1892
1 Jan 1892 New Year’s Day. At home all day. I got a lot of manganese specimens from Harold Hurst. My birthday. 56 years of age.[1]
2 Jan 1892 I went to John Connelly’s paddock and brought down my horse and got his shoes removed. McLeod put him back in the paddock again.
3 Jan 1892 Sunday. I drove up to Frank Lane’s on the upper end of The Battery. I got around one side of his paddock, took the horse out and gave him a feed. I got in to Lane’s paddock and down in to a creek that Lane lines, and got a small sugar bag full of earth that is all colours. On the hill above, I got some volcanic glass. Came back to the buggy and drove on to the basalt hill above the old Battery sheep station on the Boorowa River, and camped. Went alongside of the hill and got some wood opal.
4 Jan 1892 I got some mica from a large quartz reef in a creek at the old battery station. I started at 7 o’clock and drove along the top basalt ridge, half way to Frank Lane’s, and got some white pipe clay in a creek where there is a spring. I started from there for Cowra and got there at 12 o’clock. Bought a glass case from P Murray. £1.5.0. Very hot day.
5 Jan 1892 I went to James Connelly’s place. He promised to come to Boxall’s tonight to have a meeting, but never came. I fixed up my glass case for specimens.
6 Jan 1892 D Donnelly, W Boxall and John Connelly paid me £1.13.9, their share of the work done on North Broula. Hot day.
7 Jan 1892 George Hurst assisted me to put shelves in a glass case for specimens. Hot day.
8 Jan 1892 I numbered all my specimens.
9 Jan 1892 I finished all the specimens. James O’Shaughnessy walked down from Grenfell.
10 Jan 1892 Sunday. At home. I got my horse from J. Connelly’s paddock. Great thunder today.
11 Jan 1892 James and I drove out to Broula. James took the horse and buggy to his camp on the east side of the Quandong near Grenfell. I worked half day digging the trench on North Broula. Great thunder and lightning this evening. A light shower.
12 Jan 1892 Great thunder and lightning and rain at 2 o’clock this morning and continued up to 10 o’clock. Filled my tank. Worked all the evening at the trench.
13 Jan 1892 I could not work. I have a bad cold.
14 Jan 1892 James O’Shaughnessy drove down from Grenfell. I came on to Cowra with him. Fine day.
15 Jan 1892 At home. Put the horse in John Connelly’s paddock. Mrs John Hackett has another young son.[2]
16 Jan 1892 At home. I put some eucalypt in my ear. It drove me mad for about four hours. I put too much in.
17 Jan 1892. Sunday. At home all day sick from a cold in the head. James O’Shaughnessy , Tom Markham and Dolly Markham went by the 4 o’clock train to Monteagle to turn their sleepers. The inspector is to meet them there tomorrow morning. He comes from Young.
18 Jan 1892 At home all day. Real hot. James came from Monteagle. Not finished.
19/20 Jan 92 At home all day. Very hot.
21 Jan 1892 At home. James O’Shaughnessy, Tom Markham, and Pat Brennan went by the 4 o’clock train to turn sleepers.
22 Jan 1892 I started by the 6 o’clock train for Sydney. Second class return £1.16.6. Got to Bathurst at 12 o’clock.
23 Jan 1892 Arrived in Sydney at 7 o’clock this morning. Took a cab to Mrs hanley’s, 177 Glenmore Road, Paddington.
24 Jan 1892 Sunday. I went to the Illawarra Company’s Wharf and waited until 2 o’clock for the Bega Steamer from Ulladulla. Kate O’Shaughnessy (Hackett) on board from Milton, 4 miles from Ulladulla. Took a cab to Mrs Hanley’s, 177 Glenmore Road, Paddington.
25 Jan 1892 Kate and I went to the city. I sent a postcard to Minnie O’Shaughnessy, Cowra. Sent a telegram to John Hackett, Telegraph Master, Milton. I went to the Rev. Father Curran’s place at 266 Cleveland Street.
26 Jan 1892 Anniversary Day. Kate and I went to Moore Park Zoo. We got back to dinner. Not out in the evening. Great shower.
27 Jan 1892 Rev. father Curran drove in his buggy to 177 Glenmore Road, Mrs Hanley’s. I went in the buggy with him to St Mary’s cathedral. I went in and had a look at the inside. From there he drove to Mr Moore’s office. He is the legal manager for Broken Hill. Mr Moore and I went to the Mining Museum. I claimed a meteorite I had lost eight years ago. A J. Single had taken it away from my place without my permission and sold it to the curator of the Mining Museum. Mr Single had represented to the Curator that this meteorite has been kicking around the streets of Cowra. My name was down as the finder.
28 Jan 1892 Kate O’Shaughnessy and I went by tram to the Bondi Aquarium. 3 fine seals there. We got back to dinner. I went over to the North Shore in the evening. Kate went with Miss Hanley to the Opera.
29 Jan 1892 In the morning, I went over to the North Shore. In the evening, kate and I went to the Australian Museum and from there to the Art Gallery. And back to Mrs Hanley’s. I went down to the city at night.
30 Jan 1892 In the morning, Kate and I walked down to the city and back to dinner. After dinner I walked down to the city and back. We had tea at 7 o’clock. Miss Hanley and I went in a cab to Redfern Railway Station. Train started at 8 o’clock for Cowra. Got to Mount Victoria at 12 o’clock.
31 Jan 1892 Sunday. Arrived in Cowra at half past 8 o’clock this morning. Came home by Poole’s trap. James, Minnie and Grace O’Shaughnessy at home.
1 Feb 1892 At home all day. I saw W Gray. Paid Mrs Oll for the papers.
2 Feb 1892 Went in the 4 o’clock train to Koorawatha. 3/8 return ticket. Stayed all night at W P Costello’s hotel.
3 Feb 1892 I borrowed a horse, saddle and bridle from Costello and rode about 8 miles through the mountains towards the head of Morongla Creek, to where there id a lode of magnesia. I brought about 50 lbs. I got back to Koorawatha at 3 o’clock. Great bushfires along the road as I came. Stayed at Costello’s all night.
4 Feb 1892 Took the 10 o’clock train for Cowra. I made enquiries from R Stephenson about taking up land for quarrying purposes. Myers and I put in a tender for £15.0.0 to take up flooring boards and put them down again in the verandah around P Walsh’s Flour Mill.
5 Feb 1892 Putting refrigerating paint on Tommy Gong’s verandah and on Nathong’s place for R Daly. Hot day.
6 Feb 1892 Finished for Tommy Gong and Daly. I got a telegram from P Walsh, Jr, Kikiamah to come within four days. Good gold in reef.I got some oats and chaff from A McClymont. A railway fettler killed last night on the line near Pipe Clay Creek.
7 Feb 1892 At home all day. I got my horse from John Connelly’s paddock and kept him in all night.
8 Feb 1892 James and I drover to Kikiamah from Bumbaldry. We followed the Tyagong Creek down to the old bridge (on) the old Young and Grenfell Road. From there to P Walsh’s Jr. The reef spoken of is 12 miles from Boorowa. I arranged with Michael Conroy to write him when I would meet him in Boorowa. H Unsworth commenced to take away the terrace roadway in Kendal Street.
9 Feb 1892 We started back at half past 9 o’clock and got to Cowra at 9 o’clock in the evening. Hot day.
10 Feb 1892 I put brake blocks on the buggy. Reapiring grinding stone. Bought timber from Mr Francis to make a ladder, and made it. I put my horse in John Connelly’s paddock. Hot day.
11 Feb 1892 Painted two closets at the Presbytery and two at the Convent. Great fire in Campbell’s woolshed paddock. Hot winds.
