John Dunlop

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John Dunlop, Courtesy Ballarat Heritage Services Picture Collection.
Golden Point and the Alluvial Goldwashers
Courtesy Ballarat Heritage Services.

Background

John Dunlop was born 1777 in Argyleshire, Scotland. He married Sarah Healy. John Dunlop fought at Waterloo as a cavalry officer with the Duke of Wellington. He arrived in Victoria in 1851 and with James Regan discovery gold at Poverty Point, Ballarat between 21 and 24 August. It was reported that they washed in a little creek at the foot of Poverty Point and they built a hut on the spot which was later to be called Poverty Point. Thus, Dunlop was one of the earliest miners on the Ballarat diggings when he found gold in August 1851. [1] Dunlop and Regan were unsuccessful applicants for the gold discovery reward. At this time it is often supposed that Dunlop was 75 years of age, but family members believe he was in his fifties.

John Dunlop was a widower and dealer. Along with his friend James Regan settled at Golden Point in an area on Poverty Point. [2]

Dunlop was a friend of Peter Lalor and Duncan Gillies. He was an excellent horseman and recruited a mounted detachment to support the diggers at Eureka. However the attack took. place before they were ready. He gave evidence before a Parliamentary Commission.

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

The Select Committee of late 1853 that sought to reward discoverers of Victorian goldfields, asked Dunlop when he arrived at Ballarat, When you arrived you are sure there was no one there? Dunlop replied, No; there was no sign of any one, only a few huts belonging to the natives. [3]

Post 1854 Experiences

Dunlop was in Ballarat hospital in 1872 after a fall from a horse. His son, Thomas became a mine manager in Ballarat. Dunlop Street in Ballarat is named after John Dunlop. He died in Ballarat Hospital of pneumonia and is buried in the Ballarat New Cemetery. [4]

See also

Further Reading

Corfield, J.,Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.


References

  1. Clark, Ian D., Another Side of Eureka - the Aboriginal presence on the Ballarat goldfields in 1854- Were Aboriginal people involved in the Eureka rebellion?, University of Ballarat, 2007.
  2. Rash, Keith, "The Story of Eureka Stockade" IN ANAPress, No 5. December, 1973.
  3. Stacpoole 1971, p11).
  4. Ballarat Base Hospital Records, SP, AOG, WGFF

External links