JAMES NASH One man’s search for a fortune

Oct 4, 2024 | A Gympie Story, Gold Rush Time Stories, Gympie Mining, Gympie Pioneer Families

Known as the ‘Man who saved Queensland’ from financial depression, records show that James Nash was the first to report the discovery of profitable Gold in the area, by taking his find up to Maryborough, 60 miles north of Gympie, on the 16th October 1867.
And so, the Gold Rush and eventually Gympie began.
The field was officially proclaimed on 31st October 1867 as “The Upper Mary River”, 25 square miles in extent. The name soon changed to Nashville, after the discoverer, but as this was the same name of a large American city, it was deemed wise to alter it, first to Gympy, and then to Gympie.
(The Nash family were originally French Protestants, Huguenots and reared as Quakers, who had settled in England.)
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James Nash was born on 5th September 1834 at Beanacre, Wiltshire, England and was the son of Michael Nash, a farm labourer, and his wife Elizabeth nee Prosser. He finished his education by the age of 9 and became a farm worker however he migrated to Sydney, Australia at the age of 23 and did labouring work between prospecting for Gold at various goldfields.
A popular conception was that James Nash was a sort of swagman with a lust for Gold, he would be described as a quietly spoken, solitary man, short and stocky who favoured wearing White Moleskin trousers and big White Felt hats, who was fond of relating his mining adventures.
James moved to Queensland in 1883 to the Calliope and then to Nanango area and while travelling around prospecting he went on to find rich Gold in 1867 near the Mary River.

The Government had offered £3000 reward for the discovery of payable Gold within a radius of 90 miles from Brisbane, James discovery was deemed, by the Government, to be further than the 90 miles away, so for his discovery, after twelve months of debate, he was only granted £1000.

James with his brother, John, earned a further £7000 from their claims, Nash’s Claim (plant included) was sold on the 7th September 1887 for £100, a quartz reef believed to pass through the claim is why the price was so high however unwise investments in mining shares as well as a drapery store saw them soon lose their winnings.
James Nash married Catherine Murphy, a nurse, in Maryborough on the 5th July 1868. Following their marriage, taken up upon their returned from a visit to England, was a farm 4 miles from Tiaro, named ‘Tilson’ where James rented out agistments for mares. James also held the license to the Queens Hotel in Tiaro for 10 months in 1876/77.

James and Catherine went on to have 6 children.
Elizabeth Amy was born on the 26th February 1871, better known as Amy, assisted in the care of her father James during his latter years, she passed away on the 20th July 1960.
Francis James was born on 6th June 1874 and passed away on the 14th April 1875 from dysentery.
Twins Kathleen Mary and Herbert James were born on 2nd March 1876 with Kathleen Mary passing away on the 30th June 1880 at the age of 4 years and 4 months, at the same time leaving Herbert James without speech and hearing, from an incident when their pram got away and rolled down a hill. Herbert went on to become a fine artist and passed away on the 6th March 1957.
Allan William was born on the 7th May 1979 he was a popular Headmaster of Two Mile State School at the time of his enlistment for WW1 and whilst a Major in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, was killed in action at Gallipoli on the 29th June 1915. It is recorded: ’Allen Nash was one of the most efficient, conscientious and respected officers in the Regiment and his loss a serious one’
Eva Kathleen was born on the 28th September 1881 and passed away in Gympie Hospital on the 7th March 1897 at the age of 15 years 5 months.
In 1888 the Government made James the Keeper of the Gympie Powder Magazine for £100 a year. In 1898 the Magazine and James were moved to Traveston, he would retire in 1912 due to ill health.
While James was living in Traveston, he would often come to Gympie and visit his family. He was very proud of Gympie and the magnificent views which could be seen from the hills. Though James and Catherine lived apart for some time, they were still friendly and would often meet when he visited Gympie city.
James Nash lived his last couple of years with his youngest brother Mark’s, family in Mellor Street, passing away on the 5th October 1913, aged 79, he was given a Civic funeral and is buried in Gympie Two Mile cemetery.
On James’s death the Government granted Catherine an annual pension of £50.
James Nash was honoured, by the public of Gympie City, on the 6th March 1915 with a seven ton granite block memorial which was placed in front of the Gympie Town Hall.
James Nash had made very little money out of the Gold rush he started, a rush that added some £34.538.328 to the Queensland economy.

 

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Top photograph: Nash’s Gully where James Nash 1st discovered gold, just below Caledonian Hill
(Gympie’s earliest photo, 1868, said to be James Nash standing in front right side)

James Nash photograph (above): 1868

The Nash Memorial.
With the original upper urn and finial.
James Nash was honoured, by the public of Gympie City, on the 6th March 1915 with a seven ton granite block memorial which was placed in front of the Gympie Town Hall.
It was relocated to Memorial Park in River road in 1930s.
The original upper urn and finial are not present and the drinking fountain is no longer operable.

 

Story written by Conny Visini 

Sources: TROVE & Qld BDM & Google
Previously published in GFHS Facebook & Gympie Today newspaper.

HOW NASH FOUND GYMPIE.
Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser (Qld. : 1860 – 1947) Thursday 12 June 1919 Page 6