Riffle Boards on Barge, c1934. In sluicing, riffles are used to trap heavier gold particles as water washes over them. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2 500 000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17 284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25 000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1 935 900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64 397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. mines, mining, gold, gold mining, barge, riffles, sluicing, men, cocks pioneer, el dorado, eldorado

Diggers & Mining. Getting the Gold. Slide: The heavier sands and the gold were left in ''riffles'' in the sluices, whence they were taken and paned off. Large claims were granted to men engaged in sluicing, and the operations were generally conducted by a party of men on a share-and-share-alike basis. Markings: 63 994.LIF:4. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

This ammunition bag was used by Harry Mitchell (son of Lindsay Mitchell) at the Bendigo Rifle Club in 1959, the bag was designed to hold 303 riffle bullets used in target shooting or could hold 7 cartridges for a shotgun. The Gladstone bag was very popular in the 1940/50 era, it fitted on the handlebars of a bicycle and it was used by footballers and sportsmen. A couple bottles of beer would fit comfortably in the bag and was.used to take beer home after the hotels closed at 6pm. These two articles were donated by Lindsay Mitchell to the Numurkah Historical Society. The Sunbeam Mixmaster belonged by Marjory Welch, Nana of Margaret Mitchell and would have been used in late 1930 and during 1940's. It was painted and used by Linda Mitchell, (great great grand daughter) when at universitv in 1987 White Sunbeam Mixmaster was purchased by Margaret Mitchell 1965. lt was her first mixmaster after she was married in 1964 The bread bins. The green and white belonged to Mary Mitchell (Lindsay Mitchell's Mother) The colourful bread bin belonged to Lorna Welch (Margaret Mitchell's Mother) 1 x Ammunition bag, (1950's), 1 x Gladstone bag (1950's), 2 x tin bread bins, 1 x White Coloured Sunbeam Mixmaster (1965) , 1 x Cream-coloured Sunbeam Mixmaster (1940's), 1 x Red Fly-spray can (1950's)mitchell family, gladstone bag, mixmaster, school bag, bread bin, kitchen, ammunition bag, sunbeam, flysprayer

Former SMB mining student Alfred Johnston was the son of Charles Johnston of Cork, Ireland, and Elizabeth Jameson, the family owning a large furniture store in Fitzroy. Alfred joined the Fifth Victorian (Mounted Riffles) contingent at the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn. The October 1901 Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Students Magazine reported 'Alf. Johnston's gone. The news came as a shock to all of us at the school. He who was with us a few short months ago, in all strength of sturdy manhood, has met a soldier's death in South Africa, and we sincerely mourn his loss…. His heart was in the school, and he did his best to further its interests … His last act on leaving Australian shores was to send a telegram from Albany to Prof. Mica Smith, to whom he was warmly attached, wishing the School and all connected with it "Good-bye". In his short, all to short, life of 29 years, he had more adventure than falls the lot of most men, and possibly the spirit of adventure, and also, of duty, prompted him to throw in his lot with the "colors," and leave for the front. The news of his death comes to us with added weight of sadness when we remember that he was one of the organisers of the School entertainment last year to help swell the fund for the erection of a statue to fallen Victorian soldiers.' The SMB Annual Report of 1901 recognised the loss of one of their students: 'Mr Johnston was, until the date of his leaving for active military service in South Africa, one of our students. While here besides being regarded as a general favourite for his urbanity and manliness, he was noted as a faithful, diligent, and most successful student. The news of Lieutenant Johnston's death cast quite a gloom over the school and it was early decided that in addition to a letter of condolence sent to his parents a bronze tablet, suitably inscribed, be erected to his memory in some prominent part of the school. On the 4th November last the ceremony of unveiling the memorial tablet was performed by Professor A. Mica Smith in the presence of several members of the late Lieutenant A.G. Johnston's family, the President and Members of Council, the Staff and Students of the School, and a number of prominent citizens.Brass shield used to commemorate the death of former Ballarat School of Mines graduate Alfred G. Johnston who died during the Boer War. In memory of Alfred G. Johnston Lieut. Fifth Regt V.M.R., and student of this school who fell at Rhenoster Kop, South Africa May 7th 1901 aged 29 years. An esteemed student and a gallant soldier.boer war, victorian mounted rifles, alfred johnston, memorial, rhenoster kop, south africa, south african war

Former Ballarat School of Mines mining student Alfred Johnston was the son of Charles Johnston of Cork, Ireland, and Elizabeth Jameson, the family owning a large furniture store in Fitzroy. Alfred joined the Fifth Victorian (Mounted Riffles) contingent at the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn. The October 1901 Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Students Magazine reported 'Alf. Johnston's gone. The news came as a shock to all of us at the school. He who was with us a few short months ago, in all strength of sturdy manhood, has met a soldier's death in South Africa, and we sincerely mourn his loss…. His heart was in the school, and he did his best to further its interests … His last act on leaving Australian shores was to send a telegram from Albany to Prof. Mica Smith, to whom he was warmly attached, wishing the School and all connected with it "Good-bye". In his short, all to short, life of 29 years, he had more adventure than falls the lot of most men, and possibly the spirit of adventure, and also, of duty, prompted him to throw in his lot with the "colors," and leave for the front. The news of his death comes to us with added weight of sadness when we remember that he was one of the organisers of the School entertainment last year to help swell the fund for the erection of a statue to fallen Victorian soldiers.' The SMB Annual Report of 1901 recognised the loss of one of their students: 'Mr Johnston was, until the date of his leaving for active military service in South Africa, one of our students. While here besides being regarded as a general favourite for his urbanity and manliness, he was noted as a faithful, diligent, and most successful student. The news of Lieutenant Johnston's death cast quite a gloom over the school and it was early decided that in addition to a letter of condolence sent to his parents a bronze tablet, suitably inscribed, be erected to his memory in some prominent part of the school. On the 4th November last the ceremony of unveiling the memorial tablet was performed by Professor A. Mica Smith in the presence of several members of the late Lieutenant A.G. Johnston's family, the President and Members of Council, the Staff and Students of the School, and a number of prominent citizens. Lieut. Alfred Johnston was killed on 7 May 1901 at Rhenosterkop, Middleburg district, Transvaal. When the news reached Ballarat the students wrote 'Alfred Gresham Johnston has passed away, and his passing has left many a sorrowing heart amongst his troop of friends everywhere. Outside of his home circle, none will miss him more than his old friends - Professors and students alike - of the Ballarat School of Mines. Farewell, Alf., a long farewell.' Alfred Johnston is buried in an unlocated grave. His SMB friends decided to erect a tablet at the school to the late Lieutenant Johnston. An appeals for donations was made, the SMB students magazine reporting that it had 'met with a handsome response from past and present students.' The SMB Council augmented the fund, and the memorial was dedicated with great reverence. (See http://guerin.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/collections/art_history/honour-roll/honourroll_Johnston,%20Alfred.shtml) Black and white image of a Boer War Memorial to Alfred G Johnston. The memorial includes a marble and brass plaque, flag and flower. boer war, alfred johnston, ballarat school of mines and industries, rhenoster kop, transvaal