Page 16 - rigneymaster

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

Mining was officially stopped because the face was getting too close to the railway
line, which threatened to collapse into the claim. It is rumoured that in the depression
years the face was discretely moved yet closer to the railway line.

The Meyer's claim continued to be operated into the 1930's.

Stevenson / Redford: The Stevensons were store keepers at the Bend, keeping
provisions and growing small berries for the miners. Their home and store was a cob
cottage at the Corstophine Creek several kilometres downstream from the graves.
The chimneys at either end have fallen down in recent years and the last remnants of
the house vanished recently when the paddock was ploughed.

Figure 7 Stevenson / Redford cobb cottage

Photo from Mrs Wilton.

Link to site of Stevenson / Redford house in Google maps

The Stevensons both died young and their children were separated. One of the
daughters, Bella, later worked for the Ridds, miners, who occupied the abandoned
Horseshoe Bend church.

Bella's grand-daughter Mrs Helen Wilton, a family friend, came to the stone house as
a visitor and realised that her relations had lived nearby. Researching her family
history led her to the remains of the cob cottage at the Corstophine where, a kilometre
from the end of the present road, she met an old man, looking at the same remains.
In an amazing coincidence it came out that the old man, Mr Redford, had been born in
the house and lived there as a child. The Redfords had bought the house from the
Stevensons. Mr Redford was from Auckland and was on a one-day visit to his old
home.

© Jeff Robertson 16