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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Australia Lookups completed => Topic started by: Salty on Monday 18 October 10 11:40 BST (UK)
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Just wondering if this place exists and how long was he there. This is about my Great uncle
The story, he was born in 1850 in a small hamlet called Brown Candover in Hampshire UK his name then was Thomas WHITEAR son of William and Ann, nee Patience.
At some point he arrives in Australia about 1880 I believe.
On 15th March 1900 he marries at 427 Rathdown St, Carlton, Victoria using the surname of WALKER to Eliza Hicks.
On the marriage entry he gives his parents names as William and Ann Walker and fathers occupation as Blacksmith, his father was in fact the village blacksmith at Preston Candover about 3 miles from Brown Candover.
He died on 12th April 1910 and his occupation given then as an Invester in mines. He was buried at Boroondara General Cemetery
At some point he was a joint owner of a mine called the Horseshoe Gold Mine at Maindample, Victoria. He apparently sent a lot of money back to his sister here in Hampshire as she had fallen on hard times after her husband died, which she promptly gave to her Church, so the family tale goes.
Does the mine still exist? Is there a place called Maindample in Victoria? Hoping someone can tell me if there is anyway of knowing exactly when he arrived down there and did he change his name when he arrived or after. Where did his money come from to be an invester in mines.
Hope I have made myself clear with this and hope someone can help.
G'day
Tom
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Hi Salty
Seems there was such a place.....here is 1 link about the goldfields , but if you google Maindample
there is quite a bit about it
www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/.../DryCreek-and-MaindampleMerton.pdf
Daizi
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Hi Tom
There certainly is a place in Victoria called Maindample.
It is about 200 km north east of Melbourne.
Used to have a great pub there but sadly it burnt down earlier this year :'(
Raylen
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Just down the road from Bonnie Doon (feel the serenity)
:)
Dale
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There is a digitised will for this man - search using surname and put 1910 in the dates - will save you looking through all of the WALKER wills.
The first digitised document is an inventory and the Grant of Probate and the second includes the actual will. He left all to his wife Eliza - if she had pre-deceased him the estate would have gone to his step-daughter, Eva Victoria WALKER.
http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/indexes/index_search.asp?searchid=54
Edit to add - from the debits for the estate it would seem that he was in Melbourne at the end of his life as there are debts owing to chemist etc in Melbourne. Booroondara Cemetery is in suburban Melbourne.
Eliza is buried there also:
Name WALKER, THOMAS
Date 14-Apr-1910
Grave Location C/E C 3730
Church of England
Other interments in the same grave location - 3
12-Jul-1922 John HICKS
18-Mar-1930 Eliza WALKER,
07-Oct-1930 James HICKS,
http://www.kewcemetery.com.au/FindGrave.aspx
Judith
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Thanks all,
Judith, thanks for that, I actually have that and news cuttings about his death. I was mainly interested in his lifestyle etc and hoping that you had census details but I understand that there is no census down there.
Tom
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Tom,
Might be something on your Walker and the gold mine.
The Argus Thursday 28th October 1909
Article on the Horseshoe mine Maindample
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/10743637?searchTerm=maindample
The Argus Thursday 7th Sptember 1899
The Golden Horseshoe (McKechnie and Walker) Maindample etc
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9029480?searchTerm=walker+maindample
The Argus 5th October 1898 p 10
bit hard to read but
Mention of the Walker and McKecknie's claim near Royalstown is looking good ....
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9854537?searchTerm=walker+maindample
Gerry
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The Argus 7th September 1899 p5.
The Registration of Horseshoe Gold Mines Maindample with Thomas Walker mentioned.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/10193263
Gerry
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Hi Gerry,
Thanks very much for these, have visiters for the weekend and was just checking my emails, so will have a good look at them when said visiters have gone.
Cheers
Tom
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Tom,
There probably is more articles, I think that the two owned the mine privately then others got involved when it became registered and then had directors.
Seems that the mine was a good gold producer.
Gerry
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Hi Salty, not sure if this discussion is still relevant as I think it was quite a while ago but just to let you know I have done some research on the Maindample /Royaltown gold mines and have visited the area which is near (100Km) me . I have researched and visited the Horse shoe gold mine which was also called the Forbes & Viceroy gold mine over the time it was operating. If you are interested I will try to post a photo of the actual gold mine area.
Bushy
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Hi Bushy,
I thought this had died a death. lol
I actually came down to Oz in 2013 and found the grave of my great uncle, (The man who originally owned it) on the outskirts of Melbourne. I did not have the time to try and find the mine itself.
If you could post pictures of the mine it would be great, if not I will give you my email address and you can mail to me.
Salty