MINER - JIMMY BRENNAN

"Old Jimmy Brennan" came to Gulong in 1873. He was a gold miner at Red Hill. He lived on Robinson Street Gulgong in 1901 and may have been a gold buyer in Herbert Street. 

James Brennan was born in Ireland. His father was William Brennan (a labourer) and his mother was Mary Duggan/Duigan. James never married.

He died on the 18th of March, 1904. Cause of death was senile decay. He was attended by Dr McCreadie on the 17th, the day before his death. The death was notified by Matron Gilroy. James was buried on the 19th March. The undertaker was Solomon Campton. The Minister was Rev Martin Long. Witnesses were James Carroll and D McCanley.

James Brennan in the New South Wales, Australia, Land Records, 1811-1870
Name: James Brennan
Residence Date: 1861
Residence Place: Bligh, New South Wales, Australia
Purchase Date: 1861
Purchase Place: New South Wales, Australia
Description: Index to Registers of Land Purchases
Series: 13844
Box Number: 8
Roll number: 1725
29 Acres, Bligh, No. of Deed 2106
42 Acres, Bligh, No. of Deed 2105

1873 - GULGONG December 10. - ALLUVIAL MINING.

If the Perseverance Lead should be traced back into the Caledonian, as there is every prospect at present, it will be a good thing for the miners. Messrs. Warr and party, who have been working for some time upon blocks off the Caledonian, bottomed at. 104 feet last week. They know that there is a high bar between them and the Caledonian, and they, therefore, think that they are now on the easterly swing of the Perseverance. They obtained several prospect, as much as a quarter of a pennyweight to the dish, and having a foot of wash dirt, this is considered a very good claim. It is opposite No. 9 Caledonian Lead, and it is confidently believed that the Perseverance will be traced into this ground. The miners hold this opinion because the wash dirt is similar to that on the Perseverance, and not at all like that on the Caledonian. On the other end of the lead, near the private ground of Mr. Rouse, Messrs. Brennan and party bottomed and obtained a prospect of half a penny weight to the dish. It is the general opinion of the miners that there is no regularly defined lead of gold in that quarter, therefore, any party sinking a shaft in any part of the particular locality are likely to drop upon gold. Parties in No. 2 Caledonian have had a washing, with a remit of half an ounce to the load, and No. 8, Happy Valley, is payable. The principal attraction at present is down the Black Lead. There is a belief gaining ground that this lead will prove, like some of the leads on the lower diggings in Victoria, very rich as it approaches Reedy Creek.

Reefing.

I have but little to say about reefing. There are twenty reefing claims being worked, but they are not of the bogus kind usually put upon the Sydney market. They are owned and worked by practical miners, who intend to make their fortunes from them. This, your readers will perceive, is altogether a different system from that pursued in many places. The money robbed from the innocent Sydney public has served to keep those places before the public for the last twelve months, but I hope no attention of this sort will be turned to account upon this gold-field.

Source: Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907) Sat 13 Dec 1873 Page 7

1874 - MINING

Gulgong. — The Argus says, the subject most engrossing the attention of miners in the immediate vicinity of Gulgong, at present, is the lead recently opened beyond Homer's paddock by Messrs James Court and party, and every new feature is watched with deep interest. There are three claims on payable gold in the shallow ground along the northerly base of the old Surface Hill — Messrs. Dyer and party, Captain Bunker and party, and Messrs. Court and party. The two former have had small lots washed during the week, and the result has been about the same as heretofore, about £5 per week to the men working. The sinking in these two claims does not exceed five feet and there is from a foot to eighteen inches of wash dirt. Messrs. Court and party are driving and getting out wash dirt. Messrs. Charles Cowan and party in the next claim north, bottomed at thirty feet, and have more than two feet of wash dirt, mixed, with which are plenty of quartz-boulders, and the prospects are sufficiently encouraging to induce them to drive out a machine of dirt. Adjoining this claim to the north is that of Charles Hamilton and party. They have bottomed two shafts in their claim at a depth of thirty-five feet, and are getting wash dirt from both. The adjoining party, north to that of Messrs. Hamilton and party, were down more than forty feet yesterday, with no sign of bottom. We may mention that the fall of ground on the surface is quite as abrupt, and perhaps more so, than on the bottom. Holes have been bottomed in a line about 300 yards below at a depth of 120 feet, where a little gold was got more than three years ago. The ground is taken up in all directions, but the general opinion seems to be that if there is a lead it will be found hugging a high reef to the westward of the present work. In the forty foot shaft above mentioned Messrs. Brennan and party bottomed last evening at forty-two feet, but got no prospects. They shifted to where gold is being got, and are sinking another shaft. German Charley and party, further down the flat, bottomed this morning at thirty-nine feet, but got no prospects. In consequence of this the ground has now been taken up all along Mr. Homer's fence, under an impression that the run of gold is further to the west. Messrs. Thomas Hughes and party, on the western slope of Surface Hill, and beyond Kitchen's machines, are busily engaged in getting out a machine of dirt; Upon the Nil Desperandum there are quite a number of parties on good payable gold. They have a good depth of wash dirt, and are, as a general thing, making excellent wages. We hear of a good patch being struck on the Perseverance during the week in one of the claims near the boundary between the private ground of Mr. Rouse and that of the Government. We are told that as much as thirteen pennyweights was got to a dish, but it is doubtful if the dirt being taken out will average anything like the prospect. Several parties are out prospecting in the gullies and flats to the north-east, or to the left of the road that leads from Gulgong to the Home Rule. There are numerous quartz reefs cropping out from the surface on the ranges in that quarter, and the colour of gold can be got in a great many places.

