Mining a Rich Lode: The Making of the Springdallah Deep Lead Goldfield Communities Joan E. Hunt DipTchg (SCV Toorak) GradDipEd (Charles Sturt University) GradDipContEd Japanese (Melbourne University) AdvDip Local History (Oxford University) This thesis is submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Faculty of Education and the Arts Federation University P.O. Box 663 University Drive, Mount Helen Ballarat, Victoria, 3353 Australia Submitted for examination 18 December 2015 ABSTRACT Although little material evidence survives other than mullock heaps and the occasional ruined building, a large body of archival documentation exists to help reveal the history of the deep lead gold mining communities at Springdallah. This thesis reconstructs the discovery, rise and progress of that goldfield, 30km south-west of Ballarat, through a study of family formation and community building, facilitated by micro-study tools including prosopographical and genealogical databases. At its prosperous and productive peak in the 1860s and 1870s, the communities relied totally on the mining industry for their existence. This thesis positions the alluvial deep lead gold mining industry firmly within the long but disparate historiography of Australian, and particularly Victorian, gold seeking. Unlike the many regional histories that celebrate the growth from goldfields to city status, it focuses on the miners who worked the deep leads of buried river beds, and how they and their families effected material and social change to benefit the communities they created. The findings of this thesis reveal that, in contrast to the strong Cornish presence on many Victorian goldfields, miners at Springdallah came mainly from northern England, south-west Ireland, and the lowlands of Scotland, often with extensive kinship networks. The study demonstrates that this network of communities attracted workers, usually with coal and lead mining experience, who had skills suited to conditions in the deep lead alluvial gold mining industry. According to the findings of this thesis, miners gained power within the Springdallah communities by becoming members of committees, councils, and boards of local and wider institutions. This study found that the Springdallah families were youthful, adapted well to their changed circumstances, were agents of change within their communities, and quickly took advantage of Victorian land legislation, particularly the 1869 Land Act, to take up farming properties both locally and in the north and east of the State. ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Except where explicit reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma. No other person’s work has been relied upon or used without due acknowledgment in the main text and bibliography of the thesis. This is to certify that the thesis is less than 100,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, maps, bibliographies, footnotes and appendices. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to the academic and support staff at Federation University who provided intellectual and practical assistance and feedback of benefit to my thesis, through conferences, seminars and tutorials. I am indebted to my three wonderful and committed supervisors for their encouraging support and friendship throughout this journey: Dr Anne Beggs Sunter, Associate Professor David “Fred” Cahir, and Dr Jan Croggon. I am especially grateful for their unfailing availability for discussion, and readiness to respond critically to my work, and their wise and thoughtful counsel. I thank the staff and volunteers for their generous help at libraries and archives, including the Public Record Office Victoria, at both North Melbourne and Ballarat, the Ballarat Mechanics Institute, the Ballarat Historical Society at the Gold Museum, the Linton Historical Society, and the Ballarat Catholic Diocesan Archives. My thanks also are extended to the many family historians who have willingly shared publications and other information about their ancestors who lived in the Springdallah area. I benefitted greatly from the shared insights, interest and enthusiasm of my friends and colleagues, especially Liz Denny. I am especially grateful to the late Mrs Margaret Getsom, a Piggoreet farmer, who for many years encouraged my interest in the history of Springdallah, and made available original documents without which this study could not have been undertaken. To Lyn Moore, who edited this thesis, I am indebted for her meticulous approach to a complex task. Her commitment and generosity went well beyond the call of duty, and my appreciation is heartfelt. Most importantly I acknowledge my family for their support and assistance. To my children, in whose growing years many happy hours were spent clambering over the rocks and cliffs of the Devil’s Kitchen, I extend my love and gratitude. Veronica was my critical reader of early drafts; Trevor provided practical expertise and advice with the databases, which gave me confidence and direction; and Stephen produced invaluable, clear maps and plans, cheerfully making many adjustments upon request. The patient support, encouragement and loving friendship provided by my husband Gary were boundless and generous, as always. We have shared a love of the district around Piggoreet, the Devil’s Kitchen, and Happy Valley for many years. Gary’s photographic skills were an important and much appreciated contribution to the thesis. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ............................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................ ix LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................ xiii MEASUREMENT CONVERSION CHART ............................................................................ xiv Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 PREAMBLE ............................................................................................................................................. 1 CONTEXT AND SCOPE ........................................................................................................................ 2 PURPOSE AND RATIONALE ............................................................................................................. 5 THEORY .................................................................................................................................................. 5 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................... 8 OUTLINE OF CHAPTERS .................................................................................................................. 14 CONTRIBUTION ................................................................................................................................. 16 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Chapter 2: SETTING THE SCENE ........................................................................................ 19 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 19 HISTORIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................ 19 LIMITATIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 20 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ............................................................................................................... 21 COMMUNITY ....................................................................................................................................... 23 SPRINGDALLAH ................................................................................................................................. 25 WORKPLACE ....................................................................................................................................... 26 CULTURAL LANDSCAPE .................................................................................................................. 27 DEMOGRAPHICS ................................................................................................................................ 29 FAMILY RECONSTITUTION ............................................................................................................ 31 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Chapter