Thomas O’Shaughnessy’s Diary Part 21 1889

 1889

1 Jan 1889      New Year’s Day 1889. My birthday.  Races at Scalded Plain. I went out there to Ned Murphy’s. He would not go to work at Broula. I rode back to Cowra and saw dance. He agreed to go to Broula to work on next Thursday. I stayed in Cowra all night.

2 Jan 1889      I rode out to Broula and made a windlass.

3 Jan 1889      Dance came out and camped at Hood’s spring. It rained from 3 o’clock until dark.

4 Jan 1889      Dance and I fixed a windlass over the shaft.

5 Jan 1889      I got a letter from Mary O’Shaughnessy that Sarah Hackett and her husband had arrived from Gongolgon on the Bogan. I rode in to Cowra.

6 Jan 1889      Sunday. I rode out to Broula. I borrowed a green hide bag from D Hood.

7 Jan 1889      Dance and I commenced to work in the shaft at the back of D Hood’s. Very hot day.

8 Jan 1889      Dance and I working at the claim all day.

9 Jan 1889      Working all day at the claim. I commenced to make a green hide bag.

10 Jan 1889    Dance and I working all day. I finished the green hide bag. Very hot day.

11.Jan 1889    Dance and I working all day. Very hot.

12 Jan 1889    Dance and I worked up to 12 o’clock. Dance went to Cowra. I went to the licking hole at the back of Cotton’s fence to shoot kangaroos. No luck.

13 Jan 1889    Sunday. Gray, Perry and I rode down to Brown’s paddock to get a hunt of a kangaroo with two kangaroo dogs Perry has. The day was too hot. The dogs could not run. We lost Perry. Gray and I went to the spring on the south side of Norman’s Mount. We shot three kangaroos. We got back to the camp at 8 o’clock. Hot winds and great smoke all day.

14 Jan 1889    Dance and I working all day in the claim at the back of D Hood’s. Bad air in the shaft. Hood’s pigs ate all of dance’s rations and tore his tent. Sunday. Cloudy all day and a few drops of rain.

15 Jan 1889    Dance and I working all day. The bottom of the shaft got too hard to sink any deeper. Foul air. Very hot day.

16 Jan 1889    I rode to the spring on the south side of Norman’s Mount. I shot two kangaroos. Dance found his mare in Brown’s paddock. I gave dance a letter to Mr Evans to pay him nine days at 7/6.

17 Jan 1889    I shot one kangaroo. I brought some of the tools from the claim. Dance started to Cowra. Hot day.

18 Jan 1889    Out shooting kangaroos. Hot day.

19 Jan 1889    I walked around the side of Dribbendrew. I shot two kangaroos with one shot. After dinner, I rode to the rock water hole near Wood’s old place.

20 Jan 1889    Sunday. After dinner, Gray and I rode to Wood’s rock water hole  and from there to Rolfe’s mine. From there to Joe Hope’s selection and on to the camp. No kangaroos.

21 Jan 1889    I rode in to Cowra  and saw John Connelly and Mr Evans about the claim I am working on. We sent some minerals away to be assayed. Sent 28 kangaroo skins to Sydney. Stayed at home all night.

22 Jan 1889    About half past three o’clock in the morning, Thomas Plunkett’s workshop and furnishing arcade was burnt down. I started at 10 o’clock to the camp. In the evening, I went out to Hood’s mine and from there to Joe Hope’s selection. Then across to a spring in the creek above Mr Watt’s, Bumbaldry, at an old sheep station. I shot two kangaroos. Hot day.

23 Jan 1889    I went to the claim at the back of D Hood’s. I shot one small wallaroo. I lost my knife.

24 Jan 1889    I rode out past Wood’s old place at the rock water hole. I shot two kangaroos. From there to Joe Hope’s selection and from there to the spring in the creek above Bumbaldry. Got to camp after dark. Hot day.

25 Jan 1889    I rode out to where I lost my knife. I could not find it. Came to camp at 12 o’clock. Hot day.

26 Jan 1889    Anniversary of the Colony. I rode in to Cowra  to see Mr Evans to have a settlement. I did not see him. A light shower at dark. I stayed at home all night.

27 Jan 1889    Sunday. I got back to the camp at dark.

28 Jan 1889    I walked to Norman’s Mount. I shot a wallaroo.

29 Jan 1889    I walked to the spring on the east side of Norman’s Mount.  Waited there to see if the native dog would come to water. Shot three kangaroos.

30 Jan 1889    I walked out to the spring, east of Norman’s Mount. I shot a kangaroo and poisoned a tiger native cat.

31 Jan 1889    I rode out to the springs, south of Norman’s Mount. Shot 3 kangaroos. Can’t get a sight of the dingoes.

1 Feb 1889      Most all day at the camp.

2 Feb 1889      After dinner, Gray, Pery and I rode to a spring in a creek on the south side of Bumbaldry. Gray and I left Dan Perry there We came back to Joe Hope’s selection. We waited at the water hole for kangaroos. Perry came after dark. We camped at the old hut all night.

