OLDEST GOLD DIGGER IN THE WORLD.
NINETY SIX NOT OUT.
Good health is wealth, the only wealth of worth,
The health which springs from sound hygienic birth;
Good health is joy to all who feel its glow,
The purest happiness mankind can know.
Good health thro’ life is still the boon of all
Who, having health, respond to wisdom’s call.
From 1834, in the reign of William IV., to 1930, is a long call — a span of 90 years. We live in an age of records and record-breaking, from the invincible Don Bradman, the champion of the willow, to new and recurring air conquests and speed records. Many marvellous things have happened within the last few years; as Bracken would say, ‘we marvel and we wonder,’ and no surprise is now felt at the occurrence of the most untoward events. But what of the man whose span of life has extended over a period of 90 years, ami who is able to look back over these years with a clear vision, a perfect memory and institute comparisons. There are few thus privileged; the great majority of humanity respond to the call of the Reaper long before the century is within hailing distance. Whether it is that the climate of South Canterbury is favourable to longevity or from some other cause, this part of the Dominion can claim distinction in this respect.
Mr John L. Potter, of LeCren St., Timaru, although not the oldest resident of South Canterbury — at least one lady can claim precedence in this respect — celebrated his 9th birthday on Friday 25th July. He was born, as stated previously, in 1834, and since that far-away date his experiences have been wide and varied, but to-day, within sight of the century, he enjoys wonderfully good health, his sight is unimpaired, his memory is clear, and he is able to recount in the clearest possible manner events which occurred prior to the Crimean War, now but a memory to the oldest, and scarcely known to the succeeding generations, for it must be borne in mind that more than three-quarters of a century have now elapsed since that War.
Mr Porter is a native of Durham, and whilst still a young man went to the Commonwealth, induced to leave home and kindred owing to the illuring pictures of the gold finds in Victoria, Not all who travelled far to reach this Golconda found the position as pictured, but all were willing to face any odds in pursuit of the illusive metal. That was in what may be termed pre-colonisation days; the machinery of Government had not been mobolised, and the conditions on the goldfields were far from ideal.
Mr Potter, with hundreds of others, trekked to Ballarat, and here it is interesting to relate that his "miner’s right” bore the "Number 16," so it will be seen that he was amongst the earliest to secure his license. That historical document Mr Potter still has in his possession, as well as many other mementoes of the far past.
The only battle fought in the Commonwealth was what is popularly known as the “battle of the Eureka Stockade,” at Ballarat, when the miners, disgusted with the harsh treatment meted out to them by the autocratic authorities, threw down the gauntlet to the military, erected a fort and bade defiance to the powers that be. Of course, there could be only one end to such a contest; the miners were ill-prepared for battle with trained forces; in the end the fort was taken, and the defenders sought safety in flight. But although the battle was lost, the cause was won, for it was not long afterwards that the grievances were removed, the men received representation, and henceforth there were no threatenings of trouble.
On leaving Victoria Mr Potter came to New Zealand, where he participated in the rush to Gabriel’s Gully, but later resumed his occupation as a carpenter, and settled in Timaru where for many years he plied his calling. On the occasion of his 96th birthday, Mr Potter was the recipient of numerous congratulations, just as has been the case since he attained his 90th birthday. -Mt Benger Mail, 20/8/1930.
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| J L Potter, aged 27. C. N. Connolly. 'Potter, John Lishman', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1990. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1p26/potter-john-lishman |
The Eureka Revolt, 1854.
(F. H. McCoy.)
"They go forth to battle, and they fall. But falling they win. A tyranny is broken.” — Donn Byrne,
The battle of the Eureka Stockade in 1854 is one of the most vivid pages in the early history of the Australian goldfields. Firmness, courage and faith, even unto death, distinguished the gold-miners on the Ballarat field, as was evidenced for all time by their great stand for justice at Eureka. Charles Joseph La Trobe, C.B., ruled with a rod of iron the gentlemen adventurers, who had come from far countries to what was then considered the end of the world, Australia, to seek their fortunes. There was a continual procession to Ballarat, attracted by the richness of that field. The miners were high spirited, intellectual, and courageous. Free, white and twenty-one, in them was no convict strain, and yet they were harassed and persecuted beyond the limit of human endurance, by a Government which should have known better.
Gold was to be had for the washing up, and sailors left their ships and minor officials of the Government threw up their jobs, and made for the field. The diggers for bravado made sandwiches of banknotes and ate them. They were young and ginger was hot in their mouth.
