| Notes |
- Memoirs written by William Attwood in 1946 when he was 72 years old and living in Newcastle NSW.
(William was born on 27 Feb 1865 in Worcestershire, UK. These notes were typed up from a photocopy of his handwritten notes by his great granddaughter, Jan Attwood, (daughter of Arthur Attwood b.1924) in Sept 2006. Any spelling corrections, interpretations or queries made by Jan are shown in italic in brackets. The original handwritten notes are held by Joyce May, Clarrie and Evelyn Attwood’s daughter who lives in Maitland NSW. Bill (Bundy Bill) Attwood (Bundaberg Qld), born 1920, also a grandson of William Attwood, helped sort out the order of the pages which had become a bit mixed up.
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William talks of his life in England with his parents, mentions going to NZ and the move to Australia. Most of his memoires are about his life in the mines and the hard times. This section begins with an explanation that the mines were dangerous and the pay was low, so he decided to follow Abe Pickup to the goldfields. He mentions several times how generous Abe was …..
… I worked there up to the time I went to Coolgardie in the year of March 1895. Times were very bad in Newcastle at this time.
I had no money to help me to reach Coolgardie but I had a brother-in-law by the name of Abe Pickup and he, upon hearing how bad the times were in Newcastle, sent me ten pounds to help me to go to Coolgardie. So my dear wife and I went into the matter and committed ourselves to God for His assistance in our requirements of life. So in the year of 1895 March, I made (off?) to Coolgardie with a swag on my back, which I never did in my life before, a 90 pound one.
But my first move was to Sydney owing to not getting the steamer at the Dyke at Newcastle.
Chapter 9
However I was just in time to get the boat at Sydney leaving the same day in the afternoon for Fremantle, Western Australia. I cannot remember how many days it was before I reached Coolgardie. The steamer was an old timer, the name of which was ‘Wendree’ running from Newcastle to Fremantle with coal. I used to call her a ‘water pusher’ for many times I think I could feel the bumping of the seas and also feel her shake like an old tub.
I am not complaining when I think of what it cost me for the trip over on her - just fancy - £2 pound 10 shillings. These times are past and gone, not to come back again. On the deck was full of live stock, could not move for them and the smell - well you can just understand what we had to put up with. And at times when the old tub would roll and the sea coming over the side and splashing on the bulwarks, we had to be very smart to keep out of the way of cow wash.
However we landed at Fremantle, sound and safe after all recreations of this kind. Many thanks, it didn’t affect me. I was all the time looking forward to Coolgardie for time was (a) lot to me. I wanted to get to work so that I could send home to dear wife money for her and children, knowing the money that we had was loan money.
However I was glad when I put my foot upon the landing at Fremantle and moreover when I had my pass for the train for Coolgardie. I didn’t sleep that night, the train being full, no room to stretch legs out. Must not complain whatever, for all was the same trouble or had the same trouble to put up with, but I must say everyone took the ups and downs with good feelings. One thing I noticed there was (were) no women on the train - all men.
Chapter 10
My next place of call was the Cross at the end of the Railway line; this was the introduction of the 90 pound swag, it’s acquaintance I never had made before. However I had to, and for 130 miles without any apologising.
The morning was a very hot day - at 7am it was 80 and at 12 it was 110. I covered 25 miles by 9pm, feeling right out. Very little tea. Made my bed on the sand. Did not sleep much that night, thinking about the kind of life it was and that I had left a good home and loved ones and now sleeping in No Man’s Land. It was an introduction into a new life and I must not make any complaints.
At this time, 6am, the sun was shining down on my face. I examined myself and found all the things in good order and at this point, to help me in my new experience, I found two men that were going to the same place that I was on my way for. So we got accustomed to each other and (they) removed a great amount of my difficulties by being excessively kind to me - for what they had, I had to have part of it. You must not say no, you must feel quite at home with them. These two men were from Broken Hill Gold-diggers. So I got news of importance of which I was very interested in and moreover it was a great help to me on the way up to Coolgardie.
I am sorry to say that at this point we parted at a place called Reinsoke (? unclear) 20 miles from Coolgardie and immediately after leaving me (them,) I regret to say that I met the first sad disappointment. At this place (Reinsoke) there was a (man-) made dam, the only one I had seen on my way on the 130 miles. And on this morning I wanted water. So I went to this dam to get it and when I got there I am sorry to say there were men pulling a dead man out of this dam. He had been in the dam all that night. I expressed my regret on the matter for I didn’t receive any water until I ….. (words missing at bottom of page)
Chapter 11
At 4pm on the 24th August 1894 on one Saturday afternoon, my journey came to an end after passing through a desert of 130 miles. Coolgardie was then only one street, if I should call it a street; it had no formation and the dust would blind you. The street was always full of people anxiously looking (at) each other from all parts of Coolgardie. Saturday and Sunday, these days are their meeting days, they come from miles around.
Well, at the bottom end of Bailey Street was the place I had to meet my brother-in-law Abe Pickup. This I did and how pleased he was and so was I.
After having given each other the news of life and being filled up with the best that he could get for me, he made a bed for me upon the floor so that I could have two hours sleep before I could go to see the other boys from Newcastle in the main street called Bailey Street.