12 Feb 1892 Painted the new ladder. Hot day.
13 Feb 1892 I went to Tom Plunkett’s sale of all his household furniture. He is going to keep Johnson’s Hotel, Grenfell. John Connelly and I saw Mr Donnelly. He promised to get Government aid for Broula. I showed him a piece of stone I got from Flinty Ridge between the Tyagong Creek and Sandy Creek on the Young and Grenfell road. I polished it.
14 Feb 1892 Sunday. At home. I polished some serpentine stone. Hot day.
15 Feb 1892 I gave D Donnelly three pieces of serpentine stone I gotr from Flinty Ridge near Kikiamah. Mrs Daly paid me £1.5.0 for painting T Gong Lee’s roof and Nathong’s house.
16 Feb 1892 I cut out a lot of rock wallaby skins to make a rug. Biddy McCormick and the Walshs had a row. Hot day
17 Feb 1892 Sewing wallaby skins together. I got Dennis Donnelly to write to his father in Sydney about a copper lease formerly leased by T Clyburn and black Brown. 18 Feb 1892 Sewing skins. Hot dry weather.
19 Feb 1892 Sewing skins. John Whitty died from cancer in the throat. A letter from Mr D Donnelly that T Clyburn’s and Brown’s copper lease was cancelled in 1891.
20 Feb 1892 I finished the wallaby rug. John Whitty buried today. I went to Healy’s sale at Madam’s Hall. Agreed with D Donnelly and John Connelly to go and peg out Clyburn’s cancelled lease at Walli. Real hot day.
21 Feb 1892 Sunday. At home. I got my horse out of John Connelly’s paddock. Great heat today.
22 Feb 1892 Stayed at home all day. I got my horse shod. Rain wanted.
23 Feb 1892 I drove to the Sheet of bark, Mrs James Lynch’s hotel. From there to Walli, Bishop’s place. From there to John Rue’s place near Liscombe Pools Creek. Rue came with me. We passed Joseph Brown’s place and across the Licking Hole Creek and along a rough road to the Sugar Loaf. We took the horse out of the buggy and fed him. We walked, leaving the Sugar Loaf on our right, and followed down a creek to where Clyburn and Brown used to have their tents. The wind had blown them down and all their tools laying about. We searched about for their workings, found where they had done some trenching. We came back to the buggy and drove back to James Rue’s. I camped close to their place. Had dinner and tea at Rue’s. A plumber named Holtz died from foul air in J Connelly’s well at the Brewery, Cowra.
24 Feb 1892 I started at daylight and got to Cowra at 10 o’clock. Holtz buried this evening. Hot day.
25 Feb 1892 I went up to the Court House. One of the young Nobles from back Creek tried for sheep stealing. Fined £5.0.0 and costs. Biddy McCormick for assaulting T Walsh, Court House Hotel. Fined £1.15.0. Saw James Connelly.
26 Feb 1892 I started for the Arramatong Run. Went down the Tyagong Creek from Bumbaldry to the old bridge across the Tyagong on the old road from Young to Grenfell and Forbes. Camped there all night, 40 miles from Cowra. Great windstorm at 12 o’clock.
27 Feb 1892 I drove along the Young road 2 ½ miles to the Flinty Ridge and got some serpentine stone there. P Walsh Jr and Michael Conroy passed me. I came back and crossed the old bridge and followed up the Tyagong to Meyer’s Hotel on the main road to Young and Grenfell. Crossed the bridge and followed the Tyagong up to Bumbaldry, W R Watt’s Station. From there I followed the Grenfell road to Cowra. I got there at 9 o’clock.
28 Feb 1892 Sunday. James took my horse to John Connelly’s paddock.
29 Feb 1892 David Milne, Inspector of Mines, and also a member of the Prospecting Board, came to Cowra. I borrowed a horse from Mr D Donnelly and rode out to Broula with him and one of the Circions? from Neila We went to his lease first, on the west side of Broula Hill – a 2 acre lease for gold. From there we came back to North Broula copper and ironstone leases. I put in an application for Government aid to sink 100 feet and drive 25 feet each way if necessary. We got back to Cowra at 4 o’clock. D Donnelly got the serpentine rock I brought from Arramatong and took it to Sydney with him.
1 Mar 1892 I went up to John Connelly’s Brewery. I sent a letter to James Rue near Walli and a letter to Mr Wilson, School Teacher at Walli. Warm.
2 Mar 1892 At home all day.
3 Mar 1892 James O’Shaughnessy went by Cobb’s Coach to Forbes. He will go from there to Parkes to meet Thomas Markham, Patrick Markham, and Brennan to cut sleepers on the new line from Molong to Parkes and Forbes. I was rubbing down some serpentine to make a face on it and see how it would polish. Speaking to John Connelly tonight.
4 Mar 1892 I walked up to John Connelly’s paddock and brought down my horse. Getting ready to start in the morning to Walli. A light shower at dark. Speaking to Mr D Donnelly about the serpentine rock he took to Sydney. He said that the Sydney people think a lot of it. They want a piece six feet long by three feet by three feet sent to Sydney.
5 Mar 1892 I drove to the Sheet of bark and from there to Walli and from there to John Rue’s about three miles near the Liscombe Pools Creek. Had a heavy shower near Walli. Stayed at Rue’s all night.
6 Mar 1892 Sunday. J. Rue and I drove, and Mr Wilson, School Teacher from Walli, rode on horseback. We went to the Sugar Loaf, took the horse out of the buggy and fed him. We walked down the gully to Clyburn copper mine. A very poor show for copper. We got back to Rue’s by 1 o’clock. I had some dinner at Rue’s and made a start and got to Cowra by 7 o’clock. I slept at Walsh’s Court House Hotel. Mr and Mrs Walsh gone to Sydney.
7 Mar 1892 I put my horse In Connelly’s paddock. Connelly had a talk with D Donnelly about the serpentine rock. I stayed at Walsh’s all night.
8 Mar 1892 At home. I stayed at Walsh’s all night.
9 Mar 1892 Fred Woodward and I went by the 4 o’clock train to Young. Second class return 9/3. We stayed at a boarding house.
10 Mar 1892 Woodward hired a horse and buggy. We drove to Thuddungra Swamp on the Bland road. We had dinner at Mrs Marion Ingrey’s hotel. From there we drove along the Bland road 3 miles to Thomas Quinn’s selection. We went in to the house. Quinn working in the paddock. We looked, but could not find him. We turned back. We were afraid to go to a place in his paddock to prospect unless we had his permission.Tried to get in from the next farm but would not let us. Came along the fence, tied up the horse and walked to Quinn’s paddock. Found a serpentine hill there. We got to young at 9 o’clock. Had tea, got in the 10 o’clock train. Arrived in Cowra at 1 o’clock. Raining when we left Young. Stayed at Walsh’s.
11 Mar 1892 Went to John Connelly’s. He was away at Goolagong.
12 Mar 1892 I went to John Connelly . I brought some specimens to Mr D Donnelly. I saw a map of Flinty Ridge on Arramatong near Kikiamah.
13 Mar 1892 Sunday. At home all day. At Walsh’s all night.
14 Mar 1892 Went to John Connelly. He was away in Young. Polishing stone.
15 Mar 1892 At home, polishing stone. I got a letter from the Mines Department giving aid to sink a shaft at Broula. 12/6 for the first 50 feet. Second 50 feet 17/6. Driving 50 feet 15/- per foot. Emily Frazer married to Jerry Richards.
16 Mar 1892 I went up to John Connelly. We met Mr D Donnelly at Poole’s Hotel about the serpentine at Arramatong. We agreed to let two or more in with us if they would spend £300 to open a quarry on it.
