Between the time of their marriage in 1818 and 1846 Samuel Cosstick and Mary Weller had thirteen children. They were living at Croydon, Surrey - then a small town south of London. As their children grew up social conditions in England worsened and news arrived of wonderful new opportunities in the colonies of Autralia. Many … Continue reading The Cossticks 1700-1900
Gold rushes
The Hamiltons 1762-1862 (Third Edition 2022)
James Hamilton was born around 1740. He married twice and had several children including John Hamilton, and Richard Hamilton.John Hamilton went to sea and became involved in the Battle of Camperdown in 1797 then was later in charge of the Dover to Calais ferry, with his regular passengers including British and Belgian Royalty. He was … Continue reading The Hamiltons 1762-1862 (Third Edition 2022)
1849 The Rush That Never Started: Forgotten origins of the 1851 gold rushes in Victoria
Many people have the impression that the Victorian gold rushes not only began in mid-1851, but also occurred in response to discoveries earlier in that year near Bathurst, west of Sydney. Not so! The Victorian gold rushes of 1851 were a direct consequence of a largely forgotten gold discovery two years earlier in the Pyrenees … Continue reading 1849 The Rush That Never Started: Forgotten origins of the 1851 gold rushes in Victoria