4 thoughts on “Photo BO

  1. Hi Frank Is this Building still standing or in use today, even today I have a Foreboding about Ballarat, it is one of the most depressing places I have ever been too excep Box Hill Boys Home, there is just something there that makes my skin Crawl ?
    This is all very well put together and easy to Read Well Done Frank Regards Dasha Daryl Miechel

    1. Hi Frank, (I am 73 y.o.a) Years ago I had polocrosse horses and your Dad, it seems, was the old fellow who shod them for me. He had the reputation of being a brilliant farrier but he actually retired while I was still riding and so I had to find another farrier. Allan Hanrahan, who I only contacted today to discuss your father, said Al had over the latter time, and on different occasions, three blacksmith shops. Does this sound right. Could there have been other farriers by the name of Al Golding. At the time, I was teaching at Ballarat East High School where many orphanage kids went to school. Little did I know about you at this time and obviously the orphanage was never mentioned by me or your father. (I actually worked with Jack Sheehan for years …. what a grumpy old sod he was.) Just finished your book, An Orphan’s escape and wished I’d got my hands on it years ago. Wouldn’t we all like to dig up our relations to find out some more about their lives. I live in Kingston and would love to have a chat some time.

      1. Hello Claire. My apologies for not keeping up to date with my website. Sometimes I just get too busy to do anything there. Yes my Dad was a farrier in and around Ballarat. I recall his shop in Mair Street and another in Humffray Street, near the railway crossing. Ballarat East High School was not yet built when I was in the Ballarat Orphanage, but some of the younger former residents tell me about it. I recall J.J. Sheehan very clearly. Grumpy is right, though I sort of respected him more than some of the other teachers. I don’t get to Kingston at all these days, but if you’re ever in Melbourne I’d shout you a coffee in exchange for a chinwag!

    2. Hi Sasha, good to hear from you. Yes this is a photo of the old Ballarat Orphanage main building, but it was demolished decades ago. The only fabric still standing are the school (1921), the toddlers Block (1929) and the boundary wall (1880s). We managed to get heritage protection on them through the city council, but they are not being looked after.

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