Since the Web pages about the villages of Byng (Cornish Settlement) and Cadia were displayed, we have had a number of emails and letters about people who went to work in these places and to take up land for a variety of purposes. The family histories we have gathered make interesting background to what occurred at both villages, particularly as they often related to mining and smelting activities at both centres.

With the support of descendants of families who lived in the area, we have family histories of early residents in both villages together with background on the origin of these folk from Cornwall and other counties. The earliest Cornish families at both villages soon mingled with those who came from elsewhere later and there were marriages and new families soon grew up in the area.

We hope you will find it as fascinating as we do that the parents and also the children of these families are to be found moving to many parts of Australia from Byng and Cadia. This was particularly so for those who followed mining and smelting activities in places such as Broken Hill and Cobar in NSW, Peak Downs and Charters Towers in Queensland, Kalgoorlie and other gold mining centres in Western Australia. Some became involved in completely different work such as in banks and other commercial activities, and in agriculture and animal husbandry.

The Menu links to other pages will grow as we produce the family histories and as other material comes in to us. There are two family stories which can be studies at the two Menu topics at this time:--

  1. The Allcorn Family of Byng
  2. Four Families around the Bathurst area (Chambers, Hunt, Brookes and Austin)

You will be taken to these wonderful stories of early life in at least two village centres.