Hi Rusheen, Rusheen (lovely name - what does it mean?!!), thank you for this - you are very kind. My William was the son of William Morris and Emily Jane Finnie. I realized after I sent this query in, that I should have posted to the other list!! However, I am looking for Holmes rellies in Cobar, so shall stay subscribed. Warmest regards, Lynne. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rusheen Craig" <rusheen@optusnet.com.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 2:03 PM Subject: Re: [NSW-W] MORRIS & RUMBLE families - Molong & Wellington > Hi Lynne, > > Would your William Morris be the Billy/William mentioned by Les Anderson in > his book, "Pioneer Families and Settlement in the Wellington District"? > > Speaking about the area to the south of the Bournewood to Yeoval road, he > mentions the Sunset Sheep Stud run by Ralf Morris and Son. with his sister > Ruth also being a partner. > > "Billy Morris established this stud. I often purchased rams from him. I > remember him saying that he was taking son Ralf into partnership with him as > he thought it took more than one lifetime to build up a successful sheep > stud. How true it turned out to be, as ill-health cut him off in the prime > of his life. He was faithfully cared for by his wife and family. William was > the son of George Morris, the son of Alfred Morris, and brother of James > Jeffrey Morris." > > By the way, Wellington and Molong are actually in the Central rather than > West List. If you posted your query to the Central List you might get > someone who knows more details about your relatives. > > Regards .............Rusheen. > > > From: "Lynne Hadley" <casteaway@bigpond.com> > > Reply-To: AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com > > Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 17:46:50 +1000 > >> > > Hi, > > > > I am researching the Morris and Rumble families of Molong and Wellington. My > > mother, Muriel Mary Morris was born in Molong in 1914. Her parents were > > William John Boyd Morris who were married at Redfern in 1912. My father was > > Hilton Roy Rumble who was born at Stuart Town near Wellington in 1902. His > > parents were William Rumble and Ann Jeffery who were married at Wellington > > c.1900. I would be very interested to hear from anybody who might be > > researching these families. Thank you. > > Warmest regards, > > Lynne. > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > This list is set that so, by default, replies to messages go to the whole list. Please feel free to send replies to the list where you think they would be of interest to the whole list, but if it is only personal chat back and forth, please send messages just between the parties involved. > >

Hi Lynne, Would your William Morris be the Billy/William mentioned by Les Anderson in his book, "Pioneer Families and Settlement in the Wellington District"? Speaking about the area to the south of the Bournewood to Yeoval road, he mentions the Sunset Sheep Stud run by Ralf Morris and Son. with his sister Ruth also being a partner. "Billy Morris established this stud. I often purchased rams from him. I remember him saying that he was taking son Ralf into partnership with him as he thought it took more than one lifetime to build up a successful sheep stud. How true it turned out to be, as ill-health cut him off in the prime of his life. He was faithfully cared for by his wife and family. William was the son of George Morris, the son of Alfred Morris, and brother of James Jeffrey Morris." By the way, Wellington and Molong are actually in the Central rather than West List. If you posted your query to the Central List you might get someone who knows more details about your relatives. Regards .............Rusheen. > From: "Lynne Hadley" <casteaway@bigpond.com> > Reply-To: AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com > Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 17:46:50 +1000 >> > Hi, > > I am researching the Morris and Rumble families of Molong and Wellington. My > mother, Muriel Mary Morris was born in Molong in 1914. Her parents were > William John Boyd Morris who were married at Redfern in 1912. My father was > Hilton Roy Rumble who was born at Stuart Town near Wellington in 1902. His > parents were William Rumble and Ann Jeffery who were married at Wellington > c.1900. I would be very interested to hear from anybody who might be > researching these families. Thank you. > Warmest regards, > Lynne.

Hi, I am researching the Morris and Rumble families of Molong and Wellington. My mother, Muriel Mary Morris was born in Molong in 1914. Her parents were William John Boyd Morris who were married at Redfern in 1912. My father was Hilton Roy Rumble who was born at Stuart Town near Wellington in 1902. His parents were William Rumble and Ann Jeffery who were married at Wellington c.1900. I would be very interested to hear from anybody who might be researching these families. Thank you. Warmest regards, Lynne.

