Imagine the excitement of the 19th century gold rushes in Victoria and New South Wales. The shops would have been bursting at the seams with everything required for a stay at the diggings.
Note the clever branding in the clothing advertisement below; a Hargrave’s gold mine top coat. Sure to result in a lucky strike!
Meanwhile Woolley’s in George Street had imported something very special.
Source – The Empire, Nov. 25 1852
The Magic Stove mentioned was invented by Alexis Soyer, who was French. He began by supplying his portable stoves to the British army. Goodness me, he must have made a fortune selling his ‘Lilliputian’ cooking sets to the gold miners of Australia. He boasted that the apparatus could fit into the bottom of a hat…..or in this case a japanned tin box.
Source – Alexis-Soyer.com
There was a slightly larger ‘Magic Kitchen’ for prospectors making overland treks.
Orange, Bathurst’s ‘sister city’ had hopes that their shops would benefit from the discovery of gold too.
ORANGE- Several people came into the township to-day from the diggings, some to sell the fruits of their labour,….It surprises me that more of the diggers do not visit our township for the sale of their metal, for as good a price is given here as at Bathurst; provisions, and all kinds of clothing can be had as cheap, if not cheaper, and the distance from the diggings is scarcely more than one-third. (Sydney Morning Herald, June 9 1951)
Further south, the Argyle Stores in Goulburn could also provide everything a new chum might require, including the shipping to England of any gold found.
SOURCE -GOULBURN HERALD
By 1860 attention in Goulburn had shifted to the Snowy River diggings.
My husband’s family owned the Argyle steam flour mill in Goulburn at the time, so they probably did very well too.
This is definitely my favourite advertisement,.Mr Moore at the Labour Bazaar in Sydney was catering to everyone. Much as I love the romance and adventure of the gold mining days I think I may have purchased that feather bed!
FOR THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN GOLD RUSHES, CLICK HERE.
