Creswick Mining Disaster December 1882

Date: 12 Dec 1882 to 14 Dec 1882
Location: Glendonald, Colony of Victoria

Surnames/tags: Disasters Mining_Disasters Australia

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Disasters Project | Mining | Australia | Creswick Mining Disaster December 1882

1 New Australasian Gold Mine Disaster, 1882
2 Summary
3 Burials
4 From the Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), Wednesday 13 December 1882, page 8
5 Research notes
6 Sources

New Australasian Gold Mine Disaster, 1882

Map Co-ordinates: 37° 23' 42 South, 143° 52' 12 East
GPS Coordinates: Lat: -37.395, Long: 143.870

Summary

On Tuesday 12 December 1882 at 4:45 am, waters from the abandoned Australasia No.1 mine that had been steadily building unknownst to the miners burst into the adjacent New Australasia No. 2 Deep Lead Gold Mine in Creswick, Victoria. Fourteen men escaped, but 27 men working at the face 250 feet underground were unable to and sought refuge in the No. 11 jump-up.^[1] For almost three days, mine pumps were driven well over capacity to frantically lower the floodwater and divers were rushed from the monitor ship HMVS Cerberus as the trapped miners huddled in the cramped space in total darkness, singing hymns and praying for help. Some scrawled last words to their loved ones on their crib pails. By the time rescuers arrived almost three days later on 14 December 1882, only five of the trapped men still lived. Twenty-two perished, leaving 18 widows and 63 orphaned children.

The 4,000-strong funeral procession on 15 December 1882 was about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, as 15,000 mourners lined the funeral route between the mine and Creswick cemetery. A Victoria-wide appeal for the widows and orphans soon raised £20,000. Widows received 15 shillings per week (a living wage) for life and orphans from 1 to 5 shillings weekly until they started employment or reached 17 years.^[2]

Table 1. List of Australasian Mining Disaster fatalities recorded by Creswick Museum.^[3]
Full details please see profiles

Surnames	Age	Place of Origin	Spouse	Occupation
Andersson, Anton	36	Finland, Christianstada	Amelia Venn	Miner
Baulcomb, George	52	England, Kent, Maidstone	Ellen Atkinson	Faceman
Bellingham, Jabez	28	England, Worcestershire	Elizabeth Parks	Miner
Bellingham, Benjamin B	21	Happy Valley, Victoria	Single	Miner
Carmoody, James	53	Ireland, County Clare	Margaret White	Trucker
Chegwin, Thomas P	31	England, Cornwall, Redruth	Eliza Ann McMillan	Repairer
Clifton, John T (John Tom)	27	England, Lincolnshire, Gainsborough	Single	Miner
Crougey, John Henry	35	England, Cornwall, Stithians	Mary Ann Culpin	Miner
Curtis, William	42	England, Cornwall, Gwennap	Mary Ryan	Miner
Dargon, Edward C	36	Ireland, Kilkenny	Margaret Sherman	Miner
Fisher, Christian F	55	Germany, Wittenburg	Martha McKay	Miner
Gower, John	44	England, Kent, Lyminge	Sarah Jane (Taylor) Gower	Miner
Hayes, Michael	45	Ireland	Mary Carmoody	Miner
Hodge, John Thomas, Jr. ^[4]	18	Creswick, Victoria	Single	Miner
Minahan, James (Minihan)	38	Ireland, County Clare	Mary OBrien	Miner
O'Shea, James (James Walsh)	34	Ireland, County Waterford	Johanne Henriette Lehmann	Miner
Serrurier, Carl W T	34	Prussia, Berlin	Ann Crawford Quarrell	Miner
Temby, James Mitchell	35	England, Cornwall, Redruth	Jane Park	Miner
Tregloan, William	37	England, Cornwall, Marazion	Mary Jane Crougey	Miner
Trescowthick, Nathaniel (Trescothick)	45	England, Cornwall	Single	Miner
Wood, Edward	26	England, Lancashire, Oldham	Single	Miner
Abraham Wyatt	31	Adelaide, South Australia	Sarah Quarrell	Miner

Burials

On 15 December 1882 at 3 pm, the 22 miners who lost their lives in the Australasian No. 2 Disaster were buried. 21 in Creswick Cemetery and John Gower in Ballarat New Cemetery. Over the following year, Nathaniel Trescowthick and James Temby were exhumed and moved to the Ballarat Old Cemetery.