Hi! I am interested in a Cyril AKA Charles Dunn whose birth is registered under Tomlinson,Johnson and Dunn DOB 1897 POB Walgett District.Sister Evelyn born 1895 Quirindi. Information on any of the above families appreciated. Regards,Dianne

I assume it was somewhere around Gundaroo. That's where his family lived. Cheers, Jenni ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lorraine" <lorraine@compassnet.com.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 8:46 PM Subject: Re: [NSW-W] New Interests, plus goldmining > Do you have any idea as to where he was a goldminer? That would be a start. > Cheers > Lorraine > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jenni Kay" <jenni@esc.net.au> > To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 9:18 AM > Subject: [NSW-W] New Interests, plus goldmining > > > > Hi all, > > > > I have just joined the list and was wondering if anyone is researching the > following family names: > > > > KARKOE > > CHITTENDEN > > DUNSTER > > > > Also, my ancestor Nicholas KARKOE was a gold miner in the 1870s. Would > anyone know if there was a register of miner's names? > > > > Thank you, > > Jenni > > South Australia > > > > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > > The Home Page for this List is at > > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~surreal/NSWW/ > > > > > > > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > To read previous messages to this list, for at least the last twelve months, go to: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/AUS-NSW-WEST/ >

Do you have any idea as to where he was a goldminer? That would be a start. Cheers Lorraine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jenni Kay" <jenni@esc.net.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 9:18 AM Subject: [NSW-W] New Interests, plus goldmining > Hi all, > > I have just joined the list and was wondering if anyone is researching the following family names: > > KARKOE > CHITTENDEN > DUNSTER > > Also, my ancestor Nicholas KARKOE was a gold miner in the 1870s. Would anyone know if there was a register of miner's names? > > Thank you, > Jenni > South Australia > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > The Home Page for this List is at > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~surreal/NSWW/ > >

Hi all, I have just joined the list and was wondering if anyone is researching the following family names: KARKOE CHITTENDEN DUNSTER Also, my ancestor Nicholas KARKOE was a gold miner in the 1870s. Would anyone know if there was a register of miner's names? Thank you, Jenni South Australia

Rusheen You are great. Thank you so much for the information you posted for me. Can we put together a list which nominates all the directories of interest to people and post it on the website. I'll start us off with: Yewen's Directory of the Landholders of NSW, 1900, available on microfilm at the Mitchell Library Greville's Post Office Directory 1872 available at http://addison.homedns.org/projects/grevilles/atoz/namesatoz.htm Sands Directories (Years??) available on microfilm at many libraries Hall's Directory of NSW 1895 Moore's Australian Almanac and country directory 1888-1899, available on microfilm at the National Library, Canberra Bourke district directory and general statistical gazeteer 1893, available on microfilm at the National Library Canberra, although lost when I was there. Australasian Federal Pastoral Directory 1895 available on microfilm at the National Library Canberra Pastoral Possessions of NSW 1889 available on microfilm at the National Library Canberra Also I have recently heard about this: Australasian Genealogical Computer Index The pre-publication offer for the first volume of the CD version of this index has only a few weeks to run. For just $99.50 (including postage within Australia), individuals and non-profit societies can order this CD of records indexed over the last 20 years by family history societies throughout Australasia. Expected to be available around the end of September, the CD is in the final stages of testing and preparation. The result of thousands of hours of volunteer effort, the new index will be searchable by last name, first name, event, source, place, state/county, country and year ? with wild card searching thrown in. A far cry from the "alphabetic on last name" searching available on the present fiche version! The CD includes over 3.9 million records ? the present fiche version has just half that. The records indexed include cemetery transcripts, newspapers, books lacking an index, obituaries, electoral rolls, petitions, transportation records, and many more. If you identify a record of interest, the CD makes it easy to write to the indexing society, most of which are prepared for a small charge to provide more information from (or a copy of) the original record. The pre-publication price applies ONLY to orders received by SAG (the project manager) by 30 August 2004, and these can be placed online. From 31 August the price (for individuals etc) rises to $125 plus p&p. Separate pricing applies to other users. NB: Pre-publication order CDs will not be mailed out before the end of September! What is the consensus on whether it would be worth buying? Best wishes Jill