3 Feb 1889      Sunday. We did not get a kangaroo all day. Hot day.

4 Feb 1889      I rode in to Cowra. A dust storm this morning. At 4 o’clock it commenced to rain. Mr Evans, John Connelly and I had a settlement. I had £29.15.6 coming to me. One of the Crowes from Gobarralong on the Murray River – a first cousin of mine – called. Not long married.^[1] On his way  to Wowingragong Station of his. Stayed at home.

5 Feb 1889      I got a £27.3.6. Cheque from Mr Evans for £29.15.6. I got a Miner’s Right. Paid John Muir £4 on account of horse. £10 now out of £12 price of the horse. Paid D Donnelly £1.4.0. I started for the camp. When I got to the Showground, there came a great shower of rain. It commenced to rain again when I got to the camp.

6 Feb 1889      I was at the camp all day.

7 Feb 1889      Out kangarooing all day.

8 Feb 1889      I walked out to the spring on the south side of Norman’s Mount to see if I could get a shot at native dogs. Gray, Perry and McNab finished their shaft 100 feet from the surface. They did not strike a lode.

9 Feb 1889      I rode into Cowra. Polling day. D Donnelly and Fromlin, Protectionists, Garland and Plumb, Free Traders. The latter got in.

10 Feb 1889    Sunday. I rode out to the camp. gray at the camp.

11 Feb 1889    Gray and I rode in to Cowra. I stayed at home all night.

12 Feb 1889    The Land Board sitting. They did not call our case.

13 Feb 1889    Our case was the first called. It lasted until 3 o’clock. It was then postponed until 10 o’clock tomorrow. Hot day. Mary, Grace and I went to a play in Walsh’s Hall.

14 Feb 1889    The Land Board gave their decision at 12 o’clock. We got our 40 acres. They cancelled 190 acres of Swain’s selection. I came out to the camp.

15 Feb 1889    At the camp all day. Gray went to Cowra to order a Winchester rifle.

16 Feb 1889    Gray and I got our horses. We took some rations and our blankets and camped at the spring south of Norman’s Mount in Mr Beasley’s paddock. Dennis Cass shot a native dog in Brown’s paddock.

17 Feb 1889    Sunday. Searching the paddocks after the dogs.

18 Feb 1889    Laying poisoned baits and shooting kangaroos.

19 Feb 1889    Gray walked over to the camp to meet the coach. The beef came but no bread and no rifle. I met Gray at the red creek.

20 Feb 1889    Gray and I out shooting kangaroos to poison.

21 Feb 1889    Out after the native dogs. Hot day.

22 Feb 1889    Gray and I came in to the camp. Stayed all day.

23 Feb 1889    Gray and I rode in to Cowra. And back to the camp. We got the return iof two assays sent to Sydney. One assay 7 dwts gold, 1 oz silver. The other assay 13 dwts gold 1 oz silver.

24 Feb 1889    Sunday. Gray and I rode over to our camp at the spring south of Norman’s Mount. Real hot day.

25 Feb 1889    Gray and I walked to W R Watt’s paddock. I shot a wild pig. Gray and I carried half of it to the camp and salted it. Hot day.

26 Feb 1889    Gray and I walked to our camp at Broula and carried our blankets. We got our horses and went back and brought the rest of our things. D Perry at the camp. Hot day.

27 Feb 1889    I walked to our claim at the back of D Hood’s. I got back at 10 o’clock and got my horse at about half past 4 o’clock. Donnelly, Evans and John Connelly came in a buggy. The came too late to go to the mine at the back of D Hood’s. They drove over to our 40 acre lease on the north side of the Grenfell road on Broula Hill. We had a look at the marble quarry and the old copper shafts to see where we would open out the marble quarry and mark out a place to sink a shaft on the copper lode. McNab, Gray and Perry commenced to drive the 100 foot shaft.

28 Feb 1889    I walked over to the mine at the back of D Hood’s and back. Gray, McNab and D Perry stopped work to make fresh arrangements. Gray and I out kangaroo shooting. We saw a surveyor running Surveyor Biddulph’s lines.

1 Mar 1889      I stayed at the camp all day. Gray out kangaroo shooting.

2 Mar 1889      I walked over to the claim at the back of D Hood’s and back. Perry came in the coach. No newspapers.

3 Mar 1889      Sunday. At the camp all day.

4 Mar 1889      I rode to Cowra and back. We got an assay from the mine at the back of D Hood’s. 13 dwts of gold.

5 Mar 1889      At the camp all day. I got a letter from the Department that 88/15 of our mineral lease on North Broula was cancelled.

6 Mar 1889      At the camp all day.

7 Mar 1889      Gray and I walked over to the spring, south side of Norman’s Mount. Camped there all night to see if we could get a shot at native dogs.