From the Age (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 16 December 1882, page 6:

THE CRESWICK MINING DISASTER.

FUNERAL OF THE VICTIMS.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.

Creswick, 15th December,

The funeral of the victims by the New Australasian mine disaster took place to-day. The trains from Ballarat and Clunes were crowded with visitors, and a special was despatched from the first mentioned station. All the business places in Creswick were closed, and flags were raised at half mast. Of the first five men saved only one (Moloney) was present at the funeral. The crowd around the claim when the funeral started numbered between 15,000 and 16,000. The coffins containing the bodies were lying in the claim building, and many touching in cidents were to have been noticed in connection with visits of relatives. Some of the bodies had previously been removed in their coffins to the residences of relatives in the district, but all were brought back in time for the funeral. The procession was then at once organised, under the superintendence of Mr. W. G. Spence. Leading the procession were ministers of the various denominations, fol lowed by a firing party of the Ballarat Volunteer Rangers, to which Woods and Bellingham, two of the deceased, were attached. The Volunteer band came next, playing The Dead March in Saul and then about thirteen of the corpses. The volunteers were under the following officers : — Major Sleep in command, Captain Keathch (Creswick), Kildahl and Sadler (Ballarat), Lieutenants Tuff and McDonald (Clunes) and Dr. Andrew, also of Clunes. A few members of the Light Horse Cavalry marched next and then came the coffins of Corporal Wood and Private Bellingham, carried on the shoulders of their volunteer comrades; the coffins of Wyatt, Chewgin and Fisher, carried by members of the order of Oddfellows, to which they be longed, were followed by a large number of brethren in regalia and of members of the Australian Natives' Association, also in regalia; the coffins containing the bodies of Bulcombe, Carmody, Serretier, Minahan, Hayes, Walsh, Dargan, Anderson, Hodge, Curtis, Treylour, Croughy, Bellingham, Trescothick, Tenby and Clifton were carried by miners from the Australasian claim in the order mentioned. Then came a very large number of members of the Miners' Asso ciation, fully 2000, and there were also present Mayors Claxton and Ferguson of Ballarat city and town respectively, the president of Ballarat shire Jas. Campbell, M.L.C.), Messrs. Brophy, Richardson, Cooper, Wheeler, and Bell, M.L.As. There were, it was estimated, fully 4000 persons in the funeral procession, which was about 1½ mile long, and reached almost from the Australasian mine to the Creswick Cemetery. The coffins of the deceased were covered with wreaths and immortelles, and the sight was of the most impressive and solemn character. On arrival at the cemetery arrangements were made for two burial services — one for the Protestant and the other for Catholic deceased. The coffins containing the bodies of the 16 miners who belonged to the different Protestant churches were laid down in the spot set apart in the main path, and the 6 coffins containing the bodies of the Roman Catholic miners were also laid down in a spot a few yards distant. The sight presented at this stage was most touching. Around the coffins, which were strewn with flowers, stood the sorrowing widows, mothers, children, sisters and brothers in mourning garments weeping silently or aloud. Many of the spectators, and especially those of the female sex, were much affected. After the usual services had been performed the bearers of the different coffins resumed their burdens, and each was taken to the grave set apart for it. At each grave a burial service was performed by the ministers of the denomination to which each miner belonged, and the bodies were then consigned to the earth. A military burial was accorded to Corporal Woods and Private Bellingham. The crowd was very orderly, and the scene from commencement to end was the most melancholy which has ever occurred in Australia.

At the public meeting at the town hall, Creswick, this evening, over £1000 was collected.

Ballarat, 15th December.

Subscriptions for the relief of the wives and families of the unfortunate men who were drowned in the New Australasian mine are coming in very satisfactorily. In addition to those already announced are the following: — W. Bailey, £100; M. Loughlin, £100; Jas. Coghlan, £25 ; 1). MThail, £10 ; St. John's Lodge Freemasons, C25 ; Union Foundry Accident Association, £25 ; and many others of lesser amounts. The amalgamated Miners' Association will, in accordance with the amended rules, levy Od. per head per mem ber for every miner drowned, and this will amount to about £1100. Mr. D. Fitzpatrick, 1 J.P., is exerting himself most energetically, and to-day collected a largo sum of money towards the relief fund.