Source: Freeman's Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1932) Sat 12 Dec 1874 Page 15

1896 - Activity at Gulgong - Reefs and Deep Leads.

"This is where we found the rich gold in '70." said the discoverer of the Gulgong goldfield, as he stood upon Red Hill and pointed to a trench near the back yard of one of the houses. "This lode is between diorite and slate walls, and we got 500oz, out of it within 30ft. of the surface. Then the walls came together and we gave it up." This is the story of many a claim in the district, viz., very rich on top, then pinched out, or a water difficulty, then Abandonment. The Red Hill, however, though its possessors have been perished out, has always been believed in by some, and 24 years ago a shaft was sunk, near the top of the hill, to a depth of 170ft. A lode was got at that depth containing a little gold in arsenical pyrites. A drive was put in, 7ft. and then the property was abandoned. The hill is a small one, and the rocks of which it is composed are intermixed with much confusion, and quartz veins run through them in all directions.' Large bodies of diorite intrude the altered silurian rocks. It was in the surface that the rich gold was found, and the shaft sunk through the hard rock for 170ft. failed to prove anything of value. Yet over 60oz. of gold was got near by from one bucketful of stone taken from near the surface. Another attempt is now being made to find a permanent reef in this hill The old shaft has been cleaned out, and arrangements have been made to enter upon exploratory and development work. A company has recently been formed for this purpose. The capital consists of 24 shares of £50 each, eight fully-paid, up shares going to the promoters, and the rest of the subscribed capital being devoted to the development of the mine. The object of the new company is to test the lode found at the 174ft. level, and to sink the shaft a further depth. That the country is hard will be seen by the fact that the sinking of this shaft cost the former party £1100. At 80ft. a drive of 16ft. was put in, and a pyritous lode 9in. wide was struck. Assays of this gave 19dwt 12gr. gold, and 13dwt. 8gr. silver. A lode was cut by a drive put in 7ft. at the 170ft level It is said that the pyrites in this lode were not tested ;and as mush better methods of treatment have come into vogue since this work was done 23 years ago, it is considered worth while to spend sufficient money to clean out the old workings, and to continue them. The old mine was being cleaned out at the time of my visit, and the men got into the old drive and found the pyritous lodes. Considerable interest is attached to this enterprise, because should a payable reef be struck here it would probably lead to the working of a large stretch of country running between Red Hill and Louisiana, a distance of several miles in Appleyard and party's mine, give the most promising indications, and the aim of the Red Hill Company, which consists largely of local men, would, if successful, indicate a line along which auriferous reefs are likely to run. Though they have scarcely yet begun, the operations of the Red Hill, Company have attracted the attention of outside investors, and a few days ago Mr. W. F. Scott, who three year ago floated the Mount Scott Silver mining Company, south-west of Leadville, purchased from Mr. Brennan his lease on Red Hill, adjoining the Red Hill Company's property. Mr. Brennan has held this lease for 15 years, and has been working it by himself all the time, taking quantities of gold out of it, although the work done is not of a very extensive character. Then the townspeople have some enterprises on foot at Louisiana Hill. This is in consequence of favourable developments in Appleyard's Royal Mint mine, the proprietor of which, after a hard struggle for years, is now reaping some reward for his perseverance and labour. This mine is situated on the side of Louisiana Hill, one of the many hills that rise out of the plain lying between the town and ranges which encircle it. Several shafts have been sunk on this hill in past years without any permanent success following, and now Mr. Appleyard's mine is the only place on it where work is being carried on. The owner of this property has stuck to it through many difficulties. He knows what it is to come on very rich patches, to spend all the proceeds in trying to find more gold, to be 'perished out,' and to walk back to Sydney so that he might resume his trade, and save a little more money with which to return to his task at Gulgong. Now he has very encouraging indications, for he has come on a series of rich veins in the form of saddles, which occur at intervals in a lode formation about 12ft wide from wall to wall. The present shaft is down 70ft, and there is a level in 37ft. The foot wall is granite, and the hanging wall is serpentine. The veins exposed in the face are very rich, and the gold glitters brightly by the light of the candle. The lease consists of 15 acres, and the sight of rich specimens from the Royal Mint mine has led to the taking up of leases adjoining it. Dr. Bennett, of Gulgong, has two five- acre leases on one side of the mine, and Mr. Thompson has a lease on the other side. Capital is being subscribed locally to work these properties, in the belief that at depth the reef in the Royal Mint, which extends for a considerable distance in the fissure between the two formations, will contain payable deposits of gold. In Happy Valley, which lies in another direction from the town, other parties are working to find and prove reefs. One of these is the Happy Valley Gold mining Syndicate— a Victorian syndicate. One of the party worked in Happy Valley in the early days, and the party is now working where the bulk of the rich alluvial gold was found. Two shafts have been sunk to a depth of 170ft, and in one of them a drive of 64ft. has been put in, with the result that a well defined quartz reef has been struck, showing a little gold. A trial crushing of about 8 tons is bagged ready for despatch to the Tallewang battery for treatment, when the battery has a sufficient supply of water to start crushing. That reefing is only in its infancy in the district is indicated by the fact that there is no battery of any kind at Gulgong. It will cost the company 10s per ton for cartage to Tallewang, and 15s per ton for crushing. Of course if any of the reefs prove payable this is a matter that would soon be remedied, for a local battery would have to be erected. In the meantime the first thing is to find and prove the reefs. This syndicate has a capital of £400, in 400 shares of £1, and the mine is being worked by a party of four, who hold a half interest. It is seven months since operations were begun.

