This is a draft of a letter H recently submitted as homework (missing references). Hopefully posting it here won’t set off stupid Turnitin before the teacher marks it. It is from the time of the Broken Hill miners strike of 1892. He insisted on using the name Gaylord…

The Mayor of Broken Hill
Broken Hill

10th October 1892

Gaylord Tregeagle
Cornish St
Broken Hill


Dear people of the Great City of Broken Hill, which is how I hope it to be in the future.

I am writing to you to tell you what life is like for us in this year of 1892. I expect things will be very different for you in the future considering the strikes. Hopefully you have better wages and safer work. 

Let me introduce myself. My name is Gaylord Tregeagle up until last July I had been working down the mines with my Pa. I started working when I was fourteen for twelve hours every day except Sundays. It was shortly before my birthday when me and Pa along with about 6000 of us workers went to Central Reserve and voted to all to go on strike (Strikes). Pa was a bit worried about it but Ma says “This is important for our future”. So I suppose writing this letter to you will be the proof in the pudding!

I remember when we first came here, I was only eight, it was a dusty old place. Everyone says the dust has gotten worse. Ma says it is because of all the tailings piled up around the mines and they say the lead in the dust is poisonous (NSW Health Lead Exposure). Mrs Strapp has been coughing and sick from all the dust and her youngest girl Molly too. For much of 'Windy September' I was wrapping a handkerchief around my face to keep out all the dust.

After that meeting in the Central Reserve in the beginning of July we had been so angry with the Mining Managers. The lead-dust poisoning, unequal pay and how the Mine Managers went back on their agreements about reducing our work hours led us all to vote for the strike (LH). Me and my mates along with our Mums and Dads all helped with the picket lines and daily street marches. I have become quite a dab hand at painting placards.

Mrs Strapp, Ma and some of the other women from the Weslyan Methodist Church* are in the Womens Brigade. They and the younger kids were out on marches and the picket lines almost everyday when the strike began. They gave the scabs and a fair number of cops plenty to think about. Pa told Ma that she should 'tone it down a bit' but Ma just laughed and said Pa was just saying what Dick Sleath told him to say*. None of it seems to matter now because I am not sure we are going to win this.

Last month the Mine Managers started bringing in contract workers from out of town. There was a huge fight. The cops even fixed bayonets at the Theatre Royal on Argent. It has been like a war. Dick and the rest of our strike leaders have been arrested. The way it's going at the moment I am not sure Broken Hill will be a great city in 2025. Unless you are a Mine Manager. 

We have been striking for months now. I cannot lie, it has been really hard. There has been no rain all winter and now summer is upon us. Food and water in the town is in short supply. Mr Strapp from two doors down was arrested when he was caught out at Thackaringa station poaching sheep. Ma gave the cop a mouthful when she saw him on last weeks march. The Strapps had been sharing the mutton with us and other neighbours. Pa and I are going out tonight to trap rabbits although they are getting harder to find now because everyone is doing the same. We have to feed not only ourselves now but help poor Mrs Strapp and her two girls.

I don't want you to think it is all bad though. A couple of years ago one of Dad's mates, Albert, got a job with a new company in town called the Silverton Tramway Company. Albert told Dad he has to take the train back to Melbourne to look after his mother. Albert say's he will put in a good word for Dad to take his job when he leaves. 

Pa says the mines are not everything. There is plenty of exciting new jobs springing up with all the new technology like the trains, steam engines and all the latest advances in smelting (birrel). Maybe one day I'll drive a steam tram right here in Broken Hill. Who knows maybe in the future you are all flying around in steam planes! 

Another good thing we have here is the hospital. It was only opened in June and Ma says it is one of the few good things the Mining Managers paid for but only because we told them to. Mrs Strapp used to have to travel to Silverton to see a doctor but now it is just up the road. I hope we won't need it before this strike is over.



Yours sincerely,

Gaylord

Whilst a fun exercise I don’t think the letter begins to capture the true hardship faced by families at the time. If you are interested have a read of this excellent Introduction to the Women of Broken Hill project.