Introduction:
During the Australian Gold Rush there were not many women on the mines. Most woman stayed in England to look after the family or came to Australia but stayed at home. Families weren't common in the gold fields as most of them stayed behind. In 1854 there were three men for everyone woman on the gold fields. Most women set up shops, cleaned the houses and taught or looked after the children.
A Day in the Life for a Women on the Goldfields:
A typical day for a woman in Ballarat in the 1850s gold rush days, would be to rise at or before dawn and re-stoke the fire, using bellows to coax embers back to life. Dough that had been set to rise the night before would be kneaded again, then baked in the oven (if there was one in the house they where living). Water would be set to boil and tea mashed. Breakfast was often rolled oats porridge. Once everyone was up, the sleeping rolls would be stored away and the chamber pot (guzzunder) emptied. The cow had to be milked, cream separated and butter churned.
Depending on the day, the routine would then be to do the weekly wash, the ironing, grinding of grain, working in the veggie patch and so on till dark. In-between preparing the pot luck stew, the women would do mending, darning, knitting, sewing, or crochet or spin. In the evenings, the family might have one literate member read to the others, often out of the bible. Sing-a-longs were popular entertainment and musical instruments were treasured. |
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Famous Women In The Goldfields:
Anastasia Withers:
Anastasia was born in Bristol and was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Splain. She married Samuel Edward Withers in London in 1841. When their first child, a girl, was only fifteen months old, they sold their Manchester shop and embarked for Victoria, arriving at Melbourne in 1851. A son, Samuel Edward junior, was born that year. The family then traveled to the newly-discovered Sandhurst (Bendigo) gold diggings. Anastasia is said to have been the first woman on the fields.
They were at Ballarat during the 1853-54 rush which culminated in the great diggers’ uprising. With the help of Anne Duke, another miner’s wife, and possibly Anastasia Hayes, wife of Peter Lalor’s mining mate Timothy Hayes, Anastasia Withers sewed the Southern Cross flag which flew over the Eureka Stockade throughout the famous battle. The authorities then started looking for Anastasia because she helped with the eureka flag. Her and her family then fled to Ararat and then to Moyston. Anastasia Withers died in 1889, aged sixty-four, predeceased by Samuel in 1883, who died at the same age. Both are buried at Moyston.
Anastasia was born in Bristol and was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Splain. She married Samuel Edward Withers in London in 1841. When their first child, a girl, was only fifteen months old, they sold their Manchester shop and embarked for Victoria, arriving at Melbourne in 1851. A son, Samuel Edward junior, was born that year. The family then traveled to the newly-discovered Sandhurst (Bendigo) gold diggings. Anastasia is said to have been the first woman on the fields.
They were at Ballarat during the 1853-54 rush which culminated in the great diggers’ uprising. With the help of Anne Duke, another miner’s wife, and possibly Anastasia Hayes, wife of Peter Lalor’s mining mate Timothy Hayes, Anastasia Withers sewed the Southern Cross flag which flew over the Eureka Stockade throughout the famous battle. The authorities then started looking for Anastasia because she helped with the eureka flag. Her and her family then fled to Ararat and then to Moyston. Anastasia Withers died in 1889, aged sixty-four, predeceased by Samuel in 1883, who died at the same age. Both are buried at Moyston.
Anastasia Hayes:
Anastasia Hayes was born in Ireland and survived the Irish potato famine from 1846-1851. She married and began a family before she and her husband decided to move to Victoria to search for gold. On the fifth of October, 1852 when Anastasia was 34 years old she and her family arrived in Melbourne. She had five children and husband her husbands name was Timothy. Timothy, Peter Lalor and Duncan Gilles formed a mining partnership on the Ballarat goldfields where Anastasia gave birth to her sixth child, Ellen, in the family home – a tent.
At St Alipius Diggings School at Sovereign Hill Anastasia took on a job teaching at a nearby Catholic school to make ends meet. She was known as a firebrand on the goldfields, and was always complaining about how the miners were treated by the authorities. In 1854, she encouraged her husband Timothy to take a leading role with those in Ballarat who were expressing their dissatisfaction with conditions on the goldfields. Timothy Hayes became chairman of the Ballarat Reform League and, on Wednesday 29 November, at Bakery Hill, he chaired the 'monster meeting' which set the scene for the Eureka Rebellion. After the rebellion was crushed, Anastasia was at the forefront of the resistance. She was involved in the operation when Peter Lalor's arm was removed to save his life. Anastasia Hayes continued to work as a school teacher, living in Ballarat until she died on 6 April 1892 in her King Street home, just days after her 74th birthday.
Anastasia Hayes was born in Ireland and survived the Irish potato famine from 1846-1851. She married and began a family before she and her husband decided to move to Victoria to search for gold. On the fifth of October, 1852 when Anastasia was 34 years old she and her family arrived in Melbourne. She had five children and husband her husbands name was Timothy. Timothy, Peter Lalor and Duncan Gilles formed a mining partnership on the Ballarat goldfields where Anastasia gave birth to her sixth child, Ellen, in the family home – a tent.
At St Alipius Diggings School at Sovereign Hill Anastasia took on a job teaching at a nearby Catholic school to make ends meet. She was known as a firebrand on the goldfields, and was always complaining about how the miners were treated by the authorities. In 1854, she encouraged her husband Timothy to take a leading role with those in Ballarat who were expressing their dissatisfaction with conditions on the goldfields. Timothy Hayes became chairman of the Ballarat Reform League and, on Wednesday 29 November, at Bakery Hill, he chaired the 'monster meeting' which set the scene for the Eureka Rebellion. After the rebellion was crushed, Anastasia was at the forefront of the resistance. She was involved in the operation when Peter Lalor's arm was removed to save his life. Anastasia Hayes continued to work as a school teacher, living in Ballarat until she died on 6 April 1892 in her King Street home, just days after her 74th birthday.
By Charlotte Adams, 9 Gold.
Bibliography:
• Daao.org.au, (2015). Anastasia Withers :: biography at :: at Design and Art Australia Online. [internet] Available at: http://www.daao.org.au/bio/anastasia-withers/biography/
• Eurekapedia.org, (2015). Anastasia Hayes - eurekapedia. [internet] Available at: http://eurekapedia.org/Anastasia_Hayes
• Goldrushcolony.com.au, (2015). Women Life On The Goldfields | Australian Gold, History & Culture Info/Living Conditions On The Australian Gold Fields - Historic Gold Rush Village Mogo South Coast NSW Australia. [internet] Available at: http://www.goldrushcolony.com.au/australian-gold-history-culture-info/living-conditions-australian-gold-fields/womans-day-gold-fields
• Guile, M and Macintosh, C. (2011). Gold in Australia Famous People. Heinemann Library, Port Melbourne.
• Eurekapedia.org, (2015). Anastasia Hayes - eurekapedia. [internet] Available at: http://eurekapedia.org/Anastasia_Hayes
• Goldrushcolony.com.au, (2015). Women Life On The Goldfields | Australian Gold, History & Culture Info/Living Conditions On The Australian Gold Fields - Historic Gold Rush Village Mogo South Coast NSW Australia. [internet] Available at: http://www.goldrushcolony.com.au/australian-gold-history-culture-info/living-conditions-australian-gold-fields/womans-day-gold-fields
• Guile, M and Macintosh, C. (2011). Gold in Australia Famous People. Heinemann Library, Port Melbourne.