17 Mar 1892 St Patrick’s Day. The half holiday hands gave some sports on the Showground Not many people on the ground. McClymont gave £23 for the gates. He did not make it. A Circus here tonight. The Cowra men beat the Bridge men at the Tog of war. Half holiday banquet at Walsh’s hotel.
18 Mar 1892 At home. Old Mr Sell, Sr, buried today.
19 Mar 1892 I saw a piece of Galena? with Harry Whiteman. He got it near Condoblin. John Connelly, D Donnelly, and I had a meeting. We agreed to continue trench at Broula for 3 weeks.
20 Mar 1892 Sunday. I got my horse from the paddock. I got two pieces of copper ore from Burley Jackey from John Connelly.
21 Mar 1892 I drove out to Broula. I got some quartz near where D Hood was prospecting. Got back to Cowra at 4 o’clock. I crushed some but could not se any gold. I gave John Connelly a piece of quartz.
22 Mar 1892 I gave Mr Squire some specimens. John Connelly went to the Court House to look up a map showing a tracing of the old belmore copper mine at Woodstock – No 63 of 40 acres freehold taken up by R M Vaughn.
23 Mar 1892 At home. Sultry day.
25 Mar 1892 I drove out to Broula by 12 o’clock. I cleaned up my hut and shot a wallaroo in the evening.
26 Mar 1892 I put a lot of bushes around my hut to keep away the ants. Walked out to the back of D Hood’s after kangaroos. No luck. In the evening went to the back of Dribbendrew. Had one shot at a kangaroo. No luck. A few drops of rain after dark.
27 Mar 1892 In the evening, I took a turn along the back of D Hood’s after wallaroos. No luck. I broke a lot of quartz near where Hood and Wilson were prospecting.
28 Mar 1892 I drove in to Cowra. Hot and dusty day.
29 Mar 1892 Agriculture Show. Very few people there. A Tug of War came off. The Cowra men beat the bridge men. A Concert at Walsh’s centennial hall.
30 Mar 1892 I drove out to Broula to where Hood and Wilson were prospecting. I commenced to cut a trench to cut a quartz for gold.
31 Mar 1892 Working all day at the quartz reef.
1 Apr 1892 Working all day at the quartz reef. Finished.
2 Apr 1892 Cutting a trench on North Broula. I got my papers.
3 Apr 1892 Sunday. At home all day.
4 Apr 1892 Trenching all day.
5 Apr 1892 Raining at 10 o’clock. I got a letter from John Connelly to come in to Cowra. I got my horse and drove in. I saw John Connelly and D Donnelly . Grace O’Shaughnessy and Polly Daly went by train to the Bathurst Show.
6 Apr 1892 I saw Mr Donnelly and John Connelly . Mr Donnelly had seen Mr lark in Sydney. He is agreeable to spend £200 to prospect the serpentine rock on the arromatang run on Tyagong Creek near Grenfell. He is to receive one half of the concern. We sent for a permit to mine on it. I saw John Rue today. A Warrant issued for the apprehension of Eugene Watt for stealing his father’s sheep and selling them to Whittaker the Butcher.
7 Apr 1892 I drove out to Broula. Shot a small wallaroo.
8 Apr 1892 Working all day.
9 Apr 1892 Working up to 12 o’clock. I got my horse and drove in to Cowra. I saw Mr D Donnelly. He is to arrange the permit to work on serpentine.
10 Apr 1892 Sunday. I drove out to Broula. Put my horse in Mr James Dwyer’s paddock.
11 Apr 1892 Cutting trench all day.
12 Apr 1892 Cutting trench. A little rain. D Hood took some marble to burn lime.
13 Apr 1892 Working all day. Misty showers after dinner.
14 Apr 1892 Working. Cool day.
15 Apr 1892 Working all day. Trenching.
16 Apr 1892 Working all day. 2 weeks work at Broula
17 Apr 1892 Easter Sunday. I drove in to Cowra. Fine day.
18 Apr 1892 Easter Monday. Caledonian sports on the Showground. Mrs Daly had two booths there. I was serving in their bar all day. A good day’s sports. About 1,500 people on the Ground. The Cowra men beat the Bridge men at the Tug of war. Concert in P Murray’s Hall.
19 Apr 1892 John Connelly and I saw Mr D Donnelly about going to work on the serpentine on the arramatong run. Mr Donnelly to write to the Lands Department for a tracing of the ground. Mr Donnelly and Mr Boxall paid me £1.2.6 each, their share of two weeks work at Broula.
20 Apr 1892 At home. Paid McLeod £1.1.0 for work done. Paid Andrew McClymont up to date.
21 Apr 1892 At home. Mrs Walsh, Court House Hotel, giving a dance tonight. I got the drills pointed at Jenkins. Paid 1/-. Two light showers today.
22 Apr 1892 At home all day.
23 Apr 1892 At home. I saw Mr Donnelly and we arranged that Fred Woodward and I should open out a face on the serpentine at Flinty Ridge on the arramatang run on the Tyagong Creek near Grenfell.
24 Apr 1892 Sunday. Mr P Squire drove Mr Bates, Station Master, and Harry Hart and me to the Walli caves. We went by the Sheet of Bark and by Walli to the caves. About 25 miles there. We got back to Cowra at 6 o’clock.
25 Apr 1892 Getting ready to start to work the serpentine.
26 Apr 1892 We made a start. W Connors, with two horses and dray, and Jack Cummins and Fred Woodward and I in the buggy came to my hut at Broula.
27 Apr 1892 Followed down the Tyagong Creek from Bumbaldry. Camped at new dam two miles below Watt’s old dam on the Tyagong Creek.
28 Apr 1892 Arrived at the old Flinty Ridge on the old Grenfell Road. Camped on the reserve. Bill Connors brought a cask of water from a well at the old Tyagong Creek bridge. We got our horses in a selector’s close by at 1/6 per week. Heavy rain at dark.
29 Apr 1892 Fred Woodward measured two 40 acre mineral leases. Cummins and Connors opening out a quarry on the serpentine.
30 Apr 1892 Raining most all day. Put up a Notice on the claim.
1 May 1892 Sunday. At the camp. Light showers.
2 May 1892 Connors drove in the buggy to Grenfell and got a steel bar and two gads? And some bread and beef. Working all day.
3/6 May 1892 Working all day.
7 May 1892 Working all day. Connors took the buggy to Grenfell for rations. Lent him 15/6.
8 May 1892 Sunday. At the camp all day. A bad cold. Great thunder after dark.
9 May 1892 Working all day. Connors brought a cask of water.
10/12 May 92 All hands at work. Fine weather.
13 May 1892 P Walsh, Jr, from Kikiamah brought me three letters. One a notice from the Mining Department to be in Cowra on the 14th to take up a lease for the Broula copper and silver lease. I got my horse and started at 11 o’clock and reached Cowra at half past 8 o’clock.
14 May 1892 I paid £1.5.0 to take up the lease. I gave D Donnelly a written report on the work done on the serpentine lode on the arramatong run and also a bill for wages and expenses. I got an advance of £2.0.0 for myself and £1.0.0 for Connors and Cummins. The samples of chrome iron I sent Mr Donnelly assayed over 53 per cent.
15 May 1892 Sunday. At home all day. Train broke down between Bathurst and Blayney this morning. No lives lost.
16 May 1892 I started at 5 o’clock and drove to the camp by 6 o’clock. Just had time to get the horse out of the buggy when it rained in torrents. Had to let the horse go.
