Gold Diggings Diaries Bendigo 1851 -1852, 1858, 1859, 1861, 1863, 1864, 1868, 1873, 1874, 1878, 1880, 1881, 1884 and 1888
Contact Angus Pearson (the transcriber and Great Grandson of I.E.D.) at anguspearson71@gmail.com as of 2025
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Above: The first page of the 1851 diary. Written in pencil.
Isaac was 19 years and six months old when he began his 1851 diary (now in the Manuscripts Collection of the State Library of Victoria). It covers his adventures from Adelaide by sea to Melbourne and then to the Diggings around Bendigo - and then back to Adelaide in 1852 where he sells his gold. He returns to Melbourne, again by sea, and the diary ends - although there are annotations on spending and gold retrieved which cover the following couple of years. Accounts of robberies, murders, run-ins with the Commissioner (a founding member of the Melbourne Cricket Club), bushfires, drenchings, food, scenery and GOLD make this first diary the most entertaining. At just over 20,000 words it is also not too large to print out easily!
In his 1858 diary , he says that he "left off digging" in 1854 and invested his funds in various enterprises.
All of these diaries with the exception of the '1888 selection' by Dr Charles Fahey (see below) have been transcribed by me and any mistakes are mine.
Email me at anguspearson71@gmail.com
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THESE DOCUMENTS ONCE YOU HAVE PRESSED THE 'POP OUT' BUTTON ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THEM
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THESE DOCUMENTS ONCE YOU HAVE PRESSED THE 'POP OUT' BUTTON ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THEM
also - apologies for the first diary being loaded sideways - you can rectify this by pressing the 'pop out' button then downloading it and going to the 'view' options to turn it the right way around. It is worth it - being the first, shortest and arguably most 'rollicking' of the diaries - Enjoy!
Addendum: Since transcribing the early Diggings letters and diaries I have discovered that Isaac Dyason was indeed a signatory to the Red Ribbon petition. Angus Pearson - 2021.
Dyason Diaries 1851.pdfDyason Diary 1858.pdfDyason Diary 1859.pdfDiary 1861.pdfDyason Diary 1863.pdfDiary 1864.pdfDyason Diary 1868.pdfDyason Diary 1873.pdfDyason Diary 1874.pdfDyason Diary 1878.pdfDyason Diary 1880.pdfDyason Diary 1881.pdfDyason Diary 1884.pdfCharles Fahey 1888.pdfGoogle Sites
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