I'm not cross posting - really I'm not (please don't take me off the List Linda). However I'll start the same as I MIGHT have done on the Central List. I am three quarters of the way through listing all the Western/Central Land Tenure transactions that appear in the Gazette for 1900. I was therefore very interested when I saw that Yewen's Directory of the Landholders of NSW, 1900 was available on CD for $39-50. archivecdbooks.com.au Click on "Catalogue"; then "NSW". There are 70,000 landholders given, listed as Dairy Farmers, Graziers, or types of Agriculturalists. A copy of the book is available on microfilm at the Mitchell Library. Would anyone like me to check for names in the 2 districts I copied: WENTWORTH DISTRICT Subdivisions: Cal Lal, Euston, Pooncarie, and Wentworth. MITCHELL DISTRICT Subdivisions: Broken Hill[not copied], Menindie [includes Pooncarie again and Tartna Point], Milparinka, Silverton [includes Limestone Siding and Pinnacles], Torrowangee [includes Euriowie], Thackaringa, Tibooburra, White Cliffs, Wilcannia. In any replies I will give the spelling as it appears, so Linda would get: BARRACLOUGH Luke, Deffie's Bend - Wentworth, Wentworth P.O. (Wheat) (Grazier) I was surprised at how many landholders also grew wheat, perhaps a third of them - very necessary when you think about it. I didn't do Bourke, but copied down for Jill: Bobodah Subdivision - Samuel McCaughney, Toorale Station (Sorry just one name). C.B.J.WARMOLL, Keiley. James WARMOLL, Armagh Park. and Grass Hut - H.P.MOXHAM. For Mary: Clement HARDINGHAME - Menindie P.O.(* in Grazier column - ? mean) Chas. MAIDEN, Pamamaroo - Menindie P.O. (Grazier) Geo. MAIDEN, Speculation - Menindie P.O. (Grazier) Geo. MAIDEN, Speculation - Menindie P.O. (Grazier) - ie same as above Wm. MAIDEN - Menindie P.O. (Other Crop) Regards ................Rusheen.

I am wanting to make contact with Lesley Ford who is researching these families. Is there someone who can put us in touch with each other? T I A Brian KINGSLEY WA

Hi Bill My Josiah Smith was born Bathurst the son of William Dickinson Smith & Mary Binks. It states on his Death Cert. that he was a station hand & he was not married. Ann ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Symonds" <billsymo@bigpond.net.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 7:21 PM Subject: Re: [NSW-W] Josiah Smith > Further to my previous Message , I have almost a complete Tree of this Smith > Family from Scotland if you need it. > Bill Symonds > > billsymo@bigpond.net.au > www.users.bigpond.com/bill_symo.htm > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ann Graham" <horten@westserv.net.au> > To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 1:39 PM > Subject: [NSW-W] Josiah Smith > > > > Hi > > > > Would someone from the Bourke area know if the cemetery has been > transcribed? > > I'm wondering if Josiah Smith d 20/6/1930 has a headstone. > > > > Ann > > > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > Have you registered your surnames on the NSW-WEST home page??? Go to http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~surreal/NSWW/ and from there to Surnames for further details. > >

I wondered if anyone can inform me as to existance of any early electoral roll information? Specifically I am looking in Balranald or Moulamein area c 1860 or a bit later. Have any rolls survived? On microfilm/fiche ? Available in any Qld library? Any info gratefully received Judy Qld

Hi Judy, Some time back I accessed some Balranald information on the following site:- http://www.ihr.com.au/documents.html I think it was $40 for a 12 month subscription but there was a lot of interesting records there so it was worth it for me. Regards, Beverley ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judy Meibusch" <raigmore@cnnet.com.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 9:17 PM Subject: [NSW-W] Early Electoral Roll query > I wondered if anyone can inform me as to existance of any early electoral roll information? Specifically I am looking in Balranald or Moulamein area c 1860 or a bit later. Have any rolls survived? On microfilm/fiche ? Available in any Qld library? > Any info gratefully received > Judy > Qld > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > If you know any good Western NSW webpages for addition to our links page, please e-mail the admin at > AUS-NSW-WEST-admin@rootsweb.com >

