Edward Hardman
Encyclopedia
Edward Townley Hardman was a geologist
who played a key role in the discovery of Western Australia
's Kimberley
goldfield
s.
Edward Hardman was born in Drogheda
in County Louth
, Ireland
on 6 April 1845. He graduated in mining
from the Royal College of Science in Dublin, and in 1870 was appointed as a geologist
in the Geological Survey of Ireland.
In 1882, small gold
finds in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
prompted the Government of Western Australia
to appoint a temporary Government Geologist to examine the area. The British
Colonial Office
chose Hardman for the position, and he arrived in Perth, Western Australia
in March 1883. Hardman immediately joined Alexander Forrest
's survey expedition to the Kimberley, but the party was confined to the western part of the Kimberley, and no indications of gold were found. The following year, he joined Harry Johnston
's survey, which covered most of the Kimberley. Hardman found traces of gold throughout the east Kimberley, especially in the area around the present-day town of Halls Creek
. In his published report, he complained that he had received little assistance in his work, as the surveying took priority.
Hardman's report prompted a number of prospecting expeditions in the area, and in 1885 gold was discovered by Charles Hall
's party at a location that they named Halls Creek. Once the discovery became known, the Kimberley gold rush
set in, and a goldfield was proclaimed on 19 May 1886. Hardman's map and report were heavily used by prospectors, and held in high regard. The field's Warden, Charles Price
stated
Back in 1872, the Government of Western Australia had offered a reward of £5000 for the discovery of the colony
's first payable goldfield
, with a number of conditions attached. In January 1885, Johnston lodged a claim for the reward, on the grounds that
When Hardman learned of Johnston's claim, he lodged one himself, countering Johnston's claim with the statement
Consideration of the claims were deferred until May 1888.
Hardman hoped for his temporary appointment as Government Geologist to be made permanent, but the government would not approve the funding, and on the completion of his contract in 1885 he returned to Ireland, where he again worked on the Geological Survey of Ireland. In August 1886, the Government of Western Australia approved the funding for a permanent Government Geologist position, and Hardman submitted an application for the job.
In March 1887, Hardman began field work in the Wicklow Mountains
of Ireland. He was in bad health and the weather was poor, with frequent snowstorms and rain. Early in April, he contracted typhoid fever
, and died a few days later in a Dublin hospital on 6 April. He was survived by a wife and two young children.
The Western Australian government agreed to offer the Government Geologist post to Hardman shortly before news of his death reached them. When in May 1888 the government considered claims for the reward for discovery of the goldfield, it was decided that the Kimberley goldfield, which had proven disappointing, had not met the stipulated conditions, and no reward was paid out. Hardman's contribution was recognised, however, with a gift of £500 to his widow Louisa Hardman.
Three geographical features in the Kimberley bear Edward Hardman's name: Hardman Point, Hardman Range and Mount Hardman.
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
who played a key role in the discovery of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
's Kimberley
Kimberley region of Western Australia
The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.The region...
goldfield
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
s.
Edward Hardman was born in Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
in County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 6 April 1845. He graduated in mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
from the Royal College of Science in Dublin, and in 1870 was appointed as a geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
in the Geological Survey of Ireland.
In 1882, small gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
finds in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
Kimberley region of Western Australia
The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.The region...
prompted the Government of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
to appoint a temporary Government Geologist to examine the area. The British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
chose Hardman for the position, and he arrived in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in March 1883. Hardman immediately joined Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest CMG, was an explorer and surveyor of Western Australia, as well as a politician.-Early life:Forrest was born at Picton, near Bunbury in Western Australia, the son of William and Margaret Forrest...
's survey expedition to the Kimberley, but the party was confined to the western part of the Kimberley, and no indications of gold were found. The following year, he joined Harry Johnston
Harry Johnston (surveyor)
Harry Frederick Johnston was Surveyor-General of Western Australia from 1896 to 1915.Harry Johnston was born in 1853, as a grandson of Marshall Clifton. He qualified as a surveyor. In 1884, he led a surveying expedition to the Kimberley region of Western Australia...
's survey, which covered most of the Kimberley. Hardman found traces of gold throughout the east Kimberley, especially in the area around the present-day town of Halls Creek
Halls Creek, Western Australia
Halls Creek is a small town situated in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is located between the towns of Fitzroy Crossing and Turkey Creek on the Great Northern Highway...
. In his published report, he complained that he had received little assistance in his work, as the surveying took priority.
Hardman's report prompted a number of prospecting expeditions in the area, and in 1885 gold was discovered by Charles Hall
Charles Hall
Charles Hall may refer to:*Charles Hall , MP for Lincoln 1727–1734*Charles Hall *Charles Hall , British economist, physician and early socialist...
's party at a location that they named Halls Creek. Once the discovery became known, the Kimberley gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
set in, and a goldfield was proclaimed on 19 May 1886. Hardman's map and report were heavily used by prospectors, and held in high regard. The field's Warden, Charles Price
Charles Price
Charles Price may refer to:*Charles Basil Price , Canadian soldier*Charles H. Price II , American businessman and former diplomat*Charles Melvin Price , U.S...
stated
- "the whole of the miners are enthusiastic in the praise of Mr Hardman;... every case when he has marked on his plan that auriferous deposits would be found... the result has proved the correctness of his opinion... Nowhere else have they found more than colours."1
Back in 1872, the Government of Western Australia had offered a reward of £5000 for the discovery of the colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
's first payable goldfield
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
, with a number of conditions attached. In January 1885, Johnston lodged a claim for the reward, on the grounds that
- "while in command of the Kimberley Survey Parties in 1884 I discovered a large area of auriferous country".2
When Hardman learned of Johnston's claim, he lodged one himself, countering Johnston's claim with the statement
- "not only did he make no discoveries of gold in the district,... he constantly decried the idea of gold being found at all; sneered at all my efforts to prospect the country; and was with the utmost difficulty persuaded to afford me any assistance...."3
Consideration of the claims were deferred until May 1888.
Hardman hoped for his temporary appointment as Government Geologist to be made permanent, but the government would not approve the funding, and on the completion of his contract in 1885 he returned to Ireland, where he again worked on the Geological Survey of Ireland. In August 1886, the Government of Western Australia approved the funding for a permanent Government Geologist position, and Hardman submitted an application for the job.
In March 1887, Hardman began field work in the Wicklow Mountains
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into Counties Carlow, Wexford and Dublin. Where the mountains extend into County Dublin, they are known locally as the Dublin Mountains...
of Ireland. He was in bad health and the weather was poor, with frequent snowstorms and rain. Early in April, he contracted typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
, and died a few days later in a Dublin hospital on 6 April. He was survived by a wife and two young children.
The Western Australian government agreed to offer the Government Geologist post to Hardman shortly before news of his death reached them. When in May 1888 the government considered claims for the reward for discovery of the goldfield, it was decided that the Kimberley goldfield, which had proven disappointing, had not met the stipulated conditions, and no reward was paid out. Hardman's contribution was recognised, however, with a gift of £500 to his widow Louisa Hardman.
Three geographical features in the Kimberley bear Edward Hardman's name: Hardman Point, Hardman Range and Mount Hardman.