Blackwood Area

 

Photo of Martin Street Blackwood with Blackwood Hotel on right and opposite is the General Store with the name of Alex Decker in front of roof.   Courtesy Barry Thurgood. ©

From a glass negative, Blackwood Mineral Springs by G.A. Hammond, photographer. c. 1908. Courtesy B.D.H.S. ©

Blackwood Cricket Club - circa 1895

Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1943), Saturday 4 January 1890, page 7

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) THE holidays have come and gone once more, and at the present time things in general here are far more promising than they were at the beginning of last year. If Byrne's and the adjoining claims were amalgamated, and in the hands of a genuine company, Blackwood might be heard of as a goldfield worth looking after. It is to be hoped that greater vitality will be shown this year on Blackwood than there has been in the past few years. I think there must have been a greater number of visitors here these last holidays than has been seen here for several years past. On Christmas and Boxing day Mr. Cann conveyed to Blackwood from Trentham nearly 200 persons. There has been nothing to note of special import during the holidays. A large picnic party to the Coliban falls was one feature, and but for the intense heat on Boxing Day, the thermometer registered 88 degrees in the shade, the trip would have been more enjoyable. 

The Blackwood mineral spring was largely patronised by the visitors, and at times batches of 50 and 80 could be seen at a time all eager to have drinks at the deliciously cool mineral water. The want of a summer house at the spring is a great drawback, and now that the waters are so much appreciated I think it would be a good idea for some of our young men who take an interest in Blackwood affairs to form themselves into a Mineral Spring Committee, and get up a grand amateur performaance with the view to raise funds to make a decent job of the outlet, and erect a summer house, which would be a credit to Blackwood and a pleasure to our numerous visitors. Some good ticket sellers (the ladies are the best) would assure success, and there is no doubt but the Ballan Shire Council would supplement the springs fund, and the needful plan work would be set off by Mr. Young. who was the architect of the famous springs bridge. 

A cricket match was played on Boxing Day between the Richmond Bachelors and the Blackwood United Clubs on the Blackwood ground, resulting in a win for the United by seven wickets. M. Kennedy 13, and H. Smeaton 26, not out, were the principal scorers for the Bachelors; J. Byers 19, W. Croker, 14, J. Pay, 13, and A. Byers 10, were the best bats for the Blackwood United. The most successful bowlers for the United were J. Byers, eight wickets, and J. Ray seven in the two innings. A match was played between Blakeville and the B.U.C. Clubs on Saturday, 21st, on the ground of the latter, resulting in a win for the United by fifteen runs in the first innings. C. Gribbe, 37, not out, and T. Maguire 30, J. Byers, 14, were the principal scorers in the two innings for the United. T. McIunery 18, C. Platt, 6, C. Lockhard, 7, not out, showed the best form for Blakeville. A Mackay and T. Maguire were the successful trundlers for the United, while J. Parkes and A. Lay bowled well for Blakeville.

Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic.: 1866 - 1943), Saturday 13 October 1894, page 3