17 May 1892 Working all day. A few light showers. Connors got my buggy and drove in to Grenfell for rations.
18 May 1892 Working all day.
19 May 1892 John Cullinane came to the quarry to see if I would take his hotel in Grenfell.
20 May 1892 Working all day at the cutting. Cloudy.
21 May 1892 Working. Connors brought a cask of water.
22 May 1892 Sunday. I walked to old Kikiamah. I got two letters and the newspapers. Came back to the camp. Mr Donnelly, Mr Walter Booth and Mr Newman drove out in a buggy and pair. They had a look at the cutting and the chrome lode. Mr Donnelly and Mr Newman started back at 2 o’clock. Mr Booth stayed at the camp to do some prospecting.
23 May 1892 Working. Deeming, alias Williams hanged today in Melbourne. Mr Booth discovered another lode of chrome iron.
24 May 1892 Connors and Woodward drove in to Grenfell to the Queen’s Birthdat sports. I sent a letter to Minnie and one to P McGrath, Grenfell. Mr Booth, Jack Cummins and I walked over to the great Solithera? silver mine. We passed Mr Ashton’s new house. We had a good look at the mine. From there we went to the Young Australian reef. This reef had been worked about 1866. We got back to the camp at 2 o’clock.
25 May 1892 Cummins and I working all day. Connors and Woodward came at 5 o’clock. Booth prospecting.
26 May 1892 Working. Mr Ashton gave a Ball at the opening of his new house at arramatong.
27 May 1892 Working. Raining last night. Booth sinking a trench on a gossan? Lode. He thinks it is either nickel or bismuth.
28 May 1892 Working all day. Heavy rain after dinner. Nicholas Markham called after dinner, going to Grenfell.
29 May 1892. Sunday. I walked to P Walsh Jnr. Got the papers and a letter from Minnie. Fine day.
30 May 1892 Working. Raining a little.
31 May 1892 Connors drove in to Grenfell for rations. Working all day.
1/3 Jun 1892 Working all day. Booth working on Ashton’s selection.
4 Jun 1892 Working. I walked over to P Walsh Jr, Kikiamah, and got two letters, and a telegram from Mr Donnelly. I had some tea and came back to the camp.
5 Jun 1892 I walked over to Pat Walsh’s. We drove out to Boorigi big Dam and from there to bribery? Mountain and back to Kikiamah. Got back to the camp at 5 o’clock. Connors and Woodward drove to Grenfell.
6 Jun 1892 We packed up and started for Cowra up the Tyagong Creek. We camped all night at a little dam near Cudgemacounty??. Mr Booth came in the buggy with me.
7 Jun 1892 Commenced to rain at Broula. We had dinner at my hut and drove on to Cowra. Raining most all the way.
8 Jun 1892 We all got paid from Mr D Donnelly 5 weeks and 2 days at 7/6 per day £12.0.0. Mr Donnelly gone to Carcoar.
9 Jun 1892 Fixing up all my specimens. Mr Booth had a look at them. Booth went to Broula with Adam McNab to inspect South Broula silver mine. I went up to John Connelly’s.
10 Jun 1892 I drove out to Broula. McNab and Booth there. Cold day.
11 Jun 1892 Mr Booth selected some minerals for assay from North Broula. We drove in to Cowra. I put my horse in John Connelly’s paddock.
12 Jun 1892 Sunday. At home all day.
13 Jun 1892 The South Broula shareholders had a meeting. Mr Booth took the mine in his hands for one month to form a syndicate.
14 Jun 1892 Mr Booth got all the shareholders in South Broula to sign the agreement. He is to receive 9th share.
15 Jun 1892 Heavy rain until evening. I assisted to kill two pigs for Mrs P Murray. I got a letter from Mr H Hazelton, Grenfell about a permit to mine on Flinty Ridge on the old road from Grenfell to Young. He could not send back the tracing.
16 Jun 1892 I salted two pigs for Mrs P Murray. I saw Mr D Donnelly and John Connelly. They agreed that I should sink a shaft on North Broula for the Government aid. 12/6 per foot for the first 50 feet and 17/6 per foot for up to 100 feet, and 15/- per foot for driving 50 feet. Great rain this evening.
17 Jun 1892 Finished salting pigs for Mrs Murray. I saw the Strasburg Clock.
18 Jun 1892 I went to a sale of Ryan’s insolvent estate.
19 Jun 1892 Sunday. John Connelly drove me up to Thomas Anthony’s sluicing claim on the Burrowa River. We called at W Gray’s camp at the crossing over the Burrowa River. We crossed. Gray came with us. We took the horse out of the buggy and tied him up and walked one mile and a half up to Anthony’s claim. T Anthony and one of the young Bears were there. We had a good look at the claim and came back to gray’s camp. Had some dinner and got to Cowra at 6 o’clock. Cold.
20 Jun 1892 At home all day. I sent to Burrowa for a map.
21 Jun 1892 At home. I got my horse from John Connelly’s paddock.
22 Jun 1892 I drove out to Broula and put my horse in Dwyer’s paddock.
23 Jun 1892 I took some tools over to North Broula to work but it was too cold. Great snow on Mt Macquarie.
24 Jun 1892 I drove in to Cowra. White frost this morning.
25 Jun 1892 I saw John Connelly. He had a letter from Mr Morrice in Sydney to close with Anthony for his sluicing claim on the Burrowa River for £50. He would forward cheque in a few days. Mrs Barrett confined.
26 Jun 1892 Sunday. John Connelly and D Donnelly drove up to Anthony’s. They got back at 7 o’clock this evening. At home all day.
27 Jun 1892 Anthony came in to Cowra and transferred all his rights and title and interest in a 20 acre lease to sluice, and a water race connected, for £50. Connelly paid £5 deposit.
28 Jun 1892 I went to John Connelly’s factory and fred Woodward agreed to go to Broula and work for £2.5.0 per week. White frost this morning.
29 Jun 1892 At home. I got my horse from John Connelly’s paddock and got him shod.
30 Jun 1892 I drove out to Broula. Fred Woodward came in the coach.
1 Jul 1892 Woodward and I commenced to sink a shaft on North Broula alongside the ironstone lode. We marked out a new shaft a few feet further up.
2 Jul 1892 We worked up to 12 o’clock. We walked out to the head of Simpson’s gorge and back. Commenced to rain at dark.
3 Jul 1892 Sunday. raining all day.
4 Jul 1892 Commenced sinking, and logged up and put up the windlass. Light showers all day.
5 Jul 1892 Sinking all day. A fog up to 12 00.
6 Jul 1892 Raining all night. One side of our shaft came in. We sunk a drain around the shaft and rammed it in again and bailed all the water out of the shaft.
7 Jul 1892 Working all day. We got all of the mud out of the shaft and put up a fly over the shaft. Showers all day.
8 Jul 1892 Working all day. Very cold.
9 Jul 1892 No work. We drove in to Cowra.
10 Jul 1892 Sunday. John Connelly and I went with Booth to where he is working on a quartz reef in George Campbell’s paddock near the Railway Station. There are some small specks of galena in the quartz. Woodward and I drove out to Broula.
11 Jul 1892 Woodward and I sinking. Fine warm day.
12 Jul 1892 Sinking. We came on a solid lode of ironstone.
13 Jul 1892 We started a new shaft about ten yards higher up. Sunk it about 4 feet and logged it up and put up the windlass. Fine.
14/15 Jul 92 Working all day. Warm weather.
16 Jul 1892 Worked up to 10 o’clock. Drove in to Cowra. Fine day.
17 Jul 1892 Sunday. Packing away my specimens in boxes. Woodward and Liscombe drove my horse and buggy out to Broula. Liscombe is to work in my place. I am to board him and pay him 5/- per week. Fine day.