Dear Judy, Cannot really help you with electoral rolls but this might be a substitute ............... Is 1872 close enough ? May I suggest however that if you really want to find where someone was in 1872 you search Greville's Post Office directory by surname or town at: http://www.family.joint.net.au/content.php?mid=1 There may be other years available in microfiche or book form at the qld state library or other regional libraries. The following may be available in the QLD state library or regional or family history libraries too. The Dewey classification number is: 919.4410025 xx which is the universal number for ALL libraries. These are taken from the NSW State library (WEBCAT) Catalogue at http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> AUTHOR Cox and Co. TITLE Cox and Co.'s Sydney Post Office directory, 1857 : contains street directory, trades' directory, commercial directory, law directory, and government official directory ... also a complete compendium of the postal arrangements throughout the colony. PUBLISHED Sydney : Cox, 1857. DESCRIPT. viii, 263 p. : ill. ; 23 cm. DEWEY ETC 919.4410025 19. OTHER TITL Sydney Post Office directory 1857. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TITLE Greville's official post office directory of New South Wales. PUBLISHED Sydney Greville & Co., 1872-1877. DESCRIPT. v. : ill. ; 21 cm. DESCRIPT. 1872-1875-1877. DEWEY ETC 919.440025 21. RELATED microfiche Greville's official post office directory of New South Wales 20491698. RELATED microfilm Greville's official post office directory and gazetteer of New South Wales. OTHER TITL Title varies slightly: Greville's official post office directory and gazetteer of New South Wales 1875/77. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TITLE The Official post office country directory and gazetteer of New South Wales. PUBLISHED Sydney, N.S.W. : J. Sands, 1878. DESCRIPT. 1 v. ; 24 cm. DESCRIPT. 1878-79. DEWEY ETC 919.440025 19. CONT'D BY Sands' country directory and gazetteer of New South Wales. OTHER TITL Official post office country directory, New South Wales. NOTES Issues for the State Library of NSW filmed on same reel as later title. NOTES Published in alternate years with Sand's Sydney and suburban directory. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TITLE The Official post office directory of New South Wales (Bailliere's) : containing the names, residences and occupations of the inhabitants of the post towns of the colony, inclusive of Sydney and suburbs, arranged locally and alphabetically, with cross references / compiled byauthority. PUBLISHED Sydney : F.F. Bailliere. OTHER AUTH F.F. Bailliere (Firm) NOTES Description based on: 1867. NOTES Ferguson, no. 6522. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hope that helps, Tony Moore (Balgo, Western Australia) @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ On 1 Sep 2004 at 21:17, Judy Meibusch wrote: > I wondered if anyone can inform me as to existance of any early >electoral roll information? Specifically I am looking in Balranald >or Moulamein area c 1860 or a bit later. Have any rolls survived? >On microfilm/fiche ? Available in any Qld library? > Any info gratefully received > Judy > Qld > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > If you know any good Western NSW webpages for addition to our links page, please e-mail the admin at > AUS-NSW-WEST-admin@rootsweb.com >

Further to my previous Message , I have almost a complete Tree of this Smith Family from Scotland if you need it. Bill Symonds billsymo@bigpond.net.au www.users.bigpond.com/bill_symo.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann Graham" <horten@westserv.net.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 1:39 PM Subject: [NSW-W] Josiah Smith > Hi > > Would someone from the Bourke area know if the cemetery has been transcribed? > I'm wondering if Josiah Smith d 20/6/1930 has a headstone. > > Ann >

Hi, I have a feeling that your Josiah Smith may be related to my wife's Joshua Smith Joshua Smith was born in Old Deer , Aberdeen Scotland,In 1844, He married Susannah Simpson in Hay NSW in 1872 where I believe he was a publican at nearby Mosgiel. My wife is his gg grandaughter born to his daughter Helen Smith Who married James Hancock . He died in White Cliffs NSW in 1902. He had the following Children James Susan Isabella Jessie Helen Neil JOSHUA Smith b. 1885 Wilcannia George Smith. I have no death fate or place for Neil Joshua Smith , but would be interested in seeing if this Joshua Smith ties in with your Smith family. Regards Bill Symonds billsymo@bigpond.net.au www.users.bigpond.com/bill_symo.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann Graham" <horten@westserv.net.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 1:39 PM Subject: [NSW-W] Josiah Smith > Hi > > Would someone from the Bourke area know if the cemetery has been transcribed? > I'm wondering if Josiah Smith d 20/6/1930 has a headstone. > > Ann >