8 Mar 1889      Gray and I got back to the camp at Broula at dark.

9 Mar 1889      I rode to Cowra and came back to the camp in the evening.

10 Mar 1889    Sunday. At the camp all day. Gray and Perry went to Tom the tailor’s hut in W R Watt’s paddock. They intend to stay there to see if they could shoot the native dogs.

11 Mar 1889    At the camp all day. McNab came from Cowra and went back in the evening. I sent a letter to James O’Shaughnessy and one to Sydney for a recipe for weevils in skins. H Brien commenced a road contract at the gate at our camp.

12 Mar 1889    I walked over to our claim at the back of D Hood’s. McNab came from Cowra in his spring cart and brought a cask of water from the spring.

13 Mar 1889    I rode out to the 17 mile tree on the Grenfell road. Prospecting on some limestone reefs. Got back at 4 o’clock. McNab quarrying for H Brien. No sign of rain.

14 Mar 1889    I waited for the coach. Bread came but no beef. D perry came to the camp and went away again. I got a letter from James O’Shaughnessy. He says that Swain has appealed against the Cowra Land Board about the mineral lease that we are disputing with him at Broula.

15 Mar 1889    I rode in to Cowra. Mr D Donnelly, James O’Shaughnessy, John Connelly and I had a meeting at Mr Donnelly’s store. Mr Evans was present. We all agreed that the shaft on the mineral protection area should be sunk 10 feet deeper on wages of 7/6 per day. I stayed all night in Cowra.

16 Mar 1889    I got a rope, bellows, anvil, powder and fuses and enough timber to make a case for my rifle, a Winchester. I put all the stuff on Starr’s bullock wagon. I started for the camp at dark. W Gray shot a native dog in Watt’s paddock.

17 Mar 1889    Sunday. St Patrick’s Day. I walked as far as Arthur Ingrey’s place and carried the timber that Starr had on his wagon, to my camp, and a basket of tools, and commenced to make the rifle case.

18 Mar 1889    I was making the gun case. A McNab came from Cowra with his spring cart. We brought a cask of water. Harry Brien’s men camped at the spring. Had to bail out the well as it had got rotten and was full of green scum.

19 Mar 1889    I finished the gun case. Cloudy this morning.

20 Mar 1889    I was at the camp all day. After dark, Gray and D Perry came and got Hugh Watt’s double barrel breech loader and went away again.

21 Mar 1889    Assisting McNab to break stone for road metal.

22 Mar 1889    At the camp. I did a little stone breaking.

23 Mar 1889    McNab went to Cowra. I stayed at the camp.

24 Mar 1889    Sunday. At the camp all day. Cloudy.

25 Mar 1889    I was at the camp all day. McNab came from Cowra.

26 Mar 1889    At the camp all day.  Cloudy.

27 Mar 1889    Assisted McNab to break some metal.

28 Mar 1889    I was at the camp all day. McNab finished stone breaking. H Brien shifted his camp to Bumbaldry.

29 Mar 1889    I rode in to Cowra. I bought two gas drums at Murray’s and one oil can. Stayed at home all night. Mrs J. Hackett confined – a fine boy.^[2]

30 Mar 1889    I came in the coach to the camp at Broula. I left my horse in John Connelly’s paddock. Cloudy day.

31 Mar 1889    Sunday. At the camp all day. McNab came. A light shower. Cloudy all day.

1 Apr 1889      I got McNab to go in with me to sink the shaft at the back of D Hood’s. We took all the tools over and got everything ready for a start.

2 Apr 1889      McNab and I commenced to sink the shaft at the back of D Hood’s.  We got to the camp at 6 o’clock. John Connelly came. John Stone agreed to go on sinking with me at 7/6 per day.

3 Apr 1889      McNab, Jack Stone and I working in the claim all day.

4 Apr 1889      We were working in the claim all day.

5 Apr 1889      We worked until 2 o’clock. Great thunder and lightning. We came home to the camp.

6 Apr 1889      We worked up to 12 o’clock. McNab went to Cowra. I sent a letter to James and some samples to be assayed. Commenced to rain in the evening.

7 Apr 1889      Sunday. Rained all night and up to 12 o’clock today. Light showers in the evening.

8 Apr 1889      Showers all night and all day. McNab came at 12 o’clock. No work today.

9 Apr 1889      McNab, Jack Stone and I working in the claim at the back of D Hood’s.

10 Apr 1889    We were working all day.

11 Apr 1889    We were working all day. We finished sinking. In the bottom it got too hard. We drove about three feet in the north end and put two shots in the foot wall. Very hard. Fine warm day.

12 Apr 1889    I paid McNab £3.3.9, 8 ½ days work. I paid John Stone £2.8.9, 6 ½ days work. Stone went in the spring cart with McNab to Cowra. I sent some stone out of the claim to James and a list of expenses.

