Ruby CARLYLE. Others in the pic include Elsie YEO, Les CAMPBELL, Norman LIMKIN, Hazel LISTER, Jessie MacCULLOUGH, Nellie RYAN, Dollie ROBINS, Maud YATES, Winnie MacCULLOUGH, Julia MURPHY, Bill WELLMAN, Edgar LIMKIN, the Anderson brothers and Elsie, the Police Tracker's daughter. * Attendances at the reunion - BAGNALL, Florrie who married Fred BIRDITT, from Mackay; she was one of the first 2 children to arrive at Oaks Rush. More about that. BELLINGER, Albert CAMPBELL, George & wife Valarie from "The Oaks" station. Val is a dau of Bill & Alice CARLSON CARLSEN, Bill & Alice nee HOOLIHAN of Mareeba CARTY, Stan the yodeller, 1st class CARR, Jim COLLINS, David & wife Ellen & 2 children, Spring Crk Station CONDON, Don & wife Rita from "Conjuboy" Station with children. Rita is a McDOWALL FRENCH, Gus & Adelaide nee HOOLIHAN from Mt Hogan HODDER, Pat with wife Blanche now from Townsville. HOLLIHAN, Dan from Kidston son of Jack Snr HOLLIHAN, Jack son of Jack Snr HOLLIHAN, Ted & wife Mabel, Postmaster, son of Jack Snr HOLLIHAN, Eddie from Iowna son of Ted HOOLEY - 3 generations from Mareeba KNOTT, Graham & wife Carol LEITCH, Alex MATTHEWS, Jean nee ORR dau of John & Kath, contractors McDOWALL, Frank & wife Gwenda from Charters Towers, both school teachers. Son Geoff. McDOWALL, Jack from Kidston & wife Thora McDOWALL, Jim & wife Nancy of Perryvale NICHOLSON, Alf & his sister Frances PARKER, Tom from Charters Towers, retired PMG SLOAN, Tom & Maud of Collinsville & son Gary TICKLE, Reg & Lola his wife. Schoolteacher 1950-1952, of Townsville TURNER, Ray grandson of Gladys SLOAN WALES, Neil and wife Sharon from Charters Towers WHELAN, Charlie later moved to Charters Towers; mention of Ayr & "Didjeridu" near Brandon WILSON, David & Audrey from Townsville. Commercial Photographer WYATT, Fred WYATT, Frank and wife Bertha dau of Ernie & Lydia MICHELMORE. *Some Social News from the 1930's mentions MICHELMORE 1933, HOOLIHAN 1934, BAGNALL'S ... *Included is a list of Principals at the Kidston State School 1909 - 1955 when the school closed and the building shifted to Mt Surprise. I didn't type names. Also school enrolment numbers 1909-1953. *Various pics - Mt King Mine THOMPSON & WILKE's shaft, Wide's knob, Oaks Goldfield Harries & Swan's Puddler, Charley's Crk Spencer and Stalker's Puddling Plant, Charley's Crk Bagnell & Kettell's Dry blower Reg Tickle and some of his scholars at the State School in April 1952 School Photo group c1910-1912 mentioned above Dalton & Flo HOOLIHAN cutting the Golden Wedding Cake in 1979 The BAGNALLS in 1980 - Fred Bagnall, "Kurrajong", Charters Towers, 4820 was the Editor. Published and printed by Printmate, 129 Gill St, Charters Towers in 1984 Regards Jacquie Christensen. "To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root." Chinese Proverb