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An extensive literature search of Primary and Secondary sources, relating to mining in the Shoalhaven, was begun by us in early 1995. This early stage of research began with an eighteen month long survey of local newspapers, held on microfilm at the Local History Room in the Nowra Library, covering the years from 1867 to the mid 1970’s. This was later extended to include the Illawarra Mercury, The Australian Town & Country Journal, The Australian Mining Standard and selected issues of various other newspapers as more cross references came to light. The articles, (usually written by unnamed correspondents), letters to the editor, advertisements as well as Civil, Criminal & Warden’s Court cases produced an extremely comprehensive ‘picture’ of most of the areas whilst enhancing the ‘drier’ official reports.
It is important to stress the value of the information gleaned from the early editions of the various newspapers, though the element of subjectivity must be allowed for as each correspondent was intent on promoting the interests of their own district, as they often reported on prospecting trips and the working of claims for which there are no surviving official records; it was only when a Lease was applied for that information was entered in the Registers and recorded in numerous ways. The newspapers also provided information on individual miners, families and social aspects of these areas. The diaries of the Thomson family, T.T. Biddulph and ‘Tot’ Thorburn (sister of Robert Taylor Thorburn) also provided some personal insights into Yalwal and Grassy Gully.
Primary records were also extensively searched with information being extracted from:
- NSW Government Gazettes; held at the DLAWC, Nowra Office. My thanks to Wes MacPherson for making these available.
- NSW Department of Mineral Resources; Annual Reports, Mines Records, Geological Surveys, Lease Plans, etc.
- Count of St. Vincent Parish Maps; various editions and now available online.
- Topographic Maps; Military Dyeline 1” to the mile, 2” to the mile and 1:25000.
- State Records of NSW; records relating to the Department of Mines, Company Records, Bankruptcy Files, School Files, School of Arts Files, etc.
- National Archives of Australia; Post Office files and Patents files.
- Shoalhaven City Council; Pre Amalgamation Rates Books and Bridge Books.
- Nowra Courthouse; Liqour License Registers. My thanks to Brian McKeogh for access to these.
- Land Titles Office; Land Deeds, Title Maps, Town Maps.
- Nowra Education Resource Centre; Thomson Family documents.
- Shoalhaven Historical Society; various documents and photographs.
- Census Records & Electoral Rolls.
- Photographs; various sources.
- Cemeteries; MI’s
Secondary sources were also widely consulted:
- Pulished & Unpublished Books, Histories, Reports, Theses, etc.
- Published & Unpublished Genealogical Research provided by the descendants of the miners and their families.
- Taped Oral History Interviews with workers, descendants, etc.
- Anecdotal information provided by word of mouth.
To make any sense of the immense amount of information collated it was essential to undertake extensive field research to identify varios mines, interpret information in reports and identify locations which used unfamiliar nomenclature. It is also important to get a ‘feel’ for each area that we we were researching. Field trips entailed, on average, one excursion per week which was used to undertake small scale mapping, GPS recording, verification of locations cited in literature, and photographic documentaion with both still and video cameras, etc.
It has been noted by Dyster, The Australian Historical Studies, Vol. 24, Nos. 94-97, April 1990-October 1991, that it is important to explore relationships on a spatial level and reinstate families to their rightful and influential place in local history, which I firmly believe applies to Mining History. Analysing such things as mail movements, improvements in raods, transportation, etc., allow us to build arguments concerning the shift in societal pattern and organisation which resulted which resulted from the greater mobility of people, and in consequence of this, ideas, attitudes, markets, etc., which are of fundamental importance and particularly emphasised in mining areas with their inherently mobile populations.
According to Pythian-Adams, Societies, Cultures and Kinship, 1580-1850: Cultural Provinces and English Local History, any history on a local level has five ‘interacting planes of references’ :
- Family
- Local Community
- Local Society
- Cultural Province
- National
He argues that we should be working upwards from where people lived and worked, where the need for change accumulates to the point of instigating social change. But first we need to Describe and then Explain. My interpretation of this is by seeking to define each of these ‘planes’ before we can make any explanation, or interpretation, of the complex interaction between them.
The community should be documented, described and interpreted in terms, not only of the mines, but of the relationships and networks that existed and subsequently developed between families in terms of ethnicity, marriage, commerce, etc. Most local society is defined in terms of lineage and ‘the grid of inheritance’ (Pythian-Adams), with a power and class hierarchy which interacted with other local societies to make up a cultural province, which in turn interacted with each on a National level.
Each of these ‘planes’ is dynamic, particularly up to and including local society and it must be remembered there was vertical interaction as well. It is the task of the writer of good history to define these ‘planes’, over a period of time, and how they interacted to produce what we call history. This is no easy task.
Good history is carefully researched, documented, argued and substantiated, but also possesses literary style and looks beyond the boundaries of family and town to deal with the complexities of human, social and institutional interaction.
Quite often we are presented with studies and histories which give a chronology of events and names as if they existed in social and economic isolation to the communities around them which does an injustice to the individuals who were our ancestors, people with aspirations, frustrations and concerns like you and me. With this approach the mines are merely a series of holes in the ground with, often, grandiose names which may, or may not have a meaning or familial relevance to the wider community.
Through the writing of good history it is hoped to increase the appreciation and understanding of these areas whilst fostering a sense of community relevance and ownership.
The complete history of each area is available in our subscription area.
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