Historical information

John Owens (1831-1892) was a Welshman who spent 1853-1863 in Australia, predominantly on the Bendigo goldfields.He was a miner who also initially set up a horse drawn puddling machine, although he sold this in 1857. He gave first hand insight into life on the goldfields through letters he wrote home to his parents. He returned to Wales in 1863 and in 1864 he married his uncles widow, Jane Davis. Jane died in 1872 and John then married Mary Ellen Jackson.

Physical description

Letter from Charles Paterson accompanying donation of two books which contain copies of diary entries of John Owens who spent ten years in the Bendigo region searching for gold. Copies of relevant photographs are used to illustrate the text.
5316.1 Letters from Bendigo
5316.2 Letters from the Bendigo Diggings
Both books spiral bound and contain coloured prints and maps.
Books enclosed in plastic sleeve.

Inscriptions & markings

John Owens