Goldrush to the Thames-Volume 2

Until now, little was known about who the miners were that came to the Thames during the early days of the gold rush in 1867. Still less was known about how they went about finding gold high in the ranges behind the Thames township. They flocked in, from all parts of New Zealand and the wider world beyond. Before long, there were thousands of hard-working diggers frantically excavating a vast network of underground tunnels, seeking those elusive quartz leaders and reefs that contained...
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Until now, little was known about who the miners were that came to the Thames during the early days of the gold rush in 1867. Still less was known about how they went about finding gold high in the ranges behind the Thames township. They flocked in, from all parts of New Zealand and the wider world beyond. Before long, there were thousands of hard-working diggers frantically excavating a vast network of underground tunnels, seeking those elusive quartz leaders and reefs that contained the gold. Some struck gold bonanzas and were set for life, others burrowed for months in barren earth and spent all their savings just trying to keep themselves from starvation. There are many maps, diagrams, photos, appendices, glossaries and indexes. This original edition is now considered a reference book for the genealogist or serious student of the early Thames Goldrush history. It is designed to link with the online database of Miner's Rights and claims in the Goldrush Online website at www.KaeLewis.com. The book describes the individual workings on the claims and the methods used to find and retrieve the gold. It goes a long way towards answering the questions: Who were the diggers? Where were their claims? How did they find the gold? Did they find any?It is largely based on contemporary reports and stories from people who were on the goldfields. Some sources are archived letters and diaries while much of it comes from contemporary newspaper articles. The language in newspapers of that era is difficult for modern readers to wade through but skilful editing, interspersed with explanations, makes this book quite readable and fascinating while it documents the life of the miners at Thames during the goldrush era of 1867-69. Numerous photographs add colour and detail.