BLACKWOOD. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) THE heavy rain at the end of last week caused a considerable flood in the Lerderderg, and an unusually large amount of damage to races and loss of sluice boxes has resulted. The mineral spring bridge has also been much damaged and will need substantial repairs. I made a reference to the dangerous state of one of the main horses of this bridge last summer, but nothing was done. The horse mentioned has now settled down about a foot, and it is a wonder that it was not washed right away. Mr. A. Dallas, who died at Lyonville on Thursday, 4th inst., at the age of sixty years, was buried in the Blackwood cemetery on Sunday last. The deceased gentleman had been one of Barry's Reef's most respected townsmen ever since he came there, about 11 years ago, to take the management of Mounter's Amalga-mated claim. He has ever since always taken an active part in local affairs, and the Barry's Reef Mechanics' Institute is much indebted to him for his energy in getting up concerts in its aid, and in other ways advancing its interests. He was one of the principal working shareholders of the Golden Hope claim till eighteen months ago, when failing health compelled him to leave the work. He has since then acted as general manager of Mr. T. M'Carty's butchering and storekeeping business at the Lyonville village settlement and died at that place on the day mentioned. The wife of Mr. C. Bickley, of Sebastopol, had a considerable scare on Friday last when, on going into the garden to look for her daughter, aged 2 years, she found the little thing had fallen into the well. The well, however, was nearly full of water, so that the mother was able to reach down and pull out the child just in time to save its life. The child is now quite well. A species of the complaint known as influenza is very prevalent just now, and a large number of persons are suffering more or less from its effects. A Chinaman named Ah Kit died suddenly at Simmons' Reef on Monday morning last. The deceased was at Golden Point on the day before, and seemed quite well, saying to a friend " Me no die this time," but he was mistaken. He had but lately been under treatment at the Ballarat Hospital, so that an inquiry was not deemed necessary. The deceased must have been much esteemed by his countrymen here, as several of them wept piteously. Between 30 and 40 of them besides several Europeans, attended deceased's funeral. The Chinese wore white mourning bands on their hats, and one of them in front dropped marked papers every few steps on the road to the cemetery. A number of tapers and other items were placed in the grave before it was filled in. A trial crushing of 9 tons from Messrs. Skinner and Martin's new reef west of the Sultan yielded at the rate of 7 dwts to the ton, which was scarcely up to expectations. The reef is, however, apparently easy to work, and arrangements are about completed for having it worked on the tribute system. Messrs. Cocciardi and party had a wash-up on Tuesday from 50 loads of quartz crushed at Staughton's battery, which yielded 14oz. 1dwt. of smelted gold. This pays the party fairly well, as the reef is from 2 to 4 feet in width, and there is always a chance of richer patches being found, such as the All Nations Co. got in the neighbourhood in the earlier days of quartz reefing at Blackwood. The co-operative party working at Messrs. Sweet and Murphy's Black Hill claim are making good progress with their shaft, as they have already sunk and timbered up the first 40ft. Copy of Mining Registrar's report to the Secretary for Mines for quarter ended 30th September 1894: -Blackwood Division. I have the honour to report the total gold yield in this Division for the quarter to be 696 ozs. 1 dwt. 3 grs. Not. withstanding that this is a slight reduction on that of the previous quarter, the large amount of energy now being directed to the development of both quartz and alluvial mines in the district fully justify expectations of a greatly increased gold yield in the near future. The yield from quartz reefs for the quarter is 294ozs. 16dwts. Of this amount the Egerton Tributers, at Barry's Reef, came out best with the highly payable return of 181ozs. 5 dwts. from 480 tons of stone. The stopes still look well, and an increased number of men are now being employed in the mine. The prospects of other mines at Barry's Reef are also exceedingly favour-able, amongst which I may mention the Golden Hope, with 18ozs. from 38 tons, but who have been occupied for the greater part of the last six months in extending their lower-level tunnel and opening up a connection with their surface workings. In the course of the work some leaders have been cut which are apparently quite as rich as those worked last year, which yielded at the rate of 80z. to the ton. Besides the usual number of small parties doing general prospecting work, and having occasional crushing's, an important discovery of a new reef by Messrs. Skinner and Martin, about half a mile to the west of the old Sultan mine, has been made. Good prospects have been obtained from it, and a trial crushing is being broken out. The Endeavour Co. (Simmons Reef) with 50ozs. 8dwts. from 420 tons; and the North Star, late Golden Barr (Golden Point) with 16ozs, from 65 tons, appear to be well satisfied with their prospects. The best average yield, how-ever, has been got by Mr. McPhail, from a claim at the Brisbane Ranges. He reports that 20 cwt. treated at the Austral Ottis Co.'s works, South Melbourne, yielded 8ozs. 1dwt. 3grs. of gold. An underlay shaft on the reef which is 15in. to 2ft. thick, carrying course gold on the eastern side--is now down 45ft. The returns from the Railway United mine at Bullengarook do not appear to have been satisfactory, and the mine is therefore now at a standstill. Of other quartz mines I may simply say that progressive work is being done at Messrs. Sweet and Murphy's Black Hill claim; the Heath clams at Garibaldi; the Hope claim at Long Gully; and Livy's claim at Green Hill. The yield from alluvial amounts to 392 ozs. 1dwt. 3grs.; which is some 50ozs. less that last quarter. This is a result which may naturally be expected when dependence has to be placed on the fossicking of old ground, but the fact that the Mattei's Freehold Co. are making good progress with the erection of steam-winding and puddling machinery to work their mine on the Beneditti" lead, and that Messrs. Nelson and Burgess are putting up a new water power battery at Golden Point for cement crushing, besides the continual prospecting of deep ground in the neighbourhood of Bullengarook and elsewhere, ought to have the effect of causing a general increase in the gold yields from this source. There is very little being done in the antimony mines, and the raising of about 35 tons of ore of good quality by the Eureka Co., at Coimadai, is about all that has been done during the quarter. Ballan subdivision. I have to report that there is still very little improvement in the gold-yield from this sub-division. The Long Tunnel Co. have not been fortunate enough to strike payable wash, yet the work of pushing ahead with the main tunnel (now in considerably over 1,000 feet) is being continued in search of the deep ground which is expected to be reached in another 200 feet. One of the Government drills is now at work in the locality and will doubtless help to solve many of the difficulties as to the course of the deep ground. In addition to this, an important mining development is taking place on the Werribee river in the neighbourhood of Ingliston. Rich alluvial gold has been obtained there from time to time, and earnest attempts are now being made by several parties to work the bed of the river: One of the chief works being carried out in furtherance of this object is the driving of a tunnel through, the narrow neck of one of the river bends, which will, if successful, drain off about half a mile of the river channel, and allow it to be worked with very little trouble.

Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1943), Saturday 17 April 1897, page 3

BLACKWOOD. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) MR. W. BYRES, the new landlord of the Royal Mail hotel at Golden Point, has apparently considerable faith that Blackwood is far from being on the down grade of prosperity, as he has added to his establishment one of Thompson's new Excelsior low cushion billiard tables, with fittings complete. As this is the first new table that has been set up here for many years, local cueists are having a great innings, though there are no jubilee breaks as yet. The periodical changes of Salvation Army officers took place here during last week, and the usual farewelling and welcoming demonstrations were carried out with spirit. Captain Perry has been pro-moted to the Donald station, and Lieu-tenant Allen to Ballarat East, whilst the new local officers are Captain Bubbs and Lieutenant Thomas, who have lately been stationed at Trentham. The new syndicate that has been formed to work the Countess mine at Yankee Reef are putting on several men to clear out the old tunnel and shaft of a former company, preparatory to breaking out quartz, which it is intended to have crushed at the Victoria battery. Our local Cobb & Co. is doing fair business in carrying passengers outward in connection with the Easter excursion trains, but there is not very much appearance as yet of a boom of passengers inwards to pass their holidays in gaining new health and strength amid the picturesque hill and valley or scenery of Blackwood. The Mineral Spring may be considered the centre point of attraction, but a fresh burst of enthusiasm is required to carry on the improvements started two or three years ago, particularly in the way of planting suitable trees along the approaches on the main roadside of the Lerderderg.

Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic.: 1866 - 1943), Saturday 8 June 1907, page 3 

 
BLACKWOOD. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) 

THE antimony mine at Golden Point has been floated and registered as the Empress Antimony and Gold Mining Co. The capital is £600; 160 shares at £5 each; and the legal manager is Mr. E. Michan, 357 Burwood road Glenferrie. Mr. James Terrill, of Hawthorn, their representative, was here on Monday, and stated it was their intention to sink a shaft 60 feet and open out at 50 feet. As he failed to let the contract privately, he has called public tenders to be returnable to the legal manager on June 11th. The capital at their command will en-able them to thoroughly test the mine, and if the lode returns as good a per-centage of the ore as the trial test, it should prove a profitable investment for the shareholders. They are progressing satisfactorily at the Poseidon. Last week they sunk and timbered the shaft 12 feet, which makes it 230 feet from the surface, and 56 feet below tunnel level. At the Grace Egerton the drive was extended 6 feet for the week; the lode is 4 feet wide in the face and making a lot of water. At the British Lion they are busily engaged bricking in the boiler, and a real good boiler it is. The poppet legs are completed. The winch is fixed in its bed, and the manager considers that they will be ready to commence operations about the middle of the month. They will have a very nice plant when completed. The winch is a shade small, but if payable gold is found it can easily be replaced. The present winch will take them down about 400 feet. They have made an excavation of a dam. A blacksmith's shop and office are erected. They have been very fortunate in having such fine weather for this time of the year. Mr. W. H. Grant, on behalf of Connolly, Kean & Co., Queen street, Melbourne, have purchased the Big Hill mine, Simmons Reef, from the co-operative party that at present own it, and intend floating it into a company under the name of South Poseidon Co. This mine was worked to great advantage for many years by the late Mr. Matthew Rogers and is a good prospecting show. Mr. Rogers was often heard to remark, "If I was a young man, I would again be working the Big Hill." At the Morning Star they are en-gaged breaking out a trial crushing, which looks very promising, as they are still breaking some very nice stone, showing good gold. 

 The Blackwood footballers played Bullarto on Saturday at Blue Mt., and a real good game was the result. The final scores being-Bullarto, 2 goals 7 behinds=19 points Blackwood, 2 goals 5 behinds=17 points. Both the goals for the local team were kicked by J. Bryne.  

Blackwood riflemen have been on a holiday jaunt to Melbourne. On Saturday they had a match at Port Melbourne range with st Kilda team at 200 and 300 yards, 9 men a side. The scores were St. Kilda, 469; Blackwood, 383. The best scores for the winners were A. Bayley, 60; H. McQuade, 60; Captain Greenwell, 59; and Knox, 56. For Blackwood the best were--Pin-combe, 50; Captain Byres, 48; C. H. Derrick, 45; W. Carruthers, 44. They were met on their arrival at Melbourne and hospitably entertained to a sumptuous dinner at a well-known cafe in Swanston street before leaving for the range. On Monday they fired a match with South Melbourne and were again defeated. A. Turner made the highest score for Blackwood and was presented with a handsome pipe by the South Melbourne club, as a memento of the occasion. They were entertained to a dinner in the Ranger's house, and altogether were most hospitably treated, having a real enjoyable trip.  

Rainfall for May--1.87 inches. For corresponding period last year, 4.70 inches; 1905, 4.66; 1904, 3.88; 1903, 1.63; 1902, .92.  

The second of the series of socials in aid of the Blackwood Mechanics' Institute will be held on Thursday next, at 8 p.m. Usual programme. Games, interspersed with songs, until 10 p.m.; refreshments; followed by dancing. 

courtesy of – https://www.blackwoodgold.com/gold-our-gold-mine/2271905

LINK: Daylesford Historic Photos and Mining History

 SOME EARLY HISTORY OF THE EASTER MONDAY MINE,  BLACKWOOD.

The Skinner family are probably best known for being the founders of the Easter Monday Mine in Blackwood. Two brothers Joseph and Alfred Skinner worked the mine, which was discovered by them on Easter Monday in 1907, two miles south-west of Blackwood, in the Simmons Reef area.  Joseph and Alfred Skinner were sons of Edwin and Elizabeth Skinner of Blackwood.  Edwin Snr. was born in 1830 in St. Blazey Cornwall, England, and married 1851 in Karinga, South Australia to Elizabeth Wicks of St. Gluvious, Cornwall, England.

