William Briggs

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DescriptionWilliam Briggs was born on 23 January, 1838 to Joseph and Jane nee Mitchell at Potter Newton, Leeds, England.

As a child, William's parents shifted him and his six siblings to Victoria, Australia. They arrived in December, 1849, and William's father died on January 9, 1850, leaving his mother with seven children to raise alone in a new country.

In 1859, after a few years on the Victoria goldfields, William sailed for Hokitika. He followed rumours of gold around the South Island, prior to returning to Melbourne in 1863.

On 4 May, 1863 William married Elizabeth Augusta Rogers at Geelong. He listed his occupation as 'miner living at Dunedin.' Two weeks later the couple returned to New Zealand.

William established himself as a fruiterer and greengrocer with stores at both Dunedin and Waipori. He operated a coach business in which he transported both the goods for his stores and passengers. William later purchased 75-acres at Harvey's Flat on the Waipori side of Outram and set up an accommodation house. This location was an ideal stop between Waipori and the city. In this way, he received income from both the coach fare and the accommodation along the way.

In 1874, William sold his Harvey's Flat property and set up his fruiterer and skins business in Balclutha. William's business was badly impacted by the 1878 flood of the Clutha. A year later he moved to Gore.

Elizabeth and William had approximately eight children between 1866 and 1887. Although only their second child Elizabeth, Mrs Alexander Walker, is mentioned in William's obituary. He died in January 1908 and is buried in the Gore Cemetery with Elizabeth, who died 19 May, 1911.

This information comes from pages 49-50 of David Still's 'Gold Beneath Dark Waters | The People of Waipori.'PhotographerSarah Gaynor ClaytonDateC.1900RightsThis item is out of copyright. ContributorWaipori Goldfields Charitable Trust

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SubjectsShops and businessesPeople and FamiliesGoldminingPlaceWaipori Goldfields

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William Briggs