The survivors are progressing as favorably as can be expected. Maloney was to-day walking about the streets, apparently well, and says the men would all have been got out at first had they known the accident was a flood of water, but they were under the impression that a fall of mullock had taken place, and were detained discussing the exact locality.

A meeting has been convened by the mayors of the city and town of Ballarat to devise means for the relief of the sufferers.

Geelong, 15th December,

Next Monday afternoon a public meeting is to be held here for the purpose of taking active steps to obtain subscriptions in aid of the fund for the relief of the families of the men who lost their lives in the mine at Creswick.^[5]

Creswick mining disaster, 1882
Wood engraving published in The Illustrated Australian news December 23, 1882
A. - General view of the mine -- B. Scene in the shifting house after the recovery of the bodies.

From the Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), Wednesday 13 December 1882, page 8

APPALLING MINE ACCIDENT.^[6]

TWENTY-SEVEN MINERS IN PERIL

[BY TELEGRAPH ] (FROM OUR OWN REPORTER ) CRESWICK, TUESDAY.

The most terrible accident that has ever occurred in a mine in this or any other Australian colony happened in the New Australasian mine, two miles from Creswick, at an early hour this morning. It occurred at half-past 5 or a quarter to 6 but it was nearly 9 o'clock before the awful news became known even in the town two miles away. When it did reach town the news spread like wildfire and the utmost excitement prevailed throughout the district.

These are the facts as far as I can ascertain them:—The night shift went to work at the usual hour, and everything progressed satisfactorily until the time mentioned. The first indication of anything having gone wrong below was brought up by a trucker—Albert Garton—who climbed the ladder way and came to the engine driver Jas. Spargo, jun., in a state of great excitement saying that the water had broken away under ground and the men would be drowned in the new reef drive which runs in a south westerly direction from the shaft. To make the description intelligible, I must describe the mine which is situated about a mile from the North Creswick railway station in a northerly direction and comprises an extensive area. The company is among the oldest in the district, and the mine from the No 1 shaft, has been worked with varying success for many years. Some years ago when the re-organisation of the company took place a shaft known as the No. 2, was put down about half a mile from the No. 1, and the old workings were abandoned; At this time about 1000ft of the gutter between the termination of the old drive and the new shaft was left. When the No. 2 shaft was sunk the gutter was driven on north and the washdirt faces are now in about 2,400ft. A few months back the board of management decided to put in a drive south of the shaft to work the ground left when the No 1 shaft was abandoned and it was in this drive that the burst of water took place. The reef drive was in about 300ft, and the plans showed that the old workings were from 250ft to 260ft away and 40ft below the new reef drive. Everything appeared to be safe but to preclude the probability of accident, bores were put up at intervals to treat the correctness of the plans of the old workings. Last week two bores were put up, and solid ground obtained

HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED

What happened this morning seems to have been this:—Henry Reeves, one of the contractors in the new reef drive was at work with his mate Mason in the face, and the former broke through into what he believed were old workings. He states that the water broke away over the point of the back laths. The two men made for the plat and then went to the intermediate level where the lights were put out by a rush of air and they both climbed the ladders to the surface. Reeves went down the shaft again in the cage with lamps going as far as the top plat; from there he went down to the intermediate level and the lights went out at the intermediate level, and he again climbed the ladders and came to the surface. The platman first gave the alarm to John Hodge captain of the shift and then rang an alarm to the men in the faces. Hodge found the water coming in the south drive 5ft high driving the trucks before it and he went back to No. 5 rise at the end of the drive. The water was then up to his breast. Stooping to the bottom of the rise he pulled several of the truckers out of the water and they escaped, also two facemen named Fisher and Menner. The latter was working about 200ft from the rise and had to swim to it. He was almost drowned but was saved by Hodge. Menner says he heard Woods and Chegwin coming behind him. The former said "Better go back to workings we have a chance there we cannot reach No 5." And it is supposed they went back. The water had risen 17ft. by 11 o'clock and at 12 o'clock had reached 20ft up the shaft. The rush of water carried the men down the drive but the following escaped before it reached the shaft—Truckers—J Gunther, J Woods, R Hitchcock, Ed Woods, H Polglaise, A Garton, H Crosbie, E Woods and J Taylor: the platman (Michael Carmody) also escaped as well as three of the facemen viz, Frederick Woods, George Fisher and Charles Menner. The two contractors for the reef drive Mason and Reeves, Gunther, Polglaise, Garton, E. Woods and Taylor came up the shaft by the ladder way. The roll was called and it was found that the following miners were entombed with very little hope of their being brought up alive - John Manly, jun, Jabez Bellingham, Abraham Wyatt, Jas. Minahan, George Baulcombe, James Carmody, Thos Chegwin, Edward Dargon, Fredk. Fisher, John Croughey, Wm Tregloan, James Welch, Wm Curtis, John Gower, Michael Hayes James Temby, Wm Anderson and Wm Surrurier all married men: Benj. Belling ham, Pat Bowen, Edward Woods, Nathaniel Trescothick, Cornelius Kirk, Jno. Thomas Clifton, Jno. Hodge, jun, Peter Moloney, and Thomas Corbett single. The news spread like wildfire and hundreds of people flocked to the claim. The cries of the wives and families of the men below were piteous to hear. Women and children rushed wildly about calling for their husbands and relatives and everything was thrown into disorder by tho crowd. In the meantime Mr English chairman of directors, Mr Nicholas, mining manager, and other members of the directory had arrived, and did all that was possible to get the water down. It steadily gained however although two tanks had been brought to assist the pumps. Every pound of steam that the boilers would carry with safety had been crowded on and 50,000 gallons an hour came from the shaft. Meantime everything possible was prepared to convey air to the men when the water could be reduced to the intermediate level or at any rate low enough to admit of men enterin with safety.

While these preparations have been going on, the cause of the disaster is being discussed by the crowd who are watching patiently for the results. The worst is feared, for unless the men have escaped to the jump-up they have met certain death by drowning; and even if they have escaped to the jump-up there is the possibility and I regret to say probability of suffocation. But all are hoping for the best. At 1 o'clock the welcome news was circulated that the water had been checked. At 2 it began to gradually decrease. At 8 o'clock when I left the claim for the township it was down 5ft, and unless there is a fresh burst they expect to get down by 2 o'clock to the intermediate level.

The No.5 shoot is something like midway between the shaft and the main washdirt workings. The platman on hearing the noise and learning from Reeves as to what had occurred immediately ran down the main washdirt drive to the north, where the whole of the men with the exception of the two contractors for the reef drive were working and shouted to the two repairers John Manly and Thomas Chegwin, that the water had broken away. The two repairers then rushed up in the main drive to acquaint the workmen of what had occurred, in face of the fact that they knew the water was following them in a terrible stream. The captain of the shift, Mr Hodge, did all in his power to save the men in the main drive. When the water came up it was with difficulty that he reached the No 5 shoot, for at about 20ft from that place the water was 4½ft up in the drive, and before he had gained the shoot the water was over the tops of the trucks, on which he had to climb, He got into the shoot and saved five men. The lights were blown out by the strong current, and the men were in the drive in the darkness, and had it not been for Mr. Hodge calling at the shoot it must have been impossible for the five men to have escaped. The scene here was a terrible one. Men groping in the darkness for an escape, the water in the drive being up to their middle, and running with such a force that trucks, logs, and other articles were hurried along in the stream. The whole of the men appear to have heard the alarm, and knew what had happened, for one of the facemen at the most northerly point of the main drive (Charles Menner) reached the No 5 shoot and was saved by Mr Hodge. The sudden rush and great force of the water, however, seems to have created a fear in the minds of the other men that they could not possibly reach the shoot In this they were apparently right, and by malting for the jump-ups they probably took their only chance of escape, for that the whole of the men could not have reached the No. 5 shoot is evident from the fact that Menner only gained that point when he was completely exhausted.

EDWARD WOODS STATEMENT.

Edward Woods, a trucker, states that he was trucking from the workings at the far end of the main drive. Crosbie, John Woods, and Treloar, all truckers, were with him on the same run. The first they knew of the breaking in of the water was the knocking in the air pipes. They at once made for No 5 rise knowing that something was wrong. Woods went up to the No. 2 shoot and called out, "Look out, there's something wrong ." He missed his mates, but met them again on the top of No. 5 rise. Charles Menner followed him down No. 2 rise. Woods and Menner rushed towards No 5 rise. As they were coming down they met John Woods facing, and called to him to cling to the air pipes, but he replied, "No, the water is too strong for me." He was carried off his feet up the level, and they did not see him again. They then went up the shoot, and towards the shaft.

