Old news from Armidale and New England

Wednesday 18 February 1920, The Argus (Melbourne)

Ballarat Rush Recalled.

SYDNEY. Tuesday – An echo of the Ballarat gold rush was heard in the Probate Court to-day, when an application was made by Alfred Henry Tinson, a nephew of Benjamin Baker, formerly of West Maitland, now alleged to be dead, for leave to swear to Baker’s death in the course of application for letters of administration. It was stated during the hearing, that Benjamin Baker, who had been at the Rock River diggings, near Tamworth, returned in October, 1852, to the home of his sister, Elizabeth (Mrs. Cooper) who then lived at Horseshoe Bend, West Maitland. He remained there for some little time and eventually set off with a party to the Ballarat gold diggings leaving in the hands of his sister’s husband a sum of £256, to be kept until his return and taking £200 with him. Nothing further was heard of the party. Moses Baker, brother of Benjamin, who had set out with him, reappeared, but was suffering so severely from the effects of sunstroke, that be could give no coherent account of the fate of the diggers who were generally supposed to have been waylaid and killed by bushrangers or blacks. The sum of £256 left behind by Benjamin Baker was deposited with the Government Savings Bank, and with interest accumulated had increased to £525, which was the sole asset in the estate. The Court granted leave to the applicant to swear that death had occurred on or since October 27, 1852.