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One Man’s Goldfield: the story of the Horseshoe Bend Diggings, William Rigney and Somebody’s Darling

Sullivan: James Sullivan, another of the original discoverers of gold, also stayed on
at the Bend for the rest of his life. Sullivan lived in a small hut where the lane to the
farmhouse turns left, approximately half-way from the road to the house.

Link to site of Sullivan house in Google maps

No trace of the hut remains but the remains of the stone wall which enclosed his
garden can still be seen nearby. The story of Sullivan's claim was recorded in 1896 in
the Otago Daily Times publication "The Otago Goldfields, their Past History, Present
Position, and Future Prospects" as follows:

"Sullivan, with somewhat impaired health, the fruit of many hardships, gave up the
single handed fight, and took into partnership with him Gunton Bros., formerly
residents of the Taieri district. During a period of 10 to 12 years he worked the
ground, taking out the dirt with a horse and trucks, and brought water a distance of
about 1200 yards into the claim. He did fairly well under the circumstances, but was
unable to do justice to the mine, and a little time ago he formed the present
partnership. The conditions were that Messrs Gunton find the necessary plant to work
the ground by hydraulic sluicing, and in return they are to get the first gold until they
have been repaid the money expended by them. After that Sullivan comes in as
partner, getting one-sixth of the gold won. The ground runs from about 6ft to14ft
deep, with a hard, heavy bottom, but showing excellent indications of gold. A working
plant costing between 800 and 1000 pounds has been erected, and there is a very
good water supply, which is carried through 1100ft of piping, with a fall of 132ft. The
party were working on fairly shallow ground, and were fair down on the reef. For nine
days' working they had got 91/2oz of gold, and again for 20 hours' work over 2oz, the
work done merely leading up to a proper start being made. There is no doubt
whatever that the claim will pay generously, and prove an excellent investment to
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Messrs Gunton Bros."

Bell / Meyer: Thomas Bell, miner, left his own mark on the Bend in the form of the
stone house, the only dwelling to survive the gold mining era.

Link to site of Bell / Meyer house in Google maps

Bell, a Cornishman, had a claim along the river which he called the Bluebell.

Link to site Bluebell claim in Google maps

He has been described as very difficult to get along with. Bell built the stone house on
a miner's acre around 1880. The miner's acre was a government grant of land, for the
purpose of a dwelling and domestic stock, to encourage miners to settle and build.
Originally the stone house was built to be an hotel, Black Cat Inn, with two wings. The
current building was completed and rough ends left on the stonework at the front to
allow a new wing, parallel to the road, to be tied in. The second wing was never built
but the ragged ends of rock work, and the stoned up doorway which would have
provided access from new to old, still remain. It was Bell's intention that the hotel
cater for the wagon drivers who passed that way, preferring the relatively flat route on

13 "The Otago Goldfields: Their Past History, Present Position and Future Prospects" Otago Daily Times. 1896

© Jeff Robertson 12