I will start off with a short excerpt from a diary kept by Isaac Edward Dyason and now kept at the State Library of Victoria in their manuscripts collection. This dates from Friday 16th 1858 (page 63 in the journal) but hearkens back to the early days on the Victorian diggings (1851/52):
...talking with Hunter over the early days of digging. He opened for
Black, the first store on Bendigo. I wonder he was never stuck up he having been alone in the store & buying gold in quantity, riding down to (East & West Creek alone with 20 ..?)
as much as 70 tbs (troy pounds) gold in his saddle. He & Black took down 132 tbs in a gig – they stopped @ a public @ Kyneton & on going into a room there H carried their gold as well as he could under his cloak but it slipped from under his arm & fell on the sofa, causing a creaking which immediately attracted the attention of some ‘roughs’ of who were drinking there, who left the room & soon returned with several others, & commenced quarelling &c. H & B perceiving their game, former took the gold in shoulder halter walked behind him with revolver to their bedroom – where they passed a rather anxious night – H told me that B had abt £400 when he commenced, was abt 24 yrs age & of a most speculative spirit – for instance with this sum in hand he engaged every bullock dray he could lay his hands on, & goodness knows where he got the goods, then all for Forest Creek. He built ‘Tattersalls’ Theatre Royal &c. I think at the time he was hopelessly insolvent.
He B had a servant named John – while the buildings were in progress – old John went out & bt up all the bricks abt the place – he being so well known (as po sent?) it was taken for granted the bricks were for Black – they were delivered – John dies – the men find Black – “oh! I bt the bricks of John, here are the papers – (you now?) (know me in the matter?), you must sue his estate – This affair may be correct or it may not. Went up to Walter’s borrowed paper – Home read Cassell’s Lessons in English – finished them, do not like them much, do not consider them sufficiently full – Bed 10 –
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Sorry to say but some time later Isaac Edward Dyason's uncle Fred Pearce had this to say about Pemberton Hunter in his correspondence some time around 1862. Fred and Pemberton worked in mining together. See full transcriptions at
1862 February 1 (No date on original letter, but this fits with previous mentions of Pem’s not having money and the upper claim. Certainly relations between Fred and Pem appear to become less open after this date.)
From Uncle Frederick Pearce
Shanks* must take its chance, I don’t see how we are to work at present.
I am sorry to write the following but such is the damning facts, nearly the whole of the upper claim are hard up being obliged to go tick for grub. It’s a damn shame Pem lost £15 one night and what with his w***** and Bagatelle he has squandered away all his tin and I don’t consider he is a proper acquaintance for you, he might drag you in as a sleeping partner in some of his duffing specs. We have to keep up the dignity of the family as their representatives.
(on the other side of the note there is an account)
Showing balance of 3.19.2
Paid Baker 1.0.0
Butcher 1.0.0
Trousers 0.9.0
Leather 0.12.6
Leaving a balance of 17/- to carry on.
Yours affectionately
F Pearce.
*Shanks was the name of a Reef.
I reckon Pemberton sounds like a great ancestor to claim! Let me know if you want any further information. [contact link]
Angus Pearson
...talking with Hunter over the early days of digging. He opened for
Black, the first store on Bendigo. I wonder he was never stuck up he having been alone in the store & buying gold in quantity, riding down to (East & West Creek alone with 20 ..?)
as much as 70 tbs (troy pounds) gold in his saddle. He & Black took down 132 tbs in a gig – they stopped @ a public @ Kyneton & on going into a room there H carried their gold as well as he could under his cloak but it slipped from under his arm & fell on the sofa, causing a creaking which immediately attracted the attention of some ‘roughs’ of who were drinking there, who left the room & soon returned with several others, & commenced quarelling &c. H & B perceiving their game, former took the gold in shoulder halter walked behind him with revolver to their bedroom – where they passed a rather anxious night – H told me that B had abt £400 when he commenced, was abt 24 yrs age & of a most speculative spirit – for instance with this sum in hand he engaged every bullock dray he could lay his hands on, & goodness knows where he got the goods, then all for Forest Creek. He built ‘Tattersalls’ Theatre Royal &c. I think at the time he was hopelessly insolvent.
He B had a servant named John – while the buildings were in progress – old John went out & bt up all the bricks abt the place – he being so well known (as po sent?) it was taken for granted the bricks were for Black – they were delivered – John dies – the men find Black – “oh! I bt the bricks of John, here are the papers – (you now?) (know me in the matter?), you must sue his estate – This affair may be correct or it may not. Went up to Walter’s borrowed paper – Home read Cassell’s Lessons in English – finished them, do not like them much, do not consider them sufficiently full – Bed 10 –
_________________________________________
Sorry to say but some time later Isaac Edward Dyason's uncle Fred Pearce had this to say about Pemberton Hunter in his correspondence some time around 1862. Fred and Pemberton worked in mining together. See full transcriptions at
1862 February 1 (No date on original letter, but this fits with previous mentions of Pem’s not having money and the upper claim. Certainly relations between Fred and Pem appear to become less open after this date.)
From Uncle Frederick Pearce
Shanks* must take its chance, I don’t see how we are to work at present.
I am sorry to write the following but such is the damning facts, nearly the whole of the upper claim are hard up being obliged to go tick for grub. It’s a damn shame Pem lost £15 one night and what with his w***** and Bagatelle he has squandered away all his tin and I don’t consider he is a proper acquaintance for you, he might drag you in as a sleeping partner in some of his duffing specs. We have to keep up the dignity of the family as their representatives.
(on the other side of the note there is an account)
Showing balance of 3.19.2
Paid Baker 1.0.0
Butcher 1.0.0
Trousers 0.9.0
Leather 0.12.6
Leaving a balance of 17/- to carry on.
Yours affectionately
F Pearce.
*Shanks was the name of a Reef.
I reckon Pemberton sounds like a great ancestor to claim! Let me know if you want any further information. [contact link]
Angus Pearson