13 Apr 1889    I was at the camp all day. J. Stone came from Cowra.

14 Apr 1889    Sunday. At the camp all day.

15 Apr 1889    Stone and I commenced to work with McNab in their claim to put a tunnel in their 100 foot shaft.

16 Apr 1889    Stone, McNab and I working all day at the claim.

17 Apr 1889    Working at the claim all day.

18 Apr 1889    Working at the claim.

19 Apr 1889    Good Friday. Working all day on the claim. The rock we are driving is getting harder.

20 Apr 1889    Stone, McNab and I worked at the claim up to 12 o’clock. I went with McNab in his spring cart to Cowra. James Stone rode his own horse to Cowra. I lent him one pound.

21 Apr 1889    Easter Sunday. At home all day.

22 Apr 1889    Easter Monday. I went to the Hibernian Sports on the Showground. There was a good crowd there.

23 Apr 1889    I rode my piebald horse out to the camp at Broula. Working at the claim all day.

24 Apr 1889    Stone, McNab and I working at the claim all day.

25 Apr 1889    Working in shaft, driving rock. Hard. Making no headway.

26 Apr 1889    Working all day.

27 Apr 1889    Stone, McNab and I working in the claim up to 12 o’clock. John Stone went in the spring cart with McNab. I stayed at the camp.

28 Apr 1889    Sunday. I was at the camp all day. McNab and Stone came at dark. Fine day.

29 Apr 1889    The three of us working at the claim all day. Driving in hard rock. Not more than six inches a day.

30 Apr 1889    Working all day.

1 May 1889     Working all day. Driving.

2 May 1889     Driving all day in the claim.

3 May 1889     Stone, McNab and I went up to the claim. We came to the conclusion that we would not drive any further in the shafty for 25 shillings. McNab and Jack Stone started for Cowra in the spring cart. I rode the piebald to Cowra. I am not well today. 4 May 1889         In Cowra all day. Not well. Dysentery. Commenced to rain at 9 o’clock. Old Joe Nobel dead.

5 May 1889     Sunday. Raining all night and all day.

6 May 1889     At home. Stone gone to the Waugoola Creek copper mine. Fine day.

7 May 1889     At home all day. Very sick. Stone gone to Broula for his horse and cart. Not going there any more. McNab paid me £2.4.0 for three weeks work at Broula and 8/- for 7 lbs of blasting powder and one coil of fuse.

8 May 1889     I got my horse and rode out to Broula. McNab came in his spring cart. Gray and Perry came to camp.

9 May 1889     McNab went to Cowra. I stayed at the camp. John Connelly came with word that Swain’s appeal case was dismissed by the Minister for Lands, re the two 20 acre blocks mineral lease at North broula.

10 May 1889   At the camp all day.

11 May 1889   I rode to Cowra to have a meeting. Only Mr Evans and I appeared. I stayed in Cowra all night. Raining.

12 May 1889   Sunday. At home all day. James Mrs O’Shaughnessy agreed to stay on again with P Murray.

13 May 1889   I made arrangements to have a meeting at 6 o’clock. Mr Donnelly saw Mr Evans in the meantime. He said it will be no use until he went to Sydney. I stayed at home all night.

14 May 1889   I rode out to the camp at Broula. Gray and McNab there.

15 May 1889   Gray and I cutting a trench on the Number 15 twenty acre lease on the south side of the Grenfel road for copper ore. D Donnelly drove out to see a patch of silver ore that McNab found on the surface on their 40 acre silver lease.

16 May 1889   Gray and I cutting trench on the 20 acre block. Fine day.

17 May 1889   Gray and I cutting on the 20 acre block up to 12 o’clock. I got my horse and rode in to Cowra. I stayed at home all night.

18 May 1889   I went to Muir’s sale at Geary’s store. Bank seized all the stock and Muir was selling for the bank. I bought a cruet. At home all night.

19 May 1889   Sunday. At home all day.

20 May 1889   In Cowra all day.

21 May 1889   Settled up with party for my time at Broula. I had £12.13.0 coming to me. Stayed at home all night.

22 May 1889   I stayed in Cowra all day. Waiting to see Reverend Father Curran. I could not see him before dark.

23 May 1889   I rode out to Broula. McNab, Parry and Gray at the camp. Fine day.

24 May 1889   Queen’s Birthday. Gray, perry and I rode in to Cowra. The Cowra Coursing Club held their first meeting on the Showground today. There were some good dogs there. A man from Cargo with two dogs, took first and second prizes. Cold bleak day. Oddfellows ball tonight. They invited all the members of the Hibernian Society. There were about 70 couples on the floor at one time. A great success.

25 May 1889   I went to John Muir’s auction sale of Geary’s goods. A cold day. A few light showers.

26 May 1889   Sunday. I rode out to the camp at Broula. Got there at 4 o’clock. Cold windy day.

27 May 1889   Gray and I cutting a trench on the twenty acre copper lease on the south of D Donnelly’s twenty acre lease. Cold wind blowing from the south all day.

