Z for Zeehan

Miss W. Wyatt , , , ,

Zeehan is a mining town on the west coast of Tasmania. The two main indigenous groups were Peerapper and Tommeginne and they lived mainly on the coastal areas.

Abel Tasman explored the west coast of Tasmania and in 1798/1799, George Bass and Matthew Flinders circumnavigated the state and named two of the mountains after Tasman’s ships – Zeehan and Heemskirk.

Tin was found at Mt Bischoff in 1871 then silver and lead in 1882 near Zeehan. Prior to World War One there were 159 companies operating and the town’s stock exchange had 60 members. There were also 20 hotels in the main street of Zeehan ready for the weary miners.

At one stage, Zeehan was the third largest town in Tasmania after Hobart and Launceston. It was also known as Silver City. The Gaiety Theatre could hold 1000 people. The population began declining after World War One and by 1921 there were no working mines in the town.

The population around 1910 was 10,000 and in 2011 the census records 728 people in Zeehan.

Many men who lived on the west coast would mine in various towns throughout their life. Many Zeehanites worked at Mt Lyell in Queenstown/Gormanston during the disaster in 1912.

A committee to form the Zeehan School of Mines and Metallurgy was begun in January 1892. The building was completed in 1903 and is now known as the West Coast Heritage Centre.

Zeehan School of Mines 20171121-053

How does this town come into my family history?

Whenever our family went on holidays to the west coast, we would spend time at the West Coast Pioneer Museum as the Heritage Centre was known back in the 1960’s 1970’s. We loved checking out the different minerals on display but also going outside to look at the mining setup.

Dad loved bushwalking in the area, especially following old train and tram lines which were used to get the minerals and timber to their destinations. One of the first mountains I climbed was Mt Bischoff.

In recent years I have visited the museum to find out more about the mining disasters in the area particularly the Mt Lyell disaster in 1912.

Y for Yorkshire

Miss W. Dixon, England, Pickering, Watkins , , , ,

Yorkshire was originally a county on its own. By 1660 it was divided into ridings – East, West and North. The city of York was its own county. A white rose is the floral emblem of Yorkshire as it was used by the Plantagenets. The county is sometimes known as God’s own country.

Yorkshire area has been ruled over by many different tribes:

  • Early Celtic Brigantes and Parisi
  • Romans and Angles
  • Danish Vikings
  • Wessex Kings of England
  • Normans then raided by the Scots

Some of the industries thriving in Yorkshire included the wool manufacturing, coal mining, textiles and steel making. During the second world war, the RAF bomber command was based in Yorkshire as were industries helping the war effort. This led the Luftwaffe to bomb the area often.

The boundaries of Yorkshire are the River Tees to the north, the Humber Estuary to the south, the North Sea coast on the east and the Pennine Hills to the west.

Places to visit in Yorkshire include Whitby Beach, The Shambles in York, Ilkley Moor, Bronte Country near Haworth and Scarborough spa town.

Many books and TV shows have been produced in Yorkshire including Downton Abbey, All Creatures Great and Small, Last of the Summer Wine and Emmerdale.

Five Snickelways (small streets and footpaths) lead off the Shambles in York

 

Yorkshire and my family history

John England, my 2nd great grandfather, was born in Rotherham in 1827. He was convicted of rape and transported to Van Diemen’s Land.

Isabella Watkins(on), my 3rd great grandmother was born in Kingston-upon-Hull around 1823. She was convicted in Surrey and sentenced for seven years transportation.

David Dixon, my 3rd great grandfather, was born around 1814 at Hessle (near Hull) and his future wife Mayday (Mary) Pickering was born around the same time but at Duggleby near Malton. This married couple arrived as free settlers to Van Diemen’s Land.

X for Xtra unusual place name

Miss W. General info, Wyatt , ,

Here in Tasmania we have lots of unusual place names. Some are:

  • Bust-me-gall Hill
  • Break-me-neck Hill
  • Swearing Bobs Plains
  • Black Charlies Opening
  • Mother Browns Bottom
  • Gelignite Creek
  • Doo Town

My dad, Bob, was on the Nomenclature Board so knew lots of unusual named places like those above.

He would always run Hobart Walking Club trips to these places especially those with Bob in the title. My brother and I would always check out the names of mountains, hills, creeks and rivers whenever we were in the car with our parents.

Up in the northern part of Tasmania, there are some towns and other landmarks relating to the bible.

  • Promised Land
  • Devil’s Gate Dam
  • Walls of Jerusalem National Park
  • Lower Beulah

But my favourite unusual place name in Tasmania is Nowhere Else. This is a locality about 8km west of Sheffield, the town of the murals. On one of our holidays as kids, I invited one of my school friends Robin to come with us. Dad photographed my brother, Robin and myself at the signpost to Nowhere Else.