Edwin and Elizabeth Skinner (nee Wicks) had 9 children – Two of their sons founded the Easter Monday mine.  – John (Joseph) Allen Skinner, born 1860 Ballarat, married Julia Gribble (born Blackwood) 1881 and Alfred Skinner, born 1868, Kyneton, married Louisa Alcron 1890. (Info. from Robyn Marx)

Information below from Mining and Geological Journal, Volume 2, No.3, September, 1940. By J.P.L.Kenny B.C.E. Reprinted by Mr Hocking, Victorian Mines Department for Margot Hitchcock, Official Historian, Blackwood and District Historical Society, 23rd of February 1977.

The Easter Monday reef, was worked from shafts to a depth of about 60 ft. and carried rich stone. 137 tons of stone crushed in 1907 yielded 558 oz. of gold.  An adit, No. 1, was driven westerly to cut the reef at a depth of 155 ft. below the outcrop.  In driving this adit, this new reef (No. 1) – 1 to 2 feet wide and carrying payable values, was cut at 310 feet , from the portal. The adit was continued west, and the second reef (No.2) also payable, was intersected 40 ft. west of No. 1 reef.  The crosscut was extended west to 240 feet from No. 1 reef cutting the Easter Monday reef with 4 inches of quartz at 180 feet, and a fourth reef, 3 inches wide at 240 ft.  Good stone went underfoot below No. 1 adit and No. 2 adit was driven 100 ft. below No. 1. It intersected a lava dyke at 280 feet, and followed its course to the No. 1 reef at 645 feet. and No. 2 reef 20 ft. to the west.  The No. 1 and No. 2 reefs where were worked to No. 2 adit level, and whinzes below showed good values on No. 1 reef. To this time (1911) the reef was worked by the finders who had won 2,656 oz. of gold from 2,475 tons of ore.

The Easter Monday Goldmining Company was formed, and a main shaft sunk, was still being worked 255 ft. above the No. 2 adit level.  A connection was made with No. 2 adit. and a level driven 100 feet below at a depth of 375 feet.  In 1914 it was reported that the company had found on sinking to greater depths that the shoots were shorter and values poorer, but work was continued until 1918.  The company crushed 2,681 tons for 2,475 oz. of gold.

In 1934 a syndicate was formed to prospect than mine. A drive north on No. 1 reef at No. 1 adit level revealed payable stone 18 inches wide 50 ft. north of the old shoot.  A six head battery with an oil engine and a cyanide plant were erected and the shoot which was 50 ft. long was stoped to 40 ft. above the level and from a winze to the same depth below.  The No. 2 adit was cleaned out and the drive extended north. The reef was stoped to a height of 35 ft. for a length 50 ft. beyond the old stopes, values here being about seven dwt (pennyweight).  Between 1934  and 1938 the syndicate crushed 769 tons for 668 oz.  An average of 17.4 dwt per ton.  It was then decided to extend the drive north on No. 1 reef at No. 1 adit level.  With the assistance of a government advance the drive was extended to about 370 ft. from the adit crosscut. Near the face, a reef one foot wide was found, but it carried no values.  The party transferred to No. 2 adit, where the old drive was closed at 270 ft. north of the crosscut.  The No. 1 and No. 2 reefs here were 10 feet apart, and the walls continue north without meeting.

The accompanying plans had been compiled from a survey of the accessible workings, and the plans by Messrs. H.Foster and F.N. Horsfall.  Wherever it was worked the Easter Monday reef strikes north 25° east and was nearly vertical. The surface workings extend for 210 ft., with a right-hand cross-course displacing the reef for 20 feet.  North of the workings, near the main shaft, the reef turns to a north and south strike with a dip of 85 deg. East.  At a point 40 feet south of the shaft, a rich patch was struck and a shaft sunk to 20 feet.  A yield of 86½ oz. from 9 tons recorded in 1908 probably came from this shaft.

Researched and Compiled by Andrew Parker 2021 (Updated 2024)