18/19 Jul 92 Packing specimens in cases..
20 Jul 1892 Packing timber, ready to take away
21 Jul 1892 Mary O’Shaughnessy bought from R. Daly Allotment No. 7, Cnr. Smith and Keswick Streets for Pounds 25. Took iron off back shed. White frost.
22 Jul 1892 John Connelly and I drove Mr D Donnelly’s horse and buggyup to Anthony’s sluicing claim on the Burrowa River. About 22 miles. Mr Donnelly has two men cutting a trench across a 25 acre lease. We followed the race to the spring. We got back to Cowra at 6 o’clock. White frost this morning.
23 Jul 1892 John Muir tried to sell our furniture but Stibbard was selling Bishop’s furniture. We had to postpone ours to next Saturday. Mrs James Ryan brought Willie Ryan’s two sons, Nicholas and Dan, over from their place, Eden Farm, Windellama? White frost this morning.
24 Jul 1892. At home all day. Mrs J. Ryan and W. Ryan’s 2 sons went to Cudgello today to see Nicholas Challacombe.
25 Jul 1892 I borrowed a horse and cart from John Connelly and carted all my timber on to No 7 Allotment, Corner of Smith and Keswixk Streets bought by Minnie O’Shaughnessy from Robert Daly, Australian Hotel, Cowra.
26 Jul 1892 Sam McInnes drove Booth and me to T Clyburn’s old copper leases near the Sugar Loaf on Mr Rothery’s run. Camped all night on the leases.
27 Jul 1892 Commenced to rain at 4 o’clock this morning. We got breakfast and started for Cowra. Cleared up at 12 o’clock. Arrived in Cowra at 2 o’clock.
28 Jul 1892 At home all day. A little rain this morning. Hospital Ball.
29 Jul 1892 I took some boxes of specimens to Muir’s auction rooms for safety and took the piano to R Daly’s Australian Hotel. Sent £2.0.0 to Fred Woodward.
30 Jul 1892 I removed everything from the house and put them under John Moore’s verandah. And John Muir sold them by auction. I took the glass case to John Muir’s shop until it would be sold. Paid Liscombe 10/-. Fine day.
31 Jul 1892 Minnie, Kate and I staying at Daly’s Australian Hotel.
1 Aug 1892 I borrowed a horse and cart from John Connelly and removed everything from the house. I sold the tank to Mrs Henderson and delivered it. John Muir paid up for the sale £16.5.9.
2 Aug 1892 Sent a pick out to Broula. I paid Oll one pound for a book on minerals.
3 Aug 1892 Not doing anything. John Connelly came from Sydney. Cold.
4 Aug 1892 Went to the Court House as a witness against a man who assaulted Hurst and Flint. He got 4 months in Cowra gaol. Miss Garrity died.
5 Aug 1892 I drove John Connelly’s horse and cart up near McElligot’s and got some conglomerite to be assayed. W R Watt put Victor Watt out of Fairleigh.
6 Aug 1892 Fred Woodward drove in to Cowra. Left Liscombe at Broula.
7 Aug 1892 Sunday. John Connelly and D.C.J.Donnelly drove up to Anthony’s hill sluicing claim on the Burrowa River. Alick Lowe and I drove up to Newham’s near the Rice Mount and back. Mrs P O’Brien died, for many years living at Coota.
8 Aug 1892 Thomas Anthony transferred his rights, title and interest in his sluicing claim and water right on the Burrowa River to me. Woodward drove out to Broula. Liscombe brought in his things. He is going by train to Cobar. Gough, Member for Young, gave a lecture in aid of the broken Hill strike. Rain after dark.
9 Aug 1892 Not doing anything today. Connelly got a letter from Mr Morrice of Sydney to say that the conglomerate near McElligot’s on Morongla Creek had assayed one ounce to the ton.
10 Aug 1892 Stephen Wright and I pegged out two 20 acre leases on the conglomerate near McElligot’s for gold.
11/12 Aug 92 Not doing anything. Mr D Donnelly gone to Bathurst.
13 Aug 1892 A lot of women baptised in the river by a Baptist Minister. Looking like rain all day.
14 Aug 1892 Sunday. Raining all night and a few showers up to 12 o’clock. I started at 10 o’clock to Broula. Put my horse in Dwyer’s paddock. A light shower on the way out.
15 Aug 1892 John Muir drove out a Government mining inspector to inspect work done by Government aid. Murphy and son came. They are in McNab’s hut. They are going to sink a shaft deeper for me on North Broula.
16 Aug 1892 I measured the shaft. 37 feet. Murphy and son commenced to sink after dinner at 12/6 per foot and I allowed them 1/- per foot for powder. Notice from the Government – £18.15.0 to my credit.
17 Aug 1892 I had a walk along W R Watt’s fence. Got back at 12 o’clock. In the evening, squaring a pine near the mine. I saw one of Mr Dwyer’s men riding the old piebald.
18 Aug 1892 Murphy and son wanted me to find them in powder. I would not. They stopped work. Murphy Sr came in the buggy to Cowra. I got a letter from the Mines department about a permit on Morongla Creek. Asking for £2.10.0, being on a reserve.
19 Aug 1892 At the Australian Hotel all day.
20 Aug 1892 Had a meeting about a quartz in George Campbell’s paddock. 11 shareholders. Boxall, Donnelly, J.Smith, S McInnes, Bright, Booth, Fagan,Connelly, Taylor, T O’Shaughnessy, McCrae in Sydney. Paid all expenses up to date.£1.10.0. A letter from Warden Robinson, Young, that I would have to peg out 400+480 on the chrome lode on the Tyagong Creek.
21 Aug 1892 Sunday. John Connelly, J.Smith, S McInnes, Jos Taylor and I walked in to Pack paddock now George Campbell’s to look for a place where Taylor had found gold in quartz. He could not find the place again. After dinner, I went with John Connelly and Alick Lowe in his buggy to Morongla Creek above McElligot’s, the place where S Wright and I pegged out two leases.
22 Aug 1892 Arranged with Mr Donnelly to fix up our permit for the serpentine on the Tyagong Creek. Exchanged my brown horse for John Connelly’s black horse. Mr R Daly fined £5.17.6. His dog killed a lot of Schofield’s sheep.
23 Aug 1892 We had some fine rain. Our Member, Mr Jeanerette, came.
24 Aug 1892 The Young Show on today. Alick Lowe and I took Connelly’s horse and cart and D Donnelly sent his horse and cart, and we took two loads each to the Railway Station, of the conglomerate lode near McElligot’s. I sent it to Sydney to be treated for gold. Fine day.
25 Aug 1892 Kate O’Shaughnessy, Grace Davis, and Tot Daly went by the 8 o’clock train to the Young Show. They came back by the midnight train. Howey ’s son drove his horse and cart into the river. Horse drowned. The boy had a narrow escape.
26 Aug 1892 Rain last night and some good showers today.
27 Aug 1892 Nothing fresh today.
28 Aug 1892 Sunday. Went up to John Connelly’s. Got a letter from Morrice in Sydney that the conglomerate sent from John Connelly’s claim , Burrowa River 1 oz 15 dwt 6 gr assayed.
29 Aug 1892 D Donnelly wen. A letter from Harry Hazelton, Warden’s clerk, Grenfell re permitsent to Sydney. Raining all night.
30 Aug 1892 Raining all night. John Connelly got denny Donnelly to fill up a permit form to mine for gold on a 25 acre block adjoining D Donnelly’s and O’Shaughnessy’s Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim, Burrowa River. Saw Adam McNab and Harry Russell. Agreed with them to sink shaft at Broula. 11 feet at 12/6 per foot and 50 feet at 17/6 per foot.