28 May 1889   Gray and I working on the copper lease. A heavy wind blowing from the south all day.

29 Apr 1889    Gray and I working on the 20 acre lease.

30 Apr 1889    Working on the 20 acre lease. Fine day.

31 May 1889   We finished the trenching at 12 o’clock. Could not find a lode. Gray and I walked up the gorge and past the native dog rock and back to camp.

1 Jun 1889      I rode to Cowra. Stayed at home all night. A heavy shower during the night.

2 Jun 1889      I started for the camp at Broula at 12 o’clock. Sunday.

3 Jun 1889      I walked to W Hood’s mine after kangaroos. I could not get a shot.McNab, Perry and Gray started to put in a drive 30 feet up their shaft, driving east.

4 Jun 1889      I rode up to Bumbaldry. I saw W R Watt. He gave me a cheque for two pounds for the native dog I shot in his paddock. I called at Huckles, top of Broula Hill. He had to give me the three weeks to pay me the one pound he owes me for the native dog I shot.

5 Jun 1889      At the camp all day. Waiting for a horse team to come down from Grenfell to take my things to Cowra.

6 Jun 1889      At the camp all day. Cold showers.

7 Jun 1889      At the camp. I heard by the coachman that D Moore’s horse team was coming down from Grenfell.

8 Jun 1889      I put some of my things on D Moore’s team and got Adam McNab to take the remainder in his spring cart to Cowra. Gray and I rode in to Cowra.

9 Jun 1889      Sunday. At home all day.

10 Jun 1889    At 7 o’clock I went with John Connelly in his spring cart to Chivers. I put some of my things in the cart of D Moore’s wagon camped there.

11 Jun 1889    I agreed with P Murray  to put an addition to Jenkins’ blacksmith’s shop. Light showers. Very cold.

12 Jun 1889    P Murray ordered the timber at the saw mills in Cowra for the work I have to do for him. Great fog this morning. Heavy rain at dark.

13 Jun 1889    At home. Showery both days.

14 Jun 1889    At home. Raining most all day.

15 Jun 1889    I rode out to the Wallaroos to a goldfield reserve where there were good quartz specimens got some years ago, about 7 miles from Cowra near the Canowindra road. I got 3 pieces of quartz with gold in them. Water in the river half a banker.

16 Jun 1889    Sunday. I took a walk along the hills at the back of the hospital into Mr Campbell’s paddock. Cold.

17 Jun 1889    Taking up some old fences joining Jenkins’ forge. Showers all day.

18 Jun 1889    I sunk some holes and put in two posts. In the evening, I went to a concert in Walsh’s Hall. They played ‘The Miner’s Daughter”.

19 Jun 1889    I put up three posts and some wall plates and slabs. White frost this morning. Judge Docker here. P Burke from Merriganowry up for sheep stealing. Jury found him not guilty.

20 Jun 1889    Civil cases on today. Raining. No work.

21 Jun 1889    Working at the building. Showers all day.

22 Jun 1889    Working at the building. Showers all day.

23 Jun 1889    Sunday. At home. Showers all day.

24 Jun 1889    Working all day. Showers. Real cold.

25 Jun 1889    Working at the building. White frost this morning.

26 Jun 1889    McClymont and I putting on the iron. White frost this morning. Warm day.

27 Jun 1889    Working all day at the building. White frost this morning.

28 Jun 1889    I commenced to make a gate for the shopfront. Frost.

29 Jun 1889    I finished the gate and put it up. Raining after dark.

30 Jun 1889    Sunday. At home. Light showers all night and all day.

1 Jul 1889       In the morning I went up to the Court House to hear Dan Perry’s and W Costello’s case. Costello had to pay Perry one weeks wages £2.5.0 and costs. I got all the timber from the house carted up to an allotment that James Mrs O’Shaughnessy bought from R Daly of the Australian Arms. He gave fifty pounds for it, a corner block where Daly had a stockyard and hayshed. Land Board on.

2 Jul 1889       I commenced to put up a small place to put my tools in. Very cold day.

3 Jul 1889       Working at the W.C.  P Murray gone to Sydney.

4 Jul 1889       I finished the W C. I bought some case bords and zinc lining from A McClymont at Murray’s. I got a cheque from James??? Mrs O’Shaughnessy??. The amount P Murray is due to me for work done to Blacksmith’s forge. 11 days. Cold day.

5 Jul 1889       I pegged out a place for a cottage. White frost this morning.

6 Jul 1889       Cutting blocks for the building. White frost.

7 Jul 1889       Sunday. At home all day. Very cold.

8 Jul 1889       Not doing much. The saw mill proprietor did not send any.

9 Jul 1889       No work. Cold. Showers all day.

10 Jul 1889     A few storms during the day. Very cold.

11 Jul 1889     I made two trussels. Some of the timber delivered from the sawmill. George Dundas buried today. He died in the Cowra hospital.

