Lucknow, located 10km east of Orange, was one of the richest goldfields in NSW.
Mine-shaft structures, such as the steel-head frames of the Wentworth Main and Reform sites, remain above ground and can be
visited.
The Wiradjuri occupied a large territory in NSW as hunter-gatherers, living a highly mobile lifestyle.
The
name Wiradjuri means, "people of the three rivers". Traditionally, these rivers are; Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Macquarie.
In his book
Aboriginal tribes of Australia (1974), Norman Tindale wrote that Wiradjuri was one of several terms coined later, after the 1890s. There was a need for names for Aboriginal groupings and Dr John Fraser set out to provide entirely artificial terms for various "'Great tribes". (
1.)
Traditionally most Aboriginal people lived in extended family groups, with a well-defined territorial base, but would cooperate with other groups for hunting, fighting and ceremonies.
A. W. Howitt mentions several
local groups of the Wiradjuri, for example-Narrandera (prickly lizard), Cootamundra (Kuta-mundra) from kutamun turtle, Murranbulla or Murring-bulle (maring-bula, two bark canoes), and many others.
Most Aboriginal groups believe that their rules for life, Totems, and who they could marry, were given to them during the Dreaming. Baiame is the creator god and sky father.
The Wiradjuri developed tree carving as part of the culture. There are various
sites, burial areas, initiation sites, bora sites in the Wiradjuri traditional areas.
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| An Aboriginal Bora, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 31 December 1898 (Bora is an initiation ceremony of the Aboriginal people of Eastern Australia) |
With the arrival of Europeans, the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of Aboriginal people was severely disrupted. Aboriginal people had been
isolated from the rest of the world for at least 50,000 years and diseases, like smallpox and measles, to which they had no immunity, had terrible repercussions.
1800s
On 31 May 1813, Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Wentworth, along with a guide, three convicts, horses and dogs, were the first Europeans to succeed in crossing Australia's impenetrable Blue Mountains.
Lucknow was once an estate granted to William Charles Wentworth.
Interestingly, Wentworth was born on HMS
Surprize off the coast of the penal settlement of Norfolk Island in August 1790. His father D'Arcy Wentworth had avoided prosecution for highway robbery by accepting the position of assistant surgeon in the colony of New South Wales and his mother, Catherine Crowley, was a convict.
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| Studio Portrait of William Charles Wentworth, explorer, author, barrister, landowner and statesman, 1861-1862, Dalton's Royal Photographic Gallery, from vintage carte-de-visite, State Library of New South Wales, |
1850s
The Lucknow goldfield was discovered in 1851, two months after Australia's first payable gold was discovered at nearby Ophir.
Mining was alluvia at first and then shaft.
1860s
H. W. Newman struck gold with the "Homeward Bound" claim but lost all his money in 1862 going into business in Lucknow.
After gold was found, Wentworth created the Wentworth Gold Field Company, turning his
wealth into a fortune. Wentworth sold out in the 1860s. The name Lucknow was adopted in 1863.
The name "Lucknow" may be related to The Siege of Lucknow in India (1857), when more than 2,500 British were either killed or wounded. There are also other theories.
The first post office opened in 1863.
Lucknow school in a bark hut
opened in 1864.
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| Freeman's Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1932), Wednesday 24 May 1865 |
There were 24 claims from 1864 to 1866. Some of the mines were Golden Point, Phoenix, Spicer’s (or United Miners) and Uncle Tom. Other mines included Crinoline, Four Sailors, Golden Gate, Homeward Bound, Industry Rewarded, John Bull, Mitchell’s, Morning Star, Shamrock and Snobs.
Lucknow village had three hotels, five blacksmiths, two bakers, three butchers, three shoemakers, two produce merchants, a tailor, a saddler and a couple of
storekeepers, as well as the school and churches. (
1.)
1870s
The Anglican Church was built in 1873. The bluestone church replaced a bark hut which doubled as a school and centre for both Anglican and Wesleyan services from the
beginning of the town's establishment.
The Uncle Tom Company was formed in 1873 but was mismanagement and closed. H. W. Newman bought the mine and it became one of the richest mines in NSW's history. Newman later became postmaster and ran a general store in front of his home, called "Mamhead".
In 1878 a new school opened.
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| Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 1 February 1879 |
1880s
The School of Arts opened in 1887, replacing the original Miner’s Hall.
1890s |
| Lucknow and its mines, NSW, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 29 June 1895 |
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| Figure 1 gives a view of the elevated :launder for conveying tailings across the public road, and depositing the on the other side of the,creek (Lucknow, NSW) .Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 1 August 1896 |
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| The New Poppet Legs and Bins at the Phoenix Shaft.(Lucknow, NSW) Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 1 August 1896 |
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| Main St Lucknow, NSW, 1897. ORANGE & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY |
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| Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW : 1860 - 1927; 1929 - 1931; 1933 - 1938), Friday 20 August 1897 (a thirteen-week strike against the reduction in wages) |
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| Miners' strike, Lucknow, NSW, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 21 August 1897 |
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| Main Street of Lucknow, NSW, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 21 August 1897 |
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| Lucknow strike committee, NSW, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 21 August 1897 |
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| THE STRIKE AT LUCKNOW, NSW. Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 6 November 1897 |
1900s
1920s
Mining activity declined in Lucknow at this time.
1930s
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| Sheep near Lucknow, NSW, Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 - 1954), Friday 6 January 1933 |
In 1935 the Wentworth Company built a new poppet head over the shaft to pump water in conjunction with the Wentworth Main shaft.
1940s and WWII
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| Leader (Orange, NSW : 1899 - 1945), Monday 18 October 1943 |
1950s
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| World's News (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 1955), Saturday 4 June 1955 |
Orange City Council purchased the Wentworth Mine Site in July 2000.
Around Lucknow
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| Mitchell Highway, Lucknow, built by H. W. Newman. (“Mamhead”) |
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| Lucknow, NSW |
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| Lucknow, NSW |
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| Lucknow, NSW |
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| Lucknow, NSW |
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| Lucknow, NSW |
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| St John Anglican Church, Lucknow, NSW. Newman Street, Lucknow, NSW. |
Things To Do and Places To Go
Wentworth Main Mine-Open first weekend each month - Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2.30pm
