Historical information

Charles Fahey taught history at La Trobe University until his retirement in 2018. He has written on the history of Victorian gold mining, Victorian agriculture and working in Melbourne.

This document provides a detailed overview of Edward Isaac Dyason's life, based on his personal diary kept from 1858 to 1915. Dyason was born in Kent and emigrated to Australia in 1851.He settled in Bendigo and lived there for most of his life.

Worked as a book-keeper and agent for George Lansell, a prominent figure in Bendigo's gold mining industry.Actively speculated in mining and served as a director for several mining companies, participating in major decisions regarding Bendigo's quartz mines. His diaries provide valuable insights into the business practices and dealings of the gold mining era.

He Married Harriet Mason in 1880 after a long and uncertain engagement, largely due to financial concerns. He Became devoted to his wife and their four children after marriage.

The diary offers rich details about middle-class family life in late nineteenth-century Bendigo.

The Dyason family lived in Fortuna, George Lansell's mansion, until late 1887, after which they moved to a new home. Dyason meticulously recorded daily events, family interactions, and transitions, such as their move from Fortuna. The diary is a significant historical source, capturing both the business environment of Bendigo's gold mining industry and the nuances of family and social life during that period.

The document highlights Dyason's dual roles as a business figure and family man,

Physical description

Fortuna - The Dyason Diary - extract from a book by Charles Fahey

This item contains the following:

11217.54a Pages 49 to 61 of his book - Contact BHS for details

Publication type

non-fiction