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A number of years ago, a member of the community offered Fosterville Gold Mine three priceless historical mining books that had been sitting in a cupboard for many years. 

Two of the books chronicle the history of original mines that operated on the Fosterville goldfield in the late 1800s, and provide a fascinating insight into the region’s mining past.

The books included:

• Central Ellesmere Mine 1897-1904 Mine Manager’s Report book; and
• Stewarts United Gold Mine Wages Register 1897 – onwards.
• Also included in the donation was a wages register from the Victorian Exploration Mining Company in Gippsland (1926-29).

Given the age of the books, and imagining that they endured some pretty rough ’n ready conditions during their working life, it was no surprise that they were in a dilapidated condition.

Enter Tine and Duncan Rolley of Artifact Conservation!

Just a short drive away in Kyneton, we were pleased to find Tine and Duncan, who specialise in the preservation of artworks, books and paper based archives. In today’s technological world, the art of artifact restoration and book binding is fast becoming a lost trade, however, it remains an important service needed to preserve history.

Tine and Duncan kindly took on the project and embarked on the meticulous process of carefully deconstructing the books, repairing pages and fixing the broken binding, before putting them back together again, ready to weather another 130 years. 

“The books all presented their own challenges from a conservation perspective,” explained Tine.

“One had red rot – a type of leather deterioration, characterised by reddish discoloration and degradation – while another had pages that were stuck together and had to be carefully separated; all of the covers had deteriorated, and many of the pages needed cleaning and repairing,” Tine continued.

However, a pleasing feature of all the books is the excellent legibility of the written words on each page, which paints a vivid picture of the challenges that the miners and the people living in the area were facing at the time.

“Turning the pages and reading the handwritten reports provide a tangible sense of connection to the people who worked and lived in Fosterville in the late 1800s,” said Lance Faulkner, General Manager at Fosterville Gold Mine.

There is even a short unsent letter from the Mine Manager to his Mum, which together with the monthly mine manager reports, gives great insight into how our communication with one another has changed over the years.

Once the books were reconstructed, Tine and Duncan handmade each book its own box, which will ensure the books are protected from the elements. 

“As custodians of these books, Fosterville Gold Mine is thrilled to have been able to fund their preservation, so that in another 130 years, future generations can refer to them and reflect on the historical events that shaped their reality, along with the history we are making now,” Lance concluded.