How Good is The Power of The ‘Cat??!!


DOWN IN THE GOLDMINE [2]

I posted this song pertaining to the amazing West Australian mine rescue near Coolgardie in 1907, in this thread back on 4th Oct 2020.

The song was sourced and recorded by the late John Thompson in his “Oz Folk Song a Day” blog : http://ozfolksongaday.blogspot.com/search?q=Down+in+the+Goldmine

This song was also recorded by CLOUDSTREET (John Thompson & Nicole Murray), on their “CIRCUS OF DESIRES” album : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXDAPqqWuzg&list=OLAK5uy_mieorNy1H81gSIqJ6CP6REfRouU1qtyDE


John had it listed as “anon” with the tune “Down in the Coalmine” and Cloudy John said : “A song I found in a folio entitled, Moondyne Joe and Other Sandgroper Ballads. It is a parody of a music hall song, Down in the Coal Mine.
This link is to the story which I first read about the rescue of this Italian miner from a flooded goldmine in the desert in 1907 : https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-great-survival-20060506-gdnhry.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Enquiries around the folk scene in Australia have not revealed the songwriter's name. Any advice would be appreciated.”


Fast forward to fellow ‘Catter, Sandra-in-Sydney’s post in this thread on 26thJan2021 of a Manuscript of various compositions from WA, including correspondence, (that phrase is important!!), received in 1970, at Sydney’s Bush Music Club
and detailed in their blog, which she linked to : https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/07/moondyne-joe-and-other-sandgroper.html#gsc.tab=0

It transpires from the said “Correspondence” that this song was in fact written by one Lloyd G. Montgomery (aka Sandgroper) and he lists his melody as being taken from an Irish air : “The Roving Journeyman, or, The Red-Haired Boy.
But not being a reader of music, I am unable to say if John Thompson’s music hall tune by Joseph Bryan Geoghegan is the same or similar or completely different!!! No doubt someone will tell me!!


So there you go!! (thanks Sandra! .....and John is probably aware now too, on some other level :)


Now I just came across this presentation on YT by WA’s State Library, re Bonnievale’s 1907 “Westralia” mine (East extn), massively flooded due to torrential rain, and the subsequent rescue of the last Miner, some 300metres below.
They even use Cloudstreet’s singing behind the slideshow!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6iSo209fPU

The trapped Miner was Modesto Varischetti and the last of 161 miners underground that day. He was a family man from Italy and his rescuer was local Diver Frank Hughes, from Wales. Another local Diver, Fox, initially assisted until injured, along with with Perth Divers, Hearne and Curtis. Herbert Hoover (later to become a US President) was the mining engineer, but the one who made the suggestion to use the Divers, was John, the young son of Josiah Crabb, the Cornish Mine Inspector.
The record 10? hour speed, set by the train carrying the two Perth Divers and the extra long air hoses and diving rescue gear for 565kms, stood for 50 years!!!   
Hughes made various attempts to reach Varischetti and though exhausted, after five days was finally able to bring food, light, letters, and hope to the Miner in his air pocket rise. Around 20 men were working underground in the water and mud to facilitate this rescue, including local Doctors, Mitchell and Ellis. As the water level gradually lowered with the constant surface pumping and baling, Hughes made a sixth trip down to the Miner, who after nine days of entrapment, was finally able to be brought to the surface.
Varischetti lived and worked at underground mining until 1920 when he died of Pulmonary Fibrosis.   Hughes was awarded the Albert Medal.
The location of Bonnievale, originally 12kms from Coolgardie, like so many Australian mining towns is now remembered only by a signpost.


PS    I have decided to post below, Mr Montgomery’s lyrics from his 14th May 1970 correspondence to Dale Dengate of the Bush Music Club – there are a few differences to that which John sings, but IMHO, nothing really drastic :

DOWN IN THE GOLDMINE [2]

Coolgardie folk remember well, a torrent from the sky
Westralia’s tunnel took the flood, and men were forced to fly
It chilled the blood to have to hear, that wailing whistle blow
For miner Varischetti lay, a thousand feet below.

Chorus :
Down in the Goldmine, underneath the ground
Floods are apt to fill the mine, men are apt to drown
Dare the dark an’ dreary water, send a diver down
Deep down in the Goldmine, underneath the ground.

They heard a hammer down below and ran to break the news –
To tread the gloomy catacomb, they sent for Diver Hughes
It’s half-a-hope, or sudden death – now are y’game to go?
Where miner Varischetti is, a thousand feet below.

Fremantle found the diving gear – a train began to roar
The engine got the right-o’-way, a hundred mile or more
She hit the track at sixty-five and set the night aglow
As miner Varischetti lay, a thousand feet below.

A million gallons rose above the captive in the cave
Then Diver Hughes, he brought him up and left an empty grave –
An’ life’ll keep a lamp alight, if men are game to go
Where miner Verischetti lay, a thousand feet below.



I do so love a happy ending!!
R-J