G'dayAnn,tis Bernice here I have a book from Bourke Libary'100 Lives of Bourke" There is one Edward Smith mentioned.If you contact Bourke Library,Ann McLachlan she maybe able to help you.Have a nice day.----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann Graham" <horten@westserv.net.au> To: <AUS-NSW-WEST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 2:09 PM Subject: [NSW-W] Josiah Smith > Hi > > Would someone from the Bourke area know if the cemetery has been transcribed? > I'm wondering if Josiah Smith d 20/6/1930 has a headstone. > > Ann > > > ==== AUS-NSW-WEST Mailing List ==== > This list is set that so, by default, replies to messages go to the whole list. Please feel free to send replies to the list where you think they would be of interest to the whole list, but if it is only personal chat back and forth, please send messages just between the parties involved. > >

The Workings Messrs. Whitfield and Pilcher have an area of 35 acres adjoining blocks 5 and 14. They have put down a shaft 43ft and obtained opal at the bottom; then they drove 12ft on the same seam with the result of 40oz of opal, worth £40. They have since timbered the shaft, put a base up, driven 60ft westerly, obtained opal all the distance, crossent drive south 30ft, driven 22ft north, with payable opal all the way. They are now starting to drive again westerly. They obtained opal at 6ft worth £4 an ounce, are still driving in the same vein; are also - putting down an airshaft 80ft distant. The work is being partially done on Tribute. This party realised the three months' work, with two men, £42, and with the Tribute party for one month £30. E.F.Murphy is manager of the Wilcannia blocks Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8 containing 40 acres. Upon my visit he was in his office with Mr Mylcreest, the sub-manager, busy sorting and valuing opals for market. The parcel they roughly estimated to be worth £1,500. "You appear to have a variety in your parcels?" "Yes; these have been previously classed by us into three and sometimes four classes. The lowest class are of no commercial value, and are known as potch. The others vary according to colour, brilliancy, grain, or body, life, or fire, whilst the other is cloudy, although showing colour without life." "What percent is of value and saleable?" "About 9 percent of the opal raised is potch. There is about 90 percent of various saleable classes, and 1 percent of lovely gems full of fire, rich colours of various hues, and great brilliancy. This class brings top market price, and is eagerly sort after by the Continental buyers. Here is one piece weighing 18 oz, the largest piece that has been found on the field. Portions of this were beautiful, but others were without the much desired fire, worth about £150." Continuing, Mr Murphy said the opal is found in layers or seams , in cement, sandstone, calcareous clay, in ironstone, and, in fact, in everything on the field. He then showed me a large number of shells from Block 18, which were opalised. These are a great curiosity - cockle and periwinkle of various prismatic colours. "What amount have you realised from your opal sales?" The total amount sold from 31st December, 1893 was £7,336, out of which about £4,000 have been paid for labour to the tributers. There are 72 hands on at present, but we have had an average of 80 for the past six months. " "Is there much trucking in shares in this company?" "None; the holders will not sell or even entertain an offer, except at fabulous prices." I next visited Block 12, consisting of eight acres, the property of R.Martin. The shaft is down 33ft, opal being obtained at 20ft, from which they have passed through five seams from the surface. They have taken out some of the finest opals found on the field. Some very beautiful pieces were shown me by Mr Martin. Three men and self have won about [? £360], won in three months. Messrs. Farrell and McGrath own Block 28; 20 acres. During the past six months they have received £120 for opals, sinking from 8ft to 12ft through four seams, each varying in colour and thickness; rich pieces up to 1 oz have been found. They are now putting on 10 men as tributers. Sparway and Co. have an area of 30 acres, and employ eight men, including six tributers. The work has been started 10 months; seven shafts varying in depth from 27ft to 32ft have been put down and worked for six months without getting [...]y opal. They went down to 27ft, where they found first layers of potch, then good colours, and afterwards struck splendid first quality opal, and have found £608 worth. In this claim is found opalised sandstone and fossilised wood, each showing brilliant colourings. They have found as many as eight