Lola Montez, a beautiful dancer, who had caused a European king to rock on his throne appeared at Ballarat, and the stage was strewn with nuggets, tributes from the lucky miners. One of her star acts, the "Spider” dance, was banned as improper. This lady of magnetic charm, a very tempestuous petticoat, had a chequered career, a short life and a merry one.
It is narrated that on the occasion of a visit from Sir Charles and Lady Hotham to the old, a miner with gallant courtesy and easy grace, laid his coat on the ground that the lady might walk dry shod over a puddle. Sir Charles Hotham, R.N., K.C.B., a naval man, succeeded Mr La Trobe as Governor in 1854, and his rule was a reign of terror, no rest for the goldminers. The license for for the right to prospect for gold, set at 30s per month, was raised to £3 per month. All on the field, whether finding gold or not were compelled to produce the license to the armed police, when demanded. Failure to do this meant arrest and a fine of £5 on arraignment.
With a perverted sense of humour armed troopers, who disgraced the uniform they wore, delighted in digger hunts, in which they acted with incredible cruelty. The harried miners, on the approach of the hunters, would run, then one would dart between hunter and hunted and, being the nearer, would be pursued. Then followed a merry dance over mudholes, and when the man was caught, he was found to have his license. Thereon hangs a tale.
A servant of the Roman Catholic Priest was arrested in mistake. He was not a miner at all. He was fined £5 on arrest and when error was proved the Court instead of refunding the five pounds fined him £5 for assaulting the police. The Rev. Mr Smythe, Roman Catholic Priest, naturally resenting the imposition, ranged himself on the side of the miners who stood for right. An inspector, who had been a blacksmith, always carried and used a dogwhip weighted with a brass ball, the size of a billiard ball, at the end of it. A digger who was half seas over asked him what he was, whereupon the brutal wretch struck him on the head with the brass ball causing him to fall, apparently dead. A Commissioner standing nearby said “I mustn’t see this. If he dies I may have to adjudicate as magistrate." Luckily the man did not die. At a ‘‘hunt’’ a constable demurring at his official superior's order to fire a tent wherein was a woman with her children, the cruel ruffian seized the brand and set the tent ablaze. Scobie, a miner seeking admission to the Eureka saloon, a ‘‘lambing down" grog shanty, was murdered by Bentley, the saloon-keeper, an ex-convict. A corrupt magistrate, one Dewes, said to have an interest in the saloon, against the weight of evidence, dismissed the case against Bentley. Scobie was killed on 7th October, 1954. Two weeks later the miners burned down the hotel. Arrested and charged with arson, four men were acquitted and three found guilty, Mclntyre, six months. Fletcher four months, and Westerby three months; the jury recommended them to mercy. Richard Davies Ireland, Q.C., a legal luminary, who was a born jury pleaded, the charm of whose voice would lure the birds from the trees, was counsel for the defence. This gentleman's second daughter married John Fraser McQueen Fraser, sometime Crown Prosecutor at Dunedin. The position became acute and dissatisfaction rampant. The incensed miners constituted the Ballarat Reform League, and "demanded" the release of the prisoners. The Governor kicked at the "demand" and the reply was a man "hunt." This was the last "digger hunt" on the field. A detachment of soldiers was sent to Ballarat. The miners held a meeting, decided to burn their licenses and pay no more fees. To add to the troubles of the men some exconvicts from Van Diemans Land who had managed to get into the district, committed many excesses representing that they had done these at the instance of the Reform League — a palpable lie. Then the military arrived on the scene. The Riot Act was read, and eight arrests were made. But the miners though down were not out. A further meeting was held, the blue flag of the Southern Cross waving over the platform. Peter Lalor, an impetuous young Irishman, took control and called upon the miners to prepare to secure their rights by force of arms. Rev. Mr Smythe counselled peaceful methods. Many of the quieter spirits held aloof, as out of 10,000 on the field only about 600 were assembled at the Eureka Stockade, which was constructed of upturned carts and slabs. The Governor at once marched about 300 troops to Ballarat, The first attack was unexpected, only 150 men being at the Stockade at the time. Just as the dawn broke on December 3rd the troops and armed police attacked. The miners, fighting with their backs to the wall and their faces to the foe, made a gallant stand, but the battle was all over in a quarter of an hour; the diggers had no chance against the trained troops. The leader Peter Lalor was shot in