George Troys Gold

George Troys Gold

George Thomas Sidney Troy, born 1880 , to George and Emily Troy of Wallenbeen, Cootamundra. George appears  to have left home and moved to Yalgogrin Village, near West Wyalong, about 1902 at age 21-22. He was Granted a Lease on Part of "Homestead Farm" (Block 967,Parish of Clowery), about 15km nw of the Village. The Lease was for 2121 acres at 3 pound 15 shillings per month. The property was listed for sale 1902-1906, thus George may have been granted the lease pending sale.The lease was teminated in 1904. George then took up a new lease in 1905 at nearby "Pinegrove".(Parish of Thulloo) This property was much larger at 5130 acres, and was leased at 52 pounds per annum.? (Verifying) In 1905, at  24 years of age, George marries Betsy Crisp and takes her to Yalgogrin with him. Georges brother Ernest ,joins him sometime later around  1905 to 1907. It is here in 1907, that George discovers Gold on "Pinegrove". Two productive mines eventuate, "Thulloo" and "Troys". The actual dates George was issued the Gold leases has not yet been determined. A Gold miners permit was issued to a Thomas Troy at Temora in 1906., to mine on Crown Land 5miles north of Springdale.No production was recorded. Whether this was George Thomas or another member of the family, is not yet known. 

Troys mine shaft, (GL1) was eventually  sunk to a depth 130 below the surface. The Reef was worked 300 ft along its shaft, and  from 1907 to 1911,  1250 tons of rock was raised to the surface. It yielded 1202 ounces of Gold, worth about 4393 pounds. (Including tailings.) Sometime during this period, Ernest Troy was courting Catherine Thompson. The Thompsons owned adjacent properties. They accumulated over 50,000 acres in this area. Ernest eventually marries Catherine at West Wyalong in 1910. Also in 1910, a partnership between Arthur and Bert Harrington, allows for the "acquisition" of "Pinegrove" from George. What arrangements they made with George, for the "aquisition" is not known, but George left both the mine and property by 1911. The  Harringtons aquisition of  the property did not included the mine, although Arthur was a Chemist,  and he would have been well suited to the mining business. However, the records show the Tom Bros, as having acquired the mine from George in 1913. Mines dept records show George as having had custody of GL 1,2 and 3 until 1913. That year only 21 tons was raised for a yield of 14 oz, about 50 pounds worth.

 Little is known of  take over deal of "Pinegrove" by the Harringtons in (1910-1911), but at this stage, Ernest Troy, after having married Catherine Thompson in 1910, moves to Lake Cargelligo. George on the other hand purchases "Fairfield", around 1910-11. This was a smaller property of just 500 acres of the Bland area near Quandialla. George didnt make his fortune at Yalgogrin. Thus by 1911-12, George and his family were settled in at "Fairfield". George and Betsy raised 13 children on this property, yes he really did discover Gold.

PS. 1912 was a particularly bad year for mining production. The drought was making water unavailable, and  many abandoned their Gold Mines , believing Tin was a better prospect. It is believed George may have suffered  a bad year at "Fairfield" also, forcing him to work at the Tin Mines for a  period of time.

(Mines Dept records also show Troys mine was operated by F. Causer 1932-1935

and W.E. Berry 1934-1941.)