| I REMEMBER A STORY OF A MINING TOWNSHIP CALLED THE PINNACLES. BY(MRS) HOLLY CRAIG AND READ AT THE SOCIETY MEETING IN 1980 The Pinnacles, situated about 11 miles from Broken Hill, N.S.W. , was once a busy mining township. I REMEMBER my great uncle, Fred. Leary – Smith, had a hotel at Silverton in the early days before going to the Pinnacles to open a hotel called the “Victoria Hotel” . When he died, his son, my uncle John Leary – Smith took over the running of the hotel. I REMEMBER when my uncle had to bring large sums of money from Broken Hill every fortnight to be able to change the mine – workers cheques. He had to have a police escort, on horseback, to go back with him to the Pinnacles. If my uncle was late getting home my aunt was worried, especially the day he was bringing the money back. My aunt and some of the boys and myself used to go right up along the road and put our ears to the ground to hear if we could hear the wheels of the buggy in the distance. None of my uncle’s sons went into the hotel business; they were all musicians, 5 of them. I REMEMBER when drags loads of cricketers from Broken Hill used to go out to the Pinnacles some Sundays to play the mine – workers. That was a great day for the local people. I REMEMBER going to school when i was young and having a holiday at the Pinnacles. The first schoolmaster was a Mr. Hawke and the second one a Mr. Hewson. My Father, Charles Bengson, was the carpenter at the Pinnacles mine over 90 years ago. He met my mother while she was having a holiday with her sister, my aunt, at the hotel and later they married. I was born in Broken Hill nearly 84 years ago. I had 2 older sisters and a young brother, Charles. When the Pinnacles mine closed down, a syndicate of 4 men took it over and put all their savings into it. They were Tom and Harold Sampson (brothers), Horrie Graham and Roy Guppy. Some time later they sold it to the Junction or Junction North Mine in Broken Hill. I REMEMBER when a young preacher used to go out to the Pinnacles on Sundays to preach in the Methodist Church. His name was Norman Makin.Later in life he was a member of Parliament and early in 1980, was given the highest Australian Award for his services to the community. He use to come into Wertheim’s Piano Shop in Argent Street and have a chat to me and sometimes bring in a note or parcel from my aunt. I was pianist and bookkeeper at Wertheim’s at the time. I REMEMBER when the mail – van used to go out every week with mail and bread etc. , and a fruit and vegetable van owned by Tom and Dodger Price went out every week, also a drapery van owned by a Mr. Shaddock went out every month. How we used to love looking into that van, with so many things inside. I REMEMBER when the Afghans with their camels used to camp on a hill at the back of the hotel. They used to take back wool from the Station and articles from the mine on the camel’s backs to Broken Hill, also anything people wanted them to take back. My cousin Myrtle and I and other kids tried to have a ride on the camels but when they got up off the ground we would fall off. It was great fun, though. The Pinnacles was a busy little township in those days. A hotel, boarding house, 2 churches and a school, a large general store, butcher and post office owned by Mr. John Vivian Lord and his family, who also had a station by the South Pinnacle. I think a Granson of his has a Station at Thackaringa, a few miles from the Pinnacles and Broken Hill. There are three Pinnacles, North, Middle and South Pinnacles. My cousin and I and a friend climbed up the South Pinnacle. It wasn’t easy as it looked and it took us quite a while to climb to the top, but eventually we got there. I REMEMBER when the people used to get their water from soakages in the creek and cart it back in tanks. I REMEMBER The beautiful carpet of Sturt Peas on the way up to “hungry Hill” by the Middle Pinnacle. We had to walk over them. There was also a hill on the way to Broken Hill called “Dead Man Hill”. I REMEMBER a policeman, Constable Smith and family, also lived at the Pinnacles. The policeman used to go on horseback to the outlying country places such as Cockburn and other small places, at different times. I REMEMBER So much, I could go on and on. I REMEMBER a little mine my uncle had, the “Lady Bevas” . I don’t think he ever did any good with it, though. There was also a little mine called the “Day Dream”. CONTINUE |
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