31 Aug 1892 Great fog this morning. I got the black horse I got from John Connelly and drove out to Broula. I got back by 6 o’clock. A meeting of Campbell’s Paddock shareholders. I paid the first call of one pound.
1 Sep 1892 John Connelly got a letter from D Donnelly from Sydney, that my permit was passed by the Minister for Mines, and a letter from Mr Morrice to whom I had sent the two tons of conglomerate from Morongla Creek to the Clyde Smelting Works, Granville, to be treated for gold. The specimen we sent was graphite.We gave Mr Hyam’s, Watchmaker, Cowra, some ironstone from Broula. Fine day.
2 Sep 1892 Mr D Donnelly came from Sydney. Our permit to mine for chrome iron on the Tyagong wrong. We put in another permit. We gave Hyams some chrome iron to send to Mittagong, Goulburn road.
3 Sep 1892 I got ready to start but I got a notice from the Mines Department thet my authority to mine on Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim on the Burrowa River was in the Warden’s Clerk’s Office. Cowra. I went there and got it. Everything ready to start tomorrow morning.
4 Sep 1892 Sunday. I started from Cowra at 6 o’clock. A great fog. I got to Anthony’s Hill Sluicing claim at 12 o’clock. John Connelly and Mr D Donnelly came soon after me. After dinner, we had a look around the claims. John Connelly and D Donnelly started back to Cowra at 3 o’clock. My horse stayed round the hut all night.
5 Sep 1892 I pegged out a 25 acre lease adjoining Anthony’s Hill Sluicing claim, and D Donnelly on the east side. Tom Anthony came about 10 o. Raining all the evening.
6 Sep 1892 Raining most all night. I got up early and brought up my horse and gave him a feed. I pegged out a 25 acre claim for John Chivers, Mrs John Connelly and Mary O’Shaughnessy between D Donnelly’s claim and Harris’ fence. In the evening, I followed the creek up to Bolter Spring, and along a mountain to Harris’ fence and followed the fence down to the Burrowa river and up to the camp. Commenced to rain. The Burrowa River not crossable.
7 Sep 1892 Raining most all night. T Anthony was to come here today but he could not cross the river. I saw W Gray at Harris’ crossing.
8 Sep 1892 At the camp all day. No one came from Cowra. A lot of land on Ewens’ Neila run balloted for today. White frost this morning. Fine day.
9 Sep 1892 I stayed at the camp until 3 o’clock, waiting for John Connelly and Mr Morrice, a shareholder from Sydney. I walked down to W Gray’s camp at Harris’ crossing over the Burrowa River. Gray said the Cowra people would be out on Saturday or Sunday. River falling.
10 Sep 1892 I waited until 3 o’clock. No one came from Cowra. I walked up to Bolter spring and upon some of the granite mountains on the right hand side and back to the camp. My horse crossed the Burrowa River into Joe Smith’s paddock.
11 Sep 1892 I crossed the Burrowa River at daylight. Water went up to my breast. I got my horse and brought him back to the camp and started at 12 o’clock for Cowra. Got there at half past 5 o’clock.
12 Sep 1892 In Cowra all day.
13 Sep 1892 Stayed in Cowra all day.
14 Sep 1892 The first day of the Cowra Pastoral Show. Not many people there.
15 Sep 1892 Second day of the Cowra Show. A great crowd of people there. At about 4 o’clock, a great hailstorm came. Great lumps of ice fell, 2 inches square, covered the ground six inches deep. All the people had to leave the ground. Some of the windows in the Pavilion broke.
16 Sep 1892 Horse jumping and trotting matches came off. A mare from Young took the high jump prize, ridden by Miss Watson.
17 Sep 1892 Mr Morrice came from Sydney and an expert named Taylor. John Connelly drove them up to Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim.
18 Sep 1892 Sunday. I drove Mr D Donnelly in his buggy up to Anthony’s Hill Sluicing claim. Mr Clarke, Insurance Agent, and his Dr Todd drove up with us. We met John Connelly, Mr Morrice and Taylor on the claim. After dinner, Connelly drove Mr Donnelly back to Cowra. Mr Clarke and the Dr went too. I stayed with Mr Morrice. They prospected until 4 o’clock. We then walked over to Mr Harris, Bennetts Springs and stayed there all night. T Anthony came to the claim before we left. Fine day.
19 Sep 1892 I drove John Connelly’s two horses and buggy with Morrice and Taylor to Anthony’s Hill Sluicing claim. We had dinner and then drove on in to Cowra. We had a meeting at Joe Poole’s Fitzroy Hotel. 5 shareholders. Connelly, Poole, Boxall, Morrice and Thomas O’Shaughnessy. Taylor wanted a share in the claim.
20 Sep 1892 John Connelly drove Mr Morrice, and I drove Mr Taylor up to two claims we have pegged out on Morongla Creek near McElligot’s. Coming back, we got into a heavy rainstorm. We got back to dinner. Mr Morrice went to Sydney. Mr S Wright, J. Connelly, and I had a meeting about the claim at McElligot’s. I paid my share of the expenses.
21 Sep 1892 John Connelly and I sent a letter to Mr Morrice in Sydney to say that we would take Mr Taylor’s offer: to repair dam, to cut race 2 feet wide with a flat batter, to erect fluming from a tree marked by Taylor 300 feet to a tank raised about 50 feet above the surface at a place marked by Taylor on the bank of a small creek, to put down 80 feet of boxes in this creek below the tank and cut a tail race 3 feet wide into the river, to put into tank, to cut a race from head of boxes along the bottom of the creek 100 yards , this race to be paved all the way, to commence from boxes with hydraulic and follow the bottom up the hill so that all the conglomerate could be put on the place that all the surface had been taken away. When this work was completed to the satisfaction of the shareholders, they would pay Taylor £100 and one week’s sluicing. Some heavy showers today.
22 Sep 1892 I drove out to Broula and got some things out of my hut. I went to where McNab and Harry Russell were sinking our shaft. Drove back to Cowra. Cold day.
23 Sep 1892 In Cowra all day. Raining heavily. Mr Donnelly came from Sydney.
24 Sep 1892 I [paid D Donnelly £45.0.0. on account of Thomas Anthony.for his right, title and interest to 19 acres of land to mine for gold and also all his right, title and interest to a water race from Bolter Springs on to the said land, being the second and final payment of £50.0.0.
25 Sep 1892 Sunday. River rising up to 12 o’clock. Almost a banker. It took off Wishart’s timber from the new bridge and they had to remove a lot. Water commenced to fall in the evening.
26 Sep 1892 I saw Mr Donnelly this morning. He said that my permit for a block adjoining Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim could not be entertained as I could not hold two permits on the one selection 86 Getting ready to start in the morning. Connelly and Donnelly gone to Sydney. I sent a barrow by Madsen, Reid’s Flat mailman to be left at the Burrowa River crossing. [Note by Neryl Medcalf, his granddaughter : Martin Joseph Madsen born 1874 Sydney but who spent his childhood in Cowra, and married at Watervale Woodstock in 1901. He also lived at Bumbaldry about that time.]
27 Sep 1892 I got my black horse out of Connelly’s paddock, and drove up to Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim by 2 o’clock. 20 miles. I put my horse in Joseph Smith’s paddock on the Burrowa River.
28 Sep 1892 Fixing p my hut. I went to harris’ crossing and brought up the barrow. Cloudy day.
29 Sep 1892 Raining all night, and all day. With heavy thunder.
30 Sep 1892 Burrowa River very high. I took the barrow, pick, and shovel up to the spring to repair the dam at the head of the race. Too wet to work. Charles Cooper came to the camp – Mr Shuttleworth’s boundary rider.