seams of opal in a foot of workings. The average price they have obtained is ... per ounce. M. Pickett owns Block 14, consisting of 21 acres. He took up his block on 1st July ..., has put down numerous pits, and has had men on opal from within a foot of the surface to depth of 35ft. More than 90 percent has, however been potch. He has sold £600 worth. He is now erecting a nice cottage, the best on the field. "You intend to stop?" "Yes, I have work in sight for the next 20 years." "How do you work your claim?" "With mixed labour - wages and tributers." "You have obtained some rich opal?" "Yes, I have got up to £20 per ounce for opal out of this claim." There is a large tank 30 x 26 x 15ft excavated, having a capacity of 65,000gals., thus giving a good permanent water supply. I next visited the claim of Messrs. Skipworth and Lingwell, which consisted of 20 acres. This claim is being worked with a face - and trial shafts are being put down at intervals to a depth of 25ft. Opal has been found at 20ft, but of no value, being only one remove from potch; this is to say that it has a little colour, but no fire. At other parts of the ground they have got opal at 10ft. The main lead on this block runs at from 10 to 15 feet deep. At times they find opals of every description the whole length of the drive in conglomerate cement, and sandstone, of all qualities, and in various forms; one piece may be found on its flat, another on its edge, another at an angle. There really appears to be no hard and fast rule as to how opals exist or what form they take in their bed. This party do all their own work, assisted only by one man. They sold £1,600 worth in 1893, and up to date about £600 in addition. "They say they take it easy in the summer weather, and work hard in the winter. The opals from the mine display the finest fire and choicest colours and variety I saw on the field. They have erected a comfortable cottage, and have also come to stay. Turner and Richardson own Blocks 1, 3, and 4, consisting of 140 acres, Block 1 being a prospecting claim of 80 acres. They work the mine on tribute, also by wages men, employing in all 35 hands. The tributers are allowed 50 percent, which is the general tribute on the field. These claims have been worked for four years with the result of sales amounting to about £15,000. Messrs. McKenzie Brothers and Worley are proprietors of Blocks 2, 15, 16. Their claim consists of 240 acres. They work all on tribute. On Block 2 opal is found from the surface to a depth of 20ft. £2,700 worth of opals have been sold off Block 2. On Block 3 Sprigs and party, the largest tributing party on the field, have been at work for 18 months on 50 percent tribute, but have only realised about £1060. They obtain opals from the surface to a depth of 14ft. They say it does not pay tributers to go down to a greater depth. The seams of opal in this claim go from one-eighth of an inch to 2ins. This party are the "toff" tributers at Opalton. The Gem Blast Opal-mining Company has a property of 80 acres. This party are opening up and prospecting their ground properly by putting down a shaft and driving as you would for gold. They have passed through three seams, two of potch and one of fair opal. They passed through band stone 3ft wide carrying opal. Mr Saul, an old miner, got £3,300 out of one patch of opal in Block 7. Being a tributer, he got half of that amount. Speaking to Mr Gregory, one of the partners of this claim, he said, "This is a lovely life. I was formerly managing a large station with 40,000 sheep, but this life, with its constant excitement, is simply glorious and free." Kildea and Harrison own 40 acres. They have one tributer to help them. They have put down two shafts to 26ft deep, and are sinking a third. They have driven from the No.1 into the No.2 for air. They got opal at 7ft from the surface, and took 6 oz of first-class opal out of the drive, worth £15 an oz. They have struck and passed through [? 11] veins of opal of various qualities and colours in the No.2 shaft. In seven weeks they obtained 7lb weight of opals, averaging in value £5 an ounce, equal to £420. I would advise others to follow the system of mining adopted by this company. Warley and Clancey have a claim of an area of 40 acres. They have 12 men tributing, who are found in everything. The shaft is down 25ft, but no opals have been found at this depth. The principal finds have been from 3 to 4 feet from the surface. They have been on payable opal for the last eight months, and have won £2,000 worth sold, and have on hand about £500 worth. The opals in this claim are found on their true level of floor. There have been only about 7 acres opened up and prospected with the above results.