12 Jul 1889     Old Mrs Whitty died last night. Putting up posts. White frost this morning.

13 Jul 1889     Old Mrs Whitty buried today. I have 5 posts up and 3 ground plates in.

14 Jul 1889     Sunday. After dinner, I walked up to the railway bridge on the south side of the Lachlan River at Cowra White frost.

15/20 Jul 189  Working at the building all day. Mary Abbington got married McLachlan, a tailor on 18^th.

21 Jul 1889     James O’Shaughnessy and I rode up to the junction of the Boorowa River and followed it up past where the road crosses it going to Frank Harris’ Bennetts Springs to a place where Anthony and Harris had a lease pegged out on the top of a hill near the Boorowa River. A kind of conglomerate ironstone and fine gravel on the surface. I washed a dish for 15 colours. We got back to Cowra at 7 o’clock.

22/27 Jul 89    Working at the building all day. On 26^th, we had a meeting for North Broula. Going to apply for a prospecting vote.

28 Jul 1889     Sunday. I got a horse from John Connelly and rode out to Broula. I got some stone from our 12 acre lease to get assayed in Sydney. I rode up to South Broula mine. Gray and McNab are sinkinga shaft alongside the Phorphry(?) lode. They are on a soft dig with two walls.

29 Jul 1889     Working at the building all day.

30 Jul 1889     Working at the building. I gave the specimens I brought from Broula to Mr D Donnelly Snr

31 Jul 1889     Working at the building. Hospital skating rink in Walsh’s Centennial Hall.

1 Aug 1889      Working at the building.

2 Aug 1889      Working all day. Commenced to rain at 12 o’clock and continued most all night.

3 Aug 1889      Putting up weather boards all day. Cold east wind.

4 Aug 1889      Sunday. At home all day. Fine weather.

5/8 Aug 89       Working at the building all day.

9 Aug 1889      At work. Cold day. Bakery burnt down last night.

10 Aug 1889    Working. Showers all day. Cold. A man named Mcmahon nearly killed a chinaman near Woodstock.

11 Aug 1889    Sunday. At home all day.

12 Aug 1889    Working all day. I got Myers to assist me to put on the roof.

13 Aug 1889    Myers and I working all day.

14 Aug 1889    Myers and I commenced to put on the iron.Cold day.

15 Aug 1889    Myers and I putting on the iron.

16 Aug 1889    We finished putting on the iron. Weather not so cold.

17 Aug 1889    Myers putting on the front sashes. I was putting down the flooring joists.

18 Aug 1889    Sunday. At home. Ellen Cullinane, Daughter of Patrick Walsh of Kikiamah, died at Grenfell.^[3] She and her husband were keeping an  hotel.

19 Aug 1889    Worked at building. Mary O’Shaughnessy went to Grenfell with Mr & Mrs Walsh.

20 Aug 1889    Working. Mrs Cullinane buried in Grenfell this evening.

21 Aug 1889    Working. Mary O’Shaughnessy came from Grenfell.

22 Aug 1889    Working all day.

23 Aug 1889    Working all day. A frost this morning.

24 Aug 1889    Finished boarding the two front rooms and a part of the back bedroom frost this morning.

25 Aug 1889    Sunday. At home. Heavy frost.

26 Aug 1889    Finished the back bedroom and commenced to put up the lining boards. Rose Collins’ father died this morning.

27/29 Aug 89   Working at the building. Raining all night.

30/31 Aug 89   At work. Raining most all day..

1 Sep 1889      Sunday. At home. A few light showers during the day.

2 Sep 1889      Working all day at the building.

3 Sep 1889      Working all day at the building. A great many people coming in for the Show tomorrow.

4 Sep 1889      I worked up to 12 o’clock. I went to the Showground in the evening. A poor lot of exhibits. Not many people there. I went to the Concert in Walsh’s Centennial Hall in aid of the Catholic Church. Grace  O’Shaughnessy sang there.

5 Sep 1889      I worked up to 12 o’clock. I went to the Showground. A great crowd there. Concert tonight again.

6 Sep 1889      Working all day. Grace  O’Shaughnessy went with the Donnellys by train to a Concert at Woodstock to raise funds to buy furniture for Reverend Father O’Kennedy’s new house. They came back by the midnight train. The concert brought ten pounds. The Markhams have taken Cullinane’s Hotel in Grenfell. Sydney Evans, Manager of the bank of New South Wales, and Thomas Dwyer, Accountant, arresded for embezzlement.

7 Sep 1889      Working. The inside of the cottage almost finished.

8 Sep 1889      Sunday. At home.

9/11 Sep 89     Working at the building..