the left arm, which had to be amputated. Each side fired off a volley, when the military rushed on the insurgents with fixed bayonets. The fallen had all their wounds in front — shot through the breast. Twenty-eight on both sides were killed, several escaped and 125 were taken prisoners. Peter Lalor escaped into the ranges and was outlawed, a price of £200 being placed on his head. This brave Irishman was selected Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1880 and on retiring was voted £4000 by Parliament. A life-sized portrait of Peter Lalor in his Speaker’s wig and gown with left empty sleeve pinned back, may now be seen in Melbourne. A statue of this hero was presented to Ballarat by an admirer, James Oddie, and now stands in Sturt street, Ballarat. Peter Lalor died in 1888. In 1855 the Miner’s Right was fixed at £1 per annum, and its payment carried the right to vote at elections. A little drummer boy was killed at the attack on the Eureka Stockade — the pity of it. This was purely accidental but none the less lamentable. One’s sympathies must also go out to the British soldiers, who simply had to obey orders in doing their hateful duty in waging civil war on their own people. The “Eureka” captured were all tried at Melbourne, but no jury would convict them. They were acquitted on All Fools’ Day, 1st April, 1855. The miners were defended by one of the most eminent barristers that Australia or any other country has ever seen, I mean Butler Cole Aspinall. Aspinall and Ireland were twin stars and their fame echoes down the halls of time. Gold was discovered at Ballarat in 1861 and the stand of Lalor and his followers at Eureka was the birth of democracy. The fallen heroes were natives of England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Nova Scotia, and Germany, as indicated on the monument erected to their memory.
Sir Charles Hotham died in Melbourne from dysentery, the only instance where a Governor has died in Australia. His was a time of storm and street, and the trouble was that he did not understand the brave, strong spirits of the men with whom he was dealing. “He meant well, but he did not know.” He was followed by the largest funeral ever held in Melbourne. Bentley, who did Scobie to death at the ‘‘Eureka” saloon, was re-arrested, tried at Melbourne, and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour. On his release he went to live at Carlton, Melbourne, where be committed suicide by taking laudanum. Hewes, the magistrate, was dismissed, went to America, embezzled money and died by his own hand in Paris.
The monster with the loaded dog whip was sacked and he openly boasted of the ill-gotten gains he had made by blackmail. It matters little what became of him.
John Lishman Potter, now living at Timaru, played his part in the battle of the Eureka Stockade. Later he was at the rush to Gabriels Gully in 1861. Bailey, of Switzers, was also one of the gallant band of heroes. There is a lady now living in Auckland, Mrs Helen Yule Dewar, who was on the field at the time of the attack on the Eureka Stockade, saw the miners burning the licenses, heard the firing in the attack at daybreak, and the rumbling of the carts carrying off the dead and dying to the Government camp at Soldiers Mill. Mrs Helen Yule Dewar, who has celebrated her ninety-sixth birthday, deserves a special place of honour in the history of the Eureka Stockade. This is a short narrative of the brave men and how they bore themselves in the only battle ever fought on any goldfield, the forlorn hope led by Peter Lalor against the British troops, the stand of the goldminers at the Eureka Stockade.
“O ye our Dead, who at the call fared forth to fall as heroes fall.” -Mt Benger Mail, 1/10/1930.
Personal
The death has occurred at Timaru of Mr. John Lishman Potter, aged 95. He was the last survivor of the Eureka Stockade fight in Victoria in 1854, in which he served under Peter Lalor, the rebel leader. He afterwards took part in the Gabriel’s Gully gold rush. -Stratford Evening Post, 27/10/1931.
Timaru and South Canterbury News (excerpt)
The carnival was officially opened by Mr Clyde Carr, M.P., who addressed a large assemblage on the lawn on tha sea side of the Hall. In introducing Mr Carr, the carnival secretary, Mr T. Cooney, apologised for the absence of the Mayor, Mr T. W. Satterthwaite, who was attending the obsequies of Mr John L. Potter. He expressed thanks on behalf of the organisers to the public for supporting the carnival so enthusiastically. Mr Carr first referred to the death of Mr Potter, whom he described as a "great and grand old pioneer," and the oldest goldminer of Australia and New Zealand. As a tribute to the memory of Mr Potter, the assemblage, on the suggestion of Mr Carr, stood with heads bared. Mr Carr stated that it afforded him great pleasure to declare the carnival officially open. -Press, 27/10/1931.
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