Another important property in which operations are being directed to the proving of reefs is that of the Gulgong Gold-mining Company, which consists of 13 acres in Happy Valley, and which is situated at the junction of the Happy Valley, the Standard, and the Times leads. This is a recently-formed company with a capital of £2400 in 24,000 shares of 2s each. The property is situated on some of the rich alluvial claims of past years, and the purpose of the company is to find the reefs. A shaft has been sunk 200ft, and 26 tons of stone taken from it was crushed at Chapple's battery, Tallewang, for a yield of 32oz. gold. The company has an area of 13 acres. The shaft is timbered to the bottom and is connected with an air shaft at 125ft. A quartz vein was followed in the 150ft. level, and the crushing of 26 tons was taken from this. In sinking from the 150ft level to 200ft numerous quartz leaders carrying gold were passed through. Assistance was granted from the prospecting vote towards the sinking of this shaft, which it is hoped will contribute something towards the solution of the question upon which the prosperity of the district largely depends. The Fairweather Syndicate, acting on the belief that the reef is on the eastern ride of the valley, have sunk two shafts, one to 100ft and one to 225ft, which is the greatest depth on the field. A drive has been put in at 225ft. in a north-westerly direction. Several veins of quartz have been passed through, but nothing definite has yet been found. Salvation Hill is a rugged ridge which received its uncommon name eight years ago when a Salvation Army soldier discovered gold upon it. Some work was done then, and 55oz, of gold was got at a depth of 12ft. Then the walls pinched in, and the party abandoned the lease. This property has not been overlooked in the revival which is going on all round, for it has been taken up by a local syndicate, and a shaft has been sunk to follow the walls down. After a distance of 10ft. had been excavated the walls opened out, and they are continuing to widen as depth is attained. It is intended to sink 100ft. if necessary. Rich specimens have been found, and there is a formation containing arsenical pyrites, of which assays will shortly be obtained. The syndicate has a 10-acre lease, and leases have been taken upon either side. There is also a quartz mine on Biraganbil station, situated close to an old alluvial rush. It is in the hands of a party, who have one shaft down 103ft., and have a promising reef. The country is soft, consisting of sandstone, altered slate and diorite, and forms a complete contrast to the hard belt of country in the other portion of the district. It will thus be seen that there are nine properties which are held for reefing purposes. Of these six are at work, and the remaining three are in what are considered to be favourable positions should those at work become thoroughly established— in which case the district will, no doubt, have a revival of prosperity of an enduring character. Apart from this altogether is the working of the deep alluvial leads. Mr. Frame Fletcher, a mining engineer and a practical man, has been endeavouring to find and work the deep alluvial leads, which it is believed probably contain large deposits of gold. Since 1891 be has had London capitalists at his back, and a large sum of money has been spent. Eight bores were bottomed in the Lagoon Paddock Company's freehold property at an average depth of 155ft. At Rouse's Guntawang paddock an English company took up a lease of 500 acres, and at the Black Lead, where good washings were obtained in the old days, a shaft was sunk, £400 being granted from the prospecting vote for the purpose. However, the only English-owned property now at work is the one under the management of Mr. Frame Fletcher on the Perseverance lead. It is called the Ida syndicate, and work is being carried on in a thorough and systematic manner. The surface works are of a first-class character, and the machinery consists of a 20-horse power engine and pumping and winding plant. There is a fine working shaft 9ft 6in. long by 3ft 6in. across in the clear, and it is divided into three compartments, one for pumping and two for winding. The pumping plant is equal to a capacity of 9000 gallons per hour. It is an 8in. draw-lift pump. The poppet legs are 50ft. high, and the trees are 25ft off the ground. Attempts had been previously made by parties of men to trace the deep lead in this locality, but they were beaten by the water. The property was taken up by Mr. Frame Fletcher on behalf of a London company, and he immediately proceeded with the erection of the machinery. By means of the fine pumping plant the ground has been thoroughly drained, but the deep leads have not yet been discovered, although a large amount of underground work has been done. At present 24 men are employed on the property, and exploratory work is being carried on vigorously. In Happy Valley the Star Gold-mining Company have a large body of wash, and have equipped the mine with winding and pumping machinery in order to cope with the heavy influx of water. At one time as much as 2500 gallons per hour were bailed out of the mine, but the now afterwards eased to 2000 gallons. This mine is on the Star lead, which has been traced from its head on Surface Hill into deep ground on the company's property. An auriferous run of gravel has been struck in an upper level, but it is the intention of the syndicate to prove the deep ground. Mining operations are being carried on all round Gulgong. At Yamble, about 15 miles down the Cudgegong, 250 men are working. This is an alluvial diggings, the sinking being from 18ft to 20ft The prospector, Mr. Smith, has a good claim, with a good body of wash. The gold is very fine, but is of good quality. Hibbard and party have a good claim at the same place. The diggings are on Mr. Lowe's private property. He charges a license fee of 10s per man per month, and the miners consider that this is a quicker and better arrangement than taking up the land under the Mining on Private Property Act would be. At the beginning of the rush 400 miners went to the scene, but of this number only 250 remain. Eighteen miles from Gulgong is the Stringy Bark field. This locality is receiving considerable attention, although operations are hampered by the scarcity of water. Eight claims are on good gold, and in numbers of others the men are making tucker, or something better. Men have been provided with passes to this place by the Labour Bureau; that is they get railway passes to Mudgee, and tramp the rest of the distance. Speaking of the field generally an idea prevails that there will be a revival in mining matters shortly, although one or two people take a pessimistic view, and declare that nothing rich has ever been found at any depth during the operations of many years, and nothing is likely to be found now. Which view is the right one only the pick and shovel will show. 