12 Sep 1889    G.S. Evans and F Dwyer tried for embezzlement from the N. S. Wales Bank, Cowra. Part heard.

13 Sep 1889    At work. Evans and Dwyer committed to Young. Bailed out.

14 Sep 1889    All Evans’ furniture sold. I have a bad cold.

15 Sep 1889    Sunday. At home all day.

16/18 Sep889  At home sick. Bad cold

19 Sep 1889    Frank Markham removed all our things to our new home.

20 Sep 1889    Fixing up everything.

21 Sep 1889    I took down the shed where we were living and got Tom Quinn to cart it up. Tom Wills married to Maggie Robinson, Back Creek.

22 Sep 1889    Sunday. At home all day.

23 Sep 1889    Painting all day.

24 Sep 1889    Putting up spouting around the house. I got a 600 gallon tank from Francis £4.15.0.

25 Sep 1889    Finished the spouting and put the tank in its place. Cloudy day.

26 Sep 1889    Painting end of the house all day.

27 Sep 1889    Painting all day.

28 Sep 1889    Francis sent a man with a horse and cart to cart away some earth at the back of our place. Great shower after dark.

29 Sep 1889    Sunday. At home. Cold wind blowing all day.

30 Sep 1889    Putting up a shed for the buggy.

1 Oct 1889      Mortising posts for paling fence for front of the house.

2 Oct 1889      Putting up the posts.

3 Oct 1889      I finished putting up the posts.

4 Oct 1889      Putting on the battens. I got my oyster fossil from the Bank of New South Wales, Cowra.

5 Oct 1889      I finished the fence.

6 Oct 1889      Sunday. Raining all day. G.S.Evans, Manager of the Bank of New South Wales, Cowra, and Thomas Dwyer, Teller, went by train to Young to stand their trial for embezzlement.

7 Oct 1889      Painting the fence. Evans and Dwyer case did not come on for hearing today.

8 Oct 1889      Painting all day. G.S.Evans 5 years. Thomas Dwyer 4 years. Judge Windeyer.

9 Oct 1889      I finished painting the fence. Warm days and frosts at night.

10 Oct 1889    I borrowed P Murray’s saddle horse and got my piebald horse at the back of George Campbell’s paddock.

11 Oct 1889    Not doing anything.

12 Oct 1889    I made two buckets out of kerosene tins. Tom Markham sold all his household furniture.

13 Oct 1889    Sunday. I rode out to Broula with A McNab. D Donnelly drove out in a buggy. We had a look at South Broula silver mine.We went from there to North Broula copper, silver and marble mine[4]. Donnelly, Boxall, Connelly, James O’Shaughnessy, and I had a good look over the ground to see which was the best place to sink a shaft. Home at dark.

14 Oct 1889    Working at home all day.

15 Oct 1889    Working at home.

16 Oct 1889    I got John Connelly’s spring cart and brought all my things out to Broula and came back to Cowra.

17 Oct 1889    I got my horse and rode out to Broula.

18 Oct 1889    Fixing up my tent.

19 Oct 1889    I rode in to Cowra with Gray and McNab. A great shower after we started from the camp. Another great shower fell at Jonathan Avis’, near Cowra.

20 Oct 1889    At home. Byrne, Catholic Bishop from Bathurst here.

21 Oct 1889    I rode out to Broula with Gray and McNab.

22 Oct 1889    Sinking on the copper lode, North Broula.

23 Oct 1889    Cutting pines all day.

24 Oct 1889    Cutting pines. I shot a wallaroo.

25 Oct 1889    Cutting pines all day.

26 Oct 1889    I stacked the pines and rode in to Cowra.

27 Oct 1889    Sunday. At home all day.

28 Oct 1889    I rode out to Broula and commenced to cut a trench below the old copper shaft and worked uphill at 7/6 per day.

29 Oct 1889    Cutting the trench.

30 Oct 1889    D Hood’s horse and cart. Carted the pines near the road.

31 Oct 1889    Mr and Mrs Donnelly came out. They brought some lemonade that was made from the Broula marble dust. ^[4]

1 Nov 1889     Trenching all day.

2 Nov 1889     Worked at the trench up to 12 o’clock and then rode in to Cowra.

3 Nov 1889     Sunday. I rode out to the camp.

4/8 Nov 89      Trenching all day. I shot a kangaroo on 5 Nov.