NARRATIVE OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIFT

John Hodge, sen., captain of the shift, states that he was in the new reef drive at half past 3 o'clock, and everything was well then. He afterwards went up the main drive to the washdirt workings. At No 9 shoot he was with his son, and afterwards went to No. 5 shoot. Some 20ft. before reaching No 5 shoot the water was up 4½ft in the drive It was coming up the drive in a large and powerful body, taking the trucks and everything in the drive before it. The strong current put the lights out. He got into what is termed the main hole at the shoot, pulled Carmody up, and afterwards E. Woods, H. Crosbie, J. Woods, A. Treloar, and Menner. Menner was almost exhausted. He remained at the shoot calling out in the hope of rescuing any one that might be coming in the drive but could not hear a voice of any kind. When it was impossible, owing to the water having filled the drive, for anyone to come down it to the shoot, he left the main hole climbed about 70ft up the shoot, and got into the intermediate level.

THE PLATMAN'S STATEMENT

Michael Carmoody states that he heard a noise as of a burst of water in the new reef drive. He immediately went up the drive to ascertain what the noise was, and met Reeves coming down the drive. Reeves went back to get his mate Mason, out and he (Carmoody) returned to the plat, and went up the main drive to call the men. He met the truckers and the two repairers, Manley and Chegwin, at the level. He was out of wind at this time. The repairers went further up the drive at the risk of their own lives to warn the men. He told the repairers that the water was rising rapidly but they proceeded up the drive. Before he (Carmoody) got back many yards the water was up to his waist. He swam to the No. 5 shoot in the dark, and was pulled up by the captain of the shift.

A TRUCKER'S STATEMENT.

John Woods, a trucker, states that he was engaged filling trucks at the No. 2 shoot when he heard a cry at No. 1 shoot that the water had broken away. He went in front of the repairers to the No. 5 shoot. The repairers went on to signal to the men at work further up the drive. He (Woods) had to climb along the air pipes, laths, or anything he could grasp, the water at this time being beyond his depth and within 18in. or 2ft. of the cappiece. He cried to the captain of the shift for help, and Mr Hodge pulled him up the shoot. He climbed up the ladder way (about 50ft.), then crawled on his hands and knees about 200ft, came to the next shoot, got into the middle plat, and went up in the cage.

A FACEMAN'S STATEMENT

George Fisher states that he was working with his mate (George Baulcombe) at the end of the main drive when they heard a knock. His mate thought it might be the truckers that were knocking, but soon after John Goer came up the drive and told them that the water had broken away. He (Fisher) got to the No.5 shoot and crawled through it to the intermediate level, saw some of the men going up the No. 10 jump-up.

HENRY POLGLAISE'S STATEMENT

Henry Polglaise, a trucker, was working in the bottom level, and at about half past 5 was trucking from No. 5 shoot to the shoot in the north drive. He saw Reeves run out of the south drive, and heard him call out that the water had broken away. Five others were with him, and all, with the exception of Carmody, rushed up the No. 5 shoot, and knocked on the air pipes. Owing to the noise made by the rush of water the signals were not heard. Carmody got on a truck to go and warn the men, but the truck upset. He (Carmoody) then ran along the level to give the alarm. Gunther, R. Woods, and himself went in what they thought was the direction of the shift. The lights went out, and they had to feel their way by the sides of the drive, but they succeeded in getting to the plat and climbed up the ladders, which they found with great difficulty.

THE MINING MANAGER'S STATEMENT.

