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Gold Frenzy, the story of Wicklow’s gold pt 5 – IMC Exploration
Gold Frenzy, the story of Wickow’s gold – An excerpt from the book by Dr Peadar McArdle.
Dr McArdle, who recently retired as Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, has had a long term interest in the history and origin of the Goldmine River gold deposits.
Text copyright Dr Peadar McArdle 2011.
Pt 5- Wicklow Gold Mine Bill ends glorious gold rush
Back in the valleys surrounding Croghan Mountain, residents would have become less interested in the machinations of Dublin Castle and no doubt allowed themselves to reflect with quiet satisfaction on recent events in their own neighbourhood. In the space of four weeks they had enthusiastically recovered as much as 80kg of the precious metal – perhaps more than a quarter of all the gold that would eventually be found here. Nevertheless it must be conceded that the glorious gold rush was at an end.
All falls silent now for some time regarding gold mining events. The Dublin authorities had apparently made a submission to Hi Majesty’s ministers in London. By early December 1795 Finn’s Leinster Journal indicated that now decisive answer had been received, the Cabinet being evidently distracted with more serious matters elsewhere. “In the meantime our Irish Potosi remains unexplored to the great disappointment of many.” The next reference in this newspaper is more prosaic, a report from the House of Commons of the Irish Parliament for Tuesday 14 March 1797. The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented a Bill to enable the Lords of the Treasury to regulate the working of gold mines. He said that the Wicklow gold mine had been productive but expensive to work. Accordingly, it was intended to commit its management to the landowners who would be obliged to return to the Treasury “a quantity of ore equal to what had been found to be the average.”
The Bill sailed through the Irish House of Commons in March-April 1797 without any controversy or dissent. The Bill was read a third time on 23 March and then sent to the Lords for their concurrence. Finally on 24 April the Lord Lieutenant summoned the Commons to the House of Peers where it pleased His Excellency to give the Royal Assent to a series of Bills, including that on the Wicklow old Mine. A good day’s work was recorded and their Lordships adjourned to the next day.
It is clear from the Chancellor’s remarks that the workings had not lain idle since the diggers were banished by the militia in October 1795. Gold operations on behalf of the Government were operated by the engineers from Avoca. In fact these workings began on 12 August 1796 close to the Red Hole below the bridge at Ballinvalley. The lithograph prepared by Thomas Sautell Roberts for the information of members of the Irish House of Commons shows workings on a scale and with a degree of order that could not have been achieved in the circumstances of the 1795 gold rush. So preparations for the next phase of operations had already been underway for some time in the Goldmine valley itself.
The coverage of the gold rush in the various media shows a remarkable degree of consistency and this no doubt reflects that they tended to use the same information sources. The Wicklow events clearly made an impression in the wider world, as reflected, for example, in the contemporary London play, The Lads of the Hills, or, The Wicklow Gold Mine.
To be continued…
Other books by Dr Peadar McArdle can be viewed on Amazon here
Gold Frenzy, the story of Wicklow’s gold pt 4 – IMC Exploration
Gold Frenzy, the story of Wickow’s gold – An excerpt from the book by Dr Peadar McArdle.
Dr McArdle, who recently retired as Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, has had a long term interest in the history and origin of the Goldmine River gold deposits.
Text copyright Dr Peadar McArdle 2011.
Pt 4- The mania of gold finding
In the midst of all this optimism, the thought must have struck many, not least those in authority, that whatever gold resources existed could not have been extracted to maximum effect by the unruly and unregulated mass of people who currently occupied the valley of the Goldmine River. It is hardly surprising that rumours of an imminent takeover were commonly heard. A Col. Craddock was reported to have visited the workings on Sunday 11 October. Given the reported presence of 4,000 persons, he must have been startled by what he saw that day, and particularly in the context of the uncertain security situation which faced the country at that time. He must have felt that it was only a small further step to open revolt and his report to Dublin Castle was likely to have been unambiguous. The Castle’s response was rapid and strong. Finn’s Leinster Journal reported that on Friday 16th October, a party of soldiers left Dublin to take possession of the gold workings in His Majesty’s name and force workers to return to their former occupations. The ruins of the small barracks they built and occupied are still visible in the valley. It seems there was genuine concern about public disorder, given the numbers present and the sale on-site of alcohol. This general unease can only have been heightened by rivalries among diggers over possession of the more rewarding stretches of the river. The Freeman’s Journal stated that by the following Tuesday, 200 military personnel were in position. Fifteen of them were on guard at any given time, patrolling the ground and ensuring the “peasantry” were excluded. The purpose of this exercise was explicitly “as well to put an end to the mania of gold finding, and confusion and idleness among the people, as to secure the wealth therein for his majesty, to whom all such so discovered, of right belongs.”
“Idleness” is a curious term, given the frenzy of activity in the workings, but “confusion” even more so – who was confused in the frantic search for what might amount to instant wealth? Not the peasant gold-diggers for sure! Goldmine River was widely seen as a valuable prospect at the time, and the real motivation of the Government must surely have been to secure its perceived wealth for the realm.
The account in Saunder’s News-Letter is both entertaining and authoritative, and indicates that the military took possession of the gold workings on Thursday 15 October 1795, precisely one month after the discovery came to public notice.
“The mines at Little Peru, otherwise Croghan Mountain, were taken possession of on Thursday last, on behalf of his Majesty. Major Browne, of the Royal Engineer, attended by Mr Coates, Port Surveyor of Wicklow, marched two companies of the Kildare militia from the Barrack of Arklow, towards the place where the gold is got; but with great judgement and propriety, on consultation with that active and spirited Magistrate, Thomas King Esq, it was judged proper to send a constable before them to read a proclamation and advise the crowd to disperse and leave the ground. In an hour afterwards, the Major, accompanied by Mr King, Mr Hayes, Sub-Sheriff, who readily attended, and Mr Coates, marched the army, about 68 men rank and file, to the place, when the crowd, without riot or resistance, dispersed. When men, who conduct themselves with such coolness, judgement and spirit, as those gentlemen did, support the law, there is no danger of opposition. It is much to the credit of the peasantry of the county of Wicklow, that not the slightest opposition had been given to the execution of the law; that country is not cursed with disloyal Defenders.”
To be continued…
Other books by Dr Peadar McArdle can be viewed on Amazon here