Carmel, in England, requested information on the discovery of the opal fields at White Cliffs by Hooley and Richardson. Carmel is a descendant of the George J. Hooley mentioned and his wife Edith nee Richardson. I thought the information might also be of interest to others. Since it is a long article I have split it into two parts. Also, since it is a long article, PLEASE DELETE THE ARTICLE FROM ANY REPLIES. The Sydney Mail April 14 1894. THE TOURIST Visit to White Cliffs Opal Mines. ------------------------------ The Township of Opalton. ------------------------------- Sales of Opals Exceed £40,000. ------------------------------ By "The Tourist". ------------------------------- On my arrival at Wilcannia, after a trip in the steamer South Australian from Bourke down the Darling, a distance of some 500 miles, I found the chief topic of conversation to be about the splendid discoveries of gems in the form of lovely opals at White Cliffs, specimens of which were freely shown by the many residents. Some of those shown to me were of thick pieces of pure opal of the most beautiful harlequin, and various other lovely tints of indescribable beauty. Some of them resembled magnificent Australian sunsets in minature form, and looked as if they had been photographed in colours from nature in the very highest art of reproduction, full of brilliant colours of ever-changing and fascinating hue, fascinating to all. I determined to visit the field, going by Cobb's coach. We reached Opalton, as I shall now call the township of the White Cliffs' field, about 8pm, after a drive of about 60 miles. There was the usual crowd congregated to meet the coach, probably, however, this evening larger than usual, owing to the visit of the renowned labour agitators, Messrs. Sleath and Ferguson. There are two fair-sized hotels. The one at which I put up is kept by Mr Burgess, the other by Mr Johnston. They have a very peculiar method of delivering letters here. On the arrival of the mail it takes about half an hour to sort the letters, after which the postal official opens the office door and calls out in a sonorous voice the names of those to whom the letters just received are addressed. If the owner of the letter is there, he calls out, "Here!" and the letter is handed to him. I was informed that the idea was to save time, instead of having to search the various packets of letters through and through for each caller. I may as well here state that the opal fields are on one of the largest station properties in the colony, known as Moomba, which comprises four Pastoral Holdings, containing an area of 1,830,000 acres. The assessed rental value is 1 12-100d per acre, which amounts to £5,054 - 4s - 2d annually. In 1890, 7000 bales of wool were taken off these holdings.The proprietors are residents of Adelaide and Melbourne. Mr W. Hogarth is the general manager. The country for miles around the opal country is covered with water-worn boulders of varying sizes, and these, with other indications such as sea shells, hundreds of which I saw, some being opalised, leave no doubt that an inland salt water sea or lake covered the whole of this country at no very remote date. There are two large tanks with excellent catchments about three miles from Opalton. These were excavated by the owners of Moomba. Arrangements have since been made that the townfolk have the use of these. One is used for domestic purposes, the other for watering stock. The government are excavating a large tank in the township proper. The present population of the township and workings is about 700 persons. The field was first discovered to contain the precious opal in 1889 by two kangaroo hunters named J.Hooley and [? A.] Richardson in the following strange manner. They were plying their hunting avocation and had fired at and wounded a kangaroo, which however, though hurt, bounded onward at so great a speed that the hunter lost sight of him, and endeavoured to track him by the blood stains on the grass and stones over which he had passed. During this search Mr Hooley took up a piece of stone, showing as he thought blood upon it, but was surprised to find it was the red fire of an opal stone of a very brilliant hue. The finders, having had some experience at the opal mines in Queensland, took the stone to Wilcannia, and submitted it for examination to the local jeweller and lapidary, who pronounced it to be an opal of the first quality. Acting upon ths expert's opinion, they forthwith returned to the White Cliffs and, selecting a site, pegged out two 80-acre blocks, one of which they leased; the other they held under mineral license. They then prospected the ground with success, and discovered within a foot of the surface many splendid stones rich in opal. They continued working with profitable results for some three years. Then they sold a share to [?Clodston] and Turner. and some time after, sold the other portion to an opal buyer from Melbourne. The property was subsequently put into a syndicate, and is now known as the White Cliffs Opal Mining Company.The mines are being worked by tributors, and also by wage men. By this time the wealth of this field was being freely spoken of at Broken Hill, Silverton, and other mining centres in the Western district, with the