William Nicholas, the mining manager, states I have been manager for seven months. At half past 5 o'clock I was called by the braceman, who said that the water had broken away from the reef drive, south-west of the shaft. When I arrived at the intermediate level, I found 10ft. of water in the shaft. Twenty seven men were in the lower level working in the face, who had been driven back into the working, and were unable to get up. The water was then rising fast, and was 20ft up the shaft. The pumps and tanks were set to work. I fixed air pipes in the intermediate level ready to be attached to the pipes in the lower level when the water was sufficiently low. I had not the slightest reason to apprehend any danger in the south-west drive. It was 20ft deeper than the old reef drive from the No. 1 shaft. According to the surveys that have been made the distance from the end of the reef drive from the No. 2 shaft to the old workings should be 100ft. Judging from the appearance of the water—its smell and look-I should imagine it came from the old workings. On Friday a bore was completed 38ft up from the top of the drive. It was not put up from fear of accumulation of water overhead, but to prove the height of the wash. The end of the drive where the water burst in was 20ft ahead of this bore, and 230ft. from the old gutter. On Monday afternoon everything was safe in this drive. The contractors, Mason and Reeves, had no fear that anything was going to happen, and they were taken by surprise. When I went down the shaft I met Fisher crawling on his hands and knees, and sent him up the Shaft,

A DIVER SENT.

Mr J. C Thomson, warden for the district, telegraphed as follows from Ballarat to the

Minister of Mines:—

"Have been at the Australasian mine, The water may not be out to-morrow. It is possible that a diver might be useful if sent at once."

On receipt of this message the Government ordered a diver attached to the Customs department to proceed at once, with his gear, to Creswick. A special tram conveyed him during the night to that town.

THE CAUSES OF THE DISASTER.

All series of rumours are afloat as to the causes of the disaster. It has been asserted that the proximity of heavy water was known, that complaints had been made to the management of the faces "weeping," and that several men had stated their intention of not working there much longer. ln an interview with some of the directors and the mine manager, I am positively assured that not the slightest danger was apprehended and that no complaint was ever made by any man directly or indirectly. Certain it is that the disaster has occurred from the breaking through from the old workings, and the only tangible theory at present advanced is that ground has been taken out by the old company and not marked on the plans, that instead of being nearly 100ft. away they were just on an old drive. The plans of the present workings precluded the possibility of flooding providing the old plans had been correct.

I left the mine at 8 30 p.m., when the water had been decreased 5ft. and was gradually subsiding at midnight it was down 6ft. 6in. and if everything goes well they expect to have it sufficiently lowered to send the air hose attached to the duct machines down No. 5 rise and along the drives to where the majority of the men are believed to be. By this means a stream of pure air will be pumped to them; that is if they are alive.

Research notes

Fatalities (M: married, S: Single)

George Baulcomb M

Benjamin Bellingham S

Jabez Bellingham M

James Carmody M

Thomas Chegwin M (repairer)

John. Thomas Clifton S

John Croughey M

William Curtis M

Edward Dargon M

Frederick. Fisher M

James. Minahan M

James Temby M

William Tregloan M

Nathaniel Trescothick S

Abraham Wyatt M

Survivors (M: married, S: Single)

William Anderson M

Patrick Bowen S

Thomas Corbett S

John Gower M

Michael Hayes M

John Hodge, jun S

Cornelius Kirk S

John Manly, jun M (repairer)

Peter Moloney S

William Surrurier M

James Welch M

Edward Woods S

Sources

↑ Jump-ups were areas that had been cut into the mine to allow the miners to “jump up” out of the way of the mine trucks.
↑ [https://www.amsj.com.au/lessons-from-the-past-creswick-mine-disaster-of-1882/ "Lessons From The Past: Creswick Mine Disaster of 1882"}, Australasian Mine Safety Journal, Mining Safety History, 30 July 2014.
↑ "Australasian Mining Disaster", webpage, Creswick Museum, Home » Exhibitions » The Mining Room » Australasian Mining Disaster, New Australasian No.2 Gold Mine Disaster, accessed 13 Dec. 2022.
↑ Son of John Hodge Sr., Captain of the Shift who rescued six miners and escaped.
↑ THE CRESWICK MINING DISASTER. (1882, December 16). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198567117
↑ APPALLING MINE ACCIDENT. TWENTY-SEVEN MINERS IN PERIL. (1882, December 13). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11562219

"LATEST PARTICULARS", The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), 1882, December 12, p. 3. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
"THE CRESWICK MINING DISASTER-FIVE MEN RESCUED ALIVE-TWENTY-TWO FOUND DEAD", The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 1882, December 15, p. 3. Retrieved December 13, 2022,
"THE CRESWICK DISASTER", The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842 - 1954), Wed 20 Dec 1882, Page 8. (Gives numbers, some genders, and ages of the orphaned children for each miner).