Source: The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912) Saturday 20 June 1896

1896 - Mining at Gulgong

We have frequently expressed the opinion says the Mudgee Western Post of last Friday that if ever Gulgong experienced a permanent revival of fame for its gold productiveness the source would be the Red Hill. That being our firm conviction; we now hail with delight the probability of that locality being given thorough development.

Had the Hill been in Victoria, then chances are that the greater part of it would, by this time, have gone through the battery. But the operations of an important character have so far been debarred by the best portion of the range being held by a "hatter" —old Jimmy Brennan — who knocked out a living, and persistently declined to entertain any offers of purchase, though he had been approached many times and by, many parties. Lately a Gulgong syndicate decided to try the ground near that held by Brennan. Whether this had any effect or not on him we cannot say, but last week Mr. W. F. Scott of the Mines Purchase Syndicate, succeeded in coming to terms with 'Jimmy,' and secured his land. The land secured by Mr. Scott comprises nine acres,

and when it is remembered that the Black Lead, Happy Valley, Adams' Lead, and Standard Lease — all wonderfully rich in gold— have apparently taken their source from the Red Hill, there should be little hesitation among speculators in snapping up shares, and giving to the ground that test which we are pretty confident, has only been wanting to make Gulgong again famous as a goldfield.

Source: The Scrutineer and Berrima District Press (NSW : 1892 - 1948) Saturday 20 June 1896

1904 - Advertising - Legal Notices

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, - Probate Jurisdiction. In the Will of JAMES BRENNAN, late of Gulgong, in the State of New South Wales, Miner, deceased. - Application will be made after fourteen days from the publication hereof that Probate of the last Will of the abovenamed deceased may be granted to JOHN BRENNAN the Executor named in the said Will; and all notices' may be served at the undermentioned address. JOHN BRENNAN, Gulgong.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Thu 5 May 1904 Page 10