result that all classes of people began to flock there, and have continued to do so to the present time.Business people then went to work and erected temporary buildings of iron and canvas. The first storekeepers to open were Johnston and Patterson. S.Whitfield opened the first butcher's shop. Now there are two hotels, two butchers, two bakers, any number of cooldrink shops, and billiard saloons, besides a barber's shop, a dressmaker's, wheelwright and blacksmith's, two newsagents for the sale of papers, &c. A good public hall has been erected by subscriptions at a cost of £160. The first service was held in it on the Sunday following our arrival by the Rev. Mr. Bradshaw , assisted by the Rev. Mr Thomas. The hall was comfortably filled, and a hearty service resulted, this being the first ever held in Opalton. Then they have a cricket club with a turf-pitched ground, a racing club, &c. There are two members of the police here, so that law and order are fairly well carried out. The principal workings are carried on by the Oriental Mining Company, who owns leases 5,6,7,8, which are now known as the Wilcannia Blocks. Syndicates under the management of Mr. E. F. Murphy, who employs about 80 men as tributers at 50 per cent rates or half share rates. I may mention that there are also extensive workings carried on at a new find some twelve miles distant, on the west side of the Mount Brown Road, the Prospectus claim, which is owned by Messrs. LLoyd and Pierce. Claims here are also being worked by Hall and Davis, a party of Chinamen, Jenkins and party, Sidman and Party, Collins and Emmett, and on the east side, eight miles from Opalton, claims are being worked by Harry Pretty, Barclay Brothers, and several others, all of whom report to be doing fairly well. Here the depth of sinking varies from 3ft to 7ft. The two proprietors sold £300 worth of opal, the result of five month's work. All the other country right up to the township is being prospected and worked. The field is one of vast extent, and there is enough work in sight for many years, carrying a large population. The local baths are a short distance from the hotel, and consist of a canvas enclosure; within are three compartments, separated by the same material, in each of which is a shower-bath. The water is obtained from a small dam owned by the proprietor. When you want a bath you whistle, or call out "Bath, oh!" and a woman will go and get you two buckets of water; you provide your own towel; you pour the water in the bath, then haul it up to what height you chose, hang your clothes upon the floor, have your bath, "which rough as it is is appreciated," pay 6d and take your departure. On the field the people, I am pleased to record, are very industrious, and appear to have a love for the work. Opal-getting is very exciting. There are very large quantities of opals found, but over 90 percent of them are of no commercial value, having no fire or life in them, and are known locally as potch opals. The others range in value from £3 per ounce to £50, according to beauty of colouring and thickness and solidity of body. Opals are found in layers or seams of varying thickness. In these seams everything that the opal silica has come in contact with has become more or less opalised. For instance, I saw large pieces of fossilised wood with many flaws and crevices all opalised, showing in some cases remarkable freaks of nature, with most lovely and indescribable varying hues. Then again, I saw shells which had become opalised throughout; again pieces of sandstone had at various clevages very thin covering of iridescent silica, which upon being held in various lights displayed charming rainbow tints, so that, in fact, I suppose any metal of substance that had been subjected to the operation, during the opalisation period, would have been successfully converted,or else coated more or less with rich colours, which alone are given off by the opals of this great field. The opals are sent chiefly to Melbourne. Buyers come from there periodically, and frequently purchase thousands of pounds worth at a visit. Mr. Silberfield was there buying during my stay; he purchased about £3,000 worth. It has since been reported that there is a great fall in the price of these gems, owing to the small sales, arising no doubt chiefly from the depression. At any rate the prices the buyers give on the field leave them a vast margin for either profit or loss as the case may be. It is a wonder that more buyers do not visit Opalton. Sydney is wholly unrepresented. I may here mention that since my return to Sydney I had an interview with Messrs. S. Hoffnung and Co., which I think will result in a representative from this extensive firms competing with the Melbourne firm ere long. The chief method of mining adopted in this field is to sink a pit or a series of pits - similar in appearance to those used in tanneries in which the liquor process is used - 10 to 12 feet in length, 8 to 10 feet in width. The gem is found generally from within a few inches of the surface to 12 feet. Some have, however, gone down to 45 feet, with profitable results.

Hi Would someone from the Bourke area know if the cemetery has been transcribed? I'm wondering if Josiah Smith d 20/6/1930 has a headstone. Ann