9 Nov 1889     Worked up to 12 o’clock. Gray, McNab and I rode in to Cowra.

10 Nov 1889   Sunday. At home all day.

11 Nov 1889   Mr Donnelly kept me until 12 o’clock. I rode out to Broula.

12 Nov 1889   Commenced to rain at 8 o’clock and rained until 3 o’clock.

13 Nov 1889   Trenching all day.

14 Nov 1889   Trenching. Small flies very troublesome

15 Nov 1889   Trenching all day.

16 Nov 1889   Worked up to 12 o’clock. Gray and I rode in to Cowra.

17 Nov 1889   I went to see D Donnelly after dinner. Raining most all evening.

18 Nov 1889   I rode out to the camp and started to crush 100 lbs marble to use for lemonade and soda water.

19 Nov 1889   Crushing all day. Jack Stone came out to work with me, trenching.

20 Nov 1889   Crushing all day. Jack Stone commenced to work in the trench. I never saw the flies so troublesome.

21 Nov 1889   Crushing stone. Not at work.

22 Nov 1889   I finished crushing. And sent 107 lbs marble dust to D Donnelly, Cowra.

23 Nov 1889   I rode in to Cowra and stayed  at home all night.

24 Nov 1889   Sunday. I rode out to the camp at Broula.

25 Nov 1889   Jack Stone and I trenching all day. A light shower of rain in the evening. Great thunder.

26/29 Nov 89  Stone and I trenching all day.

30 Nov 1889   Stone and I worked up to 12 o’clock. I got my horse and rode in to Cowra. N at the Challacombe’s brother buried today. Cancer in the throat. I got my horse shod.

1 Dec 1889     Sunday. At home all day.

2 Dec 1889     D Donnelly, John Connelly and I had a meeting. We came to the conclusion not to do any more work until Mr Donnelly came from Sydney. I rode out to the camp. By myself all night. I got paid up to last Saturday night. £8 19 4.

3 Dec 1889     Cutting pines all day.

4 Dec 1889     I went to look for my horse. I found him at the back of Cotton’s paddock. I shot a large kangaroo. Gray and another man came. Gray going to work for some of the farmers.

5 Dec 1889     Cutting pines. Shot a doe wallaroo on Dribbendrew.

6 Dec 1889     Cutting pines.

7 Dec 1889     Could not find my horse until one o’clock. I rode in to Cowra. I gave Mr Donnelly some specimens we got from the lode in the trench.

8 Dec 1889     Sunday. I got to the camp at 12 o’clock. I put my horse in Cotton’s paddock. I saw Bill Bye in the evening. I told him that I had put my horse in the paddock.

9 Dec 1889     Cutting pines. Very hot.

10 Dec 1889   Cutting pines up to 3 o’clock. Great wind and rain at 4 o’clock. Limbs blown off the trees all around the camp. Creek near the camp rose a banker.

11 Dec 1889   Cutting pines. Two men with horse and spring cart, telegraph repairers, camped here all night. Another gale this evening with heavy rain.

12 Dec 1889   Cutting pines.

13 Dec 1889   Cutting pines all day.

14 Dec 1889   I rode in to Cowra. D Donnelly not back from Sydney.

15 Dec 1889   Sunday. I got to the camp at Broula at 11 o’clock. I shot a doe wallaroo and her young one. Great crops this year.

16 Dec 1889   Squaring pine under the mountain, south of our camp. Came home to dinner. Jack Stone rode out on one of D Donnelly’s horses, for me to go in to Cowra. I got my horse, and Stone and I rode in to Cowra. D Donnelly, Boxall, Connelly and I had a meeting at Mr Donnelly’s store. They agreed that Jack Stone and I shall go to Broula and crush 300 lbs of marble.

17 Dec 1889   I rode out to Broula. Jack Stone came on the coach. In the evening we brought some marble to the camp.

18 Dec 1889   Crushing marble in an old quicksilver bottle. Crushed about 70 lbs. Jack Stone breaking the marble small (enough) for the crusher.

19 Dec 1889   Stone and I brought some marble from the quarry. Commenced to rain at 9 o’clock.Continued until dark.

20 Dec 1889   Stone and I crushing marble. Sent by coach 150 lbs marble dust.

21 Dec 1889   Stone and I crushing all day.

22 Dec 1889   Sunday. I shot a large kangaroo.

23 Dec 1889   Jack Stone went by coach to Cowra. We sent 3 bags of marble dust, each weighing 50 lbs. I shot a kangaroo.

24 Dec 1889   I rode in to Cowra. Dr Smith’s only son died this morning. Diptheria. Hot day.

25 Dec 1889   Christmas day. Dr Smith’s son buried in George Campbell’s Burial ground. Hot day.

26 Dec 1889   Boxing day. Races at Chivers, Back Creek. Grace  O’Shaughnessy, Tot Daly and Sam Daly drove over to Canowindra to a Catholic Concert there.

27 Dec 1889   I rode out to the camp at Broula. I shot a kangaroo.

28 Dec 1889   I rode out to Cherry’s Creek. I shot one kangaroo. Real hot day.

29 Dec 1889   Sunday. I walked out to the native dog rock near Hood’s old ironstone mine. From there to the creek coming up from the gorge and back to camp. No luck. Kangaroos scarce.

30 Dec 1889   I carried a lot of the posts I squared and put them in a heap near the road. Hot day.

31 Dec 1889   I rode in to Cowra. Robert Alford had about thirty acres of his crop burnt.

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To go to Part Twenty Two 1890, click here.

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