1 Oct 1892 Working all day at the dam. Cooper and son came to repair the fence that the flood took away. Harris crossed the river at sundown. Had to swim his horse.
2 Oct 1892 Sunday. At the camp all day. Water falling in the Burrowa River. Weather clearing.
3 Oct 1892 Working at the dam up to 11 o’clock. I walked down to the Burrowa River crossing to meet the mail. He came to the opposite side. It was too high for him to cross. John Harris rode across and brought my letters and papers. A letter from John Connelly for me to go in to Cowra tomorrow. I had to strip off my clothes to cross the Burrowa River to get my horse.
4 Oct 1892 I crossed the Burrowa River early in the morning. The water came up into the buggy. Got to Cowra at 10 o’clock. I sent a letter to waerden Robinson at Young to meet me on No 32 selection on Mr Ashton’s run, near Tyagong, Arramatong, on the 6th Instant. He replied that he would.
5 Oct 1892 I drove out to Myers Hotel on the main road from Young to Grenfell. I had dinner at Wilson’s, Bumbaldry. Fine day.
6 Oct 1892 I drove down the Tyagong to the old bridge and then along the old Forbes road to a serpentine ridge. Met Warden S Robinson and Harrie Hazelton, Warden’s clerk, Grenfell. Measured out 250+133 yards on selection 32. We drove in to Grenfell and stayed at Cullinane’s Hotel. I saw Nicholas and Ted Markham there.
7 Oct 1892 I drove to Wilson’s, Bumbaldry and had some dinner and came on to Cowra.
8 Oct 1892 John Connelly drove in his buggy and pair to No 1 Swamp, 16 miles to Waugoola. 21 miles to No 1. Stayed at William Hyde’s Hotel.
9 Oct 1892 Sunday. We made inquiries about the opal mines, about 14 miles from No 1 over a rough road. Too far for us to go. We came back to Mandurama, 11 miles past Lyndhurst to the Sheet of Bark and had dinner at Mrs Lynch’s. She did not take out any licence this year. Came on to Cowra.
10 Oct 1892 Boxall, Poole, Connelly, and I signed an agreement of partnership of Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim and forwarded it to Sydney. I got my horse out of Connelly’s paddock.
11 Oct 1892 I drove up to Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim. Hot sultry day. Great thunder and lightning after dark. Not much rain.
12 Oct 1892 Working at the dam. Real hot day.
13 Oct 1892 Working at the dam up to 10 o’clock. Commenced to rain and continued all day. I put mu horse in Joseph Smith’s paddock. I caught a large porcupine.
14 Oct 1892 Raining all day.
15 Oct 1892 Light showers this morning. I went up to the dam but I could not work. Went up again after dinner. Too wet to use the barrow. I drove in some stakes at the back of the dam.
16 Oct 1892 Sunday. O’Connor and son came. Brought me a piece of wolfrasm and a piece of scheelite. Rain at 3 o’clock and rained all night.
17 Oct 1892 Raining all night. The Burrowa River a banker. I walked down to the crossing place to meet the mail but it did not come. Showers all the evening. I shot a wallaby.
18 Oct 1892 Working at the dam all day. Shot a hare in the evening.
19 Oct 1892 Working at the dam all day. Four of the Harrises called on their way up to Cullens to see if they could cross to get their mail.
20 Oct 1892 Working at the dam up to 4 o’clock. A thunder storm came. I got wet through coming home. Mr Harris brought me my newspapers and one letter from Kate O’Shaughnessy.
21 Oct 1892 Working at the dam all day.Tom Anthony came to where I was working. Going to harris brothers, Bennet Springs. Fine.
22 Oct 1892 Working at the dam all day.
23 Oct 1892 Sunday. I got my horse and drove in to Cowra. I put him in Connelly’s paddock. Cloudy, sultry day.
24 Oct 1892 I wrote a letter to Mrs Hyde, Hotel keeper, No 1 Swamp, now called Neville. John Connelly got a letter from G.A.Cranfield, Brewer at Young. I am to meet him at Young tomorrow morning. I went by the 4 o’clock train. Second class return 9/3. Got to Young at half past 6 o’clock. Stayed at farrar’s Commercial Hotel. I met Mr Cranfield and Mr M Murphy, his clerk and we arranged to go out to the serpentine in the morning. Cold night.
25 Oct 1892 Mr Cranfield could not go out today. I sent a telegram to Minnie O’Shaughnessy, Cowra. Cloudy, and real cold day.
26 Oct 1892 G.A.Cranfield could not go out. Cloudy and cold.
27 Oct 1892 Commenced to rain this morning and continued to 3 o’clock. Too wet to go out. John Connelly came by the 6 o’clock train and went back by the midnight.
28 Oct 1892 G.A. Cranfiels drove me out to the serpentine on the old road to Forbes, about two miles on the Young side of the Tyagong Creek old bridge. We got a bag of specimens. Road very boggy. We got back to Young at 7 o’clock.
29 Oct 1892 I went on the 8 o’clock train and got to Cowra at 12 o’clock. At a meeting of the Sugar Loaf shareholders we arranged that the first call be two pounds.
30 Oct 1892 Sunday. John Connelly and I drove out to old Wattamondara. John Connelly drove across the creek and the horse had to swim most all the way over. I walked over a log. Connelly got wet up to the neck. We drove on to the surveyor’s rock. We got some specimens and came back by D Hood’s on to the Grenfell road in to Cowra.
31 Oct 1892 I got my horse shod. John Connelly, S McInnes, James Smith, W Boxall and I had a meeting. McInnes and Booth to work at £2.5.0 per week. We paid the first call £2.0.0, and a call from Campbell’s paddocks £1.0.0 final paid.
1 Nov 1892 John Connelly got a letter from Mr Morrice of Sydney to say that all the sluice boxes and piping had left Sydney by rail and that Mr Taylor would be up on Saturday. I drove up to Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim.
2 Nov 1892 I rode up to Harris Brothers woolshed, Bennet Springs. I saw Thomas Anthony there. Very sultry. Lightning to the east.
3 Nov 1892 I walked down to Harris’ crossing. Billy Gray is putting in a stone crossing over the Burrowa River.Hot day.
4 Nov 1892 Went to where Gray is putting in the crossing. He has commenced to drive the piles. I got some tourmaline specimens. Real hot sultry day.
5 Nov 1892 I met John Connelly and N Connelly, Warden for the Carcoar District at Harris’ fence. He marked off 25 acres under a permit to mine for gold for John Chivers. They had James Murphy with them to work on D Donnelly’s ground. They started back at 2 o’clock.
6 Nov 1892 Sunday. At the camp all day. Killed a snake near the hut. Hot day.
7 Nov 1892 Murphy and I cut some pines to make a gate and then went to the crossing and wauthed for the mail. I got a letter from Melbourne from A.M.Nast, 49 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, about deafness and eardrums, and a letter from Minnie O’Shaughnessy. W Gray paid me £1, half expenses between him and me in a full share at the Sugar Loaf near Walli.
8 Nov 1892 I made a gate for the dividing fence between Harris brothers and Shuttleworth, so thet we can go from the claim to where Gray put in the stone crossing.
9 Nov 1892 Prince of wales’ Birthday. Murphy and I agreed that he would work half a day for me, and I would do the same for him. We went to my dam to repair it. Worked for about one hour when it commenced to rain. We came to the camp and commenced to make a wood windlass for Donnelly’s claim. Mr John Connors came and brought some specimens. He is on his way to Cowra. We finished the windlass.