I wish to state that the condition of this street, it was, at my time of going through it, about 200 yards long, no branches off it. The population was a drifting population if you can understand me. The buildings were made of materials of bags, hessian and canvas. There was one hotel and they called it Marble Bar. It was made of mud and timber - it looked wonderful. You could stand on the street and see all inside and if you could get inside on Saturday, you could get a small glass of beer for two shillings per glass and when you received it you were required to hold on to it or it was not yours. I was only in the street for about one hour. I didn’t want any more of it. I required rest after my trying journey so we returned to Ned Pickup’s camp for the night just at the bottom of Bailey Street. The camp had the name Newcastle Camp - only three tents in it so it was a very large camp.
Chapter 12.
Now it is Sunday morning, the first Sunday in this wonderful part of the world, Coolgardie and to my mind it required to be regenerated for it is certainly (an) amazing place this morning. I am standing upon a small hill over looking the so- called town and it is certainly making me recognise that some day it will be greatly improved. At the present time what is required is a good supply of building material, food stuffs and clothing and chemical products.
I was given to understand at the time I entered Coolgardie, in all the fields the population was approximately 20,000 people and the gold return per head was very high. But what amount I didn’t get to know. Food is very hard to get and is at a very high price - fresh meat 2/6 per pound, when you can get it. And the only place I could get it was Coolgardie on a Saturday and we had to walk seven miles (there) and seven back and by the time you returned to camp, the meat was bad.
Foodstuffs we had were all from tins and at a very high price. We had to keep as much flour in stock as we could for making bread or damper. We had to be our own baker or go without. We were making good money, but it required it. A man working for a company received £8-0-0 per week and water. When I say water, I cannot say that it was fresh water, for fresh water was very hard to get. I have paid 2/6 for a gallon of this so called water, just came from the still warm. Where ever you go you must have your water bag with you or you may not get back. The sun at midday at 120 (degrees) and feeling the ground under your feet cracking and feeling as if your boots were on fire. You cannot go far under these conditions. This is the time when I did say Home Sweet Home.
Chapter 13.
This is Sunday night with swag upon my back leaving Coolgardie for Bonevail (?) seven miles and it is 8pm, and I have poor feet to do the seven miles with and on Monday morning work standing before me at seven and the class of work I know not; all I know is mining of some kind.
I had my brother-in-law with me all the time so when we reached Bonevail, I didn’t put the tent up that night but went to sleep upon it and had a good night’s sleep. At work in the morning with Abe, he was my working mate . Returned to camp at 3pm after my first day’s work in Coolgardie at Bonevail Goldmine.
Abe got the tea in order and I did enjoy it all. Then we put up my tent and made the bunk in it and that night I was anxiously looking forward for one more good night’s sleep, which I got.
My first pay; I will never forget how kind Abe was to me. I wanted to pay my way in regards to my food but he would not entertain the matter. His request was “send it all to your wife and little ones and we will see all about next pay”. This I did and removed all my mournful feelings about my dear wife and little one(s) in Newcastle. I became happy in life. I never had so much money coming to me in my life for my labour before. I (re-) paid all money I had from anyone at home and dear Abe - thank God for all his blessings.
Abe and I did not remain at Bonevail long, only 10 weeks, then we removed to a place seven miles on the other side of Coolgardie city, the name was Glenlouth, two miles from Bearbank workings, sinking a shaft in diorite. The shaft was 12 x 4 and we had to put it down 100 feet and put a plat at bottom 12 x 12. Price per foot was £14 (words unclear.)
Chapter 14
We had just completed the job, when I received a wire from home calling me home at once to see the last of my son Stan. This came to me unexpected(ly), so I had to make arrangements with our party to move for home at once, for it was absolutely essential that I should do so. I had all the help that was needed from Abe Pickup and my working mates to be on my way home.
It was then Thursday morning and the rail line was up to Coolgardie then, but not open for passengers. But in my condition of trouble, I could go down by the shunter to the Cross, 130 miles and then get the train from there to Fremantle where I could get the boat for Sydney. This I did - I may say that it was on the Friday morning that I parted from all in Coolgardie at 9 am and arrived in Fremantle on Saturday noon and there was a steamer leaving that afternoon at 3pm. So I only had time to reach the booking office and get my pass and on the ship when the orders were lit ‘go forward’ and the engines were at work and the ship moving for sea. This was (a) very quick move, so quick that I was home before the wire that I had forwarded on letting them at home know I was coming. The boat they informed when on our way over that she was a greyhound. I think that she was, for the time she put up from Fremantle to Sydney. She didn’t call at any of the ports on the way over to Sydney. I was very pleased by this. However I got home in time to see dear Son alive but in a very low condition. I thanked God for it all to be able to see dear Mother and Son again after 15 months apart. It was a bad coming home but a good change to (for) me by the rest at home.
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Bronwyn Attwood - 2009 - bronwyn.attwood-at-gmail.com
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1865 - 1954 (89 years) Has 35 ancestors and 54 descendants in this family tree.
UNKNOWN - DECEASED
John ATTWOOD, b. Abt 1760, Tipton, Staffordshire, England
William Henry ATTWOOD, b. 21 Jan 1844, Cradley, Worcestershire, England 
