New Zealand Gold Fossicking Forums

Hi folks

Something to while away your time, have a look at Google Books, there are over 77,000 hits just on gold panning. Some books will only give a few pages for you to read but others will give you scores. Any subject like metal detecting, treasure hunting etc will give you quite a bit of information. Who needs to do work around the yard cos ya can't go fossicking, read about gold instead.

Dave

Prospecting for gold, by W. F. Heinz is a good book if you're starting out fossicking. Keep an eye out for one on trademe.
;)

Just picked up the two Tony Nolan books from the library for some bedtime reading - cheers for the recommendations :)

If you can get access to a copy ... it's a MUST read !!

Some of the tricks & tips picked up by reading his short stories make it worthwhile, let alone the photos, of which there are 100's.

As for making your toes curl ... if only ... most of those photos make my eyes pop out in disbelief !!

I was constantly blown away for the amount of gold he was getting ... simply amazing !!

I love the picture near the end with the oversized desert plate full of gold & him pretending to eat it like cereal ... must be 20 - 30kg of gold in it !!

Hi all

where abouts could i get a copy of hammys gold looks like a great book cant get it in ashburton unless i havent tried enough .

Let us known thanks.

stu

I'll be in Arrowtown in a couple of weeks if you would like me to get you a copy.

The above books are all very helpful indeed with great hints for those who wish to seek gold.
A major header for this forum could be for the discussion of books as it is from books that we learn of the goldfields today and yesterday.

Ironically enough 99% of modern books are not good for learning of goldfields life in relationship to the Otago Goldfields as the modern photos show trees, beautifully manicured gardens and give a totally false impression of what it was really like. ALL modern books are 'Politically correct' and sanitise the information they give, selective information.

The only book that dwells on some of the realities is 'Diggers, Hatters and Whores' and it goes overboard in the opposite direction. It almost leaves us thinking that if great great grandmother lived on the goldfields then she was a woman of ill repute, If she married a Chinese miner then she was not good enough for a European one and the Chinese indulged in some dubious practices - none of which was true as a generalisation.

Todays books never mention goldfields violence to any extent though the Maungatapu murders do get mentioned - how many of you with a good grasp of goldfields knowledge gleaned from modern books know of the gunfight at Gabriels Gully, the shopkeeper from Switzetrs I think it was getting shot from his horse by an assailant, the champion runner at Arrowtown who 'lost' the race because someone showed him a revolver and said that if he won then it was goodnight nurse and so on. The carrying of pistols on the goldfields was common and they were often mentioned in early accounts but as the years passed the books slowly wrote them and their use out of history.

My own Great great grandfather left the Australian goldfields and replaced his pistol in Melbourne, buying an Adams 54bore (.44) revolver in oak case from Whitfields to carry on the New Zealand goldfields.

One of the most interesting points of fact is that by looking at a persons pistol you could virtually always tell his past - his place of origin or where he had come from, possibly his past employment and his class or position in society...if there had been a thread on such topics I would have explained all the above but there is no thread and this facet of goldfields life probably appeals to few.

There are photos in existence of all Otagos goldfields, even Gabriel's Gully so it might be said that the goldfields of NZ didnt really occur until after the advent of photography. The early photographs of all of Central otago towns, the Dunstan, Arrowtown, Naseby, Cromwell show towns very much reminiscent of the towns of the American West, not a tree in sight, boardwalks, false fronted stores and so on.

That brings up the need not only for a thread to discuss books but also one to discuss and display Goldfield history and photographs with a thread devoted to each Goldfield - Central Otago, West Coast, Coromandel, Nelson/Marlborough and Southland - just a thought.

I am unsure whether I have or have not read it as I do remember reading a book written by a depression miner years ago.

There are a huge number of books on gold mining, whether historical, anecdotal or technical - they are all there.

Today the range of books is even greater as people turn to writing to supplement their incomes or whether they are full time writers - the number of books is forever increasing.'

Some of the older ones though are as good to read as any modern one and many of the older ones are not held back by the inhibitions of Political Correctness that sanitises accounts today and leaves history censored and therefore only a partial truth - the truth that modern society wishes to read or is expected to read.

I know that the account of Depression mining I read was about the Clutha and a great yarn as he told it as it was and the reader got a feeling for the hardship and tribulations he and his family had to face...it was great reading and whether it was the book you have introduced us to or not I cannot recall - a pity.

I have seen Nolans books but dont touch them as I see them merely as being handy books for beginners but at the same time they do have some great hinters and helpful suggestions so they are indeed worthwhile having and especially if you are a new comer to the game.

For many of the Depression miners it was indeed 'Poor mans gold' and I well remember the bottle half full of gold that say behing a photograph propped on the mantlepiece in my great grandmothers home - it was the result of one of my Great Uncles summer as 'gold miner' at Beaumont during the Depression - I dont think the fact that he only had half a bottle of gold had anything to do with the lack of gold - I think it was more the fact that the Government paid them their relief money...and the pub was just down the road.
To anyone who wishes to know where it was that great Uncle and his Depression mates mined then I suggest you go to Beaumont and follow the trail of long defunct beer bottles...from the pub to where ever they go...as I also remember him relating that he worked at Deep stream during the depression as well and "The road from Clarkes Hotel to the relief workers camp in Deep Stream was easily marked by the trail of empty bottle"