- Archibald McMillan(1880-1914) & Elizabeth Wilson (1880-1957)

Archibald was the first McMillan born in Australia. He was born in Minmi, near Wallsend, in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, on the 28th May, 1880. He was the elder twin of James who died a few days later. Presumably he became a miner, like his father, older brother and brothers-in-law and eventually moved to Hillgrove.

This interesting article appeared in The Maitland Daily Mercury on Monday 22 June 1896, page 5:

Wollomombri Falls.

(Judging from the marriage and birth records, all the family members were in Hillgrove except for Agnes and Alice).

The Bakers Creek Gold Mine, Hillgrove.

The Powerhouse Museum records:

In 1887 a rich reef of gold bearing rock was discovered in the Hillgrove Gorge by George Smith. The Bakers Creek Goldmine was the first mine established to exploit this resource in 1887.

The mine met with enormous initial success. Over the following decade 311,225 ounces of gold were mined at Bakers Creek and by 1897 the company’s shareholders had received dividends of 247,500 pounds on their paid up capital of 87,000 pounds. However this spectacular success could not last. In the frantic climate of the late 1880s and early 1890s little if any consideration was given to the mine’s expensive mining techniques and no capital reserve was put aside. As the initial deposit was depleted and costs skyrocketed in the difficult terrain, the mine could not produce enough gold to meet the monthly expenses. In 1906 the Bakers Creek Mining Company was wound up.

- See more at: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/imageservices/2012/06/bakers-creek-goldmine-boom-to-bust/#sthash.EsZp9xL4.dpuf

In 1899, apparently with other family members, Archie followed the gold rush to the eastern goldfields of Western Australia. He married Elizabeth Wilson in Leederville, Perth, in 1903, but it seems from the electoral roll that in 1906 he was working at the Day Dawn Mine in Cue with his parents.

Day Dawn in 1904.

In 1909, Archie struck gold:

SOUTHERN CROSS.

Southern. Cross. March 10.

McAulay's find is the general, topic of conversation here, and already several parties are being formed to

take up ground around the Marvel Loch group, which is within a stone's throw of the find. In conversation with Mr. Frank McAulay to-day he stated that, as a practical miner of 27 years' experience in all the States of the Commonwealth, he was convinced, while working on the Marvel Loch last May that the greenstone dyke in the vicinity carried gold with it, if it could be located.

In his spare time, and also on Sundays, he sank several holes without success. During this time he had several mates, who got tired, one by one, of McAulay's experiments. Early this year he, while starting to sink another hole, obtained the services of a miner named Archie McMillan, who was employed on the Juan lease, hard by. After delving in the hard country for a few days good gold was met with on all sides. The hole was opened out upon, and over 100 tons was raised to the surface from the 20 ft. level, which represents the bottom of the hole. It was intended to have put the whole of the 100 tons through the Jacoletti battery, but the water supply for the mill being rather short for continuous work, a stop was made when 66 tons had gone through. This, as has been published a few days ago in your columns, gave the highly satisfactory return of 364 oz. of gold, worth £4-3/3 per oz., or £1515 3/ worth. The sands, will, probablv be assayed in a day or two.

The ground from which the crushing was taken is a hard lode, containing' a good proportion of silica. In the laminated diorite which is met with in the lode coarse gold mav be plainly seen in the solid. There are about 50 tons now awaiting treatment at the battery.

The two lucky holders, who have now applied for their prospecting area to be converted into a lease, left Southern Cross to-day for their find.

- Kalgoorlie Miner, Friday 12 March 1909, page 3

The Southern Cross Times, Sat 18 Dec 1909

In 1910 he and Elizabeth were still listed in the electoral roll as living at Marvel Loch; he was working at the Never Never Mine (later named the Nevoria Mine). But it seems that Archie was ill:

Southern Cross Times, Saturday 9 July 1910

Archie & Elizabeth purchased a house in Leederville, Perth, with the money from the gold find. But he

was then diagnosed with a lung disease and the doctors told him that the country air would do him a world of good.

So they purchased land at Tammin (180km east of Perth) and cleared it themselves. This area is part of the Western Australian "wheatbelt", which extends like a band from Geraldton to Esperance.

Archibald survived only another 12 months after his diagnoses. He died in 1914 at 34yo from the effects of dust in his lungs - very common amongst miners at that time. The cause of death was entered as Phthisis (Pulmonary tuberculosis: involving the lungs with progressive wasting of the body. Pneumoconiosis is an occupational lung disease and a restrictive lung disease caused by the inhalation of dust, often in mines).

Blainey (p95) writes that the dust problem was not well understood. "The main instrument for drilling holes in the rock preparatory to firing them was a heavy mechanical rockdrill that stood on its own legs or supports. Virtually a jackhammer, its cutting edge filled the air in the working places with a fine dust which slowly began to affect the lungs of many men. When silica was in the rock the effect could be disastrous. Several hundred jackhammers were at work right around the clock in the biggest mines, and the miners were especially vulnerable to the dust created. The blasting of the holes, and the later shovelling and transporting of the broken rock added more dust to the air. Every year, youngish machine miners were dying after short illnesses. The cause of death was usually diagnosed as pneumonia."

The statistical record is incomplete, Blainey says, because many of the ill miners returned to the eastern states "or moved to the healthier life of the coast or a wheat farm".

The Southern Cross Times, Sat 1 Aug 1914. Page 2 OBITUARY.

Archie left a wife and 5 young children:

• Archibald James McMillan, 10yo (1904-1987);

• Robert McMillan, 8yo (1906-1956);

• Thomas Roy McMillan, 5yo (1909-1991);

• Lillian Agnes McMillan, 3yo (1911-1993), and

• Mavis McMillan, 11 months (1913-1993).

Archie is buried in the Presbyterian section at Tammin. The Death Certificate lists him as a miner.

Elizabeth placed In Memorium notices in the paper for years after his death.

MCMILLAN. On July 24, 1914 the beloved husband of Mrs. Archie McMillan, youngest son of Mrs. T. McMillan, Southern Cross, also brother of T. McMillan and Mrs. A. Fisher and Mrs. E. Alcock, aged 33 years. For of such is the Kingdom of God.

-Western Mail , Friday 31 July 1914.

McMILLAN. In loving memory of my dear husband and our dear father. Archie McMillan, who died at his home, N.E. Tammin, on July 23, 1914. Inserted by his loving wife and famly, E. McMillan.

- The West Australian, Saturday 24 July 1915

Probates and Administrations. The following probates end letters of administration have been granted by the Supreme Court: Archibald McMillan, late of North-East Tammin, to Elizabeth McMillan. £169 10s.

- Western Mail, Friday 25 May 1917.

Archie and Elizabeth had hired a farm hand, Charles Ellis, to help around the farm. Elizabeth and Charles married in 1918 and remained on the Tammin farm. They had three children:

• Margaret Ellis (1917-2011);

• Leonard Charles Ellis (1920-1991); and

• Joyce Ronnie Ellis (1923-2005).

Elizabeth died in 1957 and is buried at Tammin Cemetery.

During the early 1900s a bushfire swept through the Tammin Cemetery, destroying the location of graves and headstones. The Shire of Tammin erected a memorial plaque with names of the people whose gravesites were destroyed and Archie McMillan is recorded on this.

Photo: Lorraine McLevie

Reference: Blainey, G. The Golden Mile (1993). Allen and Unwin.