10 Nov 1892 We worked half day on each claim. Raining in the morning.
11 Nov 1892 Murphy and I working on each place. Very much like rain.
12 Nov 1892 Working on Donnelly’s claim all day. T Anthony came and took away his sluice boxes on a bullock dray.
13 Nov 1892 Sunday. I drove in to Cowra and out my horse in the paddock.
14 Nov 1892 Stayed in Cowra. Wrote a letter to D Donnelly to present it to the Minister for Mines for 12/6 more aid for Broula. That would make it 30/-per foot. I got a letter from the Under Secretary for Mines to forward down £6 for the permit on chrome on the Tyagong. Harris sent half a sheep.
15 Nov 1892 I drove out to Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim. Worked half in D Donnelly’s claim with James Murphy.
16 Nov 1892 Murphy and I working at the dam at Bolter’s Springs.
17 Nov 1892 Murphy and I working on each claim. Very hot.
18 Nov 1892 Murphy and I bottomed a shaft on Donnelly’s claim, 20 feet deep, 2 feet of wash. Sultry day.
19 Nov 1892 Went up to the dam Murphy washing prospects.
20 Nov 1892 Sunday. John Connelly, Mr D Donnelly, Mr Taylor and a Mr Koledas came in a buggy. Mr Connelly and Donnelly went back to Cowra. A thunder storm in the evening.
21 Nov 1892 Mr Koledas got my horse and rode in to Cowra.
22 Nov 1892 I got a sheep from Mr Harris. Koledas came from Cowra.
23 Nov 1892 Three men and a boy came with a cart to work for Taylor to put up a sluicing plant. I drove in to Cowra. John Connelly and I sent a telegram to Mr Morrice, Sydney about repairing the dam at Bolter’s springs.
24 Nov 1892 I started from Cowra at 2 o’clock. I saw Mr Abberton. He had been up at Bolter’s Springs to see the dam we want repaired. He says that would take 1,500 cubic yards of earth to fill it up. It would cost £60.
25 Nov 1892 Murphy and I cutting a drain above Bolter’s Springs to bring more water into the dam. In the evening, I pulled a lot of wash dirt out of a shaft that Murphy is working in for D Donnelly. Got half a sheep from harris.
26 Nov 1892 Murphy cutting drain above the spring all day. Taylor and his men cleaning out the race from the dam to the race. Thunder today.
27 Nov 1892 Sunday. At the camp all day. Very dry winds blowing. I shot a native bear in the evening.
28 Nov 1892 I cut some logs to log up a shaft on Donnelly’s claim. I went to harris’ crossing and met the mail. I got a letter from John Connelly. I made a set of logs for a windlass.
29 Nov 1892 Murphy and I cutting a drain above Bolter’s Springs up to 12 o’clock. John Connelly and Mr Morrice came and had a look at the dam and race, and started back at 6 o’clock.
30 Nov 1892 Murphy and I working at the dam with Taylor’s other men all day. Abe Wiggins rode in to Cowra for a draught horse to work on the dam. Very hot day.
1 Dec 1892 Murphy and I working at the dam up to 12 o’clock. In the evening on Donnelly’s claim. A bullock team came with sluice boxes and piping and sundries. Hot day.
2 Dec 1892 Murphy and I working at the dam all day. Thunder storm in the evening.
3 Dec 1892 Murphy and I worked at the dam up to 1 o’clock. Got half a sheep from Harris. Cooper came to the dam. Murphy went to Cowra.
4 Dec 1892 Sunday. At the camp all day. Murphy came from Cowra. Abe Wiggins brought his wife with him.
5 Dec 1892 Murphy and I at the dam all day. We burnt the grass around our camp. Hot day.
6 Dec 1892 Murphy and I at the dam all day. Abe Wiggins’ horse bolted with the cart but broke nothing. I shot a native bear. Hot day.
7 Dec 1892 We finished the dam by 10 o’clock. and then cleaned out the race. Up to 12 o’clock in the evening working with Murphy on Donnelly’s claim. Great thunder and lightning in the evening and a light shower.
8 Dec 1892 Working all day with Murphy on Donnelly’s claim. T Anthony came. The flies are very troublesome.
9 Dec 1892 Working all day with Murphy on Donnelly’s claim. I sent a letter to John Connelly to come up. Windy.
10 Dec 1892 Working with Murphy on Donnelly’s claim. We bottomed a shaft 17 feet 6 inches on white granite. Tanthony came and gave me some specimens to be assayed. Taylor’s men sinking a shaft on our boundary. Patrick Walsh of Kikiamah near Young died in Sydney.[3]
11 Dec 1892 Sunday. Harris brought half a sheep. John Chivers and Douglas, both from Peter Murray’s store, came. The had dinner and went back by Harris’. A letter from John Connelly to say that he and Mr Morrice would be up next Wednesday or Thursday.
12 Dec 1892 Murphy and I bottomed the shaft on our boundary that Taylor and his men were sinking, and sunk 2 feet in the bottom. Taylor putting up the hrdraulic. T Anthony came and brought a piece of marble. Patsy, the old black horse, came up to the camp. Hot windy day. Great smoke.
13 Dec 1892 Not at work. Taylor finished the hydraulic. Windy day.
14 Dec 1892 Murphy and I worked 2 hours in a shaft on our boundary that Taylor was sinking. A shower after dark. High wind all day.
15 Dec 1892 I got my horse and brought him to the camp. Joseph Poole drove Mr Morrice up. They stayed two hours and drove back to Cowra. Taylor bottomed the shaft on our boundary – about 20 feet, about 10 feet of wash and the same quantity of water.
16 Dec 1892 I brought my horse to the camp and put a lotion on his eyes. Taylor commenced to sluice.
17 Dec 1892 I drove in to Cowra and put my horse in Connelly’s paddock. I paid a call for Rothery’s copper mine at the Sugar Loaf, £1.10.0. Grace O’Shaughnessy home from P Keerins, Murringo gap.
18 Dec 1892 I drove out to Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim. Got half a sheep from Harris. A light shower in the evening.
19 Dec 1892 I put up a gate in Shuttleworth’s boundary fence. Taylor sluicing.
20 Dec 1892 I finished the gate and cleared a road to it. D Donnelly sent up an old man to work on Jack Chivers’ claim.
21 Dec 1892 Thomas Anthony took me to a place where there is an indication of graphite. The place is between Prosser’s on the Burrowa River and Hovell’s Creek. There is a lode something loke marble with a mineral like graphite through it. Coming back, we came in on the Burrowa River below P Stinson’s. Got to the camp at 9 o’clock.
22 Dec 1892 Taylor finished sluicing. George Goodson, John Chivers’ man, commenced work.
23 Dec 1892 I drove in to Cowra. James Murphy came with me. Taylor rode in to Cowra and bought some quicksilver.
24 Dec 1892 At R Daly’s Australian Hotel all day.
25 Dec 1892 Christmas day. At the Australian Hotel.
26 Dec 1892 I drove out to Broula and got some of my tools. Races at Robert Chivers, back Creek.
27 Dec 1892 The two Sinclairs came in from Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim . Taylor gave them about one ounce of gold to pay their wages.
28 Dec 1892 Old Joseph Smith Sr, died at his son’s, Cocumingla.
29 Dec 1892 Taylor and Koledas came in from Anthony’s Hill sluicing claim. Taylor says that all the gold he got on the claim, he gave to the men. I don’t believe him. They went by the 6 o’clock train to Sydney. Joseph Smith buried in the Cowra Cemetery.
30 Dec 1892 At the Australia Hotel all day.
31 Dec 1892 In Cowra all day.
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