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Denniston - Burnett's Face
Settlement at Burnett's Face started in 1886, the last resident leaving
in 1956.
The name alludes to the face of coal, outcropping on the sides of the gully.
James Burnett first surveyed this coal seam in 1863 which is why it bears
his name.
In 1901 the official population was 212 and the settlement took great pride
in its self sufficiency.
There were 2 hotels, a bakery, 3 general stores, a butchery, a fancy goods
shop and a public school.
Post Office services as well as telephone and banking services were
available in one of the general stores.
While Denniston had churches for all denominations, Burnett's Face had only
a multi-denominational mission house. |
Coalbrookdale
Coalbrookdale was named by Julius Haast after a mining village in
Shropshire, England.
It is said that it was there that the industrial revolution started for
mining in England.
It was also there that the first Ironbridge was made, again a name
duplicated on the Plateau.
With the mining company providing free transport for building materials from
Conn's Creek and the miners wanting to live as near to their place of work
as possible, houses sprang up wherever space allowed.
Part of the Coalbrookdale settlement was known as Poverty Point. This was
where the single men lived in manuka and canvas shelters because of the
scarcity of building materials.
Most of all however because the mine entrance was just across the road,
saving a long walk to work in